Chapter 53 #2
“Hello, commanding officer. I received your message. What can I help you with?”
I smile into the phone, when an idea pops into my head.
“I understand you are busy, so I appreciate you taking the time to return my phone call. I just hired a new assistant. He’s helping me find a birthday gift for my beautiful girlfriend.
So, I’m going to hand him the phone, if you could so kindly provide him a list of some things she may like because you know my girlfriend so well. ” I raise my eyebrows at the kid.
“Commanding Officer Shadow, since when do you have an assistant?” she questions as I pass over the phone.
The kid pales, and he wipes at his upper lip. “You’re Shadow?” he squeaks.
“Yes. Sorry. Were we not clear on that during our interview?” I ask the kid and motion for him to hurry and answer her.
“Uh, yes, Princess. This is the real Princess. Correct?”
I laugh at his continued disbelief.
“Okay, uh, yes, umm… Reggie. My name is Reggie. About three minutes ago. Territory Five, the lower part of the territory. Eighteen. I have a scholarship to attend NYU in the fall. Pre-law. NDA?”
I wave her question off. “We can discuss that later. Just get her shopping list. I mean, her friend’s shopping list.”
I have no idea what she tells him, but he calms down and laughs. He spins around and heads toward the café. He walks right pass his girl, too engrossed in his phone conversation.
I casually stride alongside him until we find a table. I order both of us a cup of coffee.
He asks the waitress for a pen and writes down some items. Laughing again, he says, “If he kills me, I hope you’ll at least give me the courtesy of filing a missing person’s report.”
Is he flirting with her? “Hey, she’s the Princess. Off limits, buddy,” I warn.
He offers me an apologetic look before rattling off some numbers.
I grab the phone out of his hand. “Princess.” I hear her giggle. “I was just teasing—payback for putting me on the spot.”
“Not funny. Thank you for your help. I think I can manage from here.” I hate that I had to hang up so abruptly. Soon after, she texts a kissy face emoji.
The waitress delivers our order, and I study the kid.
He definitely has a magic aura around him.
It's subtle, not glaring like others I encountered, which means he’s used to hiding it.
With his emotions all over the place, he probably has a hard time controlling it.
His hands are rough and stained with some black substance.
Maybe he works on cars, as a job or a hobby. Curious, I start to ask him questions.
“How did a kid like you end up with a girl like that?”
He frowns.
“I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just curious.”
He shrugs. “She wasn’t always like that.
Her mother married some guy with money. When she moved schools and made friends with that bunch,” he jerks his chin in their direction, “she changed. She used to be sweet, shy, and smart. She used to give a shit about important things in life. Now, all she cares about is money and designer crap.”
He shakes his head, leans back in his seat, and crosses his arms.
“She’s been blowing me off for a while now, only calls when she’s lonely or feeling insecure. Last weekend, she went to an eighteen-and-over club, and I heard Travis Larson was there, hooking up with all kinds of girls.”
I palm my face. Please don’t tell me my brother fucked around with this girl. I really need to talk to him.
“I don’t know if she hooked up with him. She denies it, but since then, she’s been after me to look the part, buy her this necklace that’s supposedly the equivalent of an engagement ring or something. I don’t know. I’m not into that shit. Last night, she told me this was my last chance.”
Understanding hits me. He showed up to give her an ultimatum, to choose him as he is.
He hesitantly pushes me the list he wrote. “I told her you were going to kill me.”
I look down and read a list of sex toys. I cringe. My phone buzzes with an incoming text.
Princess: LOL, winky face emoji
Me: Not funny
Princess: Yes, it is.
Me: You hang around Emily too much!
Princess: Eye roll emoji. BTW please hire the guy for real. He could use the money before he goes to college. Darwin did a background check. Sending you his info soon. Don’t forget the NDA.
Me: Thank you for having my back, Princess. I got it from here. Heart emoji
Darwin: Hey, Boss. Here’s the background check for your new assistant. Does that mean you’re not returning?
Ignoring both Jessica and Darwin, I quickly review the kid’s information.
It is short, not a lot to it. I actually know his family.
They own an auto shop on the outskirts of the territory.
The kid is smart. He just graduated summa cum laude and was honored as salutatorian.
I don’t recall any of his family members with magic.
He’s eighteen—too late to join the next recruit group.
I could always send him to the academy, like Henry Chase, but he has that scholarship to NYU.
Princess: I have a good feeling about him.
Me: You didn’t meet him.
Princess: Well, obviously you like him, or you wouldn’t have set up the interview with him.
I start to reply and then stop. She’s calling me out, that little vixen. I send her a shocked face emoji. I’m so busted. I’ll explain it all to her tonight. I pocket my phone.
“Princess has a sense of humor. Cute.”
I peer at the kid over the rim of my coffee mug. “Again, she’s off limits.”
He grins. “Just saying. Besides, I’m leaving for college.”
I nod, studying him a little more.
“Are you really going to buy those things on that list?”
“No.”
His shoulders drop in relief.
I laugh.
“I may have a suggestion, if you’re interested.”
“Shoot.”
“I don’t know you, so I may have a few questions.”
I smirk and gesture with my hand for him to continue.
“Based on that list and the fact that she said, ‘maybe you will get the hint,’ I assume she wants—”
I hold up my hand, stopping him mid-sentence. I will not discuss this with a kid I just met. “Nope. I’m old-fashioned. Not up for discussion.”
His eyebrows lift. “Old-fashioned? Meaning…”
“I don’t talk about my personal life.” I quirk an eyebrow.
“Cool. Okay. So, is she like into art, music, books, history, cars?”
“All of the above, except for cars,” I answer.
“She’s smart—got her GED at sixteen—and she’s finishing up her bachelor’s degree in business while training in her family’s business.
Despite her family having money, she works part-time and invests her earnings in stocks and shares.
She’s not materialistic, which is why I’m having a hard time finding the right gift.
It’s also an anniversary, so I want to find something special. ”
“Wow. Where the hell did you find her? Does she have a sister?”
“Only brothers—scary motherfuckers—just like their father.”
“I’m already scared of your reputation, so I’m pretty sure if you’re in with the family, you’re just as fucking scary.”
I chuckle. If he only knew. He’s candid. I like that.
“You’re pretty set on this girl, then?”
Not sure why I want to tell him. Maybe because I am head over heels for her and don’t give a fuck who knows, or I’m a fool. Either way, I tell him the truth.
“She’s my soulmate. There will never be anyone but her until the day I die.”
His brows lift in surprise. “Okay. How about this? Instead of buying something, how about a promise?” That took me completely by surprise.
“A promise?”
“Not just any promise—a blood promise. You plan to mate her anyway, so make her a blood promise.” A quick glance down at the linear scar on my palm reminds me of the blood promise Toby and I made before the yacht exploded.
He shared that memory with her. She would understand the significance behind that gift.
I love the idea, but of course I’m a little mad that I hadn’t thought of it in the first place.
“Actually, that’s not a bad idea.”
The tension drains from his face. He finishes his coffee and motions to me to follow him. After I pay our bill, we head to another part of the mall. He takes me to a store that carries knives and daggers. He chooses a dagger used in ceremonies.
The woman behind the counter offers to engrave it. I look at my watch. I’m already pushing it on time.
“I can pick it up later or have it delivered somewhere,” Reggie offers.
Without hesitation, I write the initials and hand the slip of paper to the sales clerk. I really will need him to sign an NDA. He still has no idea I was referring to the Princess. But he might figure it out.
“Where did you get that watch?” he asks as we make our way to another level of the mall.
“It was a gift.”
“Same girl?”
I nod.
“You should order her a matching one and give it to her when you propose or on another anniversary or something.”
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”
I like him. He doesn’t talk too much. Questions are direct and have a purpose. I ask him about his scholarship. He applied for pre-law mostly to impress the girl. But it’s not easy to get into NYU, with a scholarship no less. I want to ask him about his magic, but I can’t do that in a public place.
I suppose it couldn’t hurt to have a personal assistant.
It would make my dad happy. Troy’s assistant, John, would be excited to have someone else to commiserate with.
I send a quick text to my dad, letting him know that my interview with my personal assistant is taking a bit longer than planned.
He responds and tells me to take my time.
On a split decision, I take Reggie to a men’s clothing store. Reggie snaps his fingers. “Good thinking. You want to look good when you pick her up tonight.”
Ted, the store owner, greets us as we walk in. “Young Alpha Larson, it’s been a long time. How have you been, sir?”
I cringe at the title. Troy is the Young Alpha, but I don’t want to correct him in public. “Nice to see you, Ted. I’m doing well. This is my assistant, Reggie.”
Ted appraises the kid and wrinkles his nose.
Fuck you, Ted. If my father hadn’t given his mother a loan to get her tailor shop out of debt, he wouldn’t have this store. He definitely wouldn’t be rubbing elbows with rich assholes all day long. I stare at Ted as if I can bore holes in his head with just my eyes.
He gives me an apologetic look.
“Ted, Reggie needs some suits, business casual attire, shoes, and whatever else you think he may need that’s appropriate for the office.
He’s only staying for the summer, and then he’s off to college at NYU.
So don’t overdo it. When he returns home from school, he can pick up whatever else he needs at that time. ”
Reggie frowns. “Wait, sir. I didn’t sign any paperwork, and well, honestly, I didn’t agree to terms and pay.”
Smart kid. I think this will work out. “If you don’t want the job for the summer, then let’s go.”
“Well, no. I didn’t say that. I just want to make sure I’m not sidelined into something I don’t agree with or want to do.”
“Fair. I tell you what. Go with Ted since we are here. When we’re done, we’ll head to the firm and review your job description, pay, and NDA. If you decide that you don’t want to take the job, you can leave and take your new wardrobe with you to NYU.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that. You’re not obligated to do anything you don’t want to.”
“What’s the catch?”
“No catch, but if you need one, get rid of that girlfriend I saw you with earlier.”
Ted snickers, covering his mouth.
“Can I ask the Princess out on a date?”
“Are you fucking testing me?”
“Yes, I am. Just checking to see how much I can get away with.”
“Now you’re pushing your luck.” I spin around and leave the store, not doubting for a minute that he would stay.
With time to kill, I place a custom order for a matching watch. It won’t be ready for several weeks, but I’m not in a rush. I don’t need a special day to give my girl a gift. I return to the other store to pick up the dagger.
The woman behind the counter addresses me as Young Alpha as she hands me the package. Now that I recall, the waitress at the coffee shop did too. I could have sworn my father sent out the notification that Troy was the Young Alpha. I’ll ask him about it when I see him.
I almost don’t recognize Reggie when he emerges from the back of Ted’s shop. His long, wild hair is cut and styled. He no longer wears that faded t-shirt and old pair of jeans. I give Ted a nod of approval and move to the counter to sign for the clothing under the firm’s account.
I realize the time. I have to leave. I need to meet with my father, and then I really need to make it to Jessica’s dinner. On our way out of the mall, I instruct Reggie to ride with me. I’ll arrange for someone to drop him off when he completes the paperwork.
“Reggie, baby?” a shrill voice calls out from the center of the mall. Reggie continues straight ahead. “Reggie!” the girl screams.
He shifts the garment bags in his arms and tightens his hold on the bags that contain his shoes. As we pass some of the shops, the windows start to rattle. He really needs to learn how to control his emotions. I can work with him on that, as soon as I figure out what his capabilities are.
The girl rushes forward, directly in our path, “Reggie, I was calling for you. Didn’t you hear me?”
He doesn’t stop walking, just inclines his head toward her. “Lose my number, babe. I just got a better offer.”
Her mouth drops open, and her face turns red. Her high-pitched shriek doesn’t waver his confidence.
Taking a deep breath, he turns toward me. “Because we are running short on time, we can negotiate the terms of my job description and pay on the way to the office, sir.”
I nod in agreement.
“I will take the clothing, shoes, and haircut as pay for the day and as a sign-on bonus.”
This kid will make a hell of a lawyer one day. I offer him a crooked smile and lead the way out of the mall.
The top floor of the firm’s building is eerily quiet. I set Reggie in my future office with the paperwork and walk down the corridor to my father’s door. I find him sitting at his large desk with his face planted in his hands, a large bottle of bourbon next to him.
I have never seen him drink during the day unless he's celebrating with a client and even then, that's rare.
“Dad? What the hell is going on?”
“Tyler, have a seat...”