“Not it,” they say in unison, and Hope huffs and rolls her eyes.
“You two fucking suck. If you’re adult enough to put a baby in her belly, you’re adult enough to hold back her hair while she pukes. I know neither of you actually mean that. Get over there and help her,” she says, pointing in Harlow’s direction. She’s now slumped down against the wall, and I can see the receptionist looking at her in shock before her eyes narrow in suspicion. My brothers hurry over, with Holden grabbing a bottle of water out of the mini fridge we keep for our clients. Harlow’s security guard steps out too.
“She ate something funny at lunch,” I call over to the woman, which gets me a totally unconvinced raised eyebrow. “You better deal with that,” I tell Hope, nodding at the secretary.
“Fuck, why can’t people just mind their own business?” she asks. When she hurries away, leaving me on my own, I step back and let the elevator close. At least that gets my family off my back. Now it’s just me and Riku in the elevator, alone. I lean back against the wall, closing my eyes.
“Are you okay, Ms. Summers?” he asks, and I crack open my eyes again.
“What did I tell you, Riku? Call me Jacinta, especially when it’s just the two of us. I’m tired. Today has been a bit much,” I tell him as the anxiety and nerves creep back in. We leave when we get to the Couture floor, which is quiet once more. Susie waves as we pass, but I don’t stop to speak to her. That’s not my job anymore, and I couldn’t be happier. I just want to sit down and draw. Rowena’s door is closed when we pass by, and Jace’s office is empty. Where has he been all day? Do we just keep missing each other? When we get to my door, Riku stops me with his hand on my arm. He makes his way into my office first, coming back out to wave me in once he’s sure it’s empty.
I pause with my hand on the handle. “What do you do while I’m busy?”
He smiles and pulls his phone out of his pocket. “I have the kindle app on my phone, so I sit in reception and read until you need me.”
I feel my eyebrows jump in surprise. “You like to read?”
He chuckles. “Don’t sound so surprised, Jacinta. Lots of people like to read.”
I feel my cheeks pinken again, and I want to slap myself. “I know, but… You just have this air of coiled violence about you. Like a spring waiting to be sprung, deadly when need be. I guess I don’t imagine you sitting still long enough to read.” I know I’m not very elegant about it, but he seems to understand what I mean.
“So much of being security is sitting around and waiting, same with surveillance jobs. Stakeouts are all about patience. Reading is one of those things that’s easy to do while we wait. Simon does crossword puzzles or plays games on his phone, but I enjoy delving into a good story. Some of the other guys will clean their weapons or play cards.”
“Awesome, maybe we need to compare kindles one day.” I can’t believe I just offered to share my kindle with him. Fuck, talk about putting my foot in my mouth. If I follow through on that, he’ll see all of my books are mommy porn with questionable kinks.
“I’d really like that.”
Without saying another word, I wave and go into my office. It’s only once I close my door that I realize that while I’m with Riku, none of the anxiety or nerves or insecurities eat at me. I just feel like I can be myself. There’s no need for an act, playing the part of wealthy heiress or fashion mogul or anything fake. I’m just me, and it feels glorious. But now that he’s gone, the press conference slams back into me—all those shouted questions, the barely veiled innuendos, the speculation.
“Is it true that the Summers family has had a falling out?”
“Why didn’t you all celebrate your birthday on the weekend at Club Neighpalm?”
“Jacinta, are you upset about your brothers being in a relationship with Harlow?”
“Harlow, aren’t you afraid your promiscuous reputation is going to affect the opening of your sanctuary?”
“Does instability run in both your families?”
One of them in particular plays over and over in my head.
“Only one body was found. What do you think happened to your father?”
It’s the ten-billion-dollar question, isn’t it? Because, of course, if Dragos was around, our inheritance would go to him. So where is he? Are we going to find another body somewhere on the grounds of Willow Castle? Not all of the enclosures have been explored yet. As surprised as Julia was that his body wasn’t in the vault, how far could he have gotten with bullet wounds?
I feel my teeth grinding together as I pace back and forth across the room. After that shit show, I have no desire to draw or create anything, but I can’t go home because I promised the guys I’d have dinner with them.
Collapsing onto the chair behind my desk, I open my handbag, grabbing my phone to call Jace and cancel, but Riku’s sister’s business card falls out. Picking up the pretty pastel green and pink card, I flip it over so I can read what it says, and my lips lift in a smile.Bun in the Oven.It’s cute. Maybe I just need to do some shopping. I’ve got four babies to shop for now, and what better way to ease my anxiety than some good ole retail therapy? Especially retail therapy escorted by tall, dark, and handsome. Getting up, I take my handbag, leaving my laptop and portfolio on my desk. I’ll grab them when we come back.
Making my way back to the reception area where I know I’ll find Riku, I spot Jace, finally in his office for once, so I stop for a moment. Leaning against the frame, I watch him at his drafting table, brow furrowed in concentration, lip trapped between his teeth. His pencil flies across the paper beneath it in long swooping arcs followed by short furious coloring. He stops and reaches forward to grab a sample of fabric from the other side of the table and finally notices me there. A slow smile lifts his lips, and his mismatched eyes sparkle behind his black frames.
“Well, hi there, darling, I’ve been wondering if you’ve been hiding from me.” He drops his sample and pencil and stalks across the room to where I am. “I thought we might have scared you off last night when we shared how we feel.” He pulls me into his arms and dips me in a big show of enthusiasm that has me giggling before he kisses me and raises me back up. It all happens so quickly that I get disoriented for a moment.
“No, not at all,” I tell him breathlessly, my hands against his chest, his arms still wrapped around me. “I’ve had meetings all morning and a press conference.”
He grimaces and gives me a quick hug. “I saw the headlines today, and when I arrived, the press had lined the streets. They were even in the parking garage. Shane had to wait for security to come and get me before I left his car.”
I shrug. “That’s the good thing about the helicopters, no press.” I pull away and drag him over to his desk. “Show me what you’ve been working on.”
