Sully

After talking to Matt, and getting all of my HR paperwork done, I do the walk of shame up to the main C&C Foundation floor. My sister’s office is here, because she works with the actual Foundation, helping refugees, and not just the Society, where she’s a spy. Yep, my sister is a badass spy, although I’m pretty sure it’s my ass she’s going to kick today.

We haven’t talked since the dinner on Saturday, and I know this isn’t going to be pretty. Nothing in our lives has been particularly great, but it was always us dealing with the hand we’d been dealt, and not causing the problems ourselves. I definitely caused this problem, and while I faced Matt head on, facing Nev is going to be much harder.

“Hi Sully. I hear you’re going to be working here,” Alex Corrigan says to me. Her husband, Miles, is Matt’s brother, although I’ve never been as close to them as I am to Matt.

“Yeah. How’s the baby?” I ask, trying to stall, but also really wondering. She had a baby a couple months ago, but she was with her grandparents on Saturday, so I didn’t see her.

“She’s adorable as ever.”

“Why did you come back? You could be at staying home.”

“I love my job, and they need me here. Only a descendent of one of the founding five women can run this front desk.”

“Wow. That’s a lot of pressure.”

“Not if you love the job, and I really do. Besides, I can see little Maggie whenever I want downstairs, and even keep her up here with me when I want.”

I feel like an ass, because I’m grilling her on being a working mother, and it’s really not my place—or my business. “Cool. Um, I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“You didn’t. I understand we grew up different ways. Your culture is largely different than mine when it comes to the roles of women.”

“Yeah, it is. I should understand better though, since I’ve lived here more than half my life.”

“You realized your mistake, and corrected it. That’s a good start.”

“I am trying,” I assure her. “Which is why I’m here to see my sister if she’s available.”

“Am I going to like what you have to say?” Nev asks, appearing from the hallway.

I rub the back of my neck. “Maybe?”

“Come on back,” she says, rolling her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Nev,” I tell her once I’m seated in her office.

“For?”

“All of it. My behavior over the last several years, my attitude, how I’ve treated you. Everything.”

“I’ve missed you,” she admits, looking away from me. “We used to be so close, but then you decided money, and a bunch of assholes, were more important.”

“Never more important.”

She turns to look at me, and I see the unshed tears in her eyes. “You missed my birthday, because you said you needed to study, but asked for tickets to Dylan’s game the next night.”

Fuck. “Yeah. Okay. I don’t know why I did it.”

“Yes, you do. You were mad at me for not inviting my sperm donor.”

“Our father, Nev. He’s our father.”

“He pretended he was dead, while hatching some insane plan to kidnap me, all while thinking I’d go along with it. He’s still as dead to me as when I thought he really was dead.”

“You forgave Dylan for his part in that.”

“He was being blackmailed, and manipulated.”

“He still did it. He lied to you, and if he hadn’t fallen for you, he would’ve given you to our father.”

“But, he did fall for me, and that’s the difference. He put love first. He put me first.”

“Father was traumatized, and troubled.”

“And Matt wasn’t? He gave up Reina because of something he thought he’d done! How can you look at them together, and not hate the man who biologically created us, simply for keeping them apart?”

“They’re good now. It’s all good.”

“Matt doesn’t speak to him, and neither do I. I believe in honor, and loyalty. That man believes in himself. I will always choose Matt, and Dylan, over him.”

“And I will always choose blood over everything.”

“I am blood, Sully, and I have never once been chosen by you.”

Her words cut me deeper than any knife could. She’s right. I have never chosen her. I chose my father—and myself—but I have never chosen her.

“Nev.”

“I’m not asking you to choose me over him, but I am asking you to choose me equally. I deserve that, at least.”

“You do. You deserve so much, and I am so sorry.”

I get up, and move to her side of the desk, pulling her into my arms. I knew I’d fucked up these last few years, but this right here shows me it’s even worse than I thought. When my father came back, all I could think about was having him back, no matter what. I treated my sister badly, when I should’ve understood how hurt, scared, and angry she was by what he tried to do to her. Now that my head’s out of my ass, I’m going to be a better brother to her, because she’s been through a lot, and I love her too much to add to that any longer.

“We need to go pray,” she reminds me, after a few minutes.

“I’m never missing another one of your birthdays. I promise, khwāhar.”

“Ana bahebak, Sully.”

“Ana bahebak, Neveah.”

I do love her. So much. I’m going to prove it to her, and to myself as well.

* * *

Beckham

Beverly insisted on us getting lunch after I finished with HR. I didn’t complain, because I’m hungry, and as I stand inside the C&C cafeteria, I feel like I’ve died and gone to Heaven. I already felt like that after seeing my pay, but this place is beyond anything I could ever dream of.

“How do you even decide every day?”

“Would you believe me if I told you it gets boring after a few months, never mind several years?”

“Not one bit.”

“Good, because it would be a lie. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this place, but that might be because I don’t get up here often. When I do, I choose something different.”

“Sounds like a plan. The nachos are calling my name today.”

“It’s a nice day outside if you want to meet out there.”

“Sure.”

I grab my food, along with an orange cream shake, before making my way outside. I spot Bev on the large, enclosed patio, but it’s the group of people to the left who command my attention. At least fifty men and women, including Sully and Neveah, are praying. They are all on rugs, reciting the same words, in what I’m guessing is Arabic. It’s beautiful, and I just can’t take my eyes off of them.

I don’t know how long I stand there, but I watch until they’re done, before rushing to my table. All I need is for Sully to think I was specifically watching him. His ego’s too big as it is.

“It’s pretty special, isn’t it?” Bev asks, when I sit down.

“Yes. It’s every day?”

“A few times a day, yes, depending on when people are working.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that, either.”

“You can join them. They are always welcoming to those who want to join, helping them with their prayers.”

“I’d feel like I was intruding.”

“I’ve always felt the same way,” she admits.

“Hey, Bev, I got all of my paperwork done,” Sully says, coming to stand next to my chair.

He hasn’t noticed me yet, giving me a chance to drink him in. He’s tall—definitely over six feet—with a body made of lean muscle, even his clothes can’t disguise. His jaw has a touch of stubble, his nose is perfectly proportionate, his amber eyes are still as sexy as ever, and his hair is a little long on top, practically begging for me to run my hands through it.

I have no idea what they’re saying to each other, because I’m too busy pretending I’m not practically panting in lust next to Sully. Why do assholes sometimes look so damn good? His attitude should make him less attractive, but as I inhale his musky cologne, mixed with a little bit of sweat, I’m feeling hot. Really hot, and wet.

“Beckham? That’s your name, right?” he asks, snapping me out of my fog.

“Huh? Oh yes. That’s me.”

“I didn’t know you’d be here,” he says, then shakes his head. “I mean, I was hoping to see you again, because I owe you an apology. I owe you more than that, but it’s a start, right?”

I do not find him attractive. He’s an ass. That lopsided smile is not sexy. It’s not. Oh, but it so is. Damn me. I am so damned.

He’s still waiting for an answer, so I give it to him. “I work here now.”

“That’s good. Real good. Matt said he was going to offer you a job.” He looks relieved, and I think maybe he is sorry about getting me fired.

“Yeah, it is. Matt hired me to be his Fourth Assistant. I’m told it’s going to be crazy, but at least I’ll have an intern to help me out.”

His looks sheepish, and I’m not sure why, until Bev winks at me. “Sully’s one of your interns, Becks.”

Wait, what? If he’s my intern, then I’m kind of his boss. Not exactly his boss, but kind of.

“You going to be nice to me, Becks?”

And, there it is. The cocky smile, promising sex and debauchery. Sorry, but I want this job too much for any of that. Even if it has been so long that my vibrator batteries have to be replaced. Again. For the fifth time in six months.

No. No. No. Job before sex with hot man. Brain to body: he got us fired. Body to brain: so, let’s fuck with him, while we fuck him. Nope. I’ll give a “yes” to the first part, but a “no” to the second. Job before cock riding, every time.

“It’s Beckham to you, because we’re not friends. And no, I’m not going to be nice to you, Sully. Why would I?”

The smile taking over his face should scare me, but it doesn’t. My blood is pumping hard through my veins right now, and it has nothing at all to do with fear. Unless you count the fear of not being able to resist the man before me. Yeah, I’m completely terrified of that.

“Game on, Beautiful. Game fucking on.”