Chapter 24 Hawk
TWENTY-FOUR
hawk
My plan to take things slow with Kendra was tossed out the window the second she dropped her towel in the sauna. After witnessing her fall apart on her own fingers, I had to experience that, taste her, and after that taste, I wanted more.
Kendra: Everything okay in there?
Me: It is now.
Lie. I took care of the immediate issue after she left my office, but everytime I thought of her, my dick begged for attention.
Kendra: Next time I get to taste you, too.
I glared at her across the boardroom as my pants felt tight. She smirked as I shifted in my seat.
Me: Keep it up and I’ll spank you.
Kendra: Yes, please.
Fuck me now.
My concentration was officially blown. I thanked God that Colby had been prepared to discuss the social media plan for the near future. I couldn’t be relied on to complete a full sentence.
Me: Dinner tonight?
Kendra: Can’t. I have an appointment.
Disappointment flared, but we had spent a ton of time together recently, and if her appointment was an excuse to get some time alone, I didn’t want to push it. I frowned at my phone, forgetting that Kendra had a front row to my reaction.
Kendra: Therapy. It’s once a month. I’ve been going for years.
Me: No need to explain yourself.
Kendra: You looked like a puppy who’d been kicked. I learned it’s important for me to go, even when I don’t feel like I need it.
Her eyes met mine, and again I marveled at how open she was with her trauma. It was as though by talking about it, she limited the impact it had on her present life.
Me: You’re so strong.
She read the text and looked down at her lap, placing the phone on the boardroom table face down.
Her face flushed, and her eyes watered. She pretended to yawn to hide her emotion before picking her phone and typing furiously.
Fuck, I remembered back to an earlier discussion.
She was going to let me have it, and I fucking deserved it.
Kendra: I don’t want that to be the way I’m described. It means that you think there’s a reason I shouldn’t be. So unless we’re talking about weights, or physical achievements, can you not?
Her eyes bore into mine.
Me: I was referring to the bruise I should have where your thighs crushed my head.
She covered her mouth as a laugh threatened to escape. The conversation was back to where she felt safe.
Kendra:
Me: I didn’t wake up planning to rock your world.
Kendra: Lucky for me, you’re not a stick to the plan type of guy.
“Mr. Crosby?” I heard my name and looked up to see the entire room staring at me.
“Excuse, me. I have a little fire to put out.” I pretended to have a good excuse for my distraction. God forbid anyone in the room realize that Kendra was the source of my distraction.
When I stood to leave, Colby piped in. “Should I plan to be at the press event this afternoon?”
“Yes, please.”
Kendra: What’s the press announcement?
Me: Tucker Milligan presser. He’s arriving a little after lunchtime. I’m meeting with him immediately before.
She nodded. Her jaw tightened slightly and then she relaxed it.
Kendra: Okay. See you then.
Was she pissed that I signed him after she warned me not to?
I know she feared for the team chemistry, but we had a giant hole in the shortstop position.
Tucker had won a Gold Glove last season, and finished the year with a batting average just north of .
300. His 50 plus homeruns were icing on the cake.
Our pitching staff went deep, with major investments made when the team signed Sam Drummond, and now Jack Lecompte, and he brought the skills we needed offensively and defensively.
Our negotiations to land this deal had kept his cost low, and with his age, and the rest of the team, we’d be set in the infield for a least a couple of seasons.
Okay. Five minutes into my meeting with our manager and Tucker, I understood. Tucker was a fucking dickbag.
When he passed Colby in the hallway, he fucking whistled at her. Even if she weren’t my sister, in what fucking world was it okay to ogle corporate staff in front of the team owner.
“She’s hot as fuck.” He elbowed me, and spoke loud enough for Colby to take notice.
“I wouldn’t know. She’s my sister.”
“Ah. Sorry. Is she off limits?”
My sister was more than capable of handling herself around unwanted male attention, and while I was confident she could shut him down, no one should have to deal with his behavior. Especially not at work.
“The fact that you’re even asking that, shows you have a lot to learn. The Minutemen have the greatest number of women in executive or management positions than any other ball club. We don’t objectify women here.”
And just as I finished that statement, Kendra sent me a text.
Kendra: I should bring a spare set of underwear for the office. I didn’t expect them the be destroyed this morning.
Me: I’m with the new shortstop. Am I an asshole for saying I fucking hate him?
Kendra: Told you so.
Me: Destroyed or not, those panties are mine now.
Serious discussion about work intermingled with HR red flags? Sure.
Me: See you soon.
By the time we made it to the media room, Tucker had pissed me off about four more times. He didn’t seem to understand what I meant by objectifying women, because he continued to make lewd comments about every woman we passed, ignoring my corrections.
When he used a gay slur, I flipped. “I don’t give a fuck what your personal opinion is, but when you’re in the uniform, or on these grounds, keep that shit to yourself.”
“Oh, easy, brother.”
Rick, Tanner, and Trace were all seated at the press table when I walked in with Tucker. Tanner gave me a knowing look. Those fucks didn’t want to be around him either. Here we were, doing press, my least favorite event, and I wanted to knock out our star player.
Kendra didn’t arrive until after the presser started, and she stood to the side, almost as if she were trying to blend in with the crowd. We answered what felt like a million questions, and you could see Tucker’s pedigree kick in as soon as the cameras were around.
Right after we finished, I realized something across the room had caught his attention. He had focused a downright predatory gaze on Kendra, and she was frozen like a deer in headlights.
“Fuck no.” I damn near shouted.
Tucker’s attention turned to me. “You got dibs?”
“It’s not dibs, you little shit. But if you so much as look at her, you’re fucking gone.
” I said this, having no idea if our legal team could get us out of his contract, but fully willing to pay whatever I had to keep the fucker far away from Kendra.
There was something so sadistic about the way he stared at her, adding to her obvious discomfort, and I was on edge.