Jake regards me over the top of his walnut desk, both feet planked on the surface as Arrick leans against the row of tall wide windows and the New York skyline. We’re in Jake’s office at Carrero Corp and Arry has just finished explaining what it is I want to do with my life, and all the ground rules Arrick has placed on the agreement.
Like a father figure, Jake is weighing it up, having been sent as spokesperson by my family to ‘deal’ with me in any way he sees fit. I squirm in the leather seat facing him, my untouched drink, brought by one of his assistants, fizzing in front of me on a leather coaster and annoying me that she felt soda pop was what I would want. I can’t blame her though; Margo, his PA, has known me as long as Jake has, and I guess everyone seems to be incapable of seeing me grow up.
Jake is
I keep my thoughts to myself, beam at Jake with a smile as he stands to walk us out, and try not to react in any way to the hand holding, even when Arrick’s grip tightens and he moves so close to me that his arm rests against mine.“We’ll drive rather than fly. I think she needs the time to think things through before we face Leila.” Arrick pulls me with him as we turn to leave the office, lifting my black cardigan from the chair for me and guiding me to the door.“I’ve never understood your aversion to the jet; it cuts travel time by three hours. Why do you hate flying so much?” Jake grins at his brother and is met with a shrug.“I guess I’m
Arrick has boyish, cute sort of gorgeousness; always clean shaven. He’s still manly and would still be called handsome, but there is a softness to his face that I always preferred. Square-jawed with man brows and a steely glare when he wants it, but something sweet, almost a gentleness when he’s relaxed. Eternally young.“Food fit for a queen.” He laughs jokingly, dishing out my fries and burger and hands me my banana shake. Everything I always order.McDonald’s used to be a place we hung out on a Saturday morning for our junk food fix and for something to do. My mom would have had a fit if she knew how many times Arrick drove me to burger joints and ‘unhealthy’ eating places to pig out, but that was the nature of being kids. We didn’t care if it was bad for us; we just liked it and we had no
I end up falling asleep in the second leg of our journey as it got dark quicker than anticipated, a sign a storm was moving in fast, and the rain was the first of it. Somehow the lull and motion of the car, the long straight roads, and soft music on the stereo, made me pass out stone cold for over an hour.I wake up stretching out like a cat, momentarily disorientated, and manage to push Arrick in the shoulder with my hand as I uncurl it sleepily.“She’s alive.” He jokes and catches my hand to pull off him, nestling it back down on my lap with a pat. I yawn, stretching my arms upwards instead, slide both feet out of my shoes, rest them on his dash and wiggle down to get comfy. I have always liked to curl my legs up when he’s driving.“How far now?” I ask sleepily, turning on my side a little to watch him in the semi-darkness. The only real illumination is the array of lights on the dash in here, and all the traffic and s
I’ve endured being yelled at, hugged and cried on. Yelled at some more, by various members of my family, and I’m now standing in the last address on my tick list of people I owe apologies to. So far, I’ve stood up to it well, and in the end, most of them, minus Leila, have forgiven me for my disappearing act.Leila is being Leila, and no doubt will come around after she calms down; luckily, her husband, Daniel, is good at restraining her and my apology was pretty much shouted from behind Arrick as Mr. Hunter. kept her lassoed in his arms across their lounge. I’m sure that even Arrick would have little to no chance of being any sort of interference if she actually flew for me. Leila’s an actual psycho.Now I’m standing in Emma’s kitchen, while her housekeeper alerts her to our presence. Arrick chec
He effortlessly moves to in fighter pose, arms in tight, light on his toes and head tucked. For someone who specializes in mixed combat, Arrick has the stance of a boxer down to a fine art. He almost dances on his feet as instinct kicks in and he goes all into trained mode, flexing his shoulders and grinning like a cheeky, cocky ass, who has as undefeated record.Jake lifts his hands in defense, just as good at this, and just as cocky, being sometimes his brothers’ sparring partner at the gym. He takes a swipe with a flat hand at Arrick’s head, but he ducks, weaves, and lands another mock blow on Jake’s shoulder this time. Too fast and focused for even big brother Jacob. Jake grabs his wrist and attempts to yank him into a headlock, unsuccessfully, both too equally matched in this, and go trundling out away from us, while still hitting each other on the fly.Emma and I watch them leave, pushing and shoving like kids, shaking our heads, and smiling as
“Emma?” Hands shaking as I locate his number and pull the cell to my ear, stomach doing a nosedive. Eyes on her incredibly calm face and falling into the first stages of freak out.“Don’t panic.” Emma smiles gently. “These things take hours; this is just a twinge, and I just want to be sure he’s here, in case it’s not.” She smooths a hand over mine on the table and yet moves her chair back so she can sit further down in it. I watch her tilt her head back and take some deep breaths as Jake’s cell seems to ring for eternity.I chew on my lip, tap my foot harder and tap the table with my nail as it rings, and rings, and bloody well fucking rings.Pick the fuck up!“Sophabelle. What can I do you for?” Jake jokes down the phone and I practically sigh with relief at his voice. Typically playful, yet I’m on the verge of yelling at him for taking beyond an average amount of tim
She automatically pulls her legs up when she gets flat. Her feet flat on the floor and knees bent and opening wide, I assume it’s the birthing position of women and not how she casually lounges around the house.Her long dress is hanging to her ankles, and she is already panting again like an overheated dog. Another wave of panic hits me in the gut and I shuffle myself to her feet on my knees, shaking like a leaf and unsure how this is will go down. My eyes keep flicking to the hall, and every noise, making me pray for Jake.For the love of all that is holy.“You need to get them off, and my shoes.... If this is happening, then I want them off.” Emma frowns at me from her position, lifting her head up enough to see me over her knees, and I can see how badly she is clutching at the leg of a nearby chair. Squeezing the shit out of the chrome and I just thank my stars it’s not my hand. She could clearly crush every bone in my little
Emma just looks, well, like she’s having a baby. Panting, sweating, writhing around and breathing hard. Trying to keep herself controlled and listening to him, looking to him for direction, putting all her trust and faith in him that he will get her through this, and I suddenly feel overly emotional. Looking at Arrick and knowing I would need that of him, I do always need that of him.Emma suddenly arches her back and groans like a wild animal and Jake reaches out to Arrick’s dumped pile of towels and grabs a few, pulling them back between her legs on the floor and creating a nest of absorbency. Intent on what he’s doing, oblivious to our presence, not that either of us is worth anything right now.“Push, baby... the head right here. Just a little push and we get this one out. Fastest birth ever, Bambino.” Emma makes a horrible grunty, groany, almost scream-like noise, that has me screwing up my face in complete traumatization; menta