Page 117 of Ruthless Ambition
“Anyway, Mr. Diversion Tactic,” Chrissy scolded. “Tell me about the prick who’s threatening our girl.”
Cooper glanced at me as he started on her other leg. His fingers were quick and smooth as he used skillful moves on her legs to bring her comfort.
“Was amateur to start with, flowers, slashed tires, even the lingerie.” Cooper shrugged. “Not much to go on, then he jerked off on her sheets, stood over her bed as she slept, put a knife to her throat, and now he’s messed with Onyx.”
“Ohhh.” Chrissy whistled. “That’s why he’s in Ultra Dick Mode?”
“The creep’s got a hard-on for the vampire,” Cooper told her with a wink. “And you know that Onyx doesn’t like to share.”
“The vampire is right here,” I reminded him. “And seriously, is this what we’re doing, you getting a foot rub while you talk about me as if I’m not here?”
“And there’s the ballbuster we know,” Chrissy said with a smile. “You came in here meek and mild. Stop that right now. So, you’ve got a stalker; do you know how many Jer has? It’s ridiculous. Panties in the mail. We had one damn girl naked on our hotel bed one night when we came back from an event. Fucking herself with a carrot. Acarrot, Angel. Not even a fucking cucumber like a normal person, but a fucking carrot that wasn’t even thick! It was long and skinny! Hell, Jer’s fingers are thicker! Do you have any idea how long it takes to eat a stew after seeing that? He still won’t eat carrots.”
My fingers were pressed to my lips, trying to hold back the smile at her outrage, while Cooper’s shoulders were shaking with laughter. “Then there’s the marriage proposals. Hello, people! I’m hiswife. His actual wife, and they don’t care. They don’t care that he’s married, they don’t care that he’s got kids, they don’t care because they think he’s theirs.” She rolled her eyes. “And the men? Oh, my fucking Lord, do not get me started on the men. They don’t even see the man,myman, they see only the jersey. Ugh, we’ve had death threats when the team’s lost, and everything.”
Cooper turned to me as she took a drink of water. “Hormones make her a little more excitable,” he told me quietly.
“I’m sorry,” I told her, leaning forward. “I know how hard it is for people in the spotlight.” And I did. I had clients with the same problems, the same issues. I wondered how many of them thought the money was worth it.
“But you’re not in the spotlight,” Chrissy said suddenly. “And this shit is not for you to be threatened with,” she told me as she fixed Cooper with a glare. “Why aren’t you fixing it?” she demanded.
“I’ve been trying,” he told her as he continued to work on her legs.
“No, you haven’t,” she scolded. “Because it’s Angel. Well, that shit stops now. Get it fucking done, Coop.”
He laughed out loud and raised her legs from his lap, placing them on the couch gently as he stood. “I’ve been working my ass off, mama, but I should’ve listened to Onyx. He knew there was something wrong with Dallas, and I dismissed it as him being too involved.” He glanced at me and then leaned down to Chrissy. “They started banging again. It’s making him, being objective, slightly awkward.”
Chrissy grinned as she patted his cheek. “I know, babe, they were always going to. All that boardroom rivalry had to spill over somewhere.”
“It’s a really fucked up form of foreplay,” Cooper muttered as he regarded me. “Whatever happened to dinner and a finger bang under the table?”
Chrissy guffawed with laughter as I died of mortification. “Okay, we’re no longer talking about my sex life,” I told them both.
“But you blush so well when they do,” Onyx said as he came up behind me. “Cooper, you and I are leaving. Chrissy, Jer says it’s nap time. You . . .” The way he looked at me made my tummy dip. “Come with me.”
I didn’t look at the others as I followed him upstairs to his room. He crossed to the wall and then uncovered a panel I wouldn’t have noticed. “Panic room,” he told me. “Fingerprint access only.” He held his hand out. “Hand.” I gave him my hand, and he added me to his system. From Onyx, it was better than a bunch of flowers. “You hear anything, you suspect anything, you just want to try it out, you come in here.”
He opened the door, and I looked into the surprisingly comfortable-looking space. “How do I get out?”
He showed me the panel.
“And if I think I need to go in here?” I asked him. “How do I know when to come out?”
“When I come and get you.”
I nodded as I stepped back. “And if you don’t?”
“I’ll be the one to get you,” he assured me.
“You can’t hurt him,” I said suddenly. “He’s a boy — just a young boy.”
“Leave it with me,” he said as he stroked his thumb over my cheek.
“Onyx, you can’t. Your Mayhem isn’t right for this.”
His lips brushed my forehead. “I’ll see you soon. Don’t leave this house.”
He walked quickly from the room, and I knew he hadn’t listened to a word I said. Looking at the wall, I contemplated just going in and closing the door. Instead, I went back downstairs to where Jer was sitting on the couch, his wife’s head in his lap as she slept soundly.
