Page 76 of Vail

“Send me a list of what you’ll need to have a comfortable workspace,” I told him. “Don’t worry about the cost. I’ll take care of it.”

“That’s very nice of you. I don’t need much.”

“I want my people comfortable. Not sitting on a stool while they talk to you.”

“Okay, I’ll email you tonight.”

“Thank you. I’ll make sure it’s here by the time you start on the twenty-fourth.”

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to help your employees. A healthy mind goes a long way.”

“A twisted mind leads to the best kind of madness,” I replied.

He blinked at me. I’d ask if he knew what I did, but he’d said he was aware of who I was at the start of the interview. Shit, was my softening reaching others? Did people think I was losing my grip? I needed to draw blood again.

“Jordan,” Lana said, breaking through my thoughts. She glanced to my hand where I held a snapped pencil. I hadn’t realized I picked one up. At least it wasn’t a knife.

Instead of addressing my anger with the man in front of me, who no doubt wanted to analyze every part of my brain, I opened the door. “Reghan will see you out.”

“If you’ll follow me,” Reghan said.

Arden spared me a quick glance and a quiet, “Thank you,” as he walked past.

When he was in the elevator, Lana asked, “Thinking about Gil again?”

“I was, but then I worried I was softening more. I love my men, but what the fuck? I can’t let it get out that I’m not the tough as hell man I portray myself to be. Can you imagine the people who will be here trying to take me out? Then what happens with Vail and Hartley?” I was spiraling. It wasn’t normal, yet here I was. Maybe I should call Arden back and have him put me on a couch to make me talk. Did they still do that? Fuck if I knew. The last time I saw a therapist was when I was a child and my parents decided I wasn’t getting along with my brother like I should. My brother was always trying to be in my business. Of course we didn’t get along.

“It’s not a bad thing,” Lana said, collecting the signed documents. She’d put them in her system and email copies to me and Arden.

“Not for you.”

“You’re right.” She put the papers in her bag and slung the leather strap over her shoulder. “When you behave, I get other work done. There aren’t calls for me to get you out of prison.”

“If you’re bored, I can certainly stir shit up.”

“I’m good. I’ll send you a copy later.”

“Thank you, Lana.”

“You’re welcome.” She breezed out of the room.

Without knowing what the fuck else to do with myself so I didn’t continue down this spiral, I took the elevator up to the home I shared with Vail and Hartley. They were sitting on the couch, watching the new TV I installed for them. While we had one in our bedroom, it was never watched since they came into my life. Why would I want to watch TV when I had them in my bed?

I dismissed Oleander downstairs. He didn’t usually stay up here but having Reghan with me before, I didn’t want my home unprotected. It didn’t matter that Gil was dead. I still needed to have my men safe.

“Hey,” Vail said with a smile over his shoulder. “How’d it go?”

“Good. I hired him. He’ll start the Saturday after we return from our trip.”

“I still can’t believe you have a plane,” Hartley muttered.

I moved around the couch to stand in front of them and loosened my tie to pull it off. I rid myself of my jacket next. My fingers started working the buttons of my shirt open. Hartley and Vail’s eyes were no longer on the TV. They were solely on me.

“I have a mouth too,” I told Hartley. “If you take off your clothes, I’ll show you how I can use it to make you scream my name.”

He stood so fast; he would have fallen forward had I not caught his arm.

Using my foot, I pushed the coffee table out of the way, silently thanking Irene who had the foresight to put felt feet on it for easy moving. She did it so she could clean under it. Either way, I was glad.

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