Reese (16 page)

             
Around two I ventured to the bathroom. After I was finis
hed with my business I stood
with my hands under the faucet
, frowning at my reflection in the mirror over the sink
. I was wasting water,
yet
couldn’t bring myself to leave the little room. But a
hard
knock on the door forced me out…

             
I nearly walked right into Kevin as I opened the door. His hands shot out to steady me and when I glanced up at him I was surprised to find him glaring down at me. “Excuse me.” I muttered, trying to take a step back to break contact with him.
As uneasy as he had made me in the last few hours, I didn’t want to cause trouble. Not when this man could end up as my brother-in-law.

             
“What are you doing?” He demanded.

             
“Well I was using the bathroom.” I raised a brow at him, thinking he was either really slow or drunk. “But I’m finished now if you want to…”

             
His arms around my waist moved to my arms and
he shook me a little. “No, damm
it
!
What the hell are you doing with Kieran? Don’t you have better sense—taste—than that?”

             
I blinked at the
forcefulness
in his tone. “
What business is it of yours?” Did he not approve of me and his brother? Was I not good enough for him or something?

             
“He’s just after the business, you stupid girl. He would never go for someone like you unless there was some kind of incentive behind it.” He shook me again, but I was so surprised by his words that I didn’t even notice. “He’s playing you!”

             
“Get your hands off of me.” I gritted out between clenched teeth. “Now.”

             
He ignored me. “You should be with me. I will take care of the business end of things. I am prepared to deal with it all. Kieran just wants the sports part of the deal. Daventry has no idea what he is getting himself into…Neither do you.”

             
As he continued I began to put some of the pieces together. The reason for Kevin’s—I guess flirting touches would describe it despite the coolness in his eyes and tone all evening. The approval in Greg’s eyes all night as he watched the two of us together…

             
I remembered that before I had run away that everyone assumed I would one day inherit everything. And I did mean
everything
:
All of my grandfather’s business and stock holdings, personal interest ventures…All of it.
When I was sixteen the net worth had bee
n estimated in the ten billions…
Five years later how much could it be worth?

             
Maybe that was still true, although I could have cared less about it all. I was happy with my life the way it was without the money and aggravation that went with it.

             
What if my grandfather had finally ‘found’ me so that he could marry me off..? To Kevin Stone,
the
VP in his legal department at the New York branch? What if he had arranged all of this so that I could meet and get to know the man that he had personal
ly
handpicked to become my husband? A husband that would take over the business when something happened to him…or sooner!

             
My heart started racing so fast that it hurt my chest.

             
But that didn’t explain what Kevin was rambling about…What did Kieran have to do with all of this?
             
He shook me again, this time harder. His fingers were so tight around my upper arms that I knew I was going to be bruised. I had had enough! I pushed him back so hard that he crashed against the wall behind him. He looked surprised, dazed that I was able to handle him like that. Before he could say a word I slapped him across the face so hard that my hand ached.

             
I wanted to cradle it against my stomach, but refused to show that kind of weakness in front of the man who had wanted to use me to gain a multi-billion dollar corporation. “Stay the hell away from me!”

             
His da
ze lasted only a moment longer before
he followed me down the hall toward the rest of the party. Before I had reached the main room where everyone else was having a good time he grabbed m
y wrist
and swung me around to face him. “Don’t walk away from me!”

             
I glared down at the hand hurting my arm. “Let go of me.”

             
“Not until you listen to me.” He was irate now, and I could smell whisky on his breath. Yes, definitely drunk. But I was used to dealing with drunks. Oh, how I wished I had my baton strapped to my thigh right then
!
I would have laid this guy out flat in no time, Kieran’s brother or not.

             
When he took a step closer I lost it. “Let go of me!” I yell
ed
at him. “Let go of me! LET GO OF ME!”
The last was nearly a shriek, but the music in the next room was loud
;
the laughter even more so.
             
“The lady said to let go of her, dude.” Jake! I breathed a little easier knowing that he was right behind me. But I didn’t turn to face him. No way was I turning my back on Kevin again.

             
Kevin’s hold only tightened and I
fl
inched. “Stay out of this.” He barked at Jake. “This has nothing to do with you.”

             
“What the hell is going on?!” Kieran’s hand wrapped around my other arm and I wanted to fall against his chest. “Get your fucking hands off of her!” Kevin’s
grip loosened ever so slightly, just enough for Kieran to pull
me away
before
push
ing
me into Jake’s arms.

             
“You think you have
won
little brother
, b
ut she knows the truth now. You won’t get your hands on any of it.” Kevin’s grin was menacing. “Too bad for you.”

             
“You’re drunk.” Kieran shoved at his brother’s chest, making hi
m
take a wobbly step back. “I’m going to forget about this, Kev because of that one little fact. But you ever touch her again and I promise you will regret it.”

             
“I’m not scared of you, Kier.” Kevin assured him. “I kicked your ass all your life. Not going to be any different now that you’re a big shot MMA superstar.”

             
I was beginning to shake with suppressed reaction. Kevin had disturbed me more than I had thought. His hands on me the way they had been, hurting and rough
,
brought back so many unpleasant memories. I had
thought that Kieran had cured me of those
unpleasant
feelings, but I was wrong. Jake felt me trembling and pulled me closer. “Okay?” He murmured so that only I could hear.

             
I shook my head. “Not really.”
I wanted to cry, to scream…I just wanted to go home!

             
“You won’t get to take over Daventry’s sports interests.”
Kevin was saying now. “He want’s someone who will take over the business. Someone who will be good for the company. Not some tattooed, over muscled brute that beats people up for a living.”

             
I thought—hoped—that Kieran wouldn’t know what his brother was talking about. But all of those hopes
vanished
with his next words. “Oh, so he thinks that a tight ass like you will be good for his granddaughter?
The company comes before the feelings of Reese? Doesn’t he realize that all you will do is screw your secretary and break her heart?”

             
Kevin turned pink with embarrassment and rage, but didn’t speak and his brother continued. “But that’s just it, isn’t it? He has you so far in his grasp that he probably already has some guy line
d
up as your secretary. You are set and ready to take over, all you need is Reese. Well you aren’t getting her. She’s mine!” He took a threatening step toward Kevin, as if he was ready to take a swing at his brother.

             
“Stop it!” I cried. “Just stop it.”

             
Kieran turned to face
me
. “Reese...” He reached for me but I stepped back, away from Jake and the man I thought had loved me.

             
“What’s he talking about Kieran?” I demanded. “What does he mean about the sports thing?”

             
I saw guilt cross his face before he could hide it. “It’s nothing. Just Kevin’s drunken rant. Come on baby, I’ll take you home.”

             
“Don’t you dare lie to me!” I glared at him. My heart was pounding, hoping that he wasn’t about to break
it into a million little pieces
. “I get his reasons. I’m so mad at him and
Greg right now that I think I will do physical harm to that old man when I see him. But I want to know what he is talking about when it comes down to you and sport
s
interests…Is that why you’re with me, Kieran? Do you want what comes
with
me? Daventry money?”

             
“No!” He took a step toward me, but when I took two steps back he stopped and raked a hand through his hair.
“I love you, Reese. Daventry money has never been a part of any reason for the way I feel about you.” But there was
guilt that remained
in his steel gray eyes.

             
“So why is your brother saying otherwise?”

             
“Because he told me about what Greg had planned!” He exploded. “He told me all about it. I knew it was part of the reason that the old man wanted to contact you. Daventry had a heart attack three months ago. Now that he’s faced with his own mortality he wants to put all of his ducks in a row and make sure that you don’t marry some guy that will take over the business and run it into the ground.” He sent a glare in his brother’s direction. “He thought that Kevin was the perfect candidate
:
He is a lawyer that knows the business inside and out from a legal stand point. He
is reasonable attractive and young enough to suit you. Of course he also has to deal with Kevin’s cravings for
blonds
and his cold attitude when he doesn’t get his own way.”

             
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I whispered the words, but he heard me.

             
“Because I knew from that first bike ride that you were mine
, sweetheart
.
Kevin never stood a chance. And I knew that it would hurt you to know that your grandfather had this
premeditated
…I didn’t tell you because I was scared that you would think the same fucking thing that he is thinking.” He held out a hand, silently pleading for me to take it, to believe him. “I just want you, Reese.
N
ow and forever.”

             
His words warmed me…And then his brother snorted. “You and controlling interest in half the biggest MMA-“

             
He didn’t say another word because Kieran turned
quicker than I could blink
and punched him in the face. “Shut up, Kevin!”

             
I couldn’t deal with all of this right now. It was just too much for me. I turned and walked away from them. Without a word to anyone I
weaved
through the crowded penthouse. Afraid I really would go off on Greg Daventry if I saw him I kept my eyes on the front door. A few people called out my name. Mel tried to get my attention out of the corner of my eye, but I couldn’t handle talking to anyone just then, Mel included.

             
I have never had a hangover before. Odd, as I have worked in a bar all my adult life, but true nonetheless. Yet, I was sure that the way I was feeling was far worse than any hangover.

             
I moaned as I rested my head against the cool
porcelain
of my toilet.
It felt cool and soothing against my aching head.
For the last hour I had done nothing but empty everything that I had managed to eat the day before. It hadn’t been much, as I had been feeling nauseas even then. Now I was on the point of dry heaves and all I wanted to do was cry from the misery of it all.

             
I couldn’t remember ever feeling so sick. Stomach flu just wasn’t something I had a lot of experience with.

             
My cellphone buzzed with an incoming text from the sink where I had tossed it on my mad dash to the bathroom. I didn’t even try to muster the energy to reach for it. Besides I was pretty sure I knew who it was.