Chapter
Fifteen
Vice
“I’m sorry, say that again?” I demanded, slamming my near empty coffee mug on the table in the living room of the hotel.
Molly giggled. “She went to dinner with this Den guy, but Vice, it wasn’t her idea. He called Jenny up and invited them all around for a friendly dinner so the kids could play.”
Friendly my fucking ass.
Douche Den wanted in Adalyn’s pants.
I’d been gone a day, and he’d moved in. Maybe he found out Adalyn had been out with me instead. Kids talked, and Drew seemed keen to have me around so he could have shared that with his friend, then his friends would have told his dad.
However it went down, I didn’t care.
Adalyn was mine.
It was sly going through Jenny the way he did. He wanted to play dirty, I could too.
“Doesn’t matter what way it went down, Molly. He’ll soon get the picture.” Again she laughed. “Now, tell me, did Kenzie get in touch with Evelyn?” She was a popular country singer and married to Ethan, another country singer, and both were clients of Grayson’s.
“She sure did. Kenzie’s going to see her today and show her Adalyn’s site.”
“Again, be sure I only want Evelyn to buy something if she truly likes it and is willing to spread the word about how much she likes it.”
“I just texted Kenzie before to make sure that message was passed on.”
“Thanks. Has Adalyn talked to you about our date?”
She snorted. “No. She’s still calling it a business dinner, and she never mentioned anything happened between the two of you. I’m only guessing something did if you’re moving to get her business noticed more.”
“Never should have put that clause in the contract at work.” Then again, if I hadn’t stated a strict no dating policy, I knew Kylie and a few other women would have been gunning for me. I wasn’t blind to the looks they gave me. I just wasn’t stupid to think they were my type. A lot of women I dated only did it for the money and a step toward the people I associated with. Which was why the only serious woman I had was ten years ago and, since then, the rest had all been hook-ups.
Until Adalyn.
Christ. That woman, that kiss, her blushes, mutterings, and anything about her really was made for me. There was something deep in me that knew she was it. She was my forever. Even if I sounded like a complete pussy for thinking it, I didn’t care. Never felt it before, even after one sight of a woman, but I did for Adalyn, and I was probably an ass because… well, I was an ass most times, but she was annoying me by not looking at me when all I wanted to do was stare at her and her stunning blue eyes.
Each time I saw her, spent time with her, I found it wasn’t enough. I wanted to be around her every chance I got, and even Drew. He was a cute, smart kid, and spending time with him, I knew was going to be fun.
“At least, if things go well, and Evelyn shares about Adalyn’s work, her business will boom, and she’ll leave your employment.”
“That’s the plan.”
It was either that or fire her, and somehow, I knew firing her wouldn’t go down well. Besides, her work on jewelry was superb. After I’d gotten home from our dinner, I’d looked up her items and checked everything out. She was underpricing herself, but I knew she was doing it so she’d get noticed. She’d have to leave it for a while longer, even after things progressed with the business. A price increase wouldn’t look good right after everything took off.
All I had to do was hope Adalyn didn’t see this as me taking control of her life. Instead, I wanted her to realize it was me seeing to taking matters into my own hand so we could be together.
At least if she didn’t, I’d eventually wear her down to see sense, because we’d be good for each other. I also knew I had people backing us. Grayson and his family, Molly and her man, and I was sure I even had Jenny and Drew gunning for Adalyn and me to be an us.
“Things will work out in the end and, when they do, I’m going to stop sharing shit with you because she’s my girl. But for now, and until she sees the light with you, I’ll help. You’ll be good for my girl, and she’ll keep you grounded.”
“Can only hope, Molly.”
“So do I or else I’ll have to hurt you.”
“How many times you going to threaten your brother?”
“As many as I want so he knows not to screw my friend over.”
“Won’t happen,” I said with a determined tone.
“You’re serious.”
“Yes.”
“Good.” I could hear the smile in her voice.
“I’ve got to go, Molly, but know I’ll handle this Den guy when I get back.”
“How?”
“He’ll get she’s taken when I attend the basketball game.”
“Can I come and watch?”
“No.”
“Party pooper. I’ll let you go. Talk soon, brother.”
“You will and, Molly, thanks for everything.”
“I’m just happy to help you both and to have my brother sort his life out where work isn’t everything for him. Bye.”
“Later,” I said and then ended the call. I would have liked to have called the office and talked to Adalyn, actually barked down the phone with how pissed it made me to find out she was in the company of another man who wanted to fuck her. But I couldn’t since she wasn’t the one who told me. She was too damn sexy for her own good, and the shit part about that was how she didn’t see it. To my shock, she was oblivious to the men in the office blatantly checking her out, and if it wasn’t for the clause in their contracts, they would be up in her grill wanting to take her out. I was sure she thought they were just being nice to the new person, but they weren’t. Kylie could see it, which was the main reason Kylie was such a bitch to Adalyn.
Running a hand through my hair, frustrated, I sighed and sent off a similar e-mail to yesterday’s to Adalyn stating what I needed done at work. There was no mention of the kiss or her friendly dinner date. I kept it professional. I had to because I had my tech guy going through all employee e-mails and such to know there wasn’t anything untoward going on. Since I was the boss, I couldn’t exactly send an e-mail to Adalyn saying I wanted her. Even though I was exempt from Chad, the tech guy, going through my computer, I had to hold to my own standards. Didn’t I? I did, I admitted reluctantly. It wouldn’t be right to e-mail Adalyn wanting to know what color her panties were.
Jesus, just the thought of her panties had my cock stirring. I’d lost count of the times I’d jacked off over her, imagining taking her in every way possible. Even when I’d picked her up from our date, not that she knew it was a true date, and she’d tripped where we ended up crushed together with her bent over the couch, I’d pictured slipping her black panties down and thrusting into her. That was until her mother walked through the front door. I knew neither woman looked, but if they would have glanced down, they would have seen my raging hard-on.
I had to know everything there was to know about Adalyn and I wanted to share the same back.
Stupid fucking rules.
Hell, I was the boss. I could change them and then have other women think I was doing it for them. No, it was safer to wait. I had to keep it in my pants until she was no longer an employee.
I smiled to myself, however. It didn’t mean I couldn’t start finding out things about her. E-mailing wasn’t the only way to communicate.
Me: I just sent you an e-mail. Did you get it? I fired off to Adalyn. Dammit, I forgot she didn’t know I had her cell number, but I’d taken it down the day she started and filled out all the forms.
Adalyn: Who is this?
Me: Vice.
Adalyn: Sorry, Mr. Salvatore, I didn’t realize you had my number. I did get the e-mail. Thank you for checking.
Back to Mr. Salvatore. Then again, she was being professional. I was the only one who messaged for a different reason.
All I had to work out was how to lead this into a different direction instead of anything about work. I couldn’t exactly ask what color her panties were, or tell her I wanted to see her naked. Or even ask for a boob shot.
Ever since I was young, I was a boob and ass man, and Adalyn was perfect in both areas.
Grinning, I typed in another message: What time is Drew’s game?
Adalyn: Four PM. Again, you don’t have to go if you’re busy.
Clenching my jaw, I released an annoyed breath. Why did she do that when I’d already said I was going? Didn’t she understand I wanted to be there for Drew, but also for her? I’d thought I’d made it clear. At least, I’d thought it was clear when I’d kissed her and showed my intentions of wanting her. Maybe I hadn’t, that or she just couldn’t understand I would be interested in her in the first place.
What had the men in her past done to her to think she wouldn’t be worthy of attention?
Me: I’ll be there. Looking forward to it actually.
Adalyn: Really?
Shaking my head, I smiled. Me: Yes, Addy, and for dinner that night. I was also looking forward to showing up and having a friendly chat to douche Den, telling him to back the hell off from Adalyn.
Adalyn: Okay.
Snorting, I stood and made my way to the door. I had another meeting I had to get to. Even though I wanted to just sit back and text Adalyn for the rest of the day, I couldn’t.
Me: I have to go to a meeting now, Adalyn. Enjoy your day, and I’ll see you Saturday.
Adalyn: Okay.
Laughing, I walked out the door and down to the elevator. Just from her texts, I could tell she was nervous. I was uncertain which part she was nervous about: seeing me, having me at the game when Den would be there, or maybe she was worried I’d kiss her again, which was likely to happen. Only when Drew wasn’t around. Surely a kiss wasn’t breaking the clause. At least I wouldn’t be at work when it happened. Even if it was, I didn’t care. I couldn’t wait to have her mouth again.
* * * *
Adalyn
Okay?
Okay?
That was what I sent back, and I could have hit myself. I nearly pooped my pants when he texted back saying it was him. I didn’t know he even had my number, nor did I understand why he would text me in the first place when he hadn’t done it the day before when he e-mailed me.
Unless… no, he wouldn’t know I went to dinner at Den’s. That was just stupid to even think he knew and was reaching out to remind me of him. I was already freaked out by going to another man’s house for dinner—even though Mom and Drew were there also—especially as I’d just kissed Vice the night before that. I was sure Vice was a man who wouldn’t understand it was a friendly dinner and was mainly a chance for the boys to play Minecraft.
My stomach had already been full of humming bees even before his text, and after, it had ramped up its speed to where I was in a state of losing my breakfast.
What would Saturday bring? I didn’t know, and I wasn’t in the right space of mind to even think about it. What I did know was that I would have to let Den know I wouldn’t agree to another date, even if it would be a friendly one. At least, not until Vice and I had spoken.
I considered booking myself into a mental hospital before the weekend. I already had the stress of John calling, like he’d promised, and then telling Drew I was thinking about us flying over to see his dad on the holidays. I wanted to kill John for even mentioning it to our son in the first place when it wasn’t set in stone. Drew’s excitement was off-the-charts high. It made saying no all the more impossible. How could I break his heart or stop him from seeing his absent father? I knew my son would eventually understand, but I didn’t want to disappoint Drew by not giving him a chance to spend some time with his dad at the beach.
So the upcoming weekend stress just added to the amount I already had, causing me to seriously consider a mental hospital, that or I’d suddenly come down with an illness and have Mom take Drew instead.
Though that’d just make me a chicken, and I wasn’t one.
Usually.