Chapter 8
Nash
“You okay,” Ren asked.
She sat curled up by my side in the limo, and I hated that I was once more keeping a secret from her.
“Yeah, just a lot on my mind.”
“Did my dad say something to upset you?”
Yes, but not what you think.
I shook my head.
“Just trying to sort out what to do with my life. Edmundo mentioned that he wants me to take over at Collier Enterprises as soon as I graduate. It’s great that he believes in me, but…it feels like everything I have has been given to me. I haven’t built anything for myself from the ground up.”
“What about the club?”
“That’s partially true,” I said, nodding.
“But I still needed the guys to kick in some capital, and your dad helped me finish. I never would’ve gotten it running on my own or managed to fix all the repairs after Halloween without his help.
I hate feeling like a freeloader, especially with your father. ”
“I don’t think he sees it that way, but I get what you mean. You want to…to…to create something worthwhile…from scratch without any help.”
“Yes, exactly.” Cupping her cheek, I traced my thumb over her soft skin. “What did the speech therapist say?”
With a sigh, Ren leaned into my hand before sitting back and crossing her arms.
“That I need to be patient. That I will have days like this.” She rubbed at her forehead like that would somehow fix the misfire in her brain. “I was going to back out of the TA spot. Sharpe is…is being a jerk, but the therapist still wants me to to do it.”
The anger was instant. If Sharpe had upset Ren, then he had to deal with me, and I didn’t give a fuck if he was a teacher.
“What do you mean? Is he picking on you? I will…” She laid her hand on mine and shook her head. “You know what I was going to say?”
“Think I do. No, he is…just pushing hard. Almost too hard. Just didn’t think I…was ready. But my therapist thinks it will be good for me,” Ren said.
“What do you want to do,” I asked, prying her hand away from her crossed arms.
Ren was silent for a long time. Her eyes were open, but she wasn’t seeing me. It was as if she was looking through me and watching something only she could.
“I don’t know,” she finally said. “I really don’t.”
“Then don’t decide tonight…or tomorrow. Take your time. If Sharpe pushes too hard, tell him to go fuck himself.”
She leaned into me, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. God…the world was a fucked-up place. I knew it at a young age, but I couldn’t figure out if I wanted Ren’s mother to be alive or if it was better that Edmundo had a mysterious enemy.
Either one had huge consequences, but what happened if Ren found out that her mother was alive and had let her believe she was dead?
Edmundo was savvy and had enough friends, power, and money to handle shit if it was a covert attack against him.
But Ren’s mom returned from the grave…she didn’t need another rug pulled out from under her.
Everything about this hurt my head.
“I don’t know if I want to run the Genovese empire when I graduate,” Ren said softly. “I never saw myself at the helm of a…a…an international crime organization. Furthest thing from it.”
“Maybe, but you’d kick ass.”
She looked up at me with skepticism in her eyes.
“I’m being serious. You’re tough, smart, and fair, just like your father.
Besides, not all of your father’s businesses are illegal.
He has a very diverse portfolio. Shipping companies, clothing manufacturers, a wine vineyard, and even a modeling agency.
Maybe you’ll find something you are interested in heading up. ”
“Huh…but what about everything else? He won’t just let me do something in the arts and forget about the rest.”
“That’s why you have all of us.”
I smiled, making her laugh. I loved it when her eyes shone like that. Pure joy embodied in a single look.
“Theo will be a full-time lawyer, and he loves all those boring legal papers. Liam is great with numbers and seeing new opportunities and is a hell of a negotiator. Myles…well, who knows. But he has an eye for marketing. I know you wouldn’t think it, but he does.
You should check out the social media pages he set up for the lacrosse team. ”
“What about you and Blake?”
I took a deep breath.
“Blake…honestly, I don’t see him involved.” Ren’s brows drew together. “It’s not an insult, just…his heart has never been in this world or business in general.”
“He seems to love tutoring,” Ren said.
“Yeah, I could see him teaching or running a music program. Something that wasn’t…” I looked around at the limo and pointed with my finger to indicate what I meant. “This lifestyle. Not the limo specifically, but you get what I mean. Hell, I can see him being the next Dean of Wayward.”
Ren smiled wide.
“So true. What about you? You didn’t answer.”
The limo slowed as we pulled up to the gates.
“I’m happy to run it all. I don’t care what it is unless it has to do with human trafficking, which your father is not into anyway.
Aside from that…I get a rush from making deals, identifying people’s weaknesses or interests, and using them to my advantage.
I know that makes me sound like a dick, but you need that quality to rule. ”
“You also need to know when enough is enough,” Ren countered.
I cupped her face and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
“That’s why I have you,” I whispered. “You’re my voice of reason, Princess.”
With a chuckle, her cheeks warmed beneath my palms.
“And what if I decide I want to rule?”
Ren threw out the challenge with a seductive smirk that had me wanting to tell the driver to take another lap around the city so I could get her naked.
“Then we rule together. Side-by-side. Equals,” I said as the car pulled up to the front doors of the school.
She leaned in and kissed my cheek and then my neck, driving me insane.
“And what if I want you on your knees?”
She sounded like a fucking siren in my ear.
“Princess, I thought it was obvious…I already am,” I said, kissing her hard.
Ren moaned into my mouth, and I hated that we had to stop when the car door opened. I savored the heated look in her eyes a second more before getting out and offering her my hand. She stepped out into the cool night and took the time to stop and wave to all her father’s guards.
“Goodnight, Mo, thank you.”
“Have a good evening, Mrs. Collier,” Mo said before getting back into the limo.
I stood frozen as they drove away.
“That’s the first time anyone has called you that.”
Her lip started to curve up, but I wasn’t happy.
“I don’t like it.”
Ren’s smile fell instantly, and she looked hurt.
“No…I don’t mean that I don’t like that we’re married, or that someone referred to you as my wife. I don’t like that last name. It has brought nothing but pain and misery to everyone. You shouldn’t be tainted by my family.”
Ren grabbed my hands and squeezed. I could only stare at the ring on her finger as my thumb traveled over her knuckles.
“I’m going to talk to your father about me taking his name, and you keeping yours.”
I lifted my gaze to meet her shocked expression.
“Really?”
“My father is dead. He can’t hurt anyone anymore, but I refuse to let his line continue. He doesn’t deserve it. You will never take the name Collier. We’ll get it changed as soon as possible if your father agrees.”
“Nash…I don’t know what to say.”
She held my hands tighter and gave me a soft kiss.
“Thank you.” She kissed me again and then smiled. “I still hate you.”
Giving her a little tug so she fell into me, my lips dropped to hers. I fed off the softness and emotion that she so easily emitted.
“I hate you just as much.” I inclined my head toward the school. “Ready to head in?”
“Are you saying that to get out of the cold, or because you want to sneak me into your new bedroom again?”
Her eyebrow arched seductively.
“Why can’t it be both? You have to admit that the new room Dean Henry gave me is pretty great. Hello, private suite with a big old bed where we can keep one another nice and warm.”
“I don’t know, I kind of loved the squishy bed,” she said.
“I’m sure I can replace the big one if you want, although this one allows for a lot more interesting positions,” I teased.
With a roll of her eyes, she pulled away.
“You’re impossible.”
“What? I can’t help it if you make me want you all the time,” I countered.
Ren stopped with her hand on the door and looked back at me.
“Well, are you coming? I have a few more hateful things I’d like to say to you.”
“Yes, dear,” I said, laughing.
For a little while, I didn’t think about all the other crap and worries.
For just a few minutes…we were normal.