Chapter Thirteen
Cash
The fuckin’ man wouldn’t shut his mouth.
I’d watched the piece of food stuck in between his front two teeth for nearly two hours. The damn sun had already set. I expected Joey at any minute with Sydney and oh, did I have things to handle with her.
She’d poured coffee on my face, not that it was very hot, but that she did it at all
Another red pen burst in my hand as I eyed the red stain on my palm from the one I’d snapped earlier.
Ash cleared his throat, sending me daggers over the ten-page summary of our meeting. I’d lost myself reading the damn thing when I noticed the hazelnut Starbucks coffee that sat in front of our newest investor. Sydney’s favorite.
Mr. Davis turned the overhead projector off and plastered a satisfied smile on his face. “Cash what do you think?”
Damn. I didn’t think anything unless it revolved around Sydney’s ass in those pants.
Asher groaned quietly beside me and sat up in his chair. “We think it’s interesting. Let us think about it and get back with you next week with some questions.”
Mr. Davis’ grin widened, and he stood to shake my hand. I gathered my notes, which consisted of two entire sentences, and started toward the door. Asher caught me around the corner, grabbing my shoulder and twisting me to him. “What in the hell was that, Cash?”
I groaned, wiping my palm against my forehead. “It was borin’, Ash. Can you blame me?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Who do you think you’re bullshittin, huh? You can’t bullshit the bullshitter. You were thinkin’ about Sydney. What happened?”
Turning, I started toward my office, Asher hot on my heels. “Just tell me.”
He’s worse than a toddler. “I took her huntin’ this morning and things got—fuckin’ crazy.”
Asher shoved me. “You’ve been thinking about her sex all mornin’? She’s got you trippin’, bro.”
“No. I was thinking about her throwing coffee on my head, and leaving me at the deer stand to walk back home. And I’m thinking about what I’m going to do to her little ass when Joey brings her in.”
Ash stopped at the entrance of my door, bent over, and laughed hysterically. Ash had always been a dramatic little punk. “Bro, you’ve definitely lost your game. She dumped it on your head?” More laughter.
“Yeah, I get it, it’s hilarious.”
Asher finished his laughter on the way to his seat across from me. “I’ll spare your feelings since I can tell you’re on your monthly.” Ash leaned forward. “I was actually thankful for the meeting today. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Frankie.”
I skimmed through my e-mails and gave him a long look, thankful for a distraction that could keep my attention. “The engaged friend, right?”
Ash gave me a bored look. “It’s obvious he isn’t right for her.”
I shrugged. “Maybe it’s for her to realize not you.”
“I should have never brought it up. Let’s go back to talking about you. At least Frankie didn’t throw coffee on my head. I’ve been a gentleman with her—sort of.”
Scrolling on-screen I tossed Ash the bird. I had an e-mail from Mrs. Henry that I purposefully deleted. She’d be blowing up my phone soon.
“So, you said Joey was bringing Sydney here? What time?”
I’d tried not to look at the clock, but his question gave me an excuse. Nine p.m. Not our normal meeting time, but due to our colliding schedules, this was the only time we could fit a meeting in. My fist tightened against my desk. “A while ago. Where in the hell are they?”
Ash reached for his phone. “I’ll text him. I know how hard it is to text with your fists.”
I rolled my eyes, raking my hand through my hair. “I’ve gone batshit, Ash. I wanna see her now.”
Ash grinned. “He’ll text back, chill out.”
There was no calming down for me. My body had been humming with nerves since it happened. Since I trudged through the mud home, only to find that she’d talked Joey into taking her to work early.
“He’s been looking at his phone nonstop lately because your secretary gave him her number.”
“Katy?”
Ash nodded. “Yeah, you know he has the hots for—,”
The door burst opened, and Joey barreled in. “Mayday, Captain. Sydney didn’t have dinner at her parents’ tonight.”
I jumped out of my chair, fists clenched. “Damn.”
Frozen Paradise was packed. The loud thump of the bass rattled the windows of our car as we drove by, a slew of scantily clothed women stood in a line down the block. She better not be dressed like that.
My feet bounced against the floor; my fists tight against my thighs. The nerve of her. She’d deliberately skipped out on Friday night dinner, and my rule. I needed her on the weekends, and this weekend she’d regret not obeying me. I had plans that’d take her somewhere she’d never been, but she’d have to wait until after our date that she would attend. She’d already said yes.
Joey’s loud bulldog laugh broke me from my rant. “Look at Cash back there, might as well be suckin’ his momma’s titty. I guessed you never stopped throwing those fits, huh?”
I sent him daggers which only made both of them laugh harder. “Keep laughing; I sign your paycheck.”
Joey flipped me off in the mirror. “You know it’s gonna take you three hours to get into the club, right?”
I rolled up my sleeves. “We’re not going in the entrance. Take it around back.”
Ash tossed his hands in the air and made a dramatic show of checking his watch. “I’m pretty sure I have other things to do tonight rather than break into Frozen Paradise, bro. Remember when we were kids, and I lied to Mom for you? I think it’s time you recognize that and let me go track down—.”
“Shut it. You ratted me out a week later for ice cream, Asher. You’re stayin’ to help. I need all the doors covered. She’s a runner.”
Ash sighed. “Okay, well hell, let’s get going then.”
“What’s got you wanting to go so bad?” Joey hollered, turning into the back alleyway.
Asher nonchalantly looked at his phone. “I have plans to go track down Frankie tonight.”
Joey snorted as he rolled to a stop in front of the back door where Sydney first stepped foot into my limo. “What’s the game plan?” Joey turned to look at me.
I shrugged, rolled up my sleeves and grabbed the door handle. “I’m gonna go get her. You watch this door, and Ash you watch the front door. “
Ash gave me a blank stare. “That’s all I’m here for?”
Joey chuckled from the front seat. “Cash was never the fastest. I bet he’s scared she’ll outrun him.”
Despite the scowl on Ash’s face, he smiled. “That’s true. I remember that time Ashley Parker out ran him—,”
I got out and shut the door to their hysterical laughter. Of course the backdoor was locked tight. The horn honked, and I looked back at Joey. He rolled down the window. “Remember how to pick a lock?”
I nodded.
He rummaged around in the glove compartment, and tossed me a small bag.
I took out the tools, and hurriedly began to pick the lock. Music vibrated the door as I done my magic. I was rusty. We hadn’t picked a lock since high school. Not to mention the thought of Sydney doing, God only knew, behind that door, had it hard to concentrate. Once the door was opened, I handed the bag back to Joey.
Asher laughed from the backseat, leaning over the inside window. “Look at Cash. Breaking the law to get his sunshine.”
I flipped him off . They both laughed as I walked toward the backdoor. I couldn’t even get mad because they were right. The music thumped through the alley and assaulted me when I opened the back door. There wasn’t much different than the last time I came looking for her. The odds of me finding her were slim due to the bodies that occupied the dance floor..
“It’s time to get fucked up!” someone screamed at me from my left. I didn’t look his way; I searched the clutter of people for anyone that looked like Sydney. I’d made three rounds before I noticed her silky blond hair, and then the guy that had his fingers tangled in it.
Talk about fire consuming you. I’d never wanted to fight someone so bad. Not since an eleventh grader tried to fight a freshman Asher back in school. This was different. It was controlling.
Sydney looked hesitate but didn’t stop him from sliding his hand down her waist. Her smile faded, but she never moved or told him to. He wasn’t looking at her face to notice; he stared at everything but.
When the song changed to a faster beat, he started pulling her toward the floor. She reluctantly followed him, but not far. My feet had taken me all the way to them, and I hardly remembered even moving—or breathing.
“Enough,” I snapped, grabbing her wrist.
She turned to me wide-eyed, a loud gasp left her throat. “What are you doin’—,”
“Get your ass in the limo, Sydney. You’re in deep shit.”
Her shock turned into anger, and she tried to snatch her hand away from me. “No, I’m not going anywhere with you.”
The guy from earlier looked over at me, and must have realized how pissed I was because he left without another word, his hands out in surrender. “Why in the hell are you running away from me like this? To go sleep with a random guy you don’t know? Can’t you see I want to have sex with you, but I’m showing you some respect, something you’re not used to. Let me show you, Sydney. You don’t have to run away from me like this. You can just let me show you how badly I want this to work.”
Sydney stopped her struggle, the hand she pressed against my chest fell. The sound of my words sounded foreign, but I meant them. When had this happened? When had I started wanting her this much?
A deep blush tinted her cheeks, and she stared at the ground. “I want to go to my apartment.”
Damn, this girl. “No,” I said, shaking my head. “You’re comin’ to my house, and we’re going to talk about this. Then we’re going to go to dinner tomorrow night like you agreed to.” I stepped closer to her, my mouth close to the sweet scent of her neck. “And I’m gonna fuck the shit out of you, Peach. If you want to go home Sunday, I’ll—think about it.”
She tightened her jaw, and I could see the rebellion in her eyes. She’d run when we got home, and I’d be ready for her. “Whatever,” she spat, turned and marched toward the back door.
Joey hopped out as soon as she rammed the door opened. He gave me an oh shit look but opened the back door for her. “Oh boy,” he mumbled as I climbed in behind her.
She sat as far away from me as possible, her arms crossed and her thighs clutched tightly. Joey pulled around to the front to pick up Asher, and casually glanced back at me.
Ash hopped in. “Good Lord, finally,” he said, giving Sydney a dirty look. “I had to put off my night for you.”
She glared at him. “This isn’t my fault. I was perfectly fine dancing tonight. No one asked Cash to come find me like a three-year-old.”
I clenched my fists. “I wouldn’t have to if you’d do what I asked you to. The contact says—,”
“Forget the contract,” she spat.
Ash gave me a long sideways glance. She was testing me, and I felt the need to prove to her that I didn’t play this shit. I was Cash-fucking-Jenkins. “You don’t forget a signed contract, Peach.” I leaned forward, grabbing her elbow and dragging her closer to me. I bent to her ear and whispered, “I’m going to teach you how to talk to me. You’ll regret this little show you’re putting on for them. Just wait.” I bit her earlobe and smiled when she jerked away from me.
This cat was going to catch his mouse; the chase made it all better.
My phone vibrated against my leg the entire walk from my back door to the guest house. I didn’t need to look to know who called.
Sydney’s hips twisted when she marched away from me, her hands balled into fists against her sides. She hadn’t said anything else on our way home. When Joey pulled into the driveway, he’d hardly stopped before she stormed out.
The door slammed in my face, but I opened it before she had a chance to lock it. “Stop walking.”
Sydney walked faster.
I caught her in the hallway, spun her around, and I pressed her against the wall, my thigh separating her own. “Stop walking.”
She let out a frustrated breath; her hands pushed against my chest with no luck. “Let me go. I want to go to bed.”
“Well, tough shit. We’re gonna talk about what happened tonight.”
Sydney groaned, struggled against my arms, but ultimately sighed. “Well talk.”
I watched her face, the way her green eyes shifted downward, her teeth caught her bottom lip. “Why didn’t you go to Friday night dinner?”
“I didn’t want to go face my mom. I know she’ll be mad that I’m staying in your guest house.”
I nodded. “So how long do you expect to ignore her?”
Sydney shrugged. “As long as it takes.”
Scanning down her neck, I let myself get a look at what she had on. I’d seen her in the club, but I hadn’t paid attention to her clothing. It was tight, like I had expected. “Why didn’t you tell me where you were going? I was worried, and to know you were out dressed like this. Any guy could have taken advantage of you.”
Her mouth parted, and she watched my own. “Like you are now? Taking advantage of me being your employee?”
I slid my hands down her wrists and pressed them against the wall. “Take it back. I’m not doing anything to you that you don’t want me to.”
“That’s a lie,” she spat.
I shook my head. “It’s not. You tell me not to touch you again and I won’t. You tell me, seriously, that you want me to keep my space and I will.”
Sydney’s mouth opened and then shut. She didn’t want that, we both knew it, but her pride was bigger than her needs. “You were jealous tonight when you saw me with that guy,” she whispered.
“I was,” I said. “And I’m man enough to admit it. The next time you do something stupid like that, I’ll take you into one of the back rooms and show you who is in charge. I’ll show you how good sex can feel.”
She lifted her chin, her pink lips parted, her chest falling faster. “Show me now.”
I wanted to, bad. I wanted to drag her into her room and bury myself balls deep into her. I tightened my hands on her wrists and tugged her closer to me. “I will show you, little temptress. Just you wait. By this time tomorrow night, you’ll be screaming for mercy.”
I loosened my grip on her wrists, and I took a few steps backward. I watched her watch me, the look on her face was pure sin. The things I had planned for her would put her in her place—right where I wanted her.