Chapter Five
Cooper
I pushed open the heavy oak door of The Gilded Firefly, one of Steele’s upscale bars in the heart of Paris. The place oozed old-world charm, all dark wood and soft leather, a stark contrast from the neon-lit clubs that dotted the city. Instead of pop and techno, smooth jazz music floated elegantly through the air. As always, I felt a twinge of envy at Steele’s success, his seemingly effortless transition to legitimate business. He’d opened two restaurants and another hotel in the past month, whereas I was just trying to keep my neck above water with his cast-off business.
Steele was already seated in the far corner of the bar, nursing a glass of whiskey at a corner booth. His face was impassive, but I could see the tension in his shoulders.
This wasn’t a social call.
“Steele,” I nodded, sliding into the booth. “Is this another warning? Am I getting another smack down by big brother? Your phone message was barely a string of coherent words.”
A waitress appeared, and I ordered a scotch. Steele waited until she was out of earshot before speaking.
“Viktor Petrov,” Steele said, his voice low and controlled, much different than the rage-fueled voicemail he had left me earlier, demanding that I meet him here. “Ring any bells?”
I felt my stomach tighten, but I kept my face neutral. “Should it?”
Steele’s expression narrowed. “Cut the bullshit, Cooper. I know you’ve been in contact with him.”
“And how, exactly, would you know that?” I countered, leaning back in my seat. “I thought you were out of the game.”
“I am,” Steele replied, taking a sip of his drink. “But I still have friends in…low places. Associates who are concerned about a certain dumbass young hotshot getting in over his head.”
The waitress returned with my drink. I took a long swig, using the moment to gather my thoughts. “I appreciate the concern, but I can handle it.”
Steele leaned forward, his voice dropping even lower. “Viktor is not someone you ‘handle,’ Cooper. He’s a shark, and you’re swimming in waters way too deep for you.”
“Maybe I’m a stronger swimmer than you think,” I shot back, feeling a flare of anger. Who was he to doubt me? He was the one who left our partnership and abandoned me the second he found a pussy he worshiped more than money.
“Is that why you’re scrambling to fix a botched weapons shipment?” Steele asked, raising an eyebrow.
I felt the color drain from my face. How the hell did he know about that?
Seeing my reaction, Steele sighed. “Look, I’m not here to lecture you. I’m here because, believe it or not, I give a damn about what happens to you. Viktor is dangerous, Cooper. More dangerous than you realize. ”
I took another drink, trying to quell the mix of anger and fear churning in my gut. “I appreciate the heads up, but I’ve got it under control. Is that all you wanted to discuss?”
Steele’s expression shifted, a hint of curiosity creeping into his eyes. “Not quite. Want to tell me why you used our connections to get some small-time asshole arrested last week?”
The surprises kept on coming. “How did you—”
“Like I said, I have contacts,” Steele interrupted. “What I don’t understand is why. This Tomas character...he’s a nobody. I looked him up—sexual assault, petty theft...not the type you usually bother with. So why pull strings to get him locked up?”
I shrugged, aiming for nonchalance, but my heart was hammering. Sexual assault? Just how did Allegra get involved with this prick—and had he hurt her? “Guy was making trouble. Thought I’d teach him a lesson.” I leaned back in the booth, lacing my hands behind my head.
“Bullshit,” Steele said flatly. “You don’t waste resources and call in favors to teach lessons to nobodies. There’s something you’re not telling me.”
I felt a hot surge of irritation. I’d forgotten how annoyingly perceptive Steele could be. “Maybe I just felt like flexing a little muscle. Showing what I’m capable of.”
Steele studied me for a long moment, searching my face. Then, slowly, a knowing smile spread across his features. “Or maybe...it wasn’t about showing what you’re capable of. Maybe it was about impressing someone.”
I felt my jaw clench. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come on, Cooper. I know you. You wouldn’t go to all this trouble unless there was something—or someone—in it for you.” Steele leaned back, his smile widening. “So, who is she?”
“There’s no ‘she’,” I insisted, but I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. Unbidden, an image of Allegra flashed in my mind—her wide eyes in the alley, the way she’d trembled in my car. The heat that seemed to radiate between us whenever we touched during therapy.
Steele chuckled, shaking his head. “You know, for someone in our line of work, you’re a terrible liar. At least when it comes to women.”
I drained the last of my scotch, slamming the glass down perhaps a bit too hard. “I’m not pussy-whipped like you, Steele. I make my own fucking decisions and I don’t have to justify them to you. Look, can we get back to the point? You wanted to warn me about Viktor, consider me warned. Anything else?”
Steele’s amusement faded, replaced by a look of genuine concern. “Yeah, there is. Whatever you’re involved in—with Viktor, with this mystery woman—be careful. You’re playing a dangerous game, Cooper. Don’t let your ego get you killed. You’re still my best friend.”
For a moment, I felt a flash of my old affection for Steele, the man who’d been more than just a business partner—who’d been a mentor, a friend. He’d bought my family food, put a roof over my head and gave me the means to provide for my father. But then I remembered the sting of his departure, the way he’d walked away from everything we’d built together .
For a woman.
“I can take care of myself,” I said, my voice cold. “And my business is my own. Stay out of it, Steele.”
I stood up, my anger mounting with each syllable that came out of my former business partner’s mouth.
Steele reached out, grabbing my arm. “Cooper, wait—”
I jerked away. “Thanks for the drink, and the warning. But I think we’re done here. Go home to Ashlynn.”
Before I could exit, his hand on my shoulder forced me to turn around. His eyes were pleading, and like usual, the memories of our friendship won out. I followed him back to the table.
“I promise not to talk about the business anymore,” Steele said, taking a chug of his drink. “But I did want to ask you something.”
“What?” I asked, a little too harshly.
“I was able to procure Ashlynn’s wedding dress…we’d like to get married at the end of next month.”
The guilt I was feeling now tripled, knowing the question that was coming. It had to be me. He didn’t have anyone else.
“Will you be my best man?”
Our friendship might be rocky, and I knew that he didn’t feel exactly warm towards me right now, but that didn’t matter.
“Of course.” I didn’t hesitate, knowing that if I really needed him, he would do the same for me.
Steele grinned and sighed, as if he was nervous about my answer. I squirmed a bit, feeling bad about how I’d deflected his concern and got angry when I knew in my heart he was just looking after me .
“Thank you, Cooper. I mean it. I know you’re hurt and I feel bad from walking away from that side of the business, but—”
I waved my hand, dismissing his apology. “It’s okay, Steele. I know why you had to leave. It isn’t a choice I’d make for myself, but I need to respect it.”
Steele nodded, bringing his fingers up to stroke his chin. He seemed like he wanted to say something else, but he let the silence linger.
I finally broke through the unspoken tension. “So where is this happening?”
A faint smile came to his lips. “My estate—well, mine and Ashlynn’s estate. She loves it there, and the weather will hopefully be nice enough so we can do it outside. It’ll be short and sweet. Just a handful of guests. You can bring Colton and your dad, if you’d like. And—maybe whatever girl has you up a wall. Unless she’s a prostitute, Ashlynn would freak if—”
“She’s not a prostitute.” I growled at the assumption and realized that I’d only confirmed Steele’s earlier accusation. Now he knew for sure that there was someone in my life, and that she was important enough for me to defend rather savagely.
“Well, whoever she is, you should bring her.”
I’d only dated girls a handful of times, preferring my female encounters to be an easy exchange. They got cash, I got to live out whatever fantasy I wanted during the dark hours of night. I didn’t want a girlfriend, I didn’t want to let anyone into my life. Between Steele, Colton, and my father, that was enough.
“You know me, Steele. There’s never anyone who lasts more than a night.”
Steele looked around the room, motioning to the waitress to bring us each another drink. “One day Cooper, you might feel differently. I’d hate to think you might pass by the perfect woman for you because you’re too wrapped up in the business.”
Before I could respond, the waitress came over, and slipped Steele a napkin. She fiddled with arranging our drinks before Steele passed the napkin back. “Sorry, I’m practically a married man,” he said coldly. “My friend is available, though.”
She looked at me hopefully, but I just turned my head away from her. I could hear her heels clack along the marble flooring as she teetered away.
I looked at Steele, and his face was scrunched up as if he was fighting laughter.
“I just don’t wanna sleep with anyone until my leg gets better, it’s fucking embarrassing.”
“Sure.” Again, the look of condescension hung on his face as if he knew my mind better than I did.
That was my cue to leave. I took one more drink, and then stood up. “I gotta get back to the warehouse.”
“I’ll call you with the details of the wedding,” he responded. I nodded, and then left.
But as I stepped out into the sweet air of the Parisian night, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Steele’s warnings about Viktor echoed in my mind, mingling with thoughts of Allegra—her soft voice, the way she’d looked at me with a mix of fear and gratitude.
I’d told Steele there was no ‘she,’ but even as I’d said it, I knew it wasn’t entirely true. There was something about Allegra Prescott that had gotten under my skin, something that made me want to be...different, somehow. It was a foreign feeling, unsettling in its intensity.
I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I had bigger things to worry about—the weapons deal, Viktor, my father’s health, keeping my business afloat. I couldn’t afford to be distracted by a sexy physical therapist with amazing curves and a caring touch. I tried to convince myself that I just hadn’t been with a woman in a while and it was messing with me. Since I wasn’t on my A-game in the bar since my accident, I’d have to call one of my regular girls.
But as I climbed into my car, I found myself counting down the days until my next appointment with Allegra, and I knew I wouldn’t call anyone when I got home. And despite my best efforts, I couldn’t quite suppress the small thrill of anticipation at the thought of seeing her again.
“Forget about her,” I muttered to myself as I started the engine. But even as I pulled away from the curb, I knew it was already too late. Whether I liked it or not, Allegra Prescott had become a complication in my already complicated life.