Page 21

“Mimi, I know you…” Luca spoke evenly to the side of me. “If that nigga puts his hands on you, I’m killing him. Then your brother is going to kill me, so make sure y’all put me away real nice.”

Rolling my eyes to keep from laughing, I walked out of the elevator as soon as it dinged. His secretary wasn’t at her desk when I passed, but I didn’t expect her to be. Without knocking, I pushed his door open and couldn't help the howl that escaped my lips.

“Good to know our talk from the other night meant something to you, muthafucka.” I startled them both as they scrambled to put their clothes on. As he zipped his pants, I laughed, watching her try to stand from her knees, but my Beretta put a halt to all movement.

“Baby, w-what’s going on?” Chandler asked hesitantly as his whore began to weep. “Put the gun down.”

“I don’t care about you or anything that you do, you slimy pig.

” I clenched my jaw as I stepped closer to him.

“I could care less about the bitches that you fuck.” My eyes dropped to the one on her knees.

“I hope he washed last night’s slut from his dick before you decided to fuck him, or maybe, he made you clean her juices with your rank-ass mouth. ”

“Noemi—”

“You can fuck a million women, Chandler, because it will never be me.” I threw the tie at him, hitting him in the face. “Make that the first and last time a bitch approaches me about fuckin’ you. I hope you enjoyed your night with her. The last time was the last time.”

Raising my brow, I gave him a knowing look before eyeing his secretary one last time.

I laughed at her tears before I turned on my heels and walked out of the office the same way I came in.

I may have been playing it cool on the outside, but internally, I was hurt.

No one wanted a woman approaching her about a man she had dealings with.

It didn’t matter if she wanted him or not because the feelings were irrelevant—it was the principle.

“Let me see your phone, Luca.” I held my hand out as we rode the elevator downstairs. “I need to make a quick call.”

Handing it over, I dialed my brother’s number. It didn’t take long before he answered, “Luca, talk to me. Is my sister okay?” Jules answered the phone almost immediately.

“Peachy,” I answered as we reached the lower level and the doors opened. “I need you to do something for me.”

“Name it, baby girl.”

“Angelica Rue.”

“Done,” he responded almost happily as the call disconnected.

Stepping back outside, the spring sun hit my face. With my head upward, I closed my eyes and inhaled the fresh air to calm the rage simmering within me. After a few seconds, I gathered myself before I returned to the truck with the girls waiting for me.”

“Are you okay?” Bridgette asked as soon as I slid inside. “What do you need from us?”

My goal was to never alarm them, but I was tired. My emotions were drained, and this last stunt regarding Chandler had depleted me. I grabbed their hands as a grin slowly formed across my face. The look of confusion they displayed was comical.

“The only thing I need you ladies to do is come to the house and help me pack. My vacation starts now.”

Taking a deep breath, I inhaled the scent of the salty waters below.

I lifted my head and allowed the beaming sun to kiss my skin.

This was my second day on Grove’s Isle, and it was the most peace I’ve felt in a long time.

As I peered into the clear blue ocean and watched the waves crash into the shore, my troubles awaiting me back home were an afterthought.

Well, that was until the steady ringing of my phone.

Sighing, I waltzed over to the wicker table to answer it.

“Chandler,” I answered in an exasperated tone. “This isn’t much of a vacation if all you’re going to do is blow me up. Shouldn’t you be somewhere with one of your concubines?”

After seeing what I saw the day I popped up in his office, I wouldn’t allow him access to my condo or the compound, and I wasn’t answering his calls.

He’d been trying to see me and plead his case, but there truly was no need.

He was acting desperate—he’d even gone as far as going to my brothers to get me to speak with him.

I had to beg Jules to not turn him into a toad.

Rosier was ready to kill him, but he said things were in a good place as is with the organization and didn’t want to make it worse.

I told them I was fine and just needed time to decompress.

“I want to apologize to you, Noemi,” he said somberly, causing me to roll my eyes. Not for a minute did I believe him. “I was wrong, and I know that. Please… just give me one last chance to make it right. Tell me where you went on vacation, and I will come to you.”

Knock. Knock.

Peering over my shoulder, a slow smile formed at who would be popping up on me this early.

“Look, Chan, there’s nothing to discuss. Please… let me enjoy my vacation, and when I return home, we will have a conversation.” I smiled as the knocks became more rapid. “In the meantime, you should probably think about if a marriage between us is something that we can bear—I know I am.”

“Is that someone knocking? Wait, who is that?—"

With my mimosa in hand, I disconnected the call. My floor-length robe trailed behind me as I made my way to the door. My heart thumped in my chest as I placed my hand on the knob and guided it open.

“Good Morning, Jordan.”

With his hands tucked in his sweats, he leaned against the door frame as his eyes began to roam my frame.

Skip was hands down the finest man I’d ever seen, and he knew it.

Standing at six-four, he was perfection.

A man who is equally fine in a tailored suit or T-shirt and ball shorts is dangerous.

His tattoo-covered skin gave him a bad boy look, and I often think of how bad he could really be.

“That’s how you answer the door, Noemi?” He pulled me from my lustrous thoughts as he began to speak. “Go put some clothes on and come holla at me.”

Rolling my eyes playfully, I downed my drink before wrapping my robe around me and doing as he asked.

Since I’ve met Jordan, he’s always had this commanding energy around him that made you want to do everything he said.

Since I’d already showered, I dressed in a simple tank and shorts in no time.

Walking back into the sitting room, I frowned at him sitting near the bar.

“You know… it’s usually me who’s up at the crack of dawn with a drink.” I held up my empty champagne flute before fixing myself another mimosa. “Would you like breakfast? I have some food left over.”

Seeing as though he had yet to answer, I glanced back over at him and found him in deep thought. Swirling his drink in his hand, he eyed the glass before throwing it back and pouring himself another shot.

“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or are you going to pretend you’re a fish and drink all of my liquor before noon?”

Slowly, he dragged his eyes up to mine. It was then that I saw a hint of a smile. “You know this is my beach house, right? So, technically, this is my liquor.”

Waving him off, I took the glass from his hand and led him onto the balcony.

The weather was so nice and warm out that I wanted to spend as much time as I could outside.

He was right about the beach house being his, but that wasn’t the point.

His drinking this early in the day was a tell-tale sign that something was bothering him.

“Talk to me and tell me what’s on your mind, Jordan. I called you yesterday, and you left me hanging.” I led him over to the small wicker chair and took a seat beside him. “Tell me what’s wrong and how I can help you fix it. I’m more than a pretty face, you know?”

Smirking, he licked his lips in a way that made me hot all over. I had to be careful around this man, or I was going to find myself in a world of trouble these next few days.

“There are some things about my past that I don’t openly talk about.

Not because I don’t trust you, but because it puts me in a dark place, Mi.

” His eyes lingered on my legs for a moment before he grabbed ahold of them, pulling my feet into his lap.

My breathing caught in my chest at his sudden gesture, and when he began massaging my feet, I melted.

This wasn’t his first time touching me in this manner.

He always said that after a long day of being in heels, I deserved to come home to a massage.

Looking up from his hands kneading my feet, I gave him my undivided attention once he exhaled, letting me know he was ready to dish.

“You remember me telling you about the girl I dated who was on some fuck shit?”

“Gia?” I spat with more malice in my tone than I intended. The arching of his brow caused me to giggle. “I don’t know the specifics, Skip, but I told you I did background checks on you and your family. I know a lot, but not enough. Tell me more about her. You want me to find her and shoot her?”

“Nah, not yet.” He chuckled as he pressed into my heels with his knuckles. I could feel myself sinking deeper into the chair. “After six years, she popped up on me at the club a few days ago.” He dropped his head for a moment before he continued, “She said she has my kid.”

Sitting straight up, I pulled my feet from his lap and slid closer to him. I couldn’t help but throw my arms around him. He didn’t waste any time in returning the embrace.

“Oh my gosh! Jordan… are you okay?” I hugged him tightly in shock. “Have you met her? What are you thinking? How do you feel?”

I know I was shooting questions at him back to back, but I was concerned. Jordan wasn’t the type of man who expressed himself, and the last thing I wanted him to do was keep his feelings bottled up and crash out about this.