by Allyn Lesley
“Avi, meet Cassian Walker and his saint of a wife. He’ll be getting a pink slip on Monday,” Noah said with a straight face. The presence of his dimples betrayed his words.
Avi tried to stifle a grin that still worked its way on her lips.
“That’s a promise?” Cass quipped back.
“Please excuse the Neanderthals, Avi.” Beth rolled her eyes. “This has been my life for more than a decade now.”
Avi simply nodded at the camaraderie between the three, but didn’t having anything to add. It had been just Avi and her mother for so long that any relationships beyond two members seemed complicated. Besides, her mother kept her guard up at all times.
“The best years of her life. Right, Cass?” Noah said, practically in Avi’s ear.
Behind the Walkers, a loud screech was heard. Sofie ran over to the group.
“Oh. My. God. That was freaking awesome.” She hugged Avi and kissed her on the cheek. “You were a natural. I’m so glad I didn’t tell you about the murder mystery.”
Avi’s smile was instantaneous and genuine. “You’re just lucky I’m good at everything I do.” Words and laughter tumbled from her lips when addressing the one person she felt comfortable enough to lower her guard with. Sofie had a way of disarming her.
Before Sofie could respond, her aunt and uncle drew her away for a private conversation.
Noah stood in front of her, crowding her and demanding Avi’s focus. She jumped back a little, but he pulled her back to him. Heat rolled off him, drawing her nearer still.
He stared down at her. “You’re good at everything? Is that right, fake wife?” His low tone tangled her up with its seductive edge. The back of his hand brushed some hair from her cheek and grazed the shell of her ear.
The longer they looked at her, the darker, if that were possible, Noah’s eyes became. They were like black licorice. A turn off for most, but Avi was enthralled. As he straightened, his desire was made evident in his determined posture and the hunger in his obsidian eyes.
“Avi—” Noah began.
“Let’s go change,” Sofie interrupted, tugging on her arm.
She nodded at Sofie, thankful she’d never hear the rest of Noah’s request. Whatever it might have been, her response would have been yes. Without acknowledging anyone, she walked away from the group, wondering what was going on with her. She berated herself and the enigmatic man named Noah Adams.
What are you thinking? A grimace scrunched up her features.
“Wait up, Avi,” Sofie said, finally catching her at the doors.
She turned. The tiny hairs on her arms rose. Glancing over Sofie’s shoulder, she met Noah’s scrutinizing stare.
She shivered.
It was both comforting and disturbing how the bewildering man watched her.
The following morning found Avi seated and waiting to receive her made-to-order quiche. To her right were Sofie, Beth, and Cass, while on the other side were Gavin, a man, and a woman—the last two Avi didn’t know by name, but were probably considered Sofie’s close family friends just by the air of familiarity with which they spoke. An empty seat separated Avi from those on her left.
“I’m sorry I was late,” Avi whispered in Sofie’s ear.
“No worries. We did spend the entire night dancing our butts off,” Sofie said through a smile.
Chuckling, Avi teased, “Who knew you could get down and dirty like that?”
Last night was all about Sofie’s after-party, where the DJ spun the latest hits and everyone danced until sweat poured from their bodies. Good times.
The sounds of deep chuckles and light-hearted bursts of laughter drew Avi’s attention.
“Girl, stop playing and let me take you out,” said a bald African American male.
The ‘girl’ in question was a voluptuous, dark-complexioned woman with an oval face framed by a modern style cut at an asymmetrical angle at the sides.
“Fool, I’m married. Respect the bling.” She held up her finger for inspection. It was weighed down by what looked like carats Avi had only seen in luxury magazines.
The woman winked at Avi, causing them both to grin. Her deep, brown eyes sparkled with amusement. The table snickered as the man clutched his heart in dismay.
“I don’t see a husband around,” he said, coming back with an easy retort.
“You’re such an idiot, Roland Harris.” She pushed at his broad, muscled shoulder after he switched seats to be near her. The name she used was definitely one Avi hadn’t heard before. “You better be glad I married you, saving the world from your foolishness.”
“That’s Ro and Stacey. He works with my uncle,” Sofie said under her breath.
“Oh.”
Then she remembered there was one face she hadn’t seen in hours. Even though she didn’t want to, Avi’s gaze had a mind of its own and panned the large tent. But there was no dark brown-haired man who towered over guests.
“In case you’re looking for Jayson, he’s over at table twenty-three,” Sofie said before turning away to speak with her aunt.
She’d totally forgotten him. She picked up her hand to acknowledge his presence, but she became puzzled when Jayson turned to the side. Avi caught a glimpse of his sneering features. She frowned. Beside her, the chair’s legs scraped the floor. Her head turned just as a large hand landed on the back of the empty seat.
The hairs on her arms stood up and she shivered, her body instantly reacting to his nearness. She didn’t have to turn to see who was seating himself comfortably beside her.
Noah.
She was grateful when the wait staff began arriving with the table’s meals. She felt Noah’s bold eyes travel with leisure up and down her as if she was his meal. As she sliced into her quiche, her body temperature rose when she felt his unhurried gaze. A part of her wanted to lift her cowardly gaze from her plate and stare him down and into submission, if that was even possible.
The little she knew of Noah Adams made one thing clear: he did what he wanted only when he wanted. And it seemed right now, stripping her bare at Sofie’s brunch was at the top of his to-do list.
The temptress inside of her, the one he awakened with his hungry looks, primped and preened the longer his appreciative gaze drifted over her figure. Avi bit her inner cheek to stop herself from giving him a flirty grin even as she basked in his confidence-boosting attention.
“Did you miss me?”
At the sound of his gruff tone, she swallowed a moan. Avi wondered how he’d sound early in the morning or after a night of passion. Everything the man did was now hardwired to her, igniting her senses and making her aware—too aware—of his every move. And though his question was light and teasing, the truth was she’d missed him.
Hand clapping dragged her from the misty haze Noah had lulled her into. While the rest of the table looked on, Ro and Stacey kissed with abandon.
To be that free, Avi contemplated when the couple deepened their kiss and both simultaneously flipping the table the bird.
“Feeling inspired?” Noah whispered. His breath tickled her left ear.
His matter-of-fact question created a deep hunger in her that no food would satisfy. Her mouth watered at his assumption. Her teeth worried her bottom lip, pulling and tugging on it from fear of saying something idiotic, such as ‘Take me to your room’.
Instead of entertaining him and her obviously crazy inner-self, she concentrated on eating and hoped he didn’t say anything more outlandish.
“I’m thinking I’d like to fuck you on top of a table.”
Dear God.
Avi swallowed, picking up her glass of water. While everyone was engaged in private conversations, she put the glass down and said the first thing that came into her head. “Must you be so vulgar?” Maybe that’d stop him, though her imagination ran free with the image his seductive words prompted. Her, open for him…him, naked and coming for her.
The fabric of his sweater grazed her exposed forearm, raising the fine hairs there. A
vi tried, and failed, to hide the shiver that raced through her body.
“Vulgar?” His eyes were unreadable.
He came closer to her.
The sane part of her screamed to back away. Instead, she leaned into his chuckle.
His cool breath blew across her ear.
“That’s not vulgar. Vulgar is telling you I plan to fuck you until you beg me to stop. Vulgar is telling you that when I’m through with you, your pussy will only scream my name.”
A microphone screeched off to the side, startling Avi.
Even now, Noah absorbed everything around him as if they belonged to him and were under his control. Avi faced forward. Sofie fumbled with the microphone in her hand. She swallowed, too afraid to loosen her grip on the napkin she held in her lap with white knuckles.
Sofie tapped the microphone. “Hi, everyone. I just want to thank...”
“I know you’re wet.”
Thank God for her voluminous skirt and the table that hid Avi’s squirming legs. “No, I’m not. Shut up, I’m trying to listen,” she said in a no-nonsense tone that should’ve ended his sexually-charged words.
Noah grabbed Avi’s balled hand, unclenching it before slamming it over his hardness. “Would you be able to listen if you were like this?” he growled out.
His words snagged on her weakening resolve as her fingers curled themselves around Noah’s bulge. She gulped down her nervousness when she couldn’t cup him entirely. He shifted in the seat, allowing her room to discover him by parting his muscular thighs. He flung one hand over the back her chair. They were close together, and looked more like they were involved in a heated discussion, rather than a one-sided groping.
“You have no idea what you do to me.” Noah groaned out as Avi’s hand slipped lower.
She could feel his fingers pressing into her arm as her upper body was practically dragged across him. No one around questioned why she was leaning into Noah. Her hand fell away when Noah’s lips skimmed her temple.
“Let’s get out of—” he began, only to be cut off.
A vibrating sound ended their connection. She straightened in the same instance he did.
They both glanced at the cell phone.
Noah groaned. “I have to take this. Try not to miss me too much.” He grabbed the jacket hanging on the back of his chair, stood, and swung it in front of him while he adjusted himself.
Embarrassment crept over Avi’s face.
Over his shoulder, he winked at her.
Instead of watching him leave, she faced Sofie, who was talking. Avi was sure if she continued to watch his tall frame walk away from her, she would have followed him out the exit, and anywhere else.
“You’re calling at a bad time.” Noah pushed through the doors. The brisk air hit his face and helped the warm haze of lust seep from his body.
His feet carried him along the curved limestone pathway, which cut through the perfectly manicured lawn, and out of earshot of others milling about. He had a clear view of the harbor, where a few small boats bobbed lazily atop the blue-green water. He stepped around a group of neatly trimmed hedges and took in the scene.
Sometimes it was nice to get away from the city. Cass’s home, outside of his own residences, was one of a handful of places Noah could let his guard down, kick back, and simply relax. The view is breathtaking this weekend.
“Hello? Noah?” Harry’s voice ended Noah’s admiration of the grounds.
“Who else would answer?” Noah asked, sitting on a cement bench that faced the water. He pulled his sunglasses from his pocket and slipped them over his eyes.
In the month since Harry had asked for his help, Noah had learned nothing of importance. All he’d found out was that he had new competitors, which wasn’t unusual in his line of business. He was tempted to put the brakes on all this nosing around, but his promise to the man on the other end of the line pushed him. He had a few trusted street-level men on the lookout, but every attempt to find out who Noah’s new phantom competitor was came up empty. Might be someone who wanted to be found at the right time.
“I’ve got some news, Noah.”
Harry’s uneasy chuckle caught his attention.
He heard the older man begin to say something, only to stop abruptly. Noah tried to wait him out. Truly he did, but his impatience was at an all-time high. He’d much rather spend his time getting an uptight Avi to let him in.
“Spit it out, old man.”
“Seems I’ve got a daughter,” he spat out then exhaled into the phone as if a great pressure had been released. “Okay, good talk. Yeah?” Harry huffed out a laugh.
Noah sat taller, unsure he’d heard correctly. “Say that again?”
From the comfort of his Brooklyn home, Harry reached for the brown lever, sighing as his feet rose on the footrest of his recliner. His mind traveled back twenty-plus years to a much younger and naïve version of himself. Hidden away in plain sight was a sketchbook filled with memories created by those same hands that had made Harry feel ecstasy and elation whenever they touched him.
“I said seems I have a daughter.” Harry’s chest swelled, but he wasn’t sure if it was from pride or pain. He had lost so much because of his foolish words. Another letter in his mailbox today shared some answers. “And she’s right here in New York.” He paused, waiting for some sort of response from the man who had been the closest thing to family Harry had since she walked out of his life.
Noah said nothing.
“I haven’t met her yet, but her mother and I have been writing back and forth. It took some doing, but I finally have her contact information.” Harry bit his tongue to stop himself from rambling to someone who seemed indifferent to this life-changing news. Now that he had an address for his kid, he had to tell his surrogate son, even though their relationship wasn’t like it’d been two years ago, before he had to sever their ties because Noah refused to change.
Silence reigned between the men.
Noah huffed a laugh and said, “Well, congratulations are in order.”
Harry’s shoulder sagged with relief. “Yeah, thanks.” He let out a nervous chuckle.
“Should I send cigars? A bunch of pink balloons and shit?” Noah asked. His desire to ease Harry’s worries had always been a high priority, but the man couldn’t be who or what Harry wanted him to be. Didn’t mean he didn’t love the guy, though.
Harry’s laugh was genuine. “Oh, hell no.”
Noah couldn’t contain his smile. This was the father Noah never had, the best man he’d ever known. “So tell me about her, this kid of yours.”
“Her mom’s been real protective. She hasn’t even shared a picture. I mean, I could just run a background check or something, but I want her to want me in her life. That’s stupid, huh?”
What did he want? Reassurance? Comfort?
Noah didn’t know how to provide any of that. What he knew was how to come out on top. How to take charge, take command, take over. But he didn’t want to be an asshole. This was Harry. Despite their constant head butting, Harry had called because he needed a friend.
“You don’t even know what she looks like? Let’s hope your kid looks more like her mother, then.”
There was a too-long pause.
“You there?”
Harry cleared his throat. “I-I’m here. I know she was born in ’89. Her mother left, because I was an idiot.”
“Excuse me. I’d like a word,” a voice said, interfering with Noah’s phone call.
The source of the interruption shifted on Noah’s left and radiated nervousness. His gaze immediately dropped to the grass.
The other man’s act of submission increased Noah’s dislike another notch. A man should look you in the eye; that was something Harry had drilled into him before he had enlisted.
“You have to go, so go,” Harry said.
Noah sucked his teeth and assessed the man who was looking everywhere but at the person he had the balls to interrupt. He regretted giving his bodyguard the weeke
nd off. “Seems that way.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow about that other thing.”
“Sure, sure,” Noah replied, and then ended the call.
The bench creaked beside him. Noah closed his eyes and released a slow breath.
No man who’s not a friend sits this fucking close to another man. Noah opened his eyes and turned in the intruder’s direction. How long would it take for Poindexter to lose his nerve? Noah wondered as he studied the other man’s profile.
After a few quick bobs of his Adam’s apple and rapid clenching of his jaw, he appeared to internally say something like ‘fuck it’ and faced Noah.
Their eyes connected.
The unexpected steely determination in the other man’s eyes awakened Noah’s anger, darkening his own eyes.
“I’ll just cut to the chase.”
Noah’s face gave nothing away.
“I’m Jayson Wheeler, Avi’s boyfriend.” He thrust a hand in Noah’s direction, but pulled it back at the scowl on Noah’s face. He glanced around and then lowered his voice. “I work with Gavin.” When Noah didn’t say anything, he clarified, “Gavin Holder. You must know him.”
Noah knew of Poindexter. He made it his business to know all the approved drug dealers in his clubs. The stooge didn’t know who Noah was, and that suited him just fine. What Noah didn’t like was that he was quick to name drop to a virtual stranger. Outside of their brief exchange in Club Envy a month prior, Noah had never spoken to or acknowledged the man.
“I came here to tell you to back off.”
Laughter erupted from Noah’s belly. It was loud. It was long. And it was much needed. But the more the laughter flowed from Noah, the more the other man’s words began to truly settle in Noah’s ears. His face scrunched in disgust. Back off? No way in hell.
“You don’t say.” Noah’s tone crackled with defiance and his face held no expression once his laughter fell away.