by Kaylee, Katy
I had done my research before ever reaching out to an investor. Initially, I had been adamant I would not allow my company to be controlled by someone else just because they had a stake in it. It was my company. I wasn’t about to give my company away to an overreaching investment firm that demanded partial control in my company. I made it quite clear it was my vision and my ideas that would be followed. I was the creative brains behind said company. I decided what went out and what didn’t. I wasn’t going to bend or sacrifice to please someone else.
I would still hold the majority vote, considering I was putting up about 80 percent of the investment. It was Dakota and Carolina who’d convinced me that a nice cushion of cash could be beneficial, even if it meant we had a few extra hands in the cookie jar. After a lot of research, I had been sold. Now, I was feeling good and looking forward to having a little something to fall back on. I stepped off the elevator, lost in thought as I strolled through the lobby of the building. Something somewhere in my brain clicked. I stopped walking and stared at the man I had essentially been looking right through.
“Chance? Chance Logan?” I said the name, not entirely sure I wasn’t looking at a doppelganger.
I couldn’t imagine why Chance would be in the lobby of an investment firm in Minneapolis. Last I heard, he lived in Wisconsin. Over the years, there had been plenty of times when I thought I saw him and felt the adrenaline rush only to realize it wasn’t him. I didn’t have to wonder if it was him for long. The daggers he was tossing with those gray eyes of his made it pretty clear it was him and he still hated me. The first thought that floated through my brain was that Penny had told him about what happened in my office and he was there to try and kick my ass. Of course, she told her big brother.
I stopped a few feet in front of him. I wasn’t going to run from him. If he’d stalked me and found me, I was ready to give him the confrontation he was looking for. I hadn’t run the last time, and I wasn’t about to run now. That wasn’t how I operated.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably. We were both stiff, like two bucks meeting in the wild, trying to intimidate the other with our stance.
“None of your fucking business,” he snapped.
That wasn’t the answer I was expecting. I was expecting him to tell me stay the fuck away from his sister or something like that. Maybe she hadn’t told him. I hoped she hadn’t. “I see,” I replied easily.
“You don’t see shit.”
The guy was spoiling for a fight. I knew him well enough to know this was his way of pushing someone to take the first swing. “I’m late for a meeting,” I lied.
“You think you’re such a badass. For your information, I’m here to get my company off the ground.”
“The shoe thing?” I asked, surprised he was still chasing that dream.
He glared at me. “Yes, the shoe thing. It isn’t shit, so you can wipe that sneer off your face. You know damn well it’s good.”
I smirked. “I didn’t say it was shit.”
I knew his ideas were good. If things hadn’t gone the way they had, he and I would have been meeting those investors together. We would be partners and best friends. Chance and I would have made an amazing team. Then Penny broke my nose, and that ended that. Walking away from Chance had been tough. He’d been my best friend, my brother in many ways. I would have taken a bullet for him and knew he would have done the same for me. Then Penny happened. If I would have turned her down that night, he and I would still be friends and we’d be chasing the dream together.
“Whatever. Congrats. Glad you’re still holding on to the dream. Good luck to you. I hope they give you what you need,” I told him, not wanting to start anything in the middle of the lobby of the firm I was trying to get to give me money.
“Fuck you.”
I raised an eyebrow. Obviously, he was still pissed and unable to act civil. “Whatever, Chance. Let it go. Move on with your life.”
The anger coming off Chance in thick waves was inciting my own anger. I turned to walk past him, not willing to get into a fight with him. I was above that. At least I wanted to be above that nonsense. The receptionist sitting at the tall desk was watching us, her expression showing her anxiousness over the two men circling each other in her lobby. I offered her a smile, hoping to reassure her all was okay.
“Mr. Logan, you can go up. They’re waiting for you,” she said in a friendly tone, pretending she hadn’t witnessed the confrontation.
Chance ignored her altogether, his attention completely focused on me. “You’re a smug asshole. I know Penny is working for you.” Chance’s voice echoed around the lobby.
I closed my eyes. The receptionist’s eyes went wide. I shook my head before turning around to face Chance. He had just fucked himself. No investors were going to give a hothead any money. He was screwing himself over and seemed to be oblivious to it all. No matter what had happened between us, I wanted Chance to be successful. I didn’t want him to blow his chance at finally making his dream come true. I got my dream. I wanted him to get his.
“Yes, she is,” I answered calmly. “She’s proven to be a valuable asset to the company.”
“If I hear of you doing anything, I mean anything that she doesn’t like, I will hunt you down and beat the shit out of you,” Chance warned. “You better keep your hands off her.”
I glanced over to the receptionist and noticed her hand was on the phone. I held up my hand, silently asking her not to make the call to security. I was trying to help Chance. He might not be able to see it or be willing to accept it, but I wasn’t trying to ruin his life. Even if the receptionist didn’t call security, she would report what happened to her boss. Chance had fucked himself. This was on him.
“I think you need to take a step back,” I growled.
Chance scoffed. “Or what, Jax? You’re a piece of crap for a human being.”
“Chance, not here,” I said, the very limited control I had on my temper slipping.
“Here, there, anywhere. Don’t disrespect my sister again. You ruined her reputation because you’re a lying, selfish piece of shit,” he snapped.
“I hope you brought a prototype of the little shoe you want to get money to make because I’d love to kick your ass with your own shoe,” I snarled, taking a few steps closer to him.
I had given up on trying to show restraint. I had none. I wasn’t a pussy, and I wasn’t going to let him threaten me and get away with it. I’d given him a chance to pull his head out of his ass and he didn’t take it. That was on him.
Chance lunged, his hands grabbing my shirt front and yanking me forward. “You asshole.”
I stared into Chance’s eyes lit with fury. “Back off. You’re going to fuck yourself over if you do this,” I hissed in a low voice.
He was glaring at me. I could see him struggling with what to do. The decision was stolen from him. “Stop! Exit the building now or the police will be called!” I heard a man’s voice followed by the sounds of running footsteps.
I looked over Chance’s shoulder. There were two large security guards coming toward us. One of them grabbed Chance and with a great deal of force dragged him out the door. I turned to watch him get shoved hard in the back with a warning to never step foot in the building again. Chance stared at me, his expressive eyes a stark warning that our confrontation wasn’t over. I would be seeing him again.
“Are you okay?” the receptionist asked, rushing toward me.
I shot her a look before straightening my shirt front. “I’m fine,” I snapped, spinning on my heel and walking out the doors Chance had just been shoved out of.
I looked up and down the street. He had disappeared. “Fuck,” I growled, heading around the corner to the parking garage where I had parked my Porsche.
I got in the car, taking a few minutes to process everything that had just happened. It had been a long time since I’d seen Chance. I missed him. I wasn’t going to lie to myself. I missed the guy t
hat had been my best friend in the world. We spent a lot of time together and had gone through a lot. He knew me better than anyone else on the planet. Losing him from my life had hurt. I knew I could blame no one but myself. If I hadn’t fucked his little sister and then told everyone I could that she was a lousy lay, Chance and I would still be friends. He and I would have been taking that meeting together. We’d be building that business we had spent hours and hours planning and dreaming. We’d be spending the money we were confident we would make.
Instead, I had been left alone in the world. It wasn’t like my life had gone to shit, but it had been lonely. I couldn’t blame Chance for hating me. If I had been in his position, I would have wanted to kill me too. It was definitely the biggest mistake of my life. Despite being able to acknowledge I had fucked up and Chance had good reason to hate me, it didn’t make the threats any easier to swallow.
By nature, I was a defensive guy. I didn’t back down to anyone. I had been in plenty of fights and knew I could defend myself. I wasn’t afraid of a black eye or a broken nose. Been there, done that, and I survived. If Chance wanted it to go that route, I was ready for it. He could try to beat the shit out of me, but I wasn’t going to go down easy. I would make him earn every punch.
14
Penny
Chance was driving me crazy. I had decided to go into the office to work on the campaign, hoping I could get some quiet in a peaceful environment. Chance had been in a horrible mood ever since I’d walked through the front door yesterday. He was angry that he didn’t get the funding. He hadn’t come out and said it, but I knew he blamed me a little. The run-in with Jax had been too much for his self-control. He’d lost his cool and got tossed out on his butt.
That was on me. He might have been able to walk right on by Jax, but now that I was working for the guy who had nearly destroyed me, Chance couldn’t let it go. It brought up all those old memories and hurts, and my big brother wasn’t the type to let bygones be bygones.
I would have preferred if he would let it go. I told him as much, which only irritated him further. I couldn’t seem to say anything right, which was why I was fleeing my own apartment and heading into work. I didn’t want to be around Chance while he was in that kind of a mood. I knew he was protective, and I loved him for it, but I was twenty-three. I wasn’t quite as naïve and vulnerable as he believed me to be. I was hoping with a few hours apart, I could go home, and we could enjoy our last night together before he went home tomorrow. I was going to miss him, but heavens, I was so looking forward to having my apartment back!
I strolled through the quiet office, appreciating the peacefulness. Chance had been watching some baseball game on TV, the volume extremely loud, making it impossible for me to think straight. I walked into the break room and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before moving toward my office. I had just made it through the door when I heard a bang followed by a muffled sound. I froze, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. I looked around my office, finding no weapon, but there was a heavy design book sitting on the edge of my desk. I tiptoed, afraid to alert the intruder to my presence, and put down the bottle of water.
I scooped up the book, my heart pounding in my chest as I followed the noise. It was coming from Jax’s office. I licked my dry lips, my tongue feeling like sandpaper against them. I was afraid to breathe, afraid I would give away my presence. I ever so slowly pushed open the door to his office. The lights were off, and the blinds were drawn. I could see what looked like a man wearing a hoodie, bent over behind the desk. My eyes widened as I realized someone was trying break into his desk drawer where he kept his tablet. They were trying to get his designs!
The thief had his back to me. He was too busy jerking the drawer and mumbling to notice I had come into the room. I raised the heavy hardback book and slammed it against back and neck area. I had been aiming for the head, but I figured any contact would be good. “Get out of there!” I shrieked.
There was a loud oomph. I raised the book, ready to strike again when the man stood up to his full height, spinning around at the same time and grabbing my arm and yanking it. The book tumbled to the floor. I prepared to scratch the man’s eyes out when the hoodie fell back, revealing Jax’s very surprised face.
“Jax?” I gasped.
“Penny? What the hell?” he grumbled, dropping my arm.
“What are you doing here? Why are you dressed like that, and why are you trying to break into your own desk?” I asked, the adrenaline fleeing my body at the realization it wasn’t a thief.
“I could ask you the same thing,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I’m working,” I snapped.
He raised one of those thick eyebrows. “No one was here when I came in.”
“I just got here.”
“Damn. I should have hired you to act as my security detail,” he murmured, still rubbing the back of his neck.
“Sorry,” I muttered, feeling a little bad for hitting him so hard. “In my defense, I thought you were a burglar. I was hoping to stop a theft. Why are you breaking into your own desk?”
He shrugged a shoulder before rotating his neck a few times. “I was going for a run when I remembered there was some paperwork I wanted to go over. I didn’t have my keys on me and thought I could jimmy the lock. I didn’t think it would be that hard to get into. I guess I was wrong.”
I shook my head. “You scared me half to death.”
He grinned, taking a seat on the corner of his desk. “Sorry. I didn’t think I had to worry about anyone being here, especially someone wielding a book that must weigh a hundred pounds. A book?” he asked incredulously.
“It was all I could find. It was either that or a bottle of water.” I shrugged.
He chuckled, his eyes dancing with amusement as he looked at me. “Thank you, I suppose.”
“For?”
“For being willing to defend my office. If you thought there was an intruder, the smart thing to do was leave the office and call for help,” he pointed out.
“That didn’t occur to me. I think I deserve a bonus for being willing to sacrifice my life for your company,” I said with a cheesy smile.
I turned and leaned against the desk, our shoulders touching. He turned his head, smiling at me and giving me that warm and fuzzy feeling I swore to never get again around him. I could smell him. It was a smell I would never forget. It was a hint of musky and something woody. I didn’t know what kind of cologne he wore or if it was just his natural scent, but it always triggered a reaction deep in my gut.
His eyes dropped to my mouth. The chemistry between us was impossible to ignore. It was always there. Being alone with him was dangerous. That tiny little voice in the back of my mind that told me to get up and walk out of the office was quickly shushed. I didn’t want to go.
Jax leaned over, his face hovering next to mine for a brief second before he was kissing me. He stood, never breaking contact with my lips, his arms going around me as I reached up to wrap mine around his neck, holding him close to me. He tasted like something sweet and fruity as his tongue swept inside my mouth. His mouth was hard and firm against mine, pushing my head back as he took all he wanted. It was time to take back the control I had let him have over me.
I turned my head, separating our mouths, pushing my hand against his chest. The look on his face was one of shock. I was about to really shock him. I pushed him again, shoving him hard and sending him backward.
“Penny,” he said in a low voice, his eyes locking on mine.
I stepped toward him, shoving him again until his legs bumped against the couch in his office. One more shove and he was down. I lunged, straddling him, holding his face in my hands as I devoured his mouth. He groaned, his erection springing to life between my legs. I rotated my hips, grinding myself against him. The thin fabric of my leggings and the cotton of the sweats he was wearing did little to shield his hardness.
I dropped my hands from his face, sliding the
zipper of his hoodie down with my mouth still on his. His hands reached for the hem of the light sweater I was wearing, pushing it up until I was forced to break the contact between us. He had the sweater over my head in a flash, leaning forward and letting me push off his hoodie before going after the T-shirt he wore underneath. I was going to have my hands on his chest this time.
With his shirt out of my way, I pressed my palms against his broad chest, running my hands over his body. He unhooked my bra, pulling it off and tossing it to the floor. We both stared at each other, drinking in the sight of one another’s bodies. I lowered my mouth to one of his very well-defined pecs, running my tongue over the hot, tanned flesh. His hands stroked up and down my back before sliding up between us and cupping my breast.
I pulled away from him, pushing off him and stripping off my leggings and panties, not interested in him ripping another pair from my body, no matter how exciting it had been in the moment. I stood before him, looking down at him and watching his response to seeing me naked for the first time. The dorm room had been dark, and we’d been under the covers. I wasn’t ashamed of my body. His nostrils flared, his eyes taking on a heavy-lidded look a second before he lifted his butt from the couch, pushing the sweats and underwear down. His running shoes were kicked off, nearly crashing through the window.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the swollen appendage between his legs. He leaned forward, reaching for my hips, and pulled me back down to straddle him. The flesh-against-flesh contact felt amazing. My hard nipples brushed across his chest as I leaned down to kiss him. The kiss was slow and thorough with no real hurry. I wanted to relish in the feel of him against me. The hairs on his legs tickled the back of my thighs, sending little shivers up and down my spine.
Jax slid his hand between my legs, his fingers expertly moving over my sensitive folds, opening me to him. I gasped, his mouth swallowing the sound as he pushed his finger inside me. He ran the finger in and out, loosening me, making me slick and ready for his invasion.