Chapter Eight
Autumn
I took a deep breath before pushing open the glass double doors that lead to Knight Holdings headquarters. Jace's corporate office was on the top floor of a sleek, glass-paned office building just south of Summerlin. He loved it there, and as I pushed open the heavy door, I remembered how he always pretended he was entering the deck of a space ship.
A semi-circle front desk of gleaming white faced the double doors, and the assistant smiled brilliantly. "Nice to see you again, Ms. Bishop."
"Good morning, Darla." I noticed the sheen of tears in her eyes, and it brought an answering wetness to my own. "How's everyone doing here?"
"It’s been quiet. Or at least it was," the assistant cut herself off and bit her lip.
"Is Mr. Rooke here?" I asked even though the answer was obvious.
Through the clear-paned walls of the fishbowl offices, I saw David marching down the hallway. People ducked or turned or became very interested in the papers on their desks when he passed. There were frowns and glares behind his back.
"He took down the memorial," Darla explained. "He said it would only slow down productivity."
Anger burned in my chest, but I took a deep breath and pushed it away. "I'm sorry to hear that. Any other news?"
"We have a board member visiting. Mr. Anton."
"Thanks, Darla." She had more on her mind, but I smiled and took off down the hallway. Through the glass walls, I could see David heading straight for one of our new interns and that was never a good sign.
"Hello, Ms. Bishop."
"Good morning, Frank. How's your baby nephew?" I turned around to smile at him as I kept moving.
"Great thanks, eating lots."
"Ms. Bishop, thank you for helping me with that client request."
"Not a problem, Janice. Let me know if you need anything else."
The hallway was long, and I could already see David lighting into the poor intern, but Jace never dismissed a single employee and neither would I. Everyone got a smile, a nod, and a pleasant exchange. I prided myself on knowing everyone's names.
"Oh, Tanya, I have to thank you for the lasagna. It was the best thing I ate all week," I said.
"I'm so glad, Ms. Bishop. My mother's recipe."
"Well, it was absolutely perfect."
I made it around the corner and heard David berating the intern for falling behind in his filing. "Business doesn't take breaks, and I want to make that clear. We are done with all the distractions and getting back on track. Are you with us or do I need to find another intern?"
The young man peeked over David's shoulder and met my eyes. "I'm with you," he said.
"Mr. Rooke, a word?" I could not keep the edge from my tone.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Bishop. I don't have time for you today." David adjusted his tie. "I realize you may be feeling a bit lost now that your position here is tentative at best. As Mr. Knight's assistant you were invaluable, but it may take some time to re-evaluate how you fit in here," David said.
The intern's jaw dropped and he beat a hasty retreat. Through the fish bowl offices, I could see him running to his manager and reporting what he'd heard. David was going to try to get rid of me.
"Well, until that process is completed, I suppose you would like me to continue to work as usual?" I asked.
"Perhaps it will be best if you report to me daily," David tipped his nose up.
"Starting now?" I turned on my heel and went into his office, trying to ignore the worried glances I could see through the glass walls.
David smoothed down the front of his shiny suit and sauntered around me to sit behind his desk. He gestured to one of the chairs, but I remained standing. I was too irate to sit down.
"First item on the agenda. You know full well I will report directly to the board and not to you. Secondly, after your outburst at the lawyer's office, I am not surprised to find you lashing out around here, but if I see you berating another employee, I will personally report you for creating a hostile work environment," I said.
"Sounds like you're the one being hostile," David said, though his cheeks were ruddy.
I forced myself to take a calming breath. "You better tread lightly between now and the board's decision."
"Good advice you should perhaps take yourself, Ms. Bishop. Now, if you're done, I have quite a lot of work to take care of." David turned his desk chair away from me and picked up his phone.
I did not wait to hear what bogus call he tried to make. I marched out of his office and headed towards the front desk. Darla met me halfway down the hall and held up her hands to stop me.
"You have a meeting in the conference room," she said. She opened the door for me then shut it firmly behind me.
The conference room was the one private space in the otherwise glass-walled office. The frosted windows were further screened by large potted plants. Standing near a towering palm tree was Mr. Anton, the visiting board member.
"I'm sorry we did not get a chance to talk at the funeral," he said. "It was a wonderful turn-out and a great send off for an exceptional man."
I nodded, unable to speak to that, and then cleared my throat. "I suppose Mr. Rooke has already approached the board about appointing him CEO."
"Naturally he is in the running, but I think you know how the majority of people feel about him," Mr. Anton said. "I wanted to make sure I saw you face-to-face so I could reiterate how much the board loved and respected Jace Knight. In alignment with his final wishes, we are also considering Ayden King."
"Whom Mr. Rooke has been slandering?" I asked.
Mr. Anton nodded then smiled. "Like a child tattling. What he neglected to notice is that the board holds the same regard for Ayden as Jace did. I understand he has come a long, hard way, but it shows dedication and focus. Traits we think Knight Holdings may need in the future."
The relief was so heavy that I pulled out a chair and sat just in time. "Thank you, Mr. Anton. I'm glad to hear you say that."
"I am also here to inform you that your position has officially become Board Liaison. Mr. Rooke already broached the subject of your redundancy and this is our solution. He will have the official memo before I leave today."
I smiled. "I'd be happy to deliver it for you."
Mr. Anton laughed. "It is always a pleasure, Ms. Bishop. I look forward to seeing more of you in the future."
"Thank you for this opportunity, sir. I will not let you down." I stood up and shook his hand.
"You start in two days. I suggest you take some time to relax and enjoy yourself first." Mr. Anton took the official memo from his inside pocket and opened the conference room door. I thanked him again and walked with Darla to the front desk as he headed towards David's office.
"Please tell me everything is going to be alright," Darla said.
"As your Board Liaison, I can assure you the board wants what is best for this company and its employees," I grinned.
Darla shrieked and hugged me. There was no doubt the news would travel fast and help lighten the mood in the office.
"I'm heading out, but could you please do me one favor?" I asked.
"Anything, Ms. Bishop!"
"I'm going to use Mr. Knight's escape. Could you make the reservations, please?"
Darla grinned and clapped her hands. "Of course, that is perfect. I'll make the call right away."
I intended to drive around Las Vegas and let the good news sink in, but I ended up driving directly to Jace's house. When I pulled in through the gates and parked, I saw the front door was wide open. Inside the entryway I spotted Ayden marching down the staircase with Jace's portrait under his arm.
"I'm sick of climbing the stairs to argue with him," Ayden said.
I followed him to the home office where he balanced the portrait on a chair in the corner. Without pausing or commenting on his decorating decision, I went into the guest suite and headed to his bedroom.
He followed me with a curious frown. "What's going on?"
"Pack a bag. You need to get out of this house," I said. "And, no, I'm not finally kicking you out. We've discussed that. I'm taking you on a short trip."
"I'm not really a vacation sort of guy," Ayden scowled. "Weekend getaways are out of my scope."
"Jace's escape. I'll explain when we get there." I opened the closet and tossed him an Italian leather duffel bag.
We did not speak again until I drove into the valet circle at the Venetian Hotel and Casino.
"No," was all he said.
I handed off the car keys and our luggage and got out of the car. Ayden had no choice but to follow me as the valet hopped from one foot to the other and waited.
The concierge met us in the middle of the gleaming marble floor of the Venetian lobby. "We would like to offer our heartfelt condolences, Ms. Bishop. Jace Knight will be sorely missed."
"Thank you, Donald. This is Mr. King. The board is considering him to lead Knight Holdings," I made the introduction.
"Ayden King? How wonderful to finally have met you. Mr. Knight had a running list of amenities he wanted you to experience here at the Venetian," the concierge said.
Ayden shook his hand without a word. He stood tall in his black-on-black suit, the shirt collar unbuttoned, as his laser blue eyes took in the gilded opulence of the lobby. "Nice place you got here."
I shook my head and wished I had been half as cool the first time I had set foot in the stunning hotel. I stood next to him, like an overly excited schoolgirl, as he calmly scanned his surroundings and gave a small nod.
I lead him to the elevator and used the penthouse key. Right after the doors closed, Ayden grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around. His blue eyes blazed down into mine.
"This is extravagant and unnecessary. What on earth are we doing here?"
"Jace's escape. This was his favorite place in all of Las Vegas, and he came here every time he was scouting for new investments," I explained. "It’s also where I first met Jace and I thought, I wanted to, it just seemed like the right thing to do."
Ayden's hands softened on my shoulders, but he did not release me. Instead, he pulled me a step closer. The tense square to his jaw was gone, and I ran a hand along his shadowed cheek in amazement. I had never seen Ayden like this before. He was wide open, vulnerable, and wanting. His lips neared mine and every nerve in my body sang out to touch him.
The doors slid open and the spell was broken.
"Way too extravagant, just like Jace." Ayden flexed his jaw again and stepped into the Venetian penthouse.
The room was luxuriously furnished with a main room large enough to hold two full-sized sofas and cozy stuffed armchairs ringed around a fireplace as well as a full-sized dining room table with hand-carved chairs, and a baby grand piano. Two bedrooms flanked the main room, each with a spa-inspired bathroom dominated by large soaking tubs edged in marble. There was also a butler's pantry that met every need from extra toothpaste to workout equipment.
Ayden went directly to the room's most sought-after feature: the view. Far below, the glittering lights of The Strip looked like a phosphorescent sea, while in the close distance, the mountains glowed in the early evening light.
"Yeah," I sighed. "Not bad for a casino waitress."
A smile softened Ayden's expression. He made himself comfortable and patted the sofa next to him. "Tell me how you two met."
* * * * *
"I was working my way up the ladder of wait staff when I literally ran into Jace on the floor of the Venetian Casino," I started. The memory lit up in my head, and I could not help but smile. "He caught me before I fell, but we lost three gin and tonics and a screwdriver. He doubled the round and gave the order to another waitress."
"He wouldn't let you go until you'd told him your life story." Ayden smiled and shook his head.
"Exactly. By the time I had explained how I grew up in Vegas, studied the hospitality industry, and had decided to work my way to the top, he had heard enough. He hired me right then and there and told me to earn my credentials as part of my pay. Within five years I had my MBA and had officially become Jace's Executive Assistant."
"And you spent weekends here with him." Ayden cocked an eyebrow at me.
I smacked his shoulder. "It was never like that and you know it."
"True. Jace would never have been able to keep a secret like you." Ayden jumped up when the elevator rang.
"Sorry, I ordered us room service," I called, as he faced the opening doors.
Two attendants rolled a heavily laden cart into the room and started to set the dining room table. Behind them a familiar face beamed at me. "Autumn! I'm so glad to see you and your, ah, companion."
His eyebrows waggled at me despite Ayden's wary frown. I laughed and went to hug my friend. Only Trent would not be intimidated by Ayden.
"Damn, girl, you have got good taste," Trent said in a theatrically loud whisper.
"Trent, may I introduce Ayden King. Ayden, this is Trent. He is the resident sommelier here at the Venetian," I said.
"Fine wines, huh?" Ayden said. He peered at the bottle in Trent's arms. "Sorry, but a $1,200 bottle of champagne is not quite my style."
"It’s for the lady," Trent said, "and in memory of Mr. Knight. I heard how close you two were, and I am very sorry for your loss."
Ayden stood back and allowed Trent to pop the champagne. Trent made sure that everything was in place, then he kissed my cheek, and shooed the attendants back into the penthouse elevator.
"To Jace," I raised my sparkling glass.
"To Jace," Ayden agreed. He looked out the wall of windows. "It is easy to see Vegas through Jace's eyes here."
"You know, the thing I loved best about Jace is that he never changed. He always seemed like he was exactly the same whether here or on the field or in Texas." I sat in the chair Ayden held out for me.
"He was," Ayden confirmed. "Jace was the most steady, solid person I have ever known."
I savored a bite of filet mignon and wondered, "It had to be hard for you to stay the same. . ."
Ayden shook his head and smiled as he tasted caviar on a handmade blini. "It’s an understandable question. The answer is I'm just like Jace. Maybe Texans are too stubborn to change, but the fact is I'm still the same person I was when I went in to prison. Sure the whole self-preservation thing has left some rough edges, but I think that's going to serve me well in this world."
We spent the rest of the dinner discussing the world Jace had given to us between mouth-watering bites of the Venetian's best surf and turf. The champagne was an outstanding pairing and the golden bubbles encapsulated the entire atmosphere of the penthouse. It was luxurious and gilded, but comfortable and welcoming. After we reached the dried fruit and cheese plate dessert, Ayden and I stretched out on the cloud-like sofas in front of the fireplace.
"Well, at least if David is going to try to stab me in the back, I can now die happy," Ayden sighed.
Looking out the windows was easier than looking at him, so I started to point out Vegas landmarks. "I'm sure you can spot the Paris Hotel, see the Eiffel Tower? Across from it is the Bellagio with the dancing fountains. Just beyond that is New York, New York."
"Wow, it really does look like a miniature skyline. Maybe we should go there next," Ayden said. His laser blue eyes ignited a fire inside me.
"The casino or the city? I was thinking about going to bed," I blurted out.
A wolfish smile darkened his eyes. "You inviting me?"
We had sat down on opposite ends of the sofa, but I now realized there was only two short feet of space between us, and it was rapidly filling with heat. My mind flashed through a dozen scenes of Ayden's lips near mine, his strong hands gripping my shoulders, his dark hair brushing my face as he dipped down to nuzzle my neck.
"No, I mean, it’s late. But if you want to go out, you should. I'm in the mood to stay in, enjoy the fire," I stammered and knew I was not making any sense.
Ayden sat up and closed the space between us. "Is it just the fire you want enjoy?"
The bright blush on my cheeks rendered me speechless.
He leaned closer and whispered, "Ms. Bishop, you are irresistible when you are flustered.
Our lips brushed and the opulent room faded. I wetted my lips and could not resist the faint taste of him. I sat up and pressed myself closer. Ayden swallowed a low growl as he brought his hands up to cup my face. The tender pressure of his caress tipped my head back and left my lips open for his hungry exploration.
My arms were around his neck, clinging as if I was on the edge of a precipice. The world was already far below in the penthouse, but Ayden's kiss was driving me higher than I had ever gone before.
"No, wait. This can't happen. Not now," I almost sobbed. "It’s just too chaotic. Everything's a mess. I don't want this to be a mess too."
"There she is. I was wondering where the always pulled together Ms. Bishop was," Ayden said. He sat back and retrieved our champagne flutes.
I took mine with an unsteady hand. "I'm not saying it was a mistake."
Ayden finished his champagne and stood up. "I know. It wasn't a mistake, but you are right about the timing. And, trust me, of all people, I am someone who can wait for what I really want."
He went to stand directly in front of the plate glass windows while I pulled myself together. Finally I joined him there, and we looked out over the glittering sea of neon.
"Do you know what you really want?" My voice came out as a squeak.
"I promised myself long ago that I would get out of prison and earn my way up in the world. Now Jace has just handed me everything. What I really want is to be worthy of all of this." He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "If I get the chance."
I opened my mouth to tell him about the conversation I had with Mr. Anton and how the board was more interested in Ayden than David, but I stopped myself. "You know you don't have to pick up where Jace left off. He, of all people, would understand you wanting to make your own way in the world."
He loosed a hand to run through his black hair. "The problem is now it’s my turn to be in Jace's debt. I have to honor his wishes now that he's gone. He was my best friend and my only family. I'm not turning my back on that."
"Jace knows you are worthy and soon everyone else will too." I laid a hand on his arm. "Jace left his empire in the hands of someone who has excellent instincts, is unshakable, and has a super-power no one else does."
Ayden frowned. "What's that?"
"All this," I gestured to the penthouse. "You could just leave it and still be as happy as you were before. The money is not what means something to you. That's what Knight Holdings needs, and I will make sure the board knows that."
"Congratulations, by the way," Ayden's voice was soft. "Board liaison."
"You heard? I mean, of course you did. You probably got the memo before I did--"
He stopped my nervous babbling with a searing kiss. This time I went over the edge and felt the world falling away. Ayden wrapped his arms tightly around my waist, one strong hand pressing flat in the center of my back to hold me into him. I reached up and tangled my hands in his black hair as our tongues tangled breathlessly in the deepening kiss.
We hovered there, high above Las Vegas, with only the Venetian's penthouse windows between us and the illuminated night sky. When Ayden finally slowed the pace and brushed soft, electric kisses across my lips, it felt like gravity took its time to return. Our mouths hovered centimeters apart, brushing, tasting, until finally my feet were firmly on the ground again.
"Good night, Autumn," Ayden whispered. He let go and made his way towards one of the penthouse bedrooms.
I knew I could follow him. There would be no need for words. If I slipped my hand in his, it would be enough said. That possibility kept me breathless until he entered his bedroom and closed the door behind him. He left a sliver of an opening, and it held me mesmerized for one long minute.
Then I shook myself and went to face myself in the bathroom mirror in the other bedroom. My lips were full and strawberry red, ripe from Ayden's thorough kisses. I ran my fingers through my blonde hair until the wispy tangles were gone. Still, my hands shook with the desire to run to Ayden's room.
I gave my reflection a rueful smile. What was wrong with me? All the signs pointed to yes, Ayden's door was ajar, and I was still flooded with desire for him.
The problem was it had been way too long since I felt that way about anyone. Working for Jace had made it easy to ignore my lack of a love life, and I used it as an excuse to not settle for anything but the brightest sparks. Ayden had ignited a full- blown volcano, but I had chickened out. By the time he reached the bedroom door, it was too late for me to join him without looking like a fool.
"You would have loved this," I said to the ceiling, as I thought of Jace. "I can hear you teasing me for being a coward."
I got ready for bed and pulled up the sinfully soft Egyptian cotton sheets, but my mind was still racing. What would Jace have thought of Ayden and I together? Part of me wondered if it hadn't all been part of Jace's master plan, all except for him missing out on the show.
I sat up, sleepless, and moved to a chair by the window. I gazed past the lights of Vegas to the silhouettes of the mountains. Jace always knew more than he let on, and now it seemed there was more to Ayden than I had first expected. And more to how I felt about him.