Private Release (6 page)

Moving as fast as she could Adele got out of bed and mobile when the phone started ringing again.

Fuck.

Adele picked it up off the charger. “Hello?”

“Thank God!” Brianna said. “I’ve been worried sick!”

“What’re you talking about?”

“I told you to call me when you got home and you didn’t.”

Adele rolled her eyes. “I didn’t think you wanted me to call at two in the morning and wake the kids.”

“Two? What were you doing?”

Heat flooded her cheeks as Adele recalled what Jared and she had been up to. Good thing she wasn’t Skyping, or Brianna would be questioning her about the blush she was sure was covering her body.

“I’ve been calling every ten minutes for the last three hours.” There was accusation in Brianna’s voice.

“You lie.”

“Okay, so I texted you a few times, but I was still worried.”

“Chill, Bri. I was sleeping. Look, I have to go. I’m running late.”

“Don’t hang—”

Adele hung up the phone. She loved her sister dearly, but jeepers. She was obsessive when it came to checking up on her. Adele was disabled, not helpless for fuck’s sake.

The phone rang again. Adele growled and answered it. “Damn it. I have to pee, leave me alone.”

“Pardon?” The gruff male voice on the other end said.

Adele cursed under her breath. She would have recognized Jared’s scary bodyguard’s voice anywhere.

“Never mind, I thought you were someone else.”

There was silence, painful silence. “You often discuss urination with others?”

“No. Look, don’t worry about it. How can I help you?”

“Mr. Stevens will be sending around a limo to escort you to work today.”

“Really, that’s fine. I don’t need it.”

“Mr. Steven insists. The limo is on its way. Please be downstairs in ten minutes.”

The other end went dead and Adele hung up.

Dammit.
There was no way she could shower, dress and eat in ten minutes.

Well, since they sprung this ride on her she was going to make them wait. It wasn’t as if her car was broken or anything. Sure it wasn’t the coolest ride, but the engine worked and she owned it outright.

They could wait.

* * * * *

Jared’s leg would not keep still. If he were anywhere but crammed inside his limo he’d be pacing. At the moment he felt like a caged animal.

Aren’t I?

He snorted and stilled his leg.

What the hell is taking her so long?

Didn’t Étienne call her and tell her he was on his way and that she should be ready for him?

He’d spent the remainder of last night tossing and turning. He couldn’t get Adele off his mind. She occupied his thoughts, even more so than before when she’d just been a fragment of a dream. Now, she was a reality and he was becoming obsessed. Adele’s scent still clung to the fibers of his sheets. For hours her scent, the intoxicating aroma of her arousal, teased him.

Even just recalling it now caused the blood to rush through his veins, straight to his groin. He clenched his fists, trying to fight off the urge to start clawing up the leather interior of the limo.

Jared glanced at his watch again. She was thirty minutes late.

Fuck. That.

He got out of the limo, slamming the door behind him. The driver, a young
Mukswa
male who had not yet shifted, jumped out of the passenger seat.

“Chief Jared.”

“Stay here,” Jared snarled. The young man nodded and stayed where he was.

As Jared entered the building an old lady was walking out. He held the door for her and slipped in. It solved his problem of getting into the building, but also made him uneasy about the lax security.

Adele had to come live with him. She wasn’t safe here. He crowded himself into an elevator with a couple other residents and one strange, rail-thin man wearing dark sunglasses. Jared didn’t like the look of him. Something was off about the man.

When the elevator stopped on Adele’s floor the weird dude got off as well. Jared walked behind the man, keeping his distance, waiting to see where he went. The man opened the door next to Adele’s apartment.

Jared didn’t like that weirdo was so close to Adele.

Chill. It’s probably nothing.

So she lives next to a weird guy. So what? He shouldn’t be judging a book by its cover. Étienne had people wary of him because of his scars. Even Adele was a bit stand-offish and Étienne was a model citizen as far as Jared was concerned, which didn’t mean much.

Jared’s father never placed too much stock in who Jared associated with.

Shaking thoughts of his father from his mind, he pounded on Adele’s door and waited for her to answer.

Which she didn’t in what he felt like was an acceptable amount of time. So he pounded on the door again. Harder.

There was shuffling movement on the other side before the door opened. Adele’s eyes widened when she saw him.

“Mr. Stevens.”

“Jared.”

Her cheeks flushed. “I didn’t think you’d be coming for me personally.”

“So you did get the call.” He pushed past her into her small apartment. The ceiling was too low for his liking and there wasn’t enough sun. He liked the sun, especially in the bitter cold winters.

“I did, but ten minutes is not an appropriate amount of time.”

Jared spun around. “It is if you’re up.”

“I slept in. I was a bit…busy last night.” The flush was in her cheeks again.

Even though he was still edgy about waiting for her and the fact that he hated her apartment building and freaky guys on her floor, he couldn’t help but smile. Jared liked the color of her blush, the peachy tinge to her copper skin suited her. It made him want her all the more, to the point where all he could think about was pinning her against the nearest wall and driving his cock into her slick heat.

So no, he couldn’t fault her on oversleeping. He was tired too, but his desire to see her, to be near her overruled every other rational sense in his body. Her exhaustion from the previous night’s amorous activities was an allowable offense for being tardy.

“I apologize,” he said. “I should’ve given you more time.”

Adele visibly relaxed. “No. It’s my fault. I’m the one who’s late.”

“And I’m the reason you’re late.” He took a step toward her and brushed a wisp of her silky black hair from her face. He rubbed his thumb over her high cheekbone and fought the urge to press his lips against hers.

“I think…I’m ready to go.” Adele turned away, heading toward the door.

Jared groaned inwardly. He was addicted to her, he needed her by his side twenty-four hours. The time he’d spent waiting for in the limo, when she was late had been maddening, distracting. With all his clan was going through, he couldn’t have distractions. He was resolved. Adele had to move in with him.

“Of course. Where’s your bag?”

She cocked an eyebrow. “My-my bag?”

“You’re coming to live with me.”

“We—no, you—you talked about it once. I never agreed.”“I need my employees under my roof. I will accept no other answer. You will move in with me.”

“Then…as much as I need this job—”

“No. You signed a contract when you accepted this job, Ms. Banks. My company’s finances are private. I will not hire anyone else. If I have to raise your fee to get you to move in with me, so be it. I need access to you whenever I want.”

Adele blushed again. “You-you need access to me?”

“That came out wrong.” He grinned and took a step forward. “Or maybe it didn’t.”

“Just keep your distance.” Adele rolled her eyes and then let out an exasperated sigh, her gaze roving wildly around her apartment. “Fine. I will come. If you stop nagging at me.”

He knew he was grinning in self-satisfaction, because he felt like preening like a peacock. “Excellent.”

“I went by your apartment on a Sunday and you weren’t there. Where are you?”

Damn.

Adele forgot to tell Brianna that she moved in with her employer two days ago, because her new boss was a hardheaded nitwit. She packed up and moved in with Jared but, as he promised before, she was given her own bedroom. His sister’s old bedroom, which had its own bathroom, was quite comfortable and right across the hall from him.

He’d kept his distance, but at night when she was alone Jared invaded her thoughts and her dreams.

“Hello?”

“Sorry,” Adele said. She set down the spreadsheet was holding. “I’m a bit distracted.”

“I can tell.” Brianna was silent for a few moments. “So where are you?”

“Working.”

“On a Sunday?”

“I don’t work a nine to five, Bri.”

“I don’t like the idea of you driving around late at night.”

Adele sighed. “I’m not driving. I’m living here.”

“Where is here?”

“My client’s place.” Adele braced herself.

“What? Are you kidding me?”

“Brianna, take a chill pill. I’m an adult.”

“I’m just worried.” Now it was Brianna’s turn to sigh. “Have you been watching the news lately?”

“No. I haven’t. Why?”

“Vernon Jeffries escaped.”

The blood drained from her face and the room began to spin. “What do mean escaped?”

“I mean he escaped from Stony Mountain Institution. They were taking him in for pretrial. He assaulted the correctional officers and fled. He, like, bit the guy or something.”

Bit?
She found that hard to believe, but she wouldn’t put anything past that scumbag. Adele’s pulse raced. Vernon was the biggest mafia guy in Manitoba. She had been investigation his money-laundering front, she got too close and he shot her. He was the reason her career ended.

Of course, it was just her career. Vernon had tried to end her life.

“Do they have any idea where he might be?” she asked, finally finding her voice.

“The border, so North Dakota.”

Well. At least he wasn’t trying to find her.

“I hope they catch him,” Adele said, and she meant it.

“Don’t you think it’s for the best if she came here with me? I can watch out for you.”

“Brianna, I know you mean well. Chances are Vernon Jeffries is not coming after me and if he was you’d be putting your kids at risk.”

“I just want you safe.”

“I am.” Adele turned as Jared and Étienne entered the suite. Her breath caught in her throat. Jared had been so scarce since she moved in, as if he was forcing himself to give her her space. Étienne followed him, as if he was some kind of personal shield, and the two were bent over a file folder. Jared was dressed in tailored slacks and a dark-blue dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up to his elbow. It suited his strawberry-blond hair. He was so handsome.

“Adele, are you there?”

“Sorry, Bri. I have to go. I’m working now. Just know that I’m okay.”

“Okay. Call me when you get a chance.” Brianna’s voice was tense, worried.

“I will. Bye.” Adele ended the call and set down her phone. She glanced over at Jared again. He gazed up at her and then smiled. Warmth spread through her body just thinking about him, naked and at her mercy.

If only she were more mobile and owned a set of handcuffs still.

Adele looked away and back at her work. The numbers just blurred on the page to be replaced by flashes of Jared kissing her body, sucking her nipples. Blood burned hot in her cheeks and she wished to God Étienne would just bugger off so she could tear those tailored slacks off Jared.

Get a grip. He’s your boss.

There were some heavy footfalls across the floor. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Étienne left the apartment. When the doors to the elevator snapped shut she heard Jared move toward her. Then he was behind her, leaning over her.

“How’s it going?”

“Good.” Adele cleared her throat. “Everything is good.”

“Who was on the phone?” He sat down on the edge of the desk beside her.

“That’s kind of personal.”

A smile flirted across his lips. “Unless it’s about my case, then no I don’t think it’s personal.”

“It wasn’t about your case.”

“Then who was it?”

“My you’re full of questions.”

He chuckled. “I’m nosey. At least my sister always said I was.”

Adele smiled. “It was my sister if you must know.”

He cocked his eyebrows. “You have a sister?”

“I do and she’s quite overprotective.”

“Do tell.”

What the heck was she going to tell him? He knew she was injured in the line of duty, he saw her naked and he saw the scars.