by Jaime Lewis
“Are you attending the Fur Ball gala tomorrow night?” Demitri asked.
“I am. I’ve got a few people I need to catch up with. I’m going to ask—"
“Excuse me, Dr. Walters,” Mia said from the doorway, and Elijah smiled. Right on time, he thought to himself. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to let you know the puppies are tucked in for the night. If you don’t need anything else, I’m going to head out for the evening.”
“Mia, please come in for a minute.” He motioned to her. She came closer but appeared nervous. She looked toward Demitri, who was eating her up with his eyes. Elijah cleared his throat, drawing her attention back to him.
“Do you have any plans tomorrow evening?”
She drew her eyebrows inward and shook her head. “No. No plans.”
He smiled. “Well, if you are interested, I have an extra ticket to the Fur Ball. There will be numerous clients and associates of the clinic in attendance that I’d like to introduce you to. It would be a great networking opportunity for you.”
“Really? I’ve heard that it is one of the hardest tickets to obtain here in the city. As far as galas go, that is.”
Elijah nodded, “It is the hottest ticket in town, and I’d very much like to allow you the opportunity to attend. I’ll be attending.” He stared at Mia, and a thought came to mind. Maybe tomorrow night would be an opportune time to get a little closer to Mia. Maybe give her a taste of what it could be like being with him and a chance to find out more about her. “I’ll even pick you up.”
Mia’s eyes widened, almost making Elijah laugh. “You don’t have to pick me up.”
Elijah smiled. “So, is that a yes to attending as my guest?”
Her face lit up, and he knew he had sold her on it. “Yes! Thank you so much.”
“You’re very welcome. And, I do insist that I pick you up. You’ll be thanking me once you see the line to the valet. It is a nightmare. I’ll be at your apartment building around six-thirty. Take tomorrow off if you need to.” He didn’t leave any room for an argument. He knew from past functions such as this one that women needed a whole day to prepare.
“Okay. If you really don’t mind me sharing a ride with you, I’d appreciate it.”
He gave her a soft smile. “Go on and get out of here. Great job tonight, and I mean it, take tomorrow off. You’ve earned it.”
She nodded her head and then turned toward Demitri. “Demitri, it was nice meeting you.”
Demitri smiled, “I’m sure our paths will cross again. Take care, Mia.”
With one last wave over her shoulder, she exited the office. Elijah waited until he heard the side entrance door close before he spoke. As the metal door slammed shut, he turned toward Demitri, who had a wicked grin growing on his face.
“Well, my friend, it looks as if you have a date tomorrow. And if I’m honest, I’m pissed at myself for not beating you to the invite. It would have been a joy to have that beauty on my arm.”
Elijah smirked. Typical Demitri. He needed to make sure he kept Mia out of Demitri’s grasps. If not, it could possibly lead to trouble.
“I’d say Mia bought your sob story about the puppies being thrown out with the trash.”
Elijah ran his hand through his hair. “I think so, but she’s not the one I’m concerned about.”
“You’ve got a snitch?”
“I think so, but I need to set a trap.”
“Someone here at the clinic.”
Elijah stared at Demitri. He knew he could trust him; hell, Demitri would probably help set the trap.
“Willow.”
Demitri looked surprised. “The receptionist?”
“I think so.”
“Holy shit. That woman is like a mouse. She hardly says anything or makes eye contact with anyone. Are you sure?” Demitri questioned.
“She gossips. And lately, she’s been asking some questions that shouldn’t concern her.”
Elijah shook his head. “I’ve got some of the guys keeping an eye on her.”
Chapter Two
Mia felt that tingling sensation start to creep along the back of her neck. She always got that feeling when she felt something felt off. She pushed the creepy feeling aside as she tried hard not to appear disrespectful in the middle of what had to have been the most challenging conversation she’d ever had. The sad part was the person she was trying to engage in conversation with had been an idol of hers ever since she’d started to take a serious interest in becoming a veterinarian.
Dr. Oscar LaRoache was a world-renowned veterinarian. Or should she say he used to be? She’d heard rumors circulating the last few months regarding his health and how it had deteriorated. After listening for the last ten to fifteen minutes and hearing the same story about the German Shepard who ate thirty-six of his owner’s socks for the fourth time, she realized they weren’t rumors. The poor man was suffering badly from dementia, and it was heart-wrenching to witness because the man had been brilliant in his prime.
The gala itself so far had fared well. Even though she wasn’t really into the whole city social scene, she was grateful for Elijah’s invite because, with his connections, she’d been able to do a lot of networking in just the two hours she’d been there.
Just as Dr. LaRoache started to tell his story again, she felt her phone vibrate in her clutch. Glad for the interruption, she excused herself and exited the ballroom. Down the hall and out of earshot of the loud music, she spotted a couple of chairs.
She smiled when she saw Alex’s name flashing on her phone screen. Alex was her brother’s fiancé. “Your timing couldn’t have been any better,” she answered, and her smile grew when she heard the two sets of laughter on the other end. Not only was Alex on the phone, but Alex’s best friend Tenley was there too. Those two women were a wrecking ball when they got together. Not in a bad way; they just fed off each other and could make for some really good and entertaining times, especially when there was alcohol involved. However, Tenley was on a break from the poison since she was pregnant with twins due in a few weeks. God help Potter, her husband—and member of Ace’s SEAL team—if those two babies are anything like their momma.
“I know you’re at the gala right now, but Tenley and I had to call you.”
“Why is that?” She asked, taking a seat in one of the chairs. She almost groaned, taking a load off her feet.
“You look amazing!” Alex said in excitement. Alex had asked her to send a picture of her in her gown. The dress was floor-length, mermaid style in snow white with a plunging neckline that showed more cleavage than she normally would and was comfortable with. It was just enough for a classy yet sophisticated look. The back was the main attention-getter, and honestly, she had been a little gun shy about wearing it at first, but the sales lady at the store along with the other customers in the small boutique convinced her that she rocked it. The back was completely open and dipped down so low it stopped just above her rear. It was a dress she never would had picked out herself. But the sales lady apparently did her job because she had been complimented on the dress all night.
“What Alex means to say is you look hot, Mia! I’m sure you’ve had men swarming you all evening.”
These two were hilarious, but Tenley was right—she’d had plenty of offers already, but she wasn’t interested. The only man she was interested in was nowhere near New York City.
Mia laughed dryly. “You two are something else.”
“Hey…you sound different. Is everything okay?” Alex asked, and Mia couldn’t help but grin. Alex had a knack for knowing when something was off. She was very intelligent, and even though she was retired from the government, agencies still tried to recruit her. The guys on the team swore she had been a SEAL in her former life and carried all the training and knowledge into her new life.
“I’m good. You called at a good time. I needed a little break. Who knew networking could be quite tiring, not to mention repetitive.” Mia thought back to Dr. LaRoche.
&nb
sp; “Well, we don’t want to take up your time, but we wanted to call and tell you that you look beautiful,” Alex said, and Mia appreciated it.
“Thank you. I have a few minutes to chat. What are you ladies up to tonight?”
Alex sighed. “Tenley and I are bored. Ace has the guys over for their weekly team-building gathering. They kicked us out of the room when we turned off their football game in favor of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Guess they weren’t in the chick flick kinda mood.” She said laughingly.
Mia chuckled, then scrunched up her nose up. “Why do they need to meet every week for a team building thingy? Don’t they see each other every day, especially when they’re out on their SEAL thing-a-ma-jigs? Sheesh, you’d think they’d be sick of one another.”
Alex started laughing. “They’re called missions or ops, and I honestly think he just told me that so he could have a night every week that he can have the guys over, and I can cook for everyone.” Mia laughed. Knowing her brother’s manipulative ways, she wouldn’t doubt it.
“Speaking of the team, Alex showed the picture of you in your gown to everyone,” Tenley stated with emphasis on everyone, and Mia’s heart pounded in her chest. If all the guys were there right now, that meant Stitch was there, and he saw the photo. She wondered what he thought of the picture.
“Mia? Are you still there?”
Mia shook her head. “Yeah, sorry. You showed the guys my picture? Why?”
“Why not? You look great. Stitch thought so too. He even got pissed off when Dino commented on your back ass-ets.”
“Oh, geez.”
“Oh, come on, Mia. Everyone knows you and Stitch have the hots for one another,” She paused. “Well, maybe everyone except for your brother. Although I think he knows but is just in denial. Does that make sense?” She asked, laughing.
“Even if we did, it could never work. He works with my brother.”
“So?” Alex replied.
“So, that’s why. You know, the secret unwritten rule. Ace even lectured me when I was younger and he first joined the teams and brought guys home when they were on leave.”
Alex made an odd noise with her mouth. “I don’t know, Mia. Your brother may surprise you. Look, just have fun tonight. And just think a couple more days, and then we can all hang out together,” She squealed in delight. “Plus, I need a drinking partner. Tubby here next to me still has a few more weeks before she can have a drink.”
“Hey! I resent that.” Tenley interjected but laughed along.
“What about Autumn and Bailey?”
“Autumn’s been busy with Cody, plus I think she and Frost are trying for a baby,” Alex whispered. “But you didn’t hear that from us. And with Bailey still recovering from her ordeal, Irish has a short leash on her, so alcohol for them is definitely out of the question. And, I hate to drink by myself. It’s no fun.”
Mia was laughing so hard her abs started to hurt. Right at that moment, she turned her head and locked gazes with Elijah. He stood at the other end of the hall, watching her. He looked so authoritative in his stance and the way he just nodded his head as people passed by him. But he never took his eyes off of her. Her smile faded at the thought that he could be upset because she disappeared for a little bit.
“Listen, ladies, as much as I would love to stay on the phone and chat, I really need to get back. My boss is staring at me.”
“Oh…he is sexy too. You know, the tall, dark and dangerous type,” Tenley said, and she wasn’t wrong. Elijah was very attractive. A little out of her age range as he was in his mid-fifties. He was fun to look at, but that was all she was willing to do. She and he had a pure working relationship. Her dad had taught her long ago not to shit where she eat.
She said good-bye to Alex and Tenley. She put away her phone as she walked toward Elijah. Elijah met her eyes, and he flashed her that sexy smile of his. Tenley wasn’t wrong; he was a good-looking guy, and the tuxedo he wore added to his appeal. The way it molded against his body, she knew it had to have been custom made and probably cost a fortune.
“Is everything okay?” He asked, placing a hand on her waist and giving it a little squeeze. It was a repetitive gesture he had done most of the night while he escorted her around the room, introducing her to the City’s finest.
She smiled up at him. “Yes, sorry about disappearing. It was my brother’s fiancé, and I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
“No worries. With the way you were smiling, I’m assuming everything is good?”
“Yes, she just called to say hi.”
“Good. There are a few more people I’d like to introduce you to. Shall we?” He asked, gesturing back toward the ballroom with one hand while his other was glued to her lower back.
“Sounds great. Lead the way, boss.” She joked and gave him a grin.
He smirked before taking her hand and leading her through the double doors back into the ballroom. Elijah waved to people as they passed through. They were headed toward the bar in the far corner of the room when she noticed a group of men standing just to the left of the bar. When one of the men turned, Mia’s eyes widened as she locked gazes with her ex, Terek. Instantly she felt sick. He did a double-take and looked taken back by her presence, but quickly masked his shocked expression.
She had met Terek a little over a year ago at a bar not too far from her apartment. They exchanged phone numbers, and soon after, they started dating. Though they were compatible with one another, and he treated her well, the relationship never blossomed. There just wasn’t a “wow” factor. She hadn’t seen or spoken to him since the night she had caught him with the other woman.
As they joined the group, Elijah introduced her to everyone. She recognized a couple of the men who worked for the City and were clients of the clinic. Demitri was there as well, and when he took her hand and brought it to his lips, she thought Terek was going to make a scene. He tried to hide his displeased expression by taking a drink from his glass. When Elijah turned to Terek, Terek was quick to extend his hand for a shake.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mia.” He told her, acting as if they had never met before, and it confused her. Did he just speak with an English accent? She went to question his greeting, but something in his gaze told her to keep her mouth shut. She shook his hand and gave him a questionable look, but he ignored her reaction and went back to his conversation with the guy next to him. His rejection pissed her off.
She took a step back, feeling somewhat rejected by Terek’s actions, and found herself between Demitri and Elijah. Demitri bent down and whispered in her ear, “You look ravishing.”
She smiled up at him. “Thank you.” She replied.
“Have you enjoyed yourself this evening?”
“I have. It’s been a wonderful experience.”
“I hope Elijah has taken good care of you.”
Elijah looked over at Demitri. “Cool it,” He told Demitri, and Demitri smirked before looking down at her and winking. The men then went back to their conversations. As the minutes ticked by and the men showed no slowdown with the business talk, Mia turned her attention toward the bar and ordered a drink. As she waited for the bartender to mix her cocktail, she couldn’t stop thinking about the man who stood just a few feet from her. Her surprise run-in with Terek had put a damper on her mood, and she was now ready to call it a night. It pissed her off that his presence had ruined an enjoyable evening. The bartender handed her the glass, and she took a big gulp, feeling the burn of the alcohol down her throat.
“Did we bore you?” Elijah whispered in her ear.
She jerked her head around and found Elijah grinning at her. “What?”
His smile grew, and his eyes held a wicked gleam. “I thought we might have bored you.”
“Oh. No. I just didn’t really have anything to contribute to the conversation, so I got myself a drink.” She grinned and held up her drink before downing the rest of it. As she lowered her hand, Elijah took the glass from her and placed it on the ba
r.
“Well, I didn’t bring you here so you could feel ignored. Come.” He commanded, taking her hand and leading her away from the group. Sensing eyes on her, Mia took a quick look over her shoulder. Terek was leaning against the bar staring directly at her. He wasn’t happy, and she couldn’t understand what his deal was. Was he jealous? The thought of it made her smile. She could easily act like she and Elijah were an item, but she quickly dismissed the idea. It wasn’t fair to put Elijah in the middle of her personal issues. Nor was she one to play games. For now, she would just go with the flow and smile like she’d done all evening and hope she’d seen the last of Terek.
Chapter Three
“Stitch!”
Stitch looked up from where he was standing with his hip leaning against the pool table. Ace and Potter stared at him. “Are you going to play or what?”
Damn, he hadn’t realized he had zoned out. Ever since Alex and Tenley had shown him Mia’s picture, he couldn’t get the image of her in that fucking dress out of his head. She looked like she had just stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine, and knowing she’d be in a room filled with wealthy businessmen who probably used their manipulative boardroom ways to get a woman into bed had his head spinning. If she was going to sleep in anyone’s bed, he wanted it to be his.
Before his dick got any harder and made a fool of himself, he stood and pointed to the corner, right pocket, and lined up the easy shot. He cursed when the ball went wide to the left. Christ, he was definitely off his game.