From: Dawn Pearson
To: Sloan Pearson
Re: Where are you?
Dear Sloan,
I'm writing this in case you are checking your emails, because clearly you aren't picking up your cell phone or your landline. I thought about having my mom call you. Thought you may be avoiding my calls, but it's okay if you are. It might be better that I'm writing this anyway.
I've been really angry and really sad for a long time, and you've been one of the only people in my life who put up with me. So thank you. You were right about, Damien. He wasn't very nice to me. He had all these thoughts about what a good girlfriend was, and when I didn't live up to them, he said mean things. Nasty things. Things that made me really sad. Things that made me not want to do anything but go to school and sleep.
It doesn't matter now. He's decided that I'm too immature for him and has started seeing another girl that he met at a bar I think. So it's over, and I just wanted to tell you that we were done, and that I'm sorry he hit you, and that I'm really, really sorry that I didn't say so.
Your sister,
Dawn
P.S. That criminal (lol!) is looking for you. You better go home. He's actually a nice guy once you talk to him.
Twenty-Nine
Sloan
After reading her email, I end up talking with my sister for close to forty minutes on the phone about all types of things. The prom. Her grades. Marsha. Our dad. Us. It was cathartic and frankly the best conversation we've ever had. If I was a crier, I would have shed a tear or two. Dawn and I will never be the same. I feel it in my bones that we're going to have a closer relationship now, and I know that's primarily due to the P.S. mentioned in the letter.
Him.
I've never spent as much time as I have today thinking about what to wear. In the past, I've always considered what I was in the mood to wear. What cuts look best on me. What pants would make my ass not look so big. What color would complement my coloring. But today all I care about is who I'm dressing for.
Him.
I decided to take my mother up on her offer of a shopping spree and look for the perfect dress. It takes me an hour and four stores to find it. Upon first sight, it doesn't look like much. A simple strapless dress. Short. Purple. But on me it looks like a garment made with my exact measurements and motive in mind. Fits like a glove.
When I arrive to Lotus, the air is heavy with sweat and seduction, but I know that he isn't here yet. I can just feel that there's something missing, because whenever Cutter is around he takes up the entire space.
I notice Marco tending the main bar as usual and ask him for a glass of shiraz. Not just because I want a drink, but because this is the best seat in the house. There's no way Cutter can miss me when he comes in. No matter what entrance.
How do I know he's coming? Cutter has spies everywhere. Someone in this club is going to tell him that I'm here, and if I know him like I think I do, he'll come looking for me immediately.
"You look especially gorgeous tonight, Sloan," Marco says.
"Thank you." I smile.
Marco and I continue making small talk about his new car, club gossip, and how Elizabeth is feeling now that she's in the second trimester of her pregnancy. We're deep in our conversation when a man approaches me who I've never seen before. He's a bit overdressed for the temperature of the club, it gets really hot in here, but that's probably because it's his first time and he doesn't know any better.
He slides an American Express card across the counter to start a tab and asks Marco for a whiskey neat. While he waits for his drink to be prepared, he strikes up a conversation with me.
"Is it always like this in here?"
"Pretty much. Is this your first time?"
"How did you know?"
"You have on way too many clothes. It gets really hot in here."
"You'd think they'd have a better air system," he says. "That's my line of work by the way. That's the only reason why I have an opinion."
"Oh, gotcha."
"Just out of curiosity are you seeing anyone?"
I smile as I consider the question. "I am."
And that's when I feel it. The buzz in the air that alerts me to his presence. The king is definitely in the building. That didn't take long. I turn my head immediately in his direction while the man I'm next to is still talking about something. I'm not sure what. It doesn't matter, because my entire reason for being here just walked through the door.
I can see the top of his head as he moves with large confident strides through the crowd and across the room. I'm a little disappointed that he's not looking at me, but surveying the entire crowd instead as he moves. I wonder if he sees me. I wonder if he's even looking for me.
My question is quickly answered when all of a sudden, his eyes find mine. He stops directly in from of me and holds me in place with his eyes. He doesn't say one word, but just all of a sudden bends down and slides one of his hands in my hair, behind my ear, and plants a kiss on my lips that makes me weak with need.
It's a powerful kiss. A kiss that is trying to communicate a million things. Telling me in more ways than one that Cutter missed me. That he wants me. That he's mad at me. That he's relieved to see me. I can feel every single thing he's trying to say. I don't need the words. I hope my kiss is saying them too.
Fireworks and fireflies.
When he pulls back from me, I notice that the man I was talking to hasn't left my side and is in fact watching us.
"Thanks for keeping my girl company, Midland. I appreciate it. Your next round is on me."
"No problem, Cut. She was easy to find like you said she'd be. The most beautiful woman in the room."
"You know him?" I say.
"I know a lot of people."
"You had him keep an eye on me?"
"I had him keep you company until I got here. That's all."
"I think he was testing me. He asked me if I was available."
Cutters rakes his eyes up and down my entire body, as if he's doing an inventory check. Making sure all the parts are present and working.
"And what did you say?"
"What do you think I said?"
"The right answer would have been hell no."
"I wouldn't speak that rudely to a stranger like some people I know."
He grabs one of my hands and lifts my wrist to his mouth.
"Don't ever do that shit again, princess. I worried like crazy about you. This was some mean shit you did to me. If Cam hadn't talked me off the ledge, your mother and I would not have had a good first meeting."
"What were you planning?" I giggle just imagining what he had in mind.
"I was going to camp out on your front lawn, and if that didn't work I would have used a pocket knife to pick the lock."
"Yes, that would not have gone over well. How did you know I was even there?"
"Now what kind of fixer would I be if I didn't know how to find people? Plus, I went to every place I thought you could be. That was the only place left."
"Did you go to my job?" Worried that he may have put himself in harm's way.
"I did."
"You shouldn't have done that. I should have called you earlier to tell you, but Damien–"
"Maybe we should go home and talk about this."
"No, I want to talk about it now. I need to tell you why I've been tripping out for the last few days. A lot of crap happened in the last seventy-two hours, and I mistakingly blamed most of it on you."
"I already know about everything that happened. Damien set us up. Your job asked you to leave. That Regan bitch stole your client. I went to your job, so I could have a meeting with Mr. Stokes about it all. Thanks to a little information that an old client gave me, he and I were able to have a long conversation about how I could help him with a problem that he's having at home.”
“What kind of problem?”
“That’s confidential, babe, but he was so grateful for my assistance, that he said he'd be happy if you
'd stay with the company. He even said that he had some ideas about expanding your territory to help make up for the loss of the doctor’s business.
"You blamed me for everything, because it was my fault. All of it. That kid knew I was going to flip when I found out he worked in your building. He baited me. And I know I could have handled things differently when you were out with the doctor. I was just so angry. You looked like you were having such a good time with him. I was jealous as fuck. Apparently I’m a bit of an asshole when I’m jealous, Princess.“
"Shhh, you talk too much," I say pulling him closer to me. "This is a club not a therapy session."
He bends down and kisses me again. This time the kiss is slower. Sexier. Not as desperate. I run my hand across the top of his head, and down his neck, doing my own sort of exploratory check.
He groans in my mouth. "Let's go home, baby."
"Not until you dance with me," I say.
"I'll dance with you at home all night if you want. We can dance naked. We can dance while we eat bacon. We can dance while we watch Downton Abbey."
I laugh at him.
"Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?" He smiles brightly.
"I want to dance with you here. Where everyone can see that the king is taken."
He holds me around my waist and leans his forehead against mine.
"Is he?"
"If he wants to be."
"He does."
"Then he should dance with me."
There's a reason why the club is one of Cutter's favorite businesses to manage. It's obvious that he loves music, and he's a terrific dancer, which is sometimes difficult when you're as tall and muscularly built as he is. I could stay in his arms all night.
"You're a great dancer. Why didn't I know this about you?”
"I never dance in public."
"Why?"
"It ruins the persona. I'm supposed to be a charismatic tough guy in here."
"That's not your persona."
"Then I'm in big trouble."
"You're the good guy in the white hat. The friend who protects. The brother who worries. The boss who cares. The lover who–"
"The lover who what?"
We're swaying and grinding against each other's bodies closer now. I can feel how stiff Cutter is through his jeans. It reminds me of all that I've been missing this time we've been apart.
"You see what you do to me, princess?"
"I can feel it," I say seductively.
"This dress is sexy as fuck. You should be wearing it while tied up somewhere in my house. Dress up to your waist. Wall against your face.”
His words make my core clench.
”I wore it for you, so you better like it."
"Is purple your favorite color? First the vibrator, now the dress."
I wrap my arms around his neck as we continue to dance. Rocking our hips back and forth against each other. This probably isn't the best idea, because I'm not wearing any panties, and I'm getting wetter by the minute.
"Purple is the color of royalty, and since I belong to the king, I thought it only fitting that I wear his royal colors."
A wicked grin spreads across Cutter's face.
"Can we go home yet, because you're talking all types of sexy shit that's going to get you into a lot of trouble in this club. I'm not adverse to spreading you out on that bar top and licking you clean for the entire club to see."
"You'd never do that!"
"I'm into a lot of shit, princess. You still don't know the half of it."
Thirty
sloan
"Your place or mine?"
"Yours. I haven't been in my house in days, and it probably stinks to high heaven. I think I left old food in the kitchen trashcan."
"Mine it is."
When we arrive in front of Cutter's door, Kyle peeks his head out of his apartment.
"You brought our girl back?"
Cutter nods. "Yep."
"Sweet. I guess I'll see you when you come up for air then?" he says to me.
"Okay," I say a little surprised by their friendly exchange with each other. "We'll catch up tomorrow."
"I'll get the brie and crackers, you bring the prosecco."
"Deal."
"When did you two become so chummy?" I ask Cutter after Kyle shuts his door.
"I went around and met all of the tenants. I had to get a detailed list of repairs for Pete to start working on. We talked for a few. He's not so bad."
After we walk inside of the apartment, Cutter shuts the door with his foot and his hands immediately begin ripping off his clothes.
"I'm jumping in the shower," he announces grumpily.
"Um, okay."
I'm a little disappointed. I thought he was ripping off his clothes, and then he was going to rip off mine. I guess there's plenty of time for that though. It's not like I was off to war. It's only been a few days.
"Maybe I should grab a couple of things from my place?"
"I washed all the clothes you left over here. You don't need to go over there if you don't feel like it."
"It's literally ten steps away. I'll be right back."
"Okay. Take my key to let yourself back in."
My apartment ends up not being as bad as I thought it'd be. In fact it looks a little cleaner than I remembered. The trash is empty with a fresh liner in the can. My floors look swept. My mail is neatly stacked on my counter. My bed is made. Clothes that I'm sure were on the floor have been folded neatly at the end of it. There could only be one person who would break into my apartment and leave it better than when they entered. This man is so good to me.
"Did you go into my apartment while I was gone?" I ask when I return.
"Maybe."
Cutter walks out of the bathroom looking like one of those hot Instagram models. The ones who flash their abs, and their tats, holding a cute dog or cooking half naked in the kitchen. The only thing he's wearing are a pair of loose, navy blue sweats. No shirt. No shoes. I can still see a few water droplets on his back, and it's taking every ounce of self-control I have not to go lick them off.
"Either you did or you didn't."
"I did if you think it looks wonderful, and I didn't if you're mad I went in without your permission."
"Then you did. Thank you. I appreciate you taking care of it while I was . . . getting my head together."
"No thanks necessary. I needed something to keep myself busy anyway since someone wanted to take herself off the grid for a while."
I notice a new piece of furniture in the living room.
"When did you get this love seat thingy?"
I don't like it.
"Two days ago. It was sitting in the basement of the carriage house, so I brought it over."
"It's too small for you just like everything else in here."
"Yeah, well, shopping for furniture isn't my thing. I'll figure it out later."
He goes to the kitchen sink and starts rinsing a couple of dishes.
"So . . . uh I guess I'll take a shower. It was a little sweaty in Lotus."
"Okay, I'll pick out a movie."
What in the ham sandwich is going on with him? We were all hot and heavy at the club, and now that we're home he's cooled off considerably. Did he change his mind about me between there and here? Is he angry that I'm going to hang out with Kyle tomorrow?
When I finish my shower, one of my favorite comedies, Bridesmaids, is cued up and there is an assortment of salty snacks on the two little TV tables he has set up.
"Great," I say hopping up on the love seat next to him. Deciding I’ll just make the best of the night. "I love this movie."
"Yeah, it's a funny one."
"So what did you decide about your brother?"
"Which one?"
"Actually, both."
"I went to talk to Camden when I was looking for you. I think we understand each other better now. My expectations of him have always been super high, because he's my older brother and he's always put me first
. But now that he and Jade are together, I have to understand that sometimes she'll come first."
"True but you had some fair complaints."
"I did but he admitted that he was wrong, and that's all I really needed. Awareness. Respect. We're considering having me manage the secondary businesses myself, and he and Roman focus on the fixes. Me and Benny would only have to come in when needed."
I roll my eyes.
Him and his gun.
"And what about Stone?"
"We're going to look for him together.”
"The information you got didn't tell you the name of the prison where he’s being held?”
"Yeah but he's out."
"Well I think that's a good idea you going to look for him.”
"Not sure what we'll find when we find him, but willing to try."
I lean back on the end of the couch, and Cutter pulls my legs up on his lap and starts to give me a foot massage. He has the oddest, almost constipated look on his face and after watching the first fifteen minutes of the movie in silence, I've had enough.
"What's wrong, Cutter? Are you nervous about meeting Stone?"
"No."
"Are you mad that I made plans with Kyle? I thought you liked him."
"I said he was okay, not that I liked him."
"So you're mad?"
"No, Sloan. I'm fine if you want to hang out with him. He's your friend."
"Then what is it? We haven't seen each other in days, you were all over me in the club, and now you're giving me foot rubs while we watch movies with a scowl on your face. What's up."
He stops rubbing my feet and looks me in the eyes.
"Do you believe in love, Sloan?"
"I think we've had this conversation before."
"Is the answer the same?"
"No." I swing my legs down off of his lap and climb over to straddle his lap. "No, my answer is not the same."
"So what's changed in a matter of days?"
"Everything's changed. A man that I'm crazy about did everything within his power to make me happy. You got my crappy job back, which I'm not going back to by the way. You performed a miracle by not only talking to Dawn but impressing her, and if you think I don't know that Damien was heavily persuaded to dump Dawn, you're delusional. He would have stayed with her just to get under my skin for the next ten years if he could have.
The King Brothers Boxed Set Page 39