LINDEN
I made my promise. I fucked her. Then I made love with her. Just when she was about to wake up, I ate her again and gave her another two orgasms.
Right now, she was moaning as she had my omelet for the first time.
“Will you stop it?” I put a cup of freshly brewed coffee before her.
She took a sip and gave me that look— the curiosity and impressed look. “What do you have in this coffee?”
“I’m afraid it’s just a regular coffee.”
“Are you sure?”
“I have enough compliments coming from you that could last a lifetime. It’s just coffee, Estelle. I roasted it myself, ground it, and there you have it.”
“Really?” She stared at me in disbelief.
“Yes, Estelle. I thought you rich people have sophisticated coffeemakers at home.”
“You’re being humble.” She shoved another forkful of my omelet in her mouth. “This is so good. I could eat this thing every morning.” She was even talking with her mouth full, making me chuckle.
“I told you.”
She raised a finger to stop me. “No, Gabriel. We’re not having this conversation again.”
“Not today, but we will until I’ve proven to you that I’m the kind of man who would not leave you in the lurch.”
“Do you have a tumbler or a disposable cup?”
“You can go up and change. I got this.”
“Thanks.” She rose from the seat to kiss me on the cheek before she went up.
Quinn came early morning to bring Estelle’s clothes and toiletries because, honestly, the only woman who slept in the house was London and, of course, my sister. I didn’t have anything that women needed except for toothbrushes and towels. She blushed beet red in front of me and Quinn.
While Quinn was waiting for Estelle to come down, I made breakfast.
“Have you found my replacement?”
“I was thinking of Q.”
“Qamar Tarique.” He nodded truthfully as he carried his coffee.
“Yes. Do you have any objection or suggestion?”
“No.”
“Are you changing your mind about pushing through the training?”
“No. I’m actually pretty excited.”
“You’re worried about her, that I might hurt her. Being your boss in the job is different than outside. Treat me like any ordinary person, Hunter, when we’re not at work.”
“You’re right. I don’t know your intention. I personally don’t know you outside Osmium. I may be out of the line, but I care for Estelle as her security detail and friend. I don’t wanna see her getting hurt. I get it she likes you, and things went a little fast, but if you hurt her—” Now he was threatening me in my house.
Instead of taking his threat lightly, I was confident it was not empty. I smirked. “I said the same thing. I told her that you’re in love with her, and she didn’t believe me.” I watched how he shifted in his place, darting his gaze toward the kitchen door.
“She doesn’t feel the same. I accepted it long ago that she deserves better than me, even better than us. I will always care for her and protect her even if she already has someone else.”
“That we can agree on.”
He sipped his coffee and finished his breakfast. “Damn, it was a good omelet.”
“What’s your secret ingredients, Gabriel?” She came to the kitchen looking so hot, like a billion bucks.
“Why do you always think there’s a secret ingredient?”
“Aren’t most chefs have?”
“I don’t know, and I’m not a chef. Pops would have taught me if there was any.”
“I’ll go ready the car,” Quinn excused himself before things got awkward because even if Quinn was around, that wouldn’t stop me from kissing Estelle.
“Here’s your coffee.”
“I will give the tumbler to Quinn to return to you.”
“Keep it. It might remind you how good my coffee is. Starbucks kind of good.” I winked at her, and she tried to hide her smile but failed miserably.
“I got to go.”
“Not until I kiss you.” Before she could protest, I cupped her face and kissed her loud and quick. “Take care. Enjoy your day, but don’t work too hard.”
“I’m fueled. I could work until morning.”
I couldn’t help but smile at her remarks. “Good.”
“Bye, Gabriel.”
“You look hot. You can take a day off, you know.” I followed her toward the door.
“Stop it.”
“I’ll get her to work safe, boss.” Quinn was already waiting for her.
“Have no doubt.”
***
Kye came to my office with the report I asked for.
“Find something interesting?”
“Aside from being an ass, nothing is out of the ordinary. His routine, going to Weston Yachts building, playing golf on the weekend, taking home girls, and leaving his penthouse in the afternoon.”
“Girls?”
“Yeah. I think he likes threesomes.” Key laughed out loud. “Unless the other woman just sleeps in the other room, or they just talk all night.”
“Estelle said he’s possessive and controlling. How about his finance?”
“He has twenty-thousand dollars in his bank account.”
“Excuse me?” My mouth gaped.
“Yeah. Last, he used his card to purchase a hundred fifty dollar shirt.”
“I thought he invested in Star LLC.” My brows drew together.
“I don’t think so. Tyrion Weston has.” Now it was getting interesting. Estelle didn’t tell me the whole truth.
“What else?”
“Last month, his account received fifty thousand dollars, and it’s like clockwork. He received it every 31st from his father’s personal account.”
“What the fuck? Are you sure?” I leaned back, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Maybe he invested all his money, which is good, but I don’t see dividends. And why would his father send him money from a personal account? Or maybe he’s not getting more money from his father—”
“Until he’s married.” A lot was going on here it still puzzled me. I had a feeling that I had barely scratched the surface.
Kye gave me a confused look. “Probably.”
“So this is about who could provide him financial stability. That fucker.”
“Wait a sec. Is he getting married? To whom?”
“Estelle.”
“Your Estelle?” He pointed at me in disbelief. His eyes widened in shock, and he barely blinked.
“Yeah,” I confirmed, even if the truth stabbed me in the chest.
“What are you going to do? You’re not just gonna stand here and do nothing, right?”
“What do you want me to do?” I shrugged my shoulders. “Estelle likes me, no doubt, but she doesn’t want my help. In fact, she wants me to stay away from her issue as far as possible. She doesn’t want to get married either.”
“Wait.” He blocked me. “You wanna get married? Is that why—”
“Of course, I want, Wilder. On the other hand, she still wants to be single, but her father wants her to marry that asshole bloodsucker.”
“Let’s kidnap her.”
“You sound just like Terzo.” I chuckled.
“Wait, Terzo knows?” He suddenly looked hurt.
“Boss apparently didn’t trust me that I could pull off alone. He sent Terzo. Don’t worry. Sax doesn’t know about any of this.”
“I never see this coming, brother, that you like a woman. Well, in your defense, she’s a beautiful billionaire. Her eyes are just, damn, they’re stunning.”
My eyes narrowed. And he quickly laughed it off.
“Easy tiger. I couldn’t. We couldn’t compete with you. So, you like her, huh, a lot?”
When I went silent, his stare penetrated the back of my head. “Well, damn.”
“Shut up.”
“You’re in love.”
“Well, shit.”
I raised my gaze to Sax on my office door. “I’m not paying you to gossip, asshole.”
“Wilder and I can’t?” He picked up his phone, dialed someone, and waited for the other line to pick it up.
“Who are you calling?”
“Cade, are you free? It’s an emergency. Like a death and life emergency. Meet us at the resto-bar in twenty.”
“It’s working hours, Ryder. Go back to work.”
“It’s break time, boss. And you can deduct it from my salary for all I care.” He then knocked on the door to call Hope. “Padeeya.”
I shook my head in disbelief.
“What do you want?” Hope came, glaring at him.
“Free him until two.” He just gave the order to Hope, who didn’t seem bothered.
“Did you hear me?”
“I’m not deaf, but you’re not my boss. He is.” He pointed at me. “Anything that comes from you will pass through my other ear. Got it?”
Kye and I watched them banter in amusement. If I didn’t know Hope followed the rules in this building, I could easily rule out they liked each other, especially my guy, who was now in a staring contest with her.
“Careful, Ryder. She has a record of 2,543 meters. If I were you, you would watch your back.”
“Holy shit,” Kye expressed while Sax seemed to have lost his voice. “Well, shit. You have no idea?” He laughed out loud at his partner.
“Boss?” Hope called me.
“Yeah. I’m meeting Cade in a few minutes.”
“All right, boss.” Hope left.
I didn’t argue with them. I was also dying for a good burger. Since it was already almost lunch, I called the manager beforehand to reserve us a table and a delivery.
I quickly saw Callan, Striker’s driver. He gave me a nod. Inside the restaurant, Striker was already waiting for us.
“What took you so long? Retouching your makeup?”
“Why are you so grumpy? Wife’s moody? It’s normal, man. That’s called hormones.” Sax sat next to him. Across them were Kye and I.
“Our brother is finally off the market,” Kye started, and I just listened because I’d rather enjoy my lunch than talk nonsense.
“Me? No. No fucking way.” Sax was quick to defend himself.
“We’re not talking about you, dickhead,” Striker said, tipping his head at me.
“Holy shit! TBB, isn’t it?”
“TBB?” I asked Sax.
“The Beautiful Billionaire?”
“Why do you all keep saying that?”
“Isn’t she?” His smile widened meaningfully. “I did not see this coming.”
Striker just dialed someone on his phone. “Pa?”
Shit. He just called Moses, and I felt it had something to do with me.
“You lost, old man.” He gave the phone to me.
I hesitatingly took it. “Boss?”
“My wedding gift is ready.”
“Well, you might have to put that on hold, whatever that is, a little longer because the bride seemed not ready to settle down.”
“Well, you know what to do, son.”
Shit. The table had turned. “Do I?”