Nodding, I got up and headed toward the kitchen. “You still prefer iced coffee or would you rather have it hot? Or would you rather have some diet soda? A caffeinated energy drink?”
Makenna’s response was immediate. “Iced coffee would be perfect. The stronger, the better.”
“Do you still take it with two splashes of mocha cream and one sugar?” I guess I caught her by surprise, because her gasp was audible, but some things you just don’t forget, not about the people you love.
Holding the large glass of iced coffee in my hand, I stared at Makenna and basically dared her to smart back, but she didn’t say a word as she snatched the coffee out of my hand. Her lips formed a perfect O as she took a long pull on the straw, making me groan inwardly, wishing that straw were my dick and her lips were wrapped around me instead. She bent to get one of her suitcases, leaving the duffle, before heading upstairs. Why was she torturing me? All I could think about was ripping a hole in her pants and reclaiming what was once mine.
I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath until after she was upstairs and out of sight. I’d been prepared for an argument, since she seemed ready to fire off at will, but thankfully, it was diverted. Maybe I still had the authoritative look that told her not to push it, or she was too tired to quarrel. Either way, I wasn’t going to waste time thinking about it. I had some work to do on the computer.
I’d grabbed an iced tea for myself and had just settled my computer onto the dining room table when my phone rang. As soon as I saw who it was, I cringed. I so didn’t need this today. “Yes?” I tried to come off as polite as possible, but I really wanted to tell the person to leave me the fuck alone.
“Marcus? Is that you, darling?” Cassia Hamilton’s voice was so sugary sweet. I wanted to gag. But I knew not to fall for her persona, since beneath the façade lay a conniving little bitch, to put it mildly. She was a viper lying in wait, trying to strike at her next victim, and sadly, she currently offered the one possible saving grace for my future. I had to play my hand carefully until another option arose, one of which I hoped was getting settled in upstairs.
I couldn’t help but smart back at her. “Who the hell do you think it is, the tooth fairy? What do you want, Cassia?”
“Daddy wanted me to bring some papers over for you to look at and sign. He has the lawyer looking over your case as we speak and is working diligently to try and prove this was all a setup. But if you’re too damn busy for me?” Her words were curt. I realized I needed to tone it down.
In frustration, I ran my hand through my hair and let out an audible breath. “I’m sorry. I’ve just had a few unexpected issues pop up this morning.”
Cassia quickly reverted back to her overly sweet façade. “I’ll be over in less than an hour, so be sure to look presentable.” I wished I could reach through the phone and throttle her, but I was currently at her mercy. I wondered how well her visit would go over with Makenna, knowing the two have a general dislike for one another.
Pulling the phone away from my ear, I lifted my gaze to the guest bedroom next to mine and listened for any sounds or movement inside. I could faintly hear Makenna’s voice, like she was talking with someone on the phone. She seemed a bit upset but had been that way since she got here. I’m sure I’m the last person she wanted to see or help, but I’m glad I had her here. I knew she’d have objections to seeing Cassia, but I really had no choice in the matter. I was screwed every which way to Sunday. Although, Cassia seeing Makenna here might be enough to have her back off a bit on her pursuits.
“Marcus? Are you there? Are you going to leave me hanging? I need an answer now.” Cassia’s voice screeched through the phone lines. The sound reminded me of nails on a chalkboard or a whining cat in heat. I think I’d actually prefer the nails on the chalkboard.
Taking in a deep breath, I replied, “Sure, come on by. I’ll be dressed. I do have to warn you that I have company staying with me for a while.”
“Company! You’re not to have anyone else in your place other than those you employ. I’ll be there in an hour. Count on it!” her voice screamed before she hung up on me.
Running a hand over my face and shaking my head, I knew this morning was just about to get explosively better. I was one of the few people who would talk with Cassia, so I never understood why she thought she could run roughshod over my life. We’re not a couple. Never had any interest in her, never would. The woman was as delusional as they came.
“Hey. It’s me, sis. I got your text this morning when I reached New York City, and I’m checking in, per your request.”
I could hear my sister, Jesse, take in a breath of relief. “It’s good to hear you got there safely. I’ll tell our parents you’re on assignment. I know Mom will be proud of you for following your dreams, but Dad will try pushing to find out where you are and who you’re with.”
Laughing, I offered, “Of course he will. He can’t seem to let go control over me. How did you manage it?”
Jesse laughed with me. “Kenna, I’m still trying to get him to leave me alone, but I guess having a tough-as-nails husband like Derrick, a former special operative and lead at Titan, is enough to scare Dad a bit. That and Mom’s been on his case lately about letting us live our own lives. And you know how far Mom can push, or rather deny him the pleasure of certain things, when she wants to get even.”
We both fell into a case of giggles. “Jesse! Don’t even go there with me. I don’t want to have to scrub my brain of a mental picture. Granted, I know Mom and Dad are in a Dom/sub relationship, but the less I know, the better.”
My mom, while always a concerned parent, let us find our own paths and learn from our mistakes. Whereas Dad wanted to fix everything for us and planned our lives down to the minute details before we’d even graduated high school.
Jesse laughed. “Okay, I’ll spare both of us. I firmly believe our parents, despite them owning part of a BDSM club, have never had sex.”
She got silent for a moment before cautiously asking, “Are you okay? I got Derrick to finally admit who you’re protecting and working for.”
My response was curt and came way too quickly to be justifiable. “I’m fine.”
“Yeah, right. Tell me another lie, sis.” My sister took a deep breath before continuing. “You never would confide in me all the details of what happened all those years ago, only small bits and pieces, but I can tell you’re far from fine. Are you sure you can guard him and prove his innocence without any emotions coming to the surface? I only ask because I worry about you.”
I couldn’t yell at Jesse. We were only a couple years apart, so she was not just my sister but also my best friend. I’d happily given her advice to get her head out of her ass and see where things went with Derrick. If I hadn’t pushed, she might not be happily married or have a beautiful six-month-old son to dote on. I knew she had my back, just like I’ve had hers throughout the years.
Movement outside the open bedroom door caught my eye. “Hold on,” I told my sister as I went to the door and looked into the hallway. Marcus had entered his bedroom and was closing the door. He was out of earshot.
“I’m okay,” I whispered as I pushed my door partially closed, which allowed me to keep an eye on the hallway but created more privacy in which to speak.
“Not good enough, Kenna. I want the truth.” That’s Jesse, going right to the point. I couldn’t put anything over on her or Mom.
Thoughtlessly bringing my hand up to brush my hair away from my face, I sat down on the corner of the bed with a big sigh, resigned to the fact I’d have to tell her my feelings to get her off my back. “Truth be told, I thought I was completely over him, that I’d managed to lock all my feelings and emotions away.”
“But?” Jesse prodded.
I felt my heart rate kick up a notch as I admitted, “When I walked into his place, he was wearing only a towel and was dripping wet. He doesn’t think I know he had boxers on underneath his attire, probably thought he could bowl me over w
ith his looks.”
“And?” My sis just wasn’t letting up.
“Fine. It was all I could do to keep my emotions in check. He’s ripped beyond belief. I always thought him sexy, but now . . . damn! I didn’t allow my heart rate to kick up, or my breathing to alter while I was in his presence. I remembered the signs he’d use to read me when we’d play together.” I took a frustrating breath in as I ran my hand through my hair again. “It was as if the past five years hadn’t happened and I was back in the playroom with him, ready to strip and submit to his pleasure. I can’t believe I wanted to fall down on my knees and take up the submissive pose for him.”
I waited for judgment from Jesse, but got nothing. “You two have a long history, not just because you dated for a few years but also because you’ve known each other all your lives. You can’t throw away your feelings for each other overnight. Neither of you have talked about what happened. Hell, I don’t even know what caused you to run from him in the first place, but I still stand by you for whatever you need.”
My silence caused her to continue. “What was his response to you? How are you dressed? Please tell me you’re not torturing him with that sexy leather badass agent look with the thigh-high boots.”
Laughing out loud, I looked back to the door and noticed I was still able to speak freely. “I am. If you recall, he always liked me in black leather, so I figured I’d throw him for a loop. And I did. He couldn’t speak at first. His eyes darkened in the center, showing me how turned on he was, and then he almost lost his towel a couple times, thanks to the bulge he was sporting and trying very hard to hide.
“He even had the audacity to get all cocky, pardon the pun, on me, thinking his closeness could intimidate me.”
My sister couldn’t stop laughing on the phone. “Please tell me you didn’t flip him?”
“Guilty.” I even admitted how I’d handcuffed him to the chair.
A small blur of movement caught my eye, so I tried to rein in my sister’s laughter. “Listen, I hate to cut this short, but I have an assignment to do.”
“Okay, just one thing before you go.”
“What now?” I asked defiantly.
Jesse got all serious. “I had dinner over at Mom and Dad’s the other night. While there, Uncle Jesse called regarding an issue that came up and needed a quick resolve. I needed a place to work, so Dad offered me his study. Long story short, I found something that I think you need to look at. Can I send it your way, and promise you’ll read through everything?”
“I’m busy on a case that’ll take up most of my time. I don’t have time for this. Can’t it wait until I get back?”
“No! You need to look at this while you’re there.” It was very rare for Jesse to be insistent or raise her voice to me, so I was startled when she did. “Also, I want you to promise me you’ll try to seek closure with whatever went down between you and Marcus five years ago. Neither of you will be able to move on until you talk to one another. Plus he needs to know.”
“Damn it, Jesse!” I yelled into the phone before calming down and lowering my voice. “I don’t need closure to move on with my life. I’ve done just fine. And apparently Marcus has done fine too. Just Google his name and you’ll see a new flavor of the month on his arm for a variety of events he’s been to throughout the years. He’s long since forgotten about me. What happened earlier was probably nothing more than a general knee-jerk reaction on both our parts. Just leave it alone, okay? You’re starting to sound like Mom and Dad with their psychological mumbo jumbo.”
“Fine, Kenna. I’ll drop it. But I’ll be sending a small package to you. I’ll give it to Derrick to mail, since I don’t know where in New York City you are. If anyone asks, that’s all I’ll provide.”
“Thank you. Love you, sis.” I admitted before hanging up.
Damn her. She had to get into my mind and bring up all these feelings again. Admit it, girl. That was one nice looking piece of manly meat downstairs. He’s still into you. That or he’s hiding an anaconda in his pants. A monstrous piece you’ve been dreaming about for the last five years.
My subconscious needed to turn itself off. I wouldn’t feel anything for my ex. I couldn’t. He had hurt me before; he’s not going to hurt me again. Does he even know what he’s done? You kind of left him without even hearing his side of the story. You haven’t given him any chance to defend himself.
He did seem happy, but cautious, to see me, not like someone who’d moved on and forgotten me. But it could just be a reaction to someone or something familiar. Then again, he did seem to swallow pretty hard when I took a long draw on the straw for some iced coffee.
I got up and headed to the door, needing to get the other duffle bag up here. Hopefully my other items would arrive soon. I had a long list of things that needed to be accomplished, including a final e-mail check-in updating Rick on my progress.
Marcus’s voice drifted up the stairs and into the hallway. “Okay, send her up.”
I continued downstairs, my guard on high alert and the hairs on the back of my neck on end. “Who are you expecting?”
Marcus jumped, turning around quickly with his hand on his chest. It was then I noticed he’d changed into business attire. He was sporting a dark navy Armani suit, the design perfectly tailored to his body, along with a long-sleeved white shirt. He’d forgone a tie and left the top few buttons of his shirt undone. He dropped his hand from his chest and quickly adjusted the cufflink on his left arm. His eyes were intense, looking like two pools of gooey caramel.
Didn’t he have any idea how his attire affected me, or was that the reason he was dressed that way? Surely he remembered I always got turned on the most when he was sharply dressed. Granted, he looked like a Greek god incarnate without any attire, but put him in a suit, and I was literally putty in his hands.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that,” he demanded.
I felt badly, to some degree. “Sorry. How am I supposed to walk, with a collar and bell on so you can hear me coming? Or do I need to announce myself so I don’t catch you doing anything sordid?”
His eyebrows lifted and a half-smile crossed over his lips. “You’ll have no worries of me doing anything distasteful. I gave that up a long time ago. But picturing you in a collar does give me all kinds of dirty ideas.”
I held my hand up to stop his train of thought. “Don’t even go there. It will never happen again.”
Marcus countered, taking a step closer to me, where my hand now touched his very firm chest. “Never is a long time, sweetheart. I’m a firm believer in fate and second chances.”
Before I could respond, the front door flew open and a woman’s voice chattered away. “Where’s my sweet, handsome darling? I have the papers the lawyer sent over for you to sign and—” The woman looked up and froze mid-sentence. She looked at me, then Marcus, before pointing her finger at me and demanding, “What the hell is this bitch doing here? I want her out of here now!”
The voice of familiarity surrounded me. My mind flashed back to a time in my past when Cassia picked on me unmercifully in college. She was the last person I expected to see today. I thought she’d fallen out of Marcus’s life. I could deal with him, but I’d be damned if I’d put up with any ridicule, down talk, or anything else from this woman.
I didn’t have to take a step away from Marcus, as she threw the papers down on the nearest table and pushed herself between us, forcing me back. I stumbled slightly before finding my footing. Marcus reached up to try and catch me, but she brought his hand up to her face and reached up to try and kiss him. I watched in horror at the sight unfolding in front of me, still reeling from a similar experience in my past, one that I wanted to keep buried. But I got the last laugh, as she only managed a chaste kiss on his cheek, because he side-stepped her and came to me, putting one hand on my shoulder and the other on my chin, lifting my face up to his. “Are you okay, Kenna?”
I nodded. “What is Cassia doing here? And why wasn’t I informed of her immi
nent arrival?”
I didn’t have time to answer, and he couldn’t get another word out before Cassia started screeching like a freaking banshee. “Makenna! I want her out of here immediately. Security!”
Spencer and Kyle opened the door. “Yes, Miss Hamilton?”
She waved a defiant hand toward me and laced her words with all kinds of sickeningly sweet goodness. “Could you boys do me a little ole favor? Please escort the trash out of the building and see to it that she’s never allowed in here again.”
Marcus grabbed hold of Cassia’s upper arm and turned her toward the front door. “I won’t have you talking to Makenna that way. You’re being disrespectful to my guest.”
Cassia put a hand to her chest as she dug her heels into the floor, preventing any further movement toward the door. “Guest? She’s not about to stay here. You got this place thanks to my daddy and his pull at the company. I won’t allow her to stay here in our home.”
“Is this her home, Marcus? Do you rent this from the company or do you own it?” I questioned with a little curiosity, but more or less needing to know what my next step would be. I wouldn’t stay in a hostile environment and definitely not with the one person I could never tolerate even if my life depended on it. I crossed my arms and looked toward Marcus for an explanation. I noticed the FBI guys did too.
Marcus’s focus was on Cassia. “How many times have I told you that you are not allowed to barge in here? When you enter my home, you are a guest, just like everyone else.”
Cassia took a step back, and her body literally vibrated with fear. But he didn’t seem to notice her. Instead, his eyes were focused on me. “As for your questions, Kenna, this has never been nor ever will be her home. Granted, the company did have some pull in getting me a reasonable price on the place, and thanks to some personal investments, I was able to buy it outright.”
I counted down from five, wondering just how long it would take for Cassia to explode and spew more profanities and insults than a pyroclastic volcano in full-on eruption mode. Thankfully, training alongside several airmen in the Air Force prepared me for the lackluster language coming out of this supposed debutante. This just proved the theory I’d come up with years ago: Cassia was one who was pleasant and sweet as long as she managed to have total control over the situation or people, but take away the control, and the spawn of Satan emerged.
Makenna's Trust: Titan Security Series #3 Page 3