Part 10 (1/2)

I hang up and sit for a few minutes looking out of the window not really seeing anything, lost in thought and wondering when Gary's going to rear his ugly violent head again.

Chapter 22.

Sebastian The meeting finally comes to an end and I almost give a whoop of delight as I see everyone out of the office and to the elevators. I walk back to my office, only to find Jacky bending over my desk wiggling her a.s.s.

”Jacky?” I shout louder than I intend, making her jump, but I'm not at all sure that she didn't hear me walk in behind her. It's my own d.a.m.n fault she keeps throwing herself at me, and my brothers.

Moving to stand behind my desk, I notice a freshly brewed coffee sitting in place as I unload my arms of the doc.u.ments while trying to think of something to say to get her to stop. If she wasn't such a good worker I'd have transferred her by now, but the fact is she's d.a.m.n good at her job and keeps me organized.

”Look,” I rub the back of my neck in discomfort, ”can we just have a working relations.h.i.+p here, Jacky. I'm with someone now and I've no intention of letting her go.”

Sitting down, I lean back and offer her the seat opposite me before continuing, ”You're an attractive woman and there are lots of guys out there who would love to be with youa”

”But not you,” she interrupts, crossing her arms and glaring at me.

”But not me. The woman I'm with means a lot to me so you and I need to get back to a working relations.h.i.+p. I only took you out the one time and nothing happened a s.e.xually.” G.o.d, why me? ”So um, do you think we can get along and that you can stop, well,” I wave my hands around, ”you know.”

She starts to laugh. ”Are you trying to ask me to stop flas.h.i.+ng my a.s.s and b.o.o.bs in your face and to stop bending over things, which gives you ideas?”

”Yes. I mean No. f.u.c.k, I mean yes stop flas.h.i.+ng your body in front of me and no, you do not give me ideas.” I let out a frustrated sigh. This woman is enough to drive a man to the bottle!

”I guess I can do that. If you're sure there isn't any chance with you.” She sounds hopeful.

I shake my head and start flitting through the papers on my desk wanting this discussion over with.

”What about Ruben?”

Having just taken a sip of coffee, I start to choke at her question.

”What about me?” Ruben asks walking into the office. ”Hey Jacky. How's it going?” He sits in the spare visitor's chair across from my desk.

”I'm okay.” She shrugs her shoulders. ”I was just asking Sebastian if you wanted a woman,” she blurts out to my stunned brother.

I start to laugh after a few moments when Ruben still doesn't reply. A woman has finally left my big, bada.s.s brother, speechless. This is too good to be true.

Ruben turns his head and gives me a death glare, which used to work as kids, but not anymore and it just makes me laugh all the more. Seeing Jacky's face start to fall, I finally manage to draw breath and compose myself back into the hotshot businessman that I am.

”Jacky, why would you want to know if I wanted, um, a woman? What makes you think I don't already have one? And what makes you think Sebastian here doesn't need one?” he smirks.

Hearing his last question, I just hope Jacky doesn't pick up on it because as yet neither Ramon or me have explained to our family about Carla now being with me.

”He has a woman.” She stands up straightening her clothes before stomping out of the office and banging the door behind her.

Ruben frowns. ”This woman. Is she real or to stop Jacky?”

Sighing, knowing I'm going to have to tell him something. ”Yes, it's true.”

He opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out as he shuts it again.

”It's been complicated. Not so much now, but it's been h.e.l.l as I thought she was with someone else. As it turns out she wasn't really with him. The whole d.a.m.n situation was driving me crazy.” I drag a hand from the back of my neck, over my head and down my face in exhaustion, although my exhaustion now has more to do with the s.e.xy as sin woman I can't do without.

”Carla,” Ruben says, with a wry grin on his face. ”I have eyes. As far as I'm aware you've behaved for months now. I've also seen you l.u.s.ting after her when you thought no one was watching, and vice versa.” He sits forward in his chair. ”What I don't understand is her relations.h.i.+p with Ramon, if she wants you and you're now with her.”

Itching to call Carla, I start fiddling with my cell while I stare at my brother. ”He told us about Gary the other day. He's the reason why Ramon pretended she was his girlfriend. She was already living with him for protection so he asked her to act as his girlfriend before Mom found out and started on about living in sin and getting married.” I lean back in my chair. ”You know what she's like. He had no idea his 'no commitment' brother would fall for her and vice-versa.”

”f.u.c.k. Well at least she wasn't actually dating Ramon, that would have been, um, awkward.”

”Yeah, tell me about it.” I let the silence go on, unwilling to break it.

Something's wrong, probably at his club and I wish he'd just come out and tell me instead of prolonging the inevitable, but I don't have all day. I have some paperwork to get done for Jacky to handle over the next day or two while I'm with Carla so I ask, ”What are you doing here? I've been acting CEO for about six months now and I can count on one hand the amount of times you've been in here during that time.”

He looks uneasy as he looks anywhere but at me.

”Rosie was attacked in one of the restrooms at the club last night.”

My eyes widen as I watch my brother stand and begin to pace, back and forth in front of my desk. ”She's alright, Keith got to her just in time to watch her knee him in the b.a.l.l.s. Thank G.o.d. I tried to get her to move into my spare room, but she won't have any of it because I'm her f.u.c.king boss. The pig headed woman.”

At this, I start to chuckle. ”Are you sure your motive was purely honorable.” My brother, unbeknown to him, has a thing for 'little Rosie' and watching them together is entertaining to say the least.

He scowls, ignoring my comment. ”She says she doesn't know the guy, but it's the same guy you saved her from on the dance floor the other night. Keith recognized him. I don't know what the f.u.c.k is going on at my own club and it's p.i.s.sing me off.” Stopping in front of my desk, he looks at me. ”I came here to see if you, Ramon and Lucien can come down to the club and keep a look out, but as though you're there drinking, catching up. Something is going on and I intend to find out just what.”

I nod. ”That's fine, but I don't really want to bring Carla into trouble, she's in enough as it is. I also don't want to leave her at night either.” I need to work something out to help him. ”Leave it with me. I want to help you so we'll see what can be worked out. Are you going to talk to the others?”

”Yeah, I'm heading over there now.” Ruben starts to leave then looks back over his shoulder. ”Thanks Sebastian.”

”Don't say anything to anyone about me and Carla just yet, okay?” I shout after him and see him acknowledge my request with a shake of his hand over his shoulder.

Chapter 23.

Carla ”Okay, now it's just us for probably five minutes I want you to tell me about Sebastian,” Lily insists, patting the cus.h.i.+on beside her as an indication she wants me to sit with her and with the wicked gleam in her eye, she wants more than a few words. ”Carla, I might be pregnant, but that doesn't mean I've lost my woman's intuition...or my eye sight.” She grins at me while smoothing her top over her huge stomach. ”Besides I'm not having s.e.x right now since Michael read online that a man's sperm can start labor.” She rolls her eyes. ”I wouldn't mind labor starting. I look like an elephant and it's d.a.m.n uncomfortable.”

I start laughing, as I collapse into the seat she pats. ”You only have a couple of weeks to your due date right?” Seeing Lily nod, I carry on, ”Twins usually arrive early from what I've heard, so personally I think you're doing really well hanging on to them.”

Lily rests her head back against the cus.h.i.+on before turning to look at me. ”So, Sebastian.”

I feel like squirming where I sit with her looking at me in the all-knowing way. ”What do you want to know?”

She smirks. ”Carla. I want to know everything. He's my brother-in-law and a fine specimen and seeing as though I'm not letting Michael between my legs, I need second hand information and you're the only one here.”

G.o.d, I'm glad I'd already finished my coffee because it probably would have choked me to death with Lily's words.

”I thought you said Michael wouldn't have s.e.x with you.” Are we really having this conversation? Unreal.