Chapter 12
I march into Alex’s office on a mission.
There is only one way to deal with this infuriating man, and that’s meet fire with fire.
He glares up from his computer, his brow furrowing.
“Sloane Stryker, what can I do for you?” he asks, surprised to see me.
It’s no secret I’m not his favorite person and he’s not mine, but we tolerate each other for Harley.
He offers a nod to Onyx as he moves in to close his office door and stands by it.
The last thing we need is anyone in Moretti Media getting wind of this conversation.
I stare him down. “You can force your cousin out of town.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. From what he’s told me, Romeo intends to stay in Ravens Hollow indefinitely. He has a thing for the women here. Are you two having a lovers’ quarrel? You looked pretty cozy at your party.”
My glare intensifies, anger radiating off me.
I couldn’t just sneak off and fuck a man.
No, I had to do it so damn publicly everyone knows about it, even Alex Moretti.
“Well, you better fucking do something, or all of our hard work is going to be for nothing.”
Now I know I have his attention.
He straightens, his playful expression turning serious.
“What the fuck are you talking about, Sloane?”
“Check your emails. I just forwarded you the bullshit that was sent to me this morning. That asshole thinks he’s going to take over my club and destroy every good part of it. The girls are going to freak the fuck out, Alex. Girls you and I have both saved. I might not be your favorite person, but you and I both know how important what I’m doing is to this town and its people.”
He brings up his email, and I watch as he reads over the bullshit email Romeo sent me as I pace back and forth, not able to settle into a seat.
I have all this erratic energy buzzing through me.
I feel so out of control.
Just knowing he is there in my space while I’m out trying to fix this problem makes me feel icky.
I don’t know how yet, but he has to go.
While I wait for Alex to read over the document, I pull the business card I stashed in my top out.
I had forgotten it was there.
I study it. Detective Reef Wilder.
His name has such a ring to it.
Maybe I could call my new detective friend and see how willing he really is to help me.
But that would be a last resort.
I’m sure when Alex sees exactly how bad what Romeo intends to do is, he will help me.
He has to.
“For fuck’s sake,” I hear him curse as he runs a hand through his hair, the vein in his neck looking like it’s going to burst. Then his furious eyes are back on me.
“This won’t work.”
My eyes lock with his.
“No shit. We have until five p.m. today. You have got to dig some dirt up on him or some shit so I can stop him.”
“What do you want me to find?” Alex asks, and even he looks perplexed as to what he can do.
“I don’t give a shit what it is, Alex, just find something good. You have better resources than any of us. I need leverage. He thinks he has shit on my family and a claim because of what Syd did, selling his papa a massive share of the business. It has to be good enough I can use it to stop him. With a family like his, there are some skeletons in the closet, there has to be.”
Something flashes in his eyes, something dark, and I know there is.
Alex already knows more than he is saying.
He stands, moving around to lean on his desk as he watches me.
“I can’t be seen to be involved in this.”
I nod, understanding his predicament.
He has to look loyal to the family, I get how it works.
I also know deep down Alex is one of the good ones; he wouldn’t have saved all those girls from his papa if he wasn’t.
“But you will help me. I took in your girls when you needed me to, and this is going to affect them as well.”
“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to help you. I just can’t be seen to be. Anything I find didn’t come from me. Got it?” His eyes lock with mine, and I know how serious this is.
“Yep.”
He moves toward the door, ready to kick us out.
“Alright. You will have what you need by five.”
“Thank you.” I glance back at him.
I’m not a hugger, and for the most part I can’t stand this man, but if he can actually help me, he will earn a new tier of respect from me.
Onyx and I take the elevator down to the ground floor.
I inhale a deep breath, my head spinning a little as the car takes us down the ten floors.
I can feel his eyes on me the whole way.
“What?” I eventually snap.
“I’m worried about you, trouble.”
My eyes meet his.
“I’m fine.” I sigh, feeling anything but.
The lack of control is causing a mental fog that makes it hard to focus and think clearly.
I’m not sure how I’ll survive till five p.m.
“You’re not. What did Ricky say when he checked you out?”
“It’s just low blood pressure. I’m fine, really. I would be better if I didn’t have to deal with assholes like Romeo Moretti trying to take over my life, but there is no need for you to worry.”
The elevator doors ping open, and we walk out into the foyer of the fancy building where Alex’s office resides.
I falter, just for a second, catching myself as my head spins.
Onyx doesn’t skip a beat.
Gripping my elbow, he directs me to a quiet corner of the lobby.
He stares down at me, worry lines forming on his forehead.
“You’re not okay. When is the last time you ate anything?”
I try to think through the fog.
“Last night at the restaurant. I was about to have breakfast when Sally called me this morning, and I haven’t had time to even think about food since.”
He shakes his head.
“But you took your pills and chased them with some whiskey,” I hear the disappointment in his voice.
I inhale deeply. “Okay, so I need some food.” I roll my eyes.
I spot a café just outside the building.
“We can grab something there before we head back to the club. Happy?”
His hand trails down my arm.
“I will be when I see you eat.”
“Come on then.” I push out from under him and stride across the empty foyer, heading for the little café.
Once inside, I line up in the queue, searching the chalkboard above the counter for something I feel like eating.
Quinoa and halloumi salad should hit the spot.
“What are you having?” I ask Onyx, knowing he wouldn’t have eaten since breakfast, he’s been too busy with me.
“The beef burger. What about you, some rabbit food salad that won’t fill you up?”
I roll my eyes in his direction and offer a half smirk.
He knows me all too well.
“I’ll have you know my choice is high in protein, iron, and fiber. A balanced diet is important.”
“You need something more substantial, some meat.” The way he says it makes me think he’s not talking about the burger, but him.
Or that could just be my mind.
Since he admitted to me this morning he is into me as well, I can’t look at him without my mind going to the gutter.
I think the stress of the situation I’m in is making it even worse.
I want him to whisk me away .
We place our order and find a table that looks out over the street while we wait for our food to arrive.
“Sloane, what I said this morning, I was way out of line.”
My heart sinks.
I thought I was finally getting somewhere with him.
“You pushed me, and I said something I shouldn’t have. I apologize.”
I blink back at him.
“I don’t want you to apologize. Don’t you get it yet? I taunt you because…” I suddenly feel shy and unsure how I’m supposed to say this.
I stare out the window, watching the traffic drive by, because I can’t look at him.
“Because I want you.”
“We both know that is a really big problem. Nothing can ever happen between us. Do you understand?”
I stare back at him, disappointed and hurt.
“Why?” I know the reasons, but they’re all bullshit.
“You know the reasons.”
“I want you to tell me why two consenting adults can’t act on their feelings.”
His head drops.
“I’m nearly twice your age.”
“Thirteen years isn’t even close,” I snap back.
“I work for your family; my main job is to keep you safe. Your life is more important to me than anything. If we got involved, it would compromise everything,” I hear the heaviness in his voice, the emotion.
“What about what I want?”
“Keeping you safe is more important than what you want,” he answers with a determination that kills me.
My eyes narrow in on him.
How can he be serious?
He’s going to ignore his feelings for me all because he thinks he won’t be able to protect me if we’re involved.
Today just keeps getting better.
I nod. “ Okay then,” is all I can come back with.
He’s made up his mind.
That’s how it’s going to be then.
I’ll just shove my feelings back inside and pretend they don’t exist, like I have for fucking forever.
Our food arrives and the two of us eat in silence.
Normally we can be together in silence for hours and it’s comfortable, feels like home even, but right now the tension is so thick you could carve it.
His rejection cut me deep.
When we are both finished, I stand to leave, knowing I have to face Romeo and my staff back at The Raven’s Nest. Onyx is right, I feel better after eating, even if I don’t want to face the rest of today.
“Trouble.” He stops me with a hand to my side.
“Things won’t be weird between us now?”
“Nope, why would they be? You made it clear where we stand. I’m a job for you, that’s all.”
“You’re infuriating.”
“So are you,” I throw back at him.
Yeah, things will be normal between us, but that is the last thing I want.
He releases me, and I walk away from him.
Heading through the door of the café, a sadness settling over me.
I’m so distracted I don’t even notice the man right in front of me and run straight into a brick wall of a human.
“Sorry,” I splutter, glancing up to see a familiar face.
For fuck’s sake, is today messing with me?
How am I quite literally bumping into Detective Wilder again?
His hand rests on my shoulder, stopping me from going over.
His eyes settle on mine.
“Are you okay?” comes his deep voice.
It washes over me like a blanket, all warm and comforting.
“Yeah, I just wasn’t watching where I was going. Sorry again.” I offer a tight smile, pulling out of his grip on me.
Onyx stands beside me, muscles tense, and I feel his burning glare on Reef as the two of them assess each other, the air crackling with tension.
Reef’s eyes linger on him for a beat longer then come to me, a half-smile tugging at his lips.
“I’m actually glad we ran into each other.”
“You are? Why?”
“This morning got out of hand; I was out of line.”
“Okay,” I say sarcastically, not sure what he wants me to do with that.
His green eyes sparkle, and his lips twist into a hot-as-fuck smile.
This dude might be a cop, but he’s gorgeous.
“Let me make it up to you with dinner tonight?”
“What?” I snap, confused.
Again, he looks at Onyx then his eyes come back to me.
“I want to take you out for a meal to make up for my behavior.” He spells it out for me, I’m sure because I’m staring back at him confused as hell.
“You were just doing your job. And we both know I can’t be seen having a meal with a cop.”
“So, it’s not a no.”
I can’t help but smirk back at him, my cheeks coloring.
“It’s a this is a really bad idea for both of us.”
“I’ll pick you up at seven then. From the club?” he pushes, his smile way too charming.
I laugh. Is this guy for real?
“I can’t go to dinner with you.” I go to walk away.
“See you at seven, wildcat. Be ready for me.”
Fuck, something in the way he says his nickname for me makes my insides light up.
I look back over my shoulder, not able to help the smile that crosses my face when our eyes meet.
“I’m not going out with you, Detective.”
“We’ll see,” he says with way too much confidence for a man in his position.
He is the enemy; he and his friends would destroy my business given half a chance.
But I already know, if he turns up, I’ll leave with him because I’m so fascinated.
“Don’t even think about it, trouble,” Onyx grumbles when he sees my stupid grin.
I glance back at Onyx as we walk toward the car.
“Why not? You going to stop me?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
He won’t, but he might tell my brothers.
His glare turns deadly.
“Then I guess we will just have to see what kind of mood I’m in when he shows up at the club tonight. I could do with a proper date, with a nice guy.” I smile happily to myself.
Detective Wilder’s timing couldn’t be better.
Onyx turns me down and he’s right there to show him what he’s missing out on.
A growl comes from his lips.
“He would fuck you over given half a chance and you know it.”
“As long as he fucks me first then, I’m good,” I snap back just to irritate him.
“Sloane,” Onyx warns as he opens my car door for me.
Yeah, I know I sound like a brat.
But fuck him. He doesn’t want me, and I’m not hanging around the club pining for him.
By seven tonight, that club might not even be in my control anymore, and I might just need a fucking distraction with a sexy smile to take away my pain.