Enduring (Family Justice Book 8)

by Suzanne Halliday

  Angie snorted and gave Boop a rude finger gesture.

  “Hey, Kelly. Do you know if Charlie is coming back?” Tori asked. “Draegyn said Caleb was sticking around to keep an eye on the work at the Villa.”

  “She’s here now. Staying with Rhiann and Liam. The designer who got the house ready while they honeymooned lost her damn mind and went all sharp corners and modern. My sister-in-law was not amused. Charlie is running interference.”

  “Where does this leave us?” Meghan asked the question and looked around at everyone.

  “Staring down the barrel,” Remy answered. “We’ve got that damn challenge thing coming up, and Finn’s monster event at Pete’s.”

  “It’s actually a good thing,” Domineau pointed out. “We can’t change what we do. It’ll look suspicious. But as a group we have to be on the same page—all the time. Information is crucial. Nobody goes rogue or goes off on his or her own. Understand?”

  A dozen heads nodded, and Kelly barked, “Got it.”

  “Business as usual, gals. With an extra eye on everything and anything. I want each of you to check in every day. You can do it in teams if you want, but it has to be all-inclusive.”

  “Ash and I will team up,” Wendy said.

  Betty raised her hand. “Ria and I will pair up. When Carmen returns, she’ll be under Duke’s protective wing.”

  “Another thing,” she added in a voice even she heard was cold. “Don’t isolate and don’t go off by yourself. Meghan, that means no desert yoga without your bodyguard. Same for the activity along the backroad. Stephanie—I applaud your roller skating prowess and agree it’s great exercise, but you have to have coverage. Same for you, Lacey. And Tori. No leisurely walks, pushing baby carriages, or arduous jogs without your minders.”

  One of the babies let out a yell. Meghan put her hand up and chuckled. “That one’s mine!”

  On cue, as soon as Aiden began hollering, Bella and Molly ditched the headphones.

  “Oh, Bella!” Betty called out. “I almost forgot. Look who I found.”

  She produced a Cabbage Patch doll from her workbag and held it up. Bella let out a squeal and rushed forward.

  “Where did that come from?” Heather demanded in a harsh voice.

  Boop looked taken aback by Heather’s tone. “Uh, it was just by accident that I even saw her. I was going between the canine compound and the new workout facility when I nearly tripped over her.”

  “What? The doll was just lying on the ground? In the agency zone?”

  The discussion stopped when Domineau noticed Bella and Molly’s avid interest. She cut off further comment with a hand gesture but let Heather know with a look that the subject wasn’t closed.

  Meghan watched Alex like a hawk. He was trying overly hard to act normal.

  When she got back from the ladies’ meeting, he was waiting with a romantic candlelit dinner for two that went to waste because the twins didn’t give a shit about Mom and Dad’s needs.

  They spent the evening doing the usual. Feeding, burping, changing, playing, bathing, story time, and all-around loving.

  The kids were barely down for the night when her domineering husband took her into their bedroom and made fierce, slightly aggressive love to her until she had nothing left.

  Meghan found Alex’s heavy-handed domination sexy as fuck and had no problem being on the receiving end when he was in the mood. Especially after the storm calmed. Her husband’s loving aftercare never failed to touch her heart.

  Wrapped in each other’s arms, they were comfortable in their big bed. She listened while he thought out loud. It was his way. Sometimes he had to hear the words to make sense of a situation instead of letting that stuff fester in his mind.

  “After something my father said, I asked Cam to discreetly check out the clinic that Sophie used for her IVF. Did you know she went out of country for the procedure? All this time, I thought, well,” he grumbled. “I don’t know what I thought. Anyway, she went to Paris, of all places. He’s doing a deep dive. Making sure her information is protected.”

  “What’s Cris worried about? Is there a problem?”

  Alex stroked her arm. “He’s just worried in general. Teo is a dream baby, and things are going so well for her and Jace. Don’t spill the beans but he told me Jace did the whole asking for permission speech. Between that and Duke making the Marquez men sign off on marrying Carmen, he’s feeling a bit overwhelmed.”

  She snuggled closer. If there was a way to crawl inside him, she would. Her heavy sigh ended with a ferocious hug.

  “Don’t worry, baby. I’ve got this.”

  “Do you, Alex? No offense or anything, but from the cheap seats, it looks like there are more questions than answers.”

  He made a gruff sound. “Wise observation, Mrs. M. You are correct. But it’s been my experience that when the questions outweigh the answers, a weakness is revealed. I’ll figure it out. Trust me.”

  “I’ll feel better when Carmen gets back here, and Angie’s baby arrives.”

  “When is that spoiled brat due to deliver?”

  The question was oh-so-snide, but the love he felt for his youngest sibling came through loud and clear.

  “December fifteenth. Sixty days, give or take.”

  “Jesus, really? Two more months of this? I’m ready to smack Parker as it is. He was whining about the damn dog again.”

  She giggled against his shoulder. “What did he say?”

  “Dude,” he grunted in a spot-on imitation of Parker’s delivery. “Did you know your sister named my dog Snooki? I laughed in his ugly mug and reminded him that my sister was also his wife. Suggested he get her in hand and stop being a pussy about it.”

  “Bet he liked hearing you say that!”

  “Newsflash,” he pithily growled. “Parker Sullivan has zero balls when it comes to putting his foot down when Angie gets going.”

  “That’s not entirely true,” she reminded him.

  “Why? Because he’s a dick, and she likes taking orders?”

  There was absolutely no use trying to talk to him about the underlying D/s dynamic—much like their own—in Parker and Angie’s relationship, so she let it go. It was one thing for Alex to express his desires in dominant terms and another thing altogether for him to accept anything similar was part of his sister’s marriage to his best friend.

  They fell asleep not long after.

  Alex.

  Wake up.

  He fought the sleep cocoon and struggled awake. The sound of helicopter rotors and gunfire roared in his head.

  Bolting upright, he clutched a hand over his heart and took several deep breaths.

  The war memory receded.

  A tapping noise reverberated in his head.

  Another deep breath.

  The tapping seemed … familiar.

  A glance to his side showed Meghan deep in slumber.

  More sound, this time a voice, got him moving off the bed.

  Alex. Think.

  He moved silently to the terrace door, opened it, and stepped into the nighttime air. Darkness with only the barest sliver of moonlight enveloped him.

  The tapping got louder and played repeatedly on a loop in his head. Something about the pattern was clawing at his brain. That damn algorithm and the repeating patterns.

  His eyes rose heavenward, and he searched the inky sky for a clue. When it came, a lump of pure dread dropped into his gut.

  He knew.

  Knew there was only one other person on the face of the earth who would know what it meant.

  What it spelled out.

  One word.

  One word was enough to put all his senses on high alert and sound the alarm.

  Breach.

  Breach.

  Breach.

  The End

  Look for Deception

  Fall 2018

  Stay up to date and get exclusive sneak peeks by joining Suzanne’s private Facebook group, HALLIDAY EVER AFTER

  N
ote about Roman & Kelly

  For anyone wanting to read Roman and Kelly’s story check out Bishop’s Pawn and Checkmate

  You can read about Charlize & Caleb and Rhiann & Liam in the Wilde Women series:

  Wilde Heart

  Wilde Magic

  Acknowledgments

  Delilah Stanwyck

  Bruce Banner

  The Flamingo Sisters

  My sounding board and lead cheerleader

  Some are born to wear bad shoes

  Ella Fox

  A+ Designer

  Justice thanks you!

  Ashley Bauman

  Ashbee Designs

  A+ Editor

  The journey of a million words

  Jenny Sims

  Editing4Indies

  Halliday Harlots

  ::giggle-snort::

  #Vegas2018

  SB SOUL SISTERS

  Inappropriate over-sharing required

  Names withheld to protect the innocent

  Brigette, Booby, Barf, Buckets, Brick, Biddie, Baby

  Storm and Pywakett

  One Shepherd, Six Collies, a Lab and a Black Cat walk into PetSmart …

  Cupid In Heels

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2018 by Suzanne Halliday

  CUPID IN HEELS

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by an means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except where permitted by law.

  This book is meant for mature readers who are 18+.

  Edited by editing4indies.com

  Book Cover Design by ashleybaumann.com

  Cupid In Heels

  The office just got interesting...

  As the no nonsense personal assistant to the CEO of Lloyd Global, Jenna Carlton just wanted to live her life. By day, she was confident, businesslike and somewhat starchy. But off the clock, she shed the business suit, put on her Wellies, picked up a spade and dug in the dirt. Not that anybody knew this. Drawing a firm line between work and her personal life was Jen’s mantra for success.

  One of Jen’s work priorities was coaching her socially awkward CEO boss through his daily interactions. John Lloyd relied on her to smooth his rough edges – especially with the pretty, single mom receptionist he can’t stop thinking about.

  Enter John’s brother - Ryan Lloyd. A savvy businessman artfully disguised as a scruffy vagabond, Ryan travels the globe on adventure after adventure as the face of Lloyd Outdoor. Jenna Carlton and her prissy attitude annoy the snot out of him.

  Things between the two heat up when Ryan unexpectedly settles in the city while Jenna was matchmaking for her hot mess boss and the single mom.

  Jenna thinks Ryan is a jerk.

  Ryan thinks Jenna is an uptight you-know-what.

  John doesn’t know what to think.

  With more than one happily ever after in the cards Cupid In Heels has something for everyone!

  Cupid in Heels is a standalone romance.

  Dedication

  To everyone who believes in

  LOVE

  And

  Happily Ever Afters

  This one is for you!

  Chapter 1

  Jenna Carlton marched through the crowded lobby, sidestepping the clueless who couldn’t figure out which elevator to use and the worker-bots who toiled in the gleaming skyscraper’s offices. She automatically counted out her footsteps—an odd habit that kept her focused.

  Standard office issue black heels clicked out a rhythm as she weaved her way to the bank of doors fronting the busy city sidewalk. A cursory glance at the watch on her wrist showed that it was exactly 7:57. As usual, she was right on time.

  “Good morning, Ms. Carlton. Beautiful day today.”

  An unthinking, socially acceptable smile moved onto her face. “Every Wednesday needs a bright start,” she proclaimed in a friendly tone. “And good morning to you too, Kevin.”

  The head of security offered her a two-finger salute off his balding head and nodded at a crowd of business suits flooding through the doors. “You’ll be swimming upstream, I’m afraid.”

  She almost laughed. Working against the natural flow of things was what she did. With an offhanded wave, she fixed her eye on the doors and headed into the morning throng. Most of the people pouring into the building knew who she was and gave her a wide berth. Nobody who valued their job wanted to get on the wrong side of John Lloyd’s executive assistant by making her late.

  Beginning to hurry, she forced her feet to pick up speed. Crossing the wide concrete outside the building, she skipped down three steps to the sidewalk and took her customary spot. A bus jammed with people lumbered past. Overhead, the bright blue sky peeking between the city skyscrapers got little more than a glance. She didn’t have time to rhapsodize about blue skies and sunny days.

  Right on time, a black limousine pulled to the curb and stopped. The driver exited and acknowledged her with a token nod. They’d been doing this routine every weekday for fifty weeks out of the year since she took over as the handpicked gatekeeper for the President and CEO of Lloyd Global. Forty-two weeks, to be exact. Three and a half years.

  Straightening her shoulders, she tapped on the iPad that sometimes felt more like an extension of her arm and started talking as the driver buttoned his jacket and opened the passenger door. Her internal starting gun fired when a polished black shoe hit the pavement.

  “The ten a.m. with legal has been moved to one forty-five. Tom Mayhew hired Burton and Associates to represent him.”

  John Lloyd moved from the limo to the sidewalk, unfolding his six-foot-four frame and buttoning the jacket of his tailored Savile Row suit. He wore the same thing every day—varied only with subtle shifts in the shade and tone of the dark business suits lining his walk-in closet.

  For a man of forty-two years, he looked okay. If he noticed the gray starting at his temples, he didn’t care. An old Italian barber who told awful jokes and poked fun at her employer’s rigid appearance visited each week. Heaven forbid a single hair was too long.

  After running a hand down his tie and checking that it was neatly in place, he met her eyes but didn't offer a hello. Good morning chitchat was something that flew right over his head. She didn't care. Not really. Everyone was entitled to their foibles and quirks.

  They walked, striking a direct line to the building’s entrance, as Jen continued her morning update. She had no problem disguising the laugh that threatened to break out every damn morning when they made this walk together.

  The first time she’d done the meet and greet had been ten days before John Lloyd had offered her the job of a lifetime. As a new hire, she’d been languishing in the fifth layer of hell known as the assistant pool for a month when she got thrown to the wolves after his PA suddenly quit. Gossip around the soda machine implied that the woman decided putting up with the devil’s second cousin wasn’t worth the grief.

  Instead of fighting the scrum for a chance to be the CEO’s right hand, Jen was bemused to discover the lengths her co-workers went to stay off the man’s radar. Round robins of rock, paper, scissors broke out to avoid the job opening. In the end, the head of HR didn’t blink when it came time to throw a newb under the bus.

  So on that fateful early morning three and a half years ago, she donned one of her sensible business suits and waited at the curb for the primary occupant of the shiny Lloyd Global tower. On that occasion, he'd done the same thing. Exit the car, spare her barely a glance, and start walking.

  Someone else might have been intimidated by what seemed like an arrogant power play, but it took her less than five heartbeats to figure out something about her employer that nobody else appeared to pick up.

  He wasn't an arrogant jerk. John Lloyd lacked the people skills most came by naturally. He wasn’t trying to
be a dick. Not at all. He simply missed the obvious. And he was the shyest man she’d ever encountered.

  With her mother's amused chuckle ringing in her memory, Jen made a choice. She'd been raised not to take anyone's crap. It didn't matter who it was or their station in life. Dawn Carlton always said that at the end of the day, everyone sits on the toilet the same way. Fairy farts and unicorn poop did not exist in real life.

  On that fateful morning, just like today, she started the recitation of facts and reminders as he strode off. He got a good twenty steps ahead of her, but she refused to pick up her pace.

  At the elevators, people melted into the scenery with eyes averted and looks of sheer panic. Amused, she continued in a sotto voce tone without skipping a beat.

  He finally spoke to her inside the elevator after the doors slid shut.

  “I can’t hear you,” he grumbled. “You’ll have to speak up.”

  Aw, the poor tycoon had a grumpy morning attitude. Sheesh!

  Fixing him with one arched brow and a semi-dismissive look, she explained the world according to Jenna Carlton.

  “You’d hear me just fine if you didn’t run off.”

  He reacted with a jolt. Did he expect deference, or was he shocked that someone dared to speak to him like a normal human being?

  “I don’t do shitty manners, Mr. Lloyd,” she tersely informed him. After glancing at his polished shoes, she returned to his dumbfounded expression. “Your double digit feet have an unfair advantage over my size sevens. Did you want me to jog after you? Maybe fall on my face?”