by Dauphin, M.
Those of us on the inside know what it really is though.
“Mr. Callahan. I’d expected you to be on time this time,” Vick grins slimly as he stands to shake my hand.
Vick Ryder is just about the most two-faced son of a bitch out there. On the outside, he’s the typical family man. Poor guy lost his daughter in an accident when she was just a kid so the whole city rallied around him and his business. What they didn’t know was that they were also rallying around him building up his second career. The real moneymaker. The reason we sit here in this room right now.
“Please, call me Adam, Vick. We’ve known each other for too long to use such formal names,” I say keeping my formal tone to the meeting but trying to keep it as informal as possible.
I’ve got so much money I don’t know what to do with it. I’ve always been a risk taker, a rule breaker. Even when I was a kid I was betting on games or throwing money away on stupid gambles. This is just another game that keeps my mind busy and my wallet constantly fluctuating. I’d never bet so much that losing would hurt me, but I like taking chances, definitely.
“Well, Adam. I’m sure you know why we are here today?”
“Absolutely. You have my fighter wrapped up so tight he can’t perform properly. You really need to stop spreading these men out so thin, Vick.”
“Ah, you’ve noticed. Well, he’s had some... eyes... lately for my daughter. That dinner last week… he couldn’t take his eyes off her. No one touches my daughter. He needs to learn that lesson, Adam.”
“I can assure you, he’s a happily married man. He only has eyes for his own wife.” Fuck, I should’ve been the one going to that dinner. Then none of us would be in the mess we’re in today.
“Ah, Adam. I’ve seen too many married men sway from their wives.” His eyes pin Benton and I could beat the shit out of him right now. Benton knows better than to eye other women, especially Vicks daughter. Luckily, he also knows how to keep his mouth shut.
“No one touches my daughter, Adam,” he growls, his eyes move to mine. “No one.”
I try to calm my heart rate, try to form words, but I can’t. I can’t fucking believe I fucked his only daughter. His only child. I’m not normally one to get scared or nervous around people. Vick Ryder is the exception to that rule though. He’s killed men for less than what I did, I’m sure of it. Especially when he’s staring at me so menacingly. Like he knows where I was last night.
Shit. What in the hell am I going to do?
“Right, Mr. Ryder. I think what Adam means is that he just wants to make sure things are still going well with the deal.” Benton clears his throat to try and get me out of my funk that has set in since Vick glared at me.
“Ah, the deal. Yes, so you’re still in for a grand?” he smiles at me and I smile back carefully.
“I’d be in for two if you promise to stop fighting him every other night. He needs recoup time. I’m not one to throw my money away, Vick.”
“No one ever said you were a stupid man, Adam.” He’s eyeing me like he knows more. Maybe it’s just because I can’t get his daughter and her perfect ass out of my mind, but I feel like he knows what we did last night. She definitely wouldn’t have told him about it because I’m sure he’d be a lot more angry about things right now had she told him. Hell, I’m sure there’s a lot of shit that girl hides from her daddy.
“You put two grand down and I’ll move him to every four days. I can’t promise it’ll stick, but as long as he keeps his eyes and hands to himself, I’m golden.” His eyes flick over to Benton then back to me.
I look over at him and his jaw is tight but he’s positive about this. Benton isn’t one to back out of a deal, and with the adoption process almost complete he’s not about to stop this now. He needs all the money he can get.
“Fine. Deal.”
Benton’s nodding his head, his eyes squared in on Vick and the man sitting next to him.
The man he’s fighting in just a few hours.
He’s sizing him up. Looking for something that’ll help him win tonight.
“Great. See you two tonight,” he says and then nods before standing to leave. Turning back as he walks out the door, he smiles a genuine smile. “Oh! I forgot to tell you! My baby girl took her test today finally. One step closer to changing the world.”
He’s beaming proudly. I clam up the minute I hear him mention her, and Benton has to clear his throat to get me to function properly.
“Oh, that’s right. I remember you mentioning that. Well, I hope it all goes well for her,” I say and stand.
“Yes.” His eyes narrow at me then he shakes his head and leaves the room, the other man following behind him.
“So....” Benton starts in but I don’t wait to hear what he has to say.
I need to fuck someone else. Apparently the three days I went without fucking someone did a number on my emotions, since I can’t get this chick, the only one in the city that I shouldn’t have fucked, out of my mind.
Leaving the room, I hear Benton yell for me but I can’t talk about it. If anyone knows I did Vick Ryder’s daughter, I’m a dead man. Or at least I’ll wish I were dead. Vick isn’t a very forgiving man when it comes to his little girl. He’s a proud and overbearing asshole who has fired some of the best men he’s ever had working for him over mere rumors. Granted, knowing his daughter like I now do, I would put money on those rumors being true.
“Hey, dude. What the hell was that all about?” Benton enters my office without announcing himself, as usual. I sigh and push the button on my intercom.
“Reese, hold all calls,” I demand, then freeze all my lines and darken the glass around my office. Benton eyes me suspiciously and crosses his arms.
“You know as well as I do that man isn’t the most trustworthy of men.” I try and play off the fact that the majority of our meeting I was trying to hide the fact that I slept with the man’s daughter a few hours ago, but Benton isn’t fooled.
“Bullshit. We’ve met with him plenty of times in the past few years and you’ve never seemed so bothered during a meeting. Don’t screw this up, A-Team,” he grinds out and I shake my head.
“You need to leave, Benton,” I say sternly, nodding at the door.
We’ve been business partners ever since he started fighting. There’s only been a handful of times that we haven’t seen eye to eye, and this is about to be one of them if he keeps this up. No way am I telling him about last night. No way.
“Have it your way, man. You’re gonna explode one day from keeping all of that inside.” He walks towards the door and turns before he leaves, “See ya tonight, A.”
“Wouldn’t miss it, B,” I answer, then sigh and lean back in my chair as the door closes.
It’s been almost 14 hours since my encounter with Annaliese, but it feels like I can still smell her on my skin. Like I can close my eyes and reach out and touch her firm skin, her rounded ass. And damn, those legs. It pisses me off that I can’t get her out of my mind. I feel like I no longer have control over my thoughts, of my feelings. I need to find something to get my mind off her.
I need to find someone to screw.
Reese is informed, curtly, to hold everything for the rest of the day. I need some time out of this stuffy office. They can deal without me for the rest of the day.
Just as I close my car door, I cringe as my phone starts to ring.
“Shit,” I curse as I pull it out from my jacket pocket and look at the screen. I don’t notice the number so I answer with caution.
Being Adam Callahan can get a little tricky at times.
“This is Adam,” I say into the phone then wait to hear nothing from the other end. “Hello?”
“You know he has to lose tonight, right?” the voice on the other end growls through the phone.
“I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong number,” I say keeping my voice calm and collected. Who the fuck is this, and how do they know about tonight?
“Mr. Callahan. I most defini
tely do not have the wrong number. Remember what I said, for the good of all involved.”
The phone line goes silent and the call ends.
What the fuck?
I sigh and turn off my phone, tossing it aside and starting my car. I love this car. An Aston Martin DB9. My first purchase once the Open-View deal went through. She’s my baby. The only one I’ll probably ever have. Pitch black paint, dark leather interior, the seat hugs me softly. She’s perfect.
As I pull out of my parking spot, I make my way into midday Chicago traffic, cursing at the cabs cutting in and out of lanes. Public transportation is nice and all, but they don’t have to be such terrible drivers. This is how I met Vick in the first place. Living in Chicago can get hectic, and at times it’s easier not to have to drive places. His business was brought to my attention and I started using his driving services for all publicity events. Everywhere I’d rather not have to park my own car.
It wasn’t until a month after I started using his services that the driver screwed up by dropping me off at the wrong location and I realized how Vick really makes his money. The driver was cute, and I might have been distracting her. So when I opened the door, she sped off embarrassed. I still remember the confusion and anger that was rolling through me when I realized I wasn’t at the art gallery that she was supposed to be taking me to. Until I saw where I was actually. Once I saw the first blow, saw the blood fly, I was hooked. I needed the rush of watching someone get the shit beaten out of him. When I added in gambling on the fights, I was set. I could keep using his business on a day to day, as needed, basis, but once I started throwing more money into the fighting, my contract with him went down a few grand, making it easier to stay connected to him.
The same night my life changed from my newfound hobby was the first time I heard about Annaliese. Up until last night, that was the best night ever.
Parking the car at my condo, I sigh and close my eyes. Shit, this isn’t how I wanted this afternoon to go. I should have called up one of the many nameless women in my phone to meet up for a quick fuck, but my mind wasn’t in tune with my dick apparently. I ended up back at my condo where the only thing that’s waiting for me is a full dishwasher and a very eager English Bulldog puppy that my sister just begged and begged me to get until I finally caved.
At least Thor will be happy to see me.
I hit the remote to lock my car and head to the elevators. The penthouse suite, my home sweet home, is a fifty second ride to the top, no interruptions, as soon as I put my key in its place. On the entire ride up to the top, I’m plagued with the vision of Annaliese perched on the counter, waiting for me to taste her, to fuck her.
Shit.
The elevator doors open and I walk into my lobby. My lobby. What twenty-nine-year-old man can say he has a lobby in his house? Me. That’s who.
Adam fucking Callahan.
The man who’s letting some brown haired, heaven sent, goddess... nope... she’s not a goddess. She is just another lay. It’s just been too long since my last one, and that’s why my body doesn’t want to forget her.
If I keep lying to myself, one day I’ll believe it.
As soon as the door opens, Thor comes running towards me, full speed ahead. I laugh and scoop him up, laughing at his slobbery kisses.
“Oh... hey, buddy! Did Auntie not take you out yet today?” I ask him in the stupidest voice I can muster as I walk towards the leash.
“Of course I did, dimwit!” My sister’s voice booms from the hallway. “He’s just a puppy. So freaking full of cuteness and energy,” she says as she smiles at me.
My sister and I are two totally different people but it’s obvious we were raised in the same household. She’s all kinds of professional on the outside, as am I, but we differ on the inside. She’s a romantic woman at heart who wants to find ‘the one’ with the house in the ‘burbs and kids. I shudder at the thought of all of that anymore. It’s crazy how much a person can change in less than a year.
“Thanks for letting him out, Bug.” I smile at her childhood nickname, knowing full well how much she hates it. When we were kids she used to scream anytime she saw a bug. Any bug, it didn’t matter. She was so tiny though, that soon ‘bug’ became her only word. So it stuck, and she’s hated it ever since.
“You know I’d do anything for you,” she says in her playful, puppy dog voice.
“Aww thanks, little sis.” I laugh at her as Thor licks her open mouth then runs away to grab a chew toy from his box of dog play things.
“You know I meant Thor, nutso. Hey, Mom and Dad are expecting you at dinner tonight.”
She plops on my couch and I cringe at how backwoods she seems sometimes. We were raised with money, wealth, and status. This girl walks around naked half the time and eats while standing in front of the fridge. Sure she’s sophisticated when she needs to be, but she’s definitely not as upscale as she lets on to the public.
“I had dinner with them last night, Bug,” I grind out. How many nights a week are they going to keep me under their thumb? I have a business to run.
That’s why I’m sitting at home in the early afternoon. Because I’m such a busy motherfucker.
“Don’t care. Just here to let my precious baby out to potty and inform you that you will be attending with me tonight,” she cringes at the thought of dinner with my parents and I have to agree with her.
“Where?” I ask pulling out my phone, ready to text Benton that I might be late to the fight, but I’ll definitely be there.
“One of those dumb cook-it-in-front-of-you places, and don’t be late this time. Mom was all up in arms this morning on the phone that you were late to dinner last night,” she complains as she stands to leave.
“That’s bullshit. I would have made it if I didn’t have to help that girl,” I mumble to myself.
“What girl?” She stops and turns to look at me.
I never bring up the women I sleep with to my family. It would more than likely break my mother’s heart if she knew all of the times I have sex with random women in a week. My sister wouldn’t be heartbroken but I know I’d never hear the end of it. I’m not sure why I let the fact that I had to help Annaliese last night slip, but knowing my sister, she’s not going to let it go until I tell her.
“I, ah.... I saw a girl getting manhandled in an alley on the way to dinner last night. She needed help and I stopped to help her. End of story. Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“I did, but this sounds more interesting. My brother, a knight in shining armor?” She grins and crosses her arms.
“Hardly. She was kind of a bitch,” I spit out the lie and it tastes horrible. She was a vixen with a fucking hot body and smart as hell mouth.
“Hmm.... I seriously doubt that. I’ll find out the real story. You can count on that.” She winks at me and is out the door just like that.
“Shit.” I rake my hands through my hair and try to breathe out the stress that’s taken over me ever since I realized I screwed myself with Vick. Jesus, if he ever finds out he’ll have my balls on a stick, and roast them for good measure.
Thor comes running down the hall full speed and tries his hardest to jump on my lap, yipping at me the whole time. I laugh and pick him up, helping him onto the couch. It bothered me when my sister sat on this and didn’t show the Italian leather the respect it deserves, but Thor’s my boy. I couldn’t care less if he damaged this couch.
I’ve had Thor a few months now and ever since the first night when he snuggled up next to me on my pillow, I’ve been hooked. He’s been jogging lightly with me or my sister every day since city dogs need the exercise due to being cooped up all day long. He sleeps in my bed at night. Sometimes he waits in the bathroom for me to get out of the shower. He’s pretty much the longest running true companion I’ve ever had. I don’t count my ex-wife.
It only takes me an hour or so to get ready, so before dinner I head out to my sister’s apartment to pick her up. Now we have an excuse to leave early together
. I’ll just make up a work event that I forgot about. Then I leave and my sister will be without a ride so obviously she’ll have to leave also. A win-win for both of us.
“Hey Bug, you ready?” I ask in her intercom.
“Be right down!” I hear her yell.
As soon as we’re in the car it only takes us a few minutes to get to dinner and I shake my head in disgust at the hole in the wall restaurant I’m supposed to be eating at tonight.
“Are you sure this is right?” I ask reading the text my mom sent me.
“Absolutely. Yum-O,” she says dripping with sarcasm.
“What’s so special about this place?” I wonder out loud as we walk inside.
It’s insanely busy, and it looks like there’s a half hour wait for the poor patrons that don’t have reservations. Luckily, the Callahan name comes with an automatic reservation everywhere in the city.
“Come on, let’s grab a drink,” I say as my sister, stunning in her black dress and straightened black hair, wraps her arm with mine.
“Why would Mom and Dad make us eat here?” she grumbles, obviously pissed that she’s wasting a good dress on tonight’s dinner.
“Hell if I know,” I say.
As soon as I round the corner, I’m slammed into by a body. A body I’ll never forget.
Annaliese.
Shit. She looks so hot tonight.
She looks at me, then at my sister, and after mumbling an apology, takes off like a scared cat.
What the hell? Maybe she didn’t remember me?
I’m not one to easily forget; however, if she can’t remember me, I’m just going to have to rectify that situation.
Chapter 3
Annaliese
I rush back to my group, trying my hardest not to look like I just saw a ghost. He’s definitely not a ghost, and he’s most definitely the man from last night. And I’m fairly certain that he’s watching me walk away like a crazy woman.
“What the hell has you so spooked?” Gabby asks curiously as I walk up to her and take my now room temperature drink out of her hand. Not that the temperature registers much as I down it in two gulps. Her eyes narrow at me, but before she’s able to ask any questions about my behavior, our group is called to be seated.