Page 15 of Playing to Win

“Please, I’d love that, and put me on the after hours calls, too. I’m only on campus one day a week now, so I’m available.” I put my hands together, literally begging her. Theo wouldn’t even allow me to finish my request when I asked. Okay, fine, I pleaded to work again in the evenings at Four Brothers. I relented easier than I should have when he brought it to my attention that if I were to work nights, he’d never see me, which promptly shut me up. This damn man, he knows what to say when I need to hear it the most. He also has me sinking deeper and deeper in the feelings department. It turns out a rich man in a business suit is my cup of tea when it comes to Theo Goldman. The man looks insanely hot in and out of clothes. “Also, what’s going on, Mal? This place is never out of sorts.” I stand up. May as well kill two birds with one stone. I’m here for the afternoon or until I call Bellamy to ask for a ride, another change Theo and Bellamy were adamant about. I either adhere to the new rules or stay home. It’s ridiculous. Brian is gone, and no one else is after me, not even my mom’s husband, Charles, worries me anymore. The new rule, though, it’s absurd. Bellamy is to give me a ride any- and everywhere—the grocery store, to Mallory’s, to Four Brothers. Oh, not only rides to and from. Nope, I’m to be escorted until I’m safely inside.

“Honey, I’m tired and I’m old. So, please carry on with whatever you want to do. How about we switch weekends? We rarely get calls, but I can’t leave you with everything. As for during the week, we’ll work around your schedule. But hear me now: school comes first. You were meant for big, big things. This business and working for me will not hold you back.” She is pulling out the big guns with lots of threats. It’s only fair to fight fire with fire.

“Yes, Mother,” I tease, moving to the paperwork that needs to be scanned into the computer, sorting through invoices and contracts.

“Don’t you start with me. I’m not pissing off my best clients, and you don’t need to work yourself to the bone.” I look at her over my shoulder. Mallory has a pen pointing at me, and it can’t be helped. I stick my tongue out at her before falling into a fit of laughter.

“Get back to work. We can’t survive on caffeine all day if you’re here to work. I’ll order lunch, and you may want to call Theo to let him know your change of plans,” she says after we settle down.

“I better. Between him and Bellamy, I have a full-time job calling or texting them my agenda. I’ll be surprised if Theo doesn’t know my last period, which is due this week coming up. Ugh,” I throw out dramatically. I’m going to be out of commission in the orgasm department and miserable. Lucky me.

“Ask Bellamy if he’d like to eat lunch with us. He’s the perfect type of eye candy an old lady like myself wouldn’t mind enjoying.” Okay, not touching that subject, nope, nope, nope. She’s like my older sister, and Bellamy is like a father figure. If things start happening then go south, I’m going to have to be Switzerland. I love each of them too much to pick a side.

TWENTY-THREE

Theo

“Damn, this is the life.”I picked Danica up on my way home after leaving the office. She ordered food for us to pick up, we ate, and now we’re on the couch.

“Just don’t expect me to actually cook.” She nestles closer to me, head on my chest, hand on my lower abdomen. My arm is around her shoulder, and I’m slowly massaging her head with the tips of my fingers. Our food lies abandoned on the coffee table, annoying Danica. She likes to keep things picked up and clean. The only way to keep her seated and where she’s at is keeping up with the ministrations of working my magic. Her throaty moan is all the answer I need.

“Fairy, you don’t ever have to attempt to cook again. I’d prefer it, really.” She lifts up off my chest, a look of irritation on her face.

“I can cook. Well, let me rephrase that. I can heat food up and make an awesome salad.” I grimace at the thought of a salad every day for dinner or heating something up from the freezer department in the grocery store.

“Is there a reason you can’t cook?” We haven’t touched a whole lot on her past as in before she met Mallory, and I know Mal cooks. Bellamy gave me that piece of information today. It seems the two of them are getting close as of recently.

“I used to bake with my mom. It was our thing on Sundays.” She shrugs her shoulders, and I figure that’s all I’ll get out of her, but I’m unprepared for the emotional dumping that continues. “That was before she met her now husband, before things changed. Gone was the mom who worked six days a week yet somehow managed to be there for every fair, dance, and award ceremony. One day, she came home, announced that she met a man, and they were getting married. I’d never met the guy or knew she was dating. That goes to show you just how sneaky we as human beings can be.” She takes a deep breath. “We moved, uprooted from our small apartment into a monstrosity of a house, bigger than your penthouse and some of the other places I’ve cleaned. The first year was okay. I kept to myself, got phenomenal grades, worked at a grocery store. Anything to stay out of the McMansion. It wasn’t until Charles started making weird comments, talking about how he had a few colleagues who wouldn’t mind a pretty little thing like me. I was done, he yelled, I packed my bags and grabbed what cash I had, which wasn’t a lot since I was an eighteen-year-old girl still in high school for a few more months.” She closes her eyes. One lone tear slides down her cheek. My thumb catches it. I hate that she’s hurting. I’m seething inside for the man who made her feel like she had no other choice but to leave. And her mom… Who the fuck would put their flesh and blood in a situation like this?

“Fairy, Jesus Christ.” My forehead meets hers. Her green eyes are filled with hurt, and I’m ready to slay another motherfucker.

“It’s okay. I got out. My mom, she ran after me. I begged her to come with me, but she wouldn’t, and while that sucked, Mom did what she could. She gave me a wad of cash and her love.” She faceplants into my chest. Both of my arms wrap around her as she cries quietly. I don’t say anything. Right now, she doesn’t need words. I have a feeling Danica never let herself feel or speak of what happened all those years ago. I’d also bet there’s way more to the story than she’s telling me, but I’m not going to push. One thing about Danica is that she holds it in, not saying a word until she’s damn good and ready.

“Come here, fairy.” I pick her up until I’ve got her where I want her—ass in my lap, her arms looped around my neck, and her nose in the crook of my neck.

“He was hurting her, Theo. There were bruises, and she was staying to protect me. I didn’t know it then, but I do now. Why else would she say she couldn’t come with me?” she mutters into my skin. My hand slides beneath her shirt, where I rub her back up and down as my other gently combs through her hair, trying to soothe her.

“Have you seen her since that night?” I ask, prodding. It isn’t the time or the place, but that doesn’t mean shit. Not when I can fix this for her. Between Sylvester and Four Brothers, it won’t take much.

“No, I’ve been too scared to. I know she’s alive and have seen her from a distance, but other than that, no.” She lifts off my chest and cleans up the tears she shed with the backs of her hands, a weak smile in place. “I’m sorry about breaking down on you. Wow, it’s been a long time since I have let myself think about my mom. There was never enough time, and I knew if I did, I’d have a hard time recovering by myself.”

“You’re not on your own anymore, and you never have to apologize to me, not ever, Danica. I’m here, always. I’m assuming this stepdad is the reason why you hated me at first glance?” I rub my hand up and down her back, scratching it every two or three passes.

“You’re right, which wasn’t and isn’t fair to you. I shouldn’t have lumped you in with the likes of Charles Trust.” The breath she lets out is one of relief. “I’m sorry.”

“What did you say?” I ask, making sure I heard her correctly even though my ears have never deceived me.

“I’m sorry. I know those words are hard to imagine coming from me,” she laughs it off.

“Not that. Did you say Charles Trust? The wealthy grandson to EverTrust Banking?”

“Yep, that would be him.” It takes a lot to lock my shit down. My molars are going to be ground down to shit from trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy. “Why? What’s wrong? Theo, I swear to God, if you do something stupid to take you away from me, prison won’t be enough.” I chuckle, hating like hell I’m about to make a phone call and ruin our quiet night at home.

“I’m not making a promise I can’t keep, but I’ll tell you this. I’d do anything for the woman I love, and if that meant living behind bars to keep you safe, then so fucking be it.” Not the best way to admit you love your woman for the first time.

“I love you, Theo Goldman, suit or no suit, money or no money. An orange jumpsuit is yet to be determined, but I’ll bring you a nail file in a cake.”

“I love you, fairy, and as much as I want to relish in this moment and take you to bed, we’re about to be invaded. I’ve got to make a call that can’t wait. Trust came to us, looking for a partner. Nothing is signed yet. We’re still in the preliminary process, but this can’t wait,” I tell her the truth.

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