by Hamel, B. B.
“Fuck,” I say softly.
I close my eyes. I think about Val’s lips against mine.
I try to push away my anger and remember her taste.
I open my eyes with a little smile. I still have a bad feeling, but at least there’s Val. I get out my phone and call her.
“Hello?” she answers.
“Hey. It’s Jacob.”
She sounds happy. “How are you?”
“I was just thinking about you.”
“Yeah? Or were you thinking about that guy you beat up?”
I laugh a little. “Both. Mostly about the kiss. And the way you looked at me after I hit him.”
“I looked at you with shock.”
“Shock and something else. Listen, let’s do something tonight.”
She hesitates. “Like what?”
“I don’t know. Dinner, drinks, dancing. Whatever you want to do. I haven’t gone out since coming to the city.”
“Okay… I can do any of that.”
“Let’s start with dinner then. I’ll get you at eight.”
She’s quiet for a second. “Can I ask you something first?”
“Of course.”
“I’m starting on Monday. Are things going to be weird? You know… if we see each other.”
“Depends. Do you think they’ll be weird?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t think they will be. No reason why they should.”
“You’re right.” She clears her throat. “Yeah. You’re right.”
“If you’re worried, you don’t have to see me. But I suspect you’re going to anyway.”
“Yeah? You suspect that?”
“I’m pretty sure I know it.”
“Arrogant asshole.” She says it with a smile in her voice.
“That’s what you love about me. See you at eight. I have your address already.” I hang up the phone and slip it into my pocket.
Fucking mobsters. Goddamn fucking mobsters. Darin better fix whatever that mess is.
Because I have better things to think about, like that gorgeous, sweet thing I’m taking out tonight.
Like getting another taste of her.
5
Val
He picks me up in his black sedan again. He sits close to me in the back and puts a hand on my knee. I should maybe think about moving that hand… but it feels good.
I look up in his handsome face and he smiles back. I can still see him punching that thief in the face. I can see him running the man down, the anger, the intensity. I hate to admit that it sends a shiver down my spine, that I’m delighted by the idea of him wanting to hurt someone for me… but I like it. I hate to admit it, but I do.
“Glad you came,” he says. “I had an odd day.”
“Yeah?”
“The cubes went in.” He laughs a little. “I was getting used to it being empty.”
“I bet you were.”
“It was my little palace.”
“What a shame, now you have to share.”
“I know. It’s awful.” He cocks his head slightly. “At least I’ll be sharing with you.”
I blush a little. I don’t even know why. “Where are we going for dinner?”
“It’s a place called Barclay Prime. Friend of mine opened it.”
I gape at him. “That place is… expensive.”
He shrugs. “So?”
“Right. Rich. I forgot.”
He laughs and clearly likes that. “That, and connected. Don’t forget connected.”
I roll my eyes at him but I do feel excited.
We’re dropped off out front and seated almost immediately. We have a nice booth toward the back, the perfect table in a gorgeous place. Every table is smooth marble with plush green velvet seating. The glasses are round and sleek, and everything is clean and modern. It’s a steak house, but not the sort of classic, traditional steak house most people imagine.
“What do you think?” he asks.
“It’s nice,” I say, biting my lip and staring at the menu.
“Get what you want. Get two, I don’t care.”
“Oh, yeah? Maybe I should. I could use lunch for tomorrow.”
He grins at me. “Hell, get three. Buy yourself some dinner, too.”
“Now you’re spoiling me.”
He leans closer. “I haven’t even begun to spoil you.”
I blush for some reason and bury my nose in the menu.
He asks me more questions about myself, this time about music and movies and things like that. He has surprisingly mundane taste in everything. I don’t know why but I expected him to be into really fancy classic jazz or something like that, but instead we listen to all the same podcasts, all the same music.
“What, did you think there were movies and music just for rich people?” he asks me when I express surprise at his taste.
“I guess so. I thought you people just went to the opera?”
“Oh, well, sure, we do. I get the expensive sets just to prove how rich I am. I don’t even like the opera. They keep singing in Italian.”
I laugh a little. “It’s so annoying. Just speak English. This is America, right?”
“Exactly. Or at least someone get some subtitles up there.”
We laugh together and he orders a nice bottle of wine. The food comes not long later, and after a drink, I work up the nerve to ask him what I’ve been meaning to ask all night.
“You mentioned having a weird day today,” I say, trying to keep it casual.
He doesn’t notice how nervous I am. “Yeah, well. Had a weird meeting this morning.”
“What happened?”
He hesitates a second. I think he might’ve seen through me, but he takes a sip of wine. “My partner can be a little… unconventional.”
My heart starts beating faster. I work hard to stay in control. “Oh?”
“Darin’s smart. Well-connected… in a way. We grew up together.”
“How did you meet?”
“Boarding school,” he says. “Of course.”
“Right. Of course.”
“We didn’t realize our differences at first. We just hit it off and became good friends. The differences didn’t start to matter until later, but then we just… didn’t care.”
I frown a little and swirl my wine. “What do you mean, differences?”
“I don’t know how to say it without sounding very conceited.”
“So just say it plainly.”
He runs a finger down his napkin, considering for a moment. “I come from a very wealthy, very old family. He comes from a much newer, much less wealthy family. They’re rich and connected, but not like my family is. And that sort of thing matters in our world, as much as it shouldn’t.”
“Does it stop you from being friends?”
“No,” he says. “Not at all. At least, it didn’t.”
“Why did you start a business together?”
He laughs a little. “That’s easy. He’s the outgoing charmer and I’m the numbers freak.”
I raise both my eyebrows up. “You’re the numbers geek?”
“You couldn’t tell?” He smirks at me, leaning closer.
“I couldn’t tell at all.”
“Well, it’s true. He brings in the clients… and I do the math. We make a good team.” He pauses. “Mostly.”
“So what happened in your meeting? Did he do something?”
“Oh, Darin, no, he wasn’t there. He set it up, but he wasn’t there.” He hesitates again. I can tell he’s thinking about what to tell me, wondering if he can just come out with it.
This is what I’ve been waiting for. Whatever he wants to tell me, I know it has something to do with the investigation. Darin Ficino has been on my boss’s radar for a very long time. Really, all of the Ficino family, and all the related families underneath them. We’ve been watching them closely and now I feel like I’m about to get a little bit of a break.
“He sent me into a meeting unprepar
ed,” he says finally. “I’m not sure how else to describe it. The clients had certain expectations that I’m not comfortable with or willing to meet, but Darin had clearly made some promises. So I was sort of hung out to dry.”
“Oh,” I say. “That’s weird. I mean, why wouldn’t he prep you?”
“I don’t know,” he admits, then pauses again. “Well, I do know. Or at least I think I do.”
I laugh a little. “That’s confusing.”
“I know. I’m trying to decide what to tell you. I don’t think you’ll believe me, so I can probably just say it.”
“Just say what?”
“I think they were mobsters.”
I stare at him, eyes wide. My heart’s racing in my chest.
Darin Ficino, son of the Ficino Crime Family. The real reason I’m here.
And he’s sending Jacob into a meeting with mobsters.
But Jacob clearly didn’t know they were mafia before the meeting. In fact, he seems totally uncomfortable with the idea. Which makes me wonder just how much he knows about his friend’s family and where they make their money.
“Mobsters?” I laugh, trying to act like I don’t believe him. “That’s crazy.”
“I know. I’m probably just being a little racist. I mean, they were Italian, so.”
“So obviously they’re in the mob.”
He groans. “I know. It’s terrible.”
“Maybe not. I mean, did they make you an offer you couldn’t refuse?”
He grins at me but there’s not a lot behind that smile. “You’re right. I won’t tell that story ever again.”
“I didn’t mean that, but—”
I get cut off when the waitress returns. She pours more wine and asks if we need anything. When she leaves, Jacob moves the conversation on to something new, and I don’t know how to go back without sounding totally weird.
We keep it light for the rest of the night. I have a couple more drinks and I’m feeling happy by the time the check arrives. I don’t remember the last time I went out with a guy like this and spent the whole time laughing and smiling.
The comment about the mob plays in my head. I want to ask him about it but there’s just no natural way to do it. And anyway, I don’t want to do that right now. Maybe it’s my job, but they’re only paying me to dig around on work hours.
This is my personal life. And I happen to be having fun right now.
“What?” he asks me, looking up from the check. “You’re smiling at me.”
“I am?” I laugh a little. “Sorry. I don’t remember the last time I was out and just… had fun.”
“Really?” He tilts his head. “That’s surprising.”
“Why?”
“Girls that look like you usually have a lot of fun.”
I blush a little bit. “Oh, stop.”
“Really.” He shuts the bill book and leans back. “Why haven’t you been having fun?”
“I’ve just been busy.”
“Busy, huh?”
“You’ve seen my resume. Was there any time to have fun in there?”
He hesitates a second. “You’re right.”
“I know I am.” I laugh a little. “I’ve been busy studying and working since I was eighteen. It’s not easy being in finance, you know.”
“You mean, being a woman in finance?”
I wince. “Yeah. I guess.”
“Look, you can just say it. You’re not the first woman I’ve met working in finance, you know.”
“Okay. Guys are pigs and dogs.”
He laughs at that. “Okay, I didn’t mean you should go so far.”
“You asked for it.”
“You’re right, I did.” He grins and shakes his head. “I know you’re right. Truth is, you can’t get away from that mentality in this world. I don’t know what it is.”
“There just aren’t enough women around. Guys start to forget how to act when they’re always around each other. It becomes like, competitive. Women become one-dimensional.”
“That’s a good way of putting it.”
“Anyway, it’s not that bad. I work hard, I keep my head down. Most people I meet are perfectly nice.”
“It’s just the few bad apples that ruin the whole bunch, right?”
“Right.” I look away. “And they can be bad.”
He reaches out and takes my hand suddenly. I look at it and back up to him. He smiles a little. “You don’t have to worry about that at my company. I mean it, if any ever says anything to you that makes you remotely uncomfortable… tell me. I’ll deal with them personally.”
I nod slowly. “I believe you.”
“Good.”
He releases my hand and leans back. The waitress returns, takes the book, and wishes us a good night. He smiles back as she floats off.
I’ve never met a man like him before. He just looked me in the eye like he was going to protect me for the rest of my life. It was incredible and intense. I still have chills from the way he touched me.
“Let’s head out,” he says.
“I should go home.” I yawn a little. “I start a new job soon.”
“Yes, you do.”
We get up and he leads me out. We walk for a little while, enjoying the cool crisp evening. He puts an arm around my shoulder and I lean in against him, not really thinking about it, just feeling and experiencing.
I know I should keep my distance. My boss didn’t put me in this job to fall for Jacob Lofthouse. I’m only supposed to investigate them from the inside. And anyway, Jacob’s not even our target. So it doesn’t matter if I get involved.
At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
Eventually we get into his town car and the driver takes me home. I get out and Jacob follows me up to my front door.
“This is it,” I say.
“Nice neighborhood.”
“I’m sure it’s not as nice as your hotel room.”
He leans closer, tilting my chin up toward him. My heart’s beating hard in my chest. “You’d be surprised.”
“You’re going to try and come up, aren’t you?”
He smirks and leans in. I kiss him, softly at first, before the hunger takes us both over. I suck in a breath through my nose and taste him in my mouth, his body pressed hard against mine.
We break apart. “Would that be so bad?” he whispers.
“I mean… I don’t…” I turn away from him suddenly. I unlock the door and step in. “Look, I shouldn’t. I just… okay?”
He laughs at me. I feel so awkward and stupid. I’m fumbling for words but not finding any.
I wish I could explain. I wish I could just tell him who I am and what I’m doing, but I don’t know if I can trust him.
I want to trust him. He’s so handsome, so gorgeous, so funny. He makes me feel something I didn’t know I could feel.
But he’s the enemy. And I’m a spy.
“Good night then,” he says. “I’ll see you Monday.”
“Right. Monday.”
He laughs a little and lingers there before turning and leaving. I shut the door and lean up against it, breathing hard.
I’m so stupid. So, so stupid. I never should’ve gone out with that man. I never should’ve let myself feel this, fall for this.
But here I am, making such a dumb mistake.
I wanted to invite him up. Every inch of me wanted to invite him up. I know what he could do to me if I just let him into my world. But I’m too afraid. I’m afraid of lying to him and I’m afraid of what it’ll mean if I let myself go even further.
I want it so badly. But I’m so afraid of it.
And I have no clue how to get out of this mess.
6
Jacob
Monday rolls around and I’m weirdly excited.
I mean, I guess it’s not that weird. The office is full of people for the first time since I came to the city. We’re not fully staffed yet, but we’re getting there.
“How’s it going?” Aimee asks
me.
“So far, so good. We’re onboarding people as fast as we can.”
“It’s chaos out there.”
I laugh and looked past her. She’s right, the cubes are chaos as people get to know each other and get settled. “It’ll even out sooner or later.”
“Well, let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
“Thanks.”
She stands and smiles, lingering for a second, then leaves. I frown a little bit, watching her go. She was recommended by Darin, someone he said he knew from the city. She’s fine, nothing special. She keeps me organized and does a good job out front. But she has this weird sort of entitled attitude that I can’t quite figure out.
Doesn’t matter. I lean back in my chair and stare at the bullpen, at the cube farm.
At my cube farm.
I know it’s only a satellite office, but I’m proud of what I’m building. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again here. I’ll build this office into something that’ll rival the main office, and soon we’ll have branches all over the country.
I stand and walk to the window. There’s only one thing that’s bothering me. I spot her right away, sitting in a cube not far from my office. Val’s looking at her email, shifting side to side on her chair. She almost looks nervous. She hasn’t said anything to me since she came in this morning and I haven’t gone out of my way to talk to her just yet. I’ve been letting her handle all her stuff.
But I’m itching to hear her voice. I’m itching to see her, touch her. She’s one of only two other women in the office, and one of those women is Aimee. I want to make sure she’s doing okay. Our conversation at dinner about sexism in the financial industry has me thinking about all the instances of it that I’ve seen over the years.
I want that to change. At least in my office.
“Fuck it,” I grumble to myself. I head back to my desk and buzz Aimee. “Send Val in here, please.”
She hesitates. “Sure, right away.”
I sit back and wait as Aimee goes over to Val’s desk. She points at me and Val’s gaze turns in my direction. She smiles a little and gets up, nodding at Aimee. Val walks into my office.