Sweet Obsession (Men of Whiskey Row Book 1) (15 page)

“I think that I’m having the best time that I’ve had in a long time, so I won’t worry about them and neither should you. I know it’s short notice, but after we get married, I’d like for us to go away for a week. Can you spare a little time off from work? I want to take you to my hometown if you can, okay?” he asked in a low undertone before giving her a kiss on the side of her forehead. Jack pretended not to notice the way his brothers smirked at him and wondered if Noelle thought he was a creeper because he couldn’t stop touching her. Although she always looked great to him, tonight she was glowing, and the men in attendance were definitely taking notice. Several times tonight he’d stared down every man attempting to catch her gaze, ready to beat the shit out of them on a moment’s notice. Subconsciously he pulled her impossibly closer.

Noelle smiled and nodded her head in agreement to his suggestion. Being in Jack’s arms, enclosed by his strength and the masculine scent of his cologne, was nothing short of heaven to her and she would have agreed to anything. Not to mention, that he recognized that she was a business owner and as such respected that enough to be considerate enough to ask, not demand, anything of her. At the end of the night everyone received a lantern to write a message on. Noelle quickly wrote her message and noticed Jack appeared to be deep in thought before finally writing on his lantern. Then hand in hand, they went to stand with everyone else and released their lanterns into the sky.

***

Saturday morning Jack was in his master bath contemplating shaving. Last night when they walked the ladies to their cars, he’d pulled Noelle close, nuzzling her neck and breathing her scent in. She’d laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, at first complaining that his shadow was scratchy. She then sighed and ran her fingers through the longer hair at his nape causing bolts of desire to run up and down his spine.

“You don’t like it? It’ll be gone tomorrow,” he promised, dropping a kiss on her nose. Noelle’s eyes were filled with lust, as her fingers lightly scratched his scalp. Jack looked down her top to see her amazing breasts cupped by some frilly bra that was the same color as her skin tone. His hands itched to pull the front of her top down and bury his face in her cleavage. “I don’t believe I mentioned how beautiful you look.” He leaned close to her ear, licking her lobe sensuously and whispered huskily, “You’re wearing the hell out of this outfit.”

“Well thank you; and on the contrary, I find this look to be quite sexy on you,” she said breathless at the hungry look in his eyes that was making her nipples ache to be suckled by his warm, wet mouth. Noelle licked her lips as his heavy-lidded gaze fell to her chest.

“I aim to please, ma’am,” he growled, leaning forward to trail soft kisses along her jaw, causing her fingers to grip his hair more aggressively. Jack felt his eyes roll back in his head with pleasure. Christ, she had him so whipped; it was scary and didn’t his brothers just know it…

“Shit Jackie, did you just purr like a cat?” Casey asked incredulously before he and Darby started cracking up.

“Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit! Our big bro’s got it bad, huh, Case?” Darby teased mercilessly, laughing even harder as Jack turned red and gave him the finger.

Noelle tried to stifle a pleased smirk at the slow flush creeping up his cheeks. “I think I’ll say goodnight now.” He watched as she walked to the car her hips swinging enticingly, silently calling his name. Jack shoved his fists in his pocket and willed himself not to follow her home.

Casey came in and sat down on his bed, and Jack shook his head at his brother’s perfect appearance. Even as a child Casey, could never look rumpled. He always looked as if he were airbrushed. Only Jack and Darby knew the turmoil his looks caused him. He was bullied first by their prick father who did it in public which kids picked up on. No one dared do it while his brothers were around; but when he was by himself, the other kids teased him cruelly.

It wasn’t until Casey was in the seventh grade and shattered a senior named Grady Calhoun’s jaw that people stopped fucking with him. Jack could stop conversation with a look. Darby’s size was his weapon. But Casey had a rage that few people could comprehend. It was born from feeling helpless against a parent that loathed him and abandoned by the other that he loved more than life itself.

“You’re up early. Somethin’, or should I say someone, on your mind?” Jack asked with a small smile meeting his brother’s stormy eyes in the mirror as he plugged in his electric razor.

Casey snorted. “Hell no. I’m just a light sleeper.” He paused and looked down at his clenched hands.

Wait for it...
Jack said to himself.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five…

“What’s her deal anyway? I’ve only had two conversations with her, and most of it was just helpful advice on how she could improve her job performance,” Casey burst out with a scowl. Although he didn’t like the attention his looks brought him, the fact that someone from the opposite sex had been immune enough that she’d told him in no uncertain terms how he could exactly kiss her ass was baffling to him. From the minute he’d laid eyes on the dark-skinned beauty, he knew she was trouble. Her lips were just a little too pouty; eyes sparkling a little too brightly.

Casey’s meeting was just getting underway when she’d strutted, not walked into the conference room like she owned the damn place. His dick sprung to life so fast at the sight of her that he’d had to place the presentation papers he was holding in front of his pants. With a deep scowl on his face, he noticed how every man, young and old, in the conference room followed the high roundness of her ass that was covered in a form-fitting black pencil skirt.

She settled into a chair closest to where he was standing and pulled out a notebook. Casey continued to talk, but was acutely aware of the beautiful woman whose crisp, short-sleeved, white button-down shirt strained a little against her breasts. And although her hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail, nothing detracted from the subtle blue and purple streaks running through it, which seemed to bring out the richness of her chocolate complexion. He watched from the corner of his eye as she appeared to be looking for something.

Then Dante Johnson, the firm’s resident player, leaned in and handed her a pen; and she smiled gorgeously, murmuring thank you in a seductive voice that shot straight to Casey’s balls. No woman had ever caused a reaction so visceral in him; and the fact that Johnson had a smile on his face like he was going to get a piece of her as he winked and mouthed “no problem” shot the usually cool and collected lawyer straight off the deep end.

“Could the two of you flirt on your own time? There are others in here that are taking this meeting seriously and would appreciate not being distracted by idle chitchat. Miss, I suggest you come prepared to my meetings or don’t come at all.”

The minute he finished his rant, Casey regretted the harsh words. You could hear a pin drop in the conference room. Johnson flushed deeply and quickly mumbled an apology, backing away from her as if she were now contagious. Casey watched the beautiful, young mystery woman push her chair back and slowly stand to her feet and gather her things, her gaze never leaving his. Although her outward expression was serene, her eyes promised him a fiery death. All eyes were on her again as she strutted back towards the door. He opened his mouth to say he was sorry, but the words wouldn’t come.

“It’s not your place to tell her how to do her job. She doesn’t work for you, she works for the firm and was there to take important notes for Vivienne. If Vivi knew how you’d spoken to Sidra, she’d rip you a new one. She fucking adores her witty personality.” Jack taunted him knowing how badly it would get under Casey’s skin. Although she was his business partner, Vivienne Romankov was also a mother figure to the brothers, stepping in immediately to help raise them alongside Ian when their dear friend Moira was murdered.

“Vivienne adores Sidra? You’re fucking kidding me right? What’s there to adore about her? Pit bulls with menstrual cramps are nicer than she is!” Casey stated derisively.

Jack frowned as he finished lining his jaw. “That’s enough, Case. Not only is Sidra an excellent employee, she also happens to be Noelle’s very good friend. Just keep your distance if you can’t get along. The last thing I need is for Noelle to think that any group events we have will be stress-filled and get cold feet about marrying me,” he said warningly to his brother.

There was a short silence before Casey changed the subject. “I was thinking about going to see Dr. Klaus when I get back to D.C.”

Their parent’s tumultuous marriage, the pain of losing their mother, and rage towards Patrick Sullivan had left the boys barely able to function. It was Vivienne that introduced them to Dr. Laura Klaus. She explained that after their mother died, she had so many unresolved feelings bottled up inside, that she thought she’d go mad if she didn’t work them out. Since they were feeling the same way, they agreed to go with her. The first five sessions were brutal and heart-wrenching; but after that, each visit got just a little bit easier.

Dr. Klaus was patient, firm, and blunt as hell. She knew that Jack blamed himself for being the eldest and not being able to take care of their mother; that Darby harbored resentment because Jack hadn’t allowed him to back into the house to protect their mother; and how helpless Casey felt being the smallest and the target of their father’s abuse.

Dr. Klaus knew all of that; but she also told them that in the end, they were kids who’d been severely let down by parents who failed them. Darby, blinded with fury, had punched a hole in the wall and needed to be sedated when she said that Moira Sullivan should have left Patrick a long time ago, especially for their safety. She had friends who would’ve helped her; but all Jack could think was that he’d let all of them down, which pushed him to try harder to make everything perfect for his loved ones.

“Something wrong, lil bro? You can tell me,” Jack said, watching his brother closely. Already he was thinking of how he could rearrange his schedule to support his brother. Casey shrugged his shoulders while he struggled with his words. Finally, he spoke. “There’s this case I’m working on…it feels too much like our childhood. I feel like I should excuse myself from it because it’s getting
too
personal for me. But if I don’t do everything in my power to put him away, he
will
kill her, Jack. It’s only a matter of when, if he doesn’t go to jail. The signs are all there.”

“
Christ!
Case, you’re a damn good attorney. If anyone can put the bastard away, it’s you. But I don’t want you going all vigilante on me by taking matters into your own hands.
Let’s put a detail on her. I’m sure Darby wouldn’t mind,” Jack suggested.

“Darby wouldn’t mind what?” their middle brother asked suspiciously from the bedroom doorway before stumbling in and flopping on Jack’s bed. “Please tell me what you’re setting me up for now? You boys must think I sit around all day just scratchin’ my ass waitin’ by the phone for your calls.”

“I don’t think you just scratch your ass all day, D. I’m sure you’re a little more productive and manage to get your balls too,” Casey deadpanned as Jack laughed.

Darby gave them the finger and said slyly, “I’ll tell you who’s got a set of balls— the beautiful Ms. Barton, that’s who,” he smirked. “I could listen to that woman rip you a new one all day, and look fine as hell doing it.”

Casey narrowed his eyes at him. “You done? If not, maybe I should just call Ms. Avery over here to shut you up. Good lord, did you get a look at them curves though…” he said giving a long wolf whistle. “Now that’s an hour glass with more than a few extra minutes!”

Darby sat up and punched Casey’s arm twice, causing Casey to wince before punching him back. Before they could take it further, Jack intervened.

“Y’all are too much for me on an empty stomach. Let’s go get some breakfast. We’ve been invited out again tonight. Avery said they’re going to some club tonight.”

Darby looked up at Jack with speculation in his eyes. “I’ve been thinking about somethin’ since you told me you were gonna get married. How’d you propose to Noelle? Was it a grand gesture of undying love?”

Jack stiffened, surveying his brother coolly. “As a matter of fact, it was.”

“Yeah…bout that,” Darby drawled, watching his older brother like a hawk. “I wasn’t even aware the two of y’all were seein’ each other.” His eyes lit up at seeing the tick in Jack’s jaw, which indicated he was annoyed with the conversation. “I mean, you never even mentioned her at all like you did with Vaughn or the other chicks you were rumored to be hooking up with.”