Page 15 of Always

My brother is exaggerating a little. I’m hardly a micromanager. I have two people in New York who I trust with everything, and here in Boston I have Ben and my father. What my brother means is that I don’t relinquish control easily.

And he’s right.

But for the first time in my life, I feel like there may be more than work. More than this life I’ve come to know and love.

While Skye isn’t ready for what I want, I still want her.

I still love her.

“You sure about this?” Ben continues.

I draw in a breath, ready to say, “Yes, of course I’m sure,” because that’s what I always say.

Braden Black is always sure.

The truth?

I’mnotsure.

I’m so far from sure that I can’t see it in my rearview mirror.

And that feels…not good, exactly, but interesting.

Intriguing.

Even kind of exhilarating.

I’m curious.

Curious to see where this remarkable woman grew up. Curious to meet the two people who raised her.

Once I’m in the office, I tell Claire to cancel any appointments I have in Boston Sunday through Tuesday.

Skye’s home is where everything began for her, and it’s where I’ll begin this journey.

Chapter Six

By Sunday, though, my plans have changed. One of our international suppliers is coming to the States and wants a meeting with me Tuesday in New York. I’m meeting with Dimitri and Lizzie first thing tomorrow morning, so the impromptu trip to Kansas is off, and I canceled the meeting with Beauregard.

Ben was thrilled when I told him.That supplier just saved you from making a huge mistake, were his exact words.

I’m going to New York instead. I’ll be working most of today before the meeting tomorrow, but tonight? An evening at Black Rose Underground is what I need. I’ll find a sub, do a scene, get back to who I truly am.

Who I was before Skye Manning catapulted herself into my life.

Flying in my private jet never gets old. The hum of the engines, the serene isolation of cruising at thirty-seven thousand feet, and the luxurious comfort of the leather seats provide an unparalleled sense of freedom. The flight attendants are well trained to serve me my preferred meals and drinks as I pore over business reports.

It’s early, and there’s nothing like a sunrise in the air. As dawn breaks, the soft hues of orange and pink lace themselves around the edges of the cloud clusters outside. I take a sip of my freshly brewed coffee, its warmth spreading throughout my body as I gaze out the window at the world below.

But even the beauty of the air doesn’t keep Skye from my mind.

I never should have begun a relationship with Skye. I knew it atthe time, and I know it now.

However, that changes nothing.

She’s become a part of me, and I want to know more. I want to know what makes her tick. Why she is the way she is. I’ve never had such a drive to know someone, and frankly, it pisses me off.

Moreso, though, it scares me. Scares me in a way I’ve never been scared, and I’ve been through some rough shit.

---