Blitz (Emerald City/Black Family Saga Book 1) (17 page)

I press the doorbell and clasp my hands in front of me. After several moments there is no answer, so I rap on the door, ensuring my knock is loud and pronounced.

I hear footsteps a few seconds later.

The door opens and my first instinct is to turn around and give up. I was hoping to be met by an older woman or maybe even a man, a long-term football fan—they’re easier to charm. But instead, on the other side of the threshold, stands the guy from last night. Jake. His longish blond hair is frazzled, falling in all different directions. He wears a ribbed white tank top and holds a bottle of beer in one hand and cell phone in the other.
 

“I need to speak with Mariah Carlson,” I say.

“Thanks,” he mutters into the phone, then hangs up.
 

He shoves the phone into the back pocket of his torn jeans and takes a swig of his beer.
 

“Kind of early, isn’t it?” I should keep my mouth closed, but he’s already pissing me off. I peer past him into the house.
 

Jake steps out onto the porch and shuts the door.
 

“Is she here?” I ask.

“There’s no one here by that name.”

I scoff. “I know for a fact there is. Jake is it? Look, I just need to talk to her. I’d tell you about what, but I don’t really see how that’s your business.”

He smirks and tips his bottle again. “Names, Jeremy. Now I’m going to ask nicely. Leave.”

“That’s nicely?” I clench my teeth, glaring back at the guy.
 

My sister is in there. I know it. So why does he feel the need to hide it?
 

“Look,” I say. “I know Mariah’s here. I was told she lives here and I really need to speak with her.”

He closes his arms over his chest, takes another step forward and narrows his eyes.
 

I almost want to laugh, but I doubt it will help, so I just keep peering back. Expression neutral. He’s about a head shorter than me and probably fifty pounds lighter. If it comes down to it, I can take him. Fighting isn’t my first option. Last night I’d only been defending myself. In fact, picking a fight is usually last thing I’d ever do. Playing a contact sport for a living eases the desire to take it off the field, but this guy is really starting to piss me off.

I open my mouth to tell him as much, but he steps back, reaching for the doorknob.

“Jake or Jeremy, whoever you are, this is important. I wouldn’t be here if you it weren’t.” I say, hoping to stall him.

I tilt my face forward, hoping to spark some kind of recognition, but all I get is another scowl.

“You’re that blogger aren’t you?”

“No. Please,” I say. “I just want to talk to her. I’m—”

“I thought I made it clear over the phone. Mariah’s not interested in talking to anyone about anything. Not now, not ever. Now get off my property before I call the police.”

“Wait,” I call. But the door slams in my face.
 

Anger brews away inside my chest, as I march down the gravel driveway, threatening to bubble over. I can’t blame him for acting the way he does. Being protective. But he doesn’t know the truth. He doesn’t know who I am. He doesn’t know that’s my job. That I’m the one who she’s supposed to count on. I’m the one who’s supposed to protect her. Not them.
 

Or maybe he knows exactly who I am, I think, as I settle back into the driver’s seat. Maybe my sister really is done with me.

I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror. I really am glowing, I decide. There really is such a thing as the Morning After Glow. Reese and Ronnie used to go on about it for days. A look you only got after great sex. I always thought they were idiots, but there isn’t enough makeup in the world to make me look this good. We didn’t quite get that far, but as I trail my finger over the beard burn just beneath my lower lip, I realize we probably could have. Now that I think of it, most guys would have. But Ray Carlson clearly isn’t most guys.
 

I close my eyes trying to recall the softness of his lips, the tender way his fingers travelled across every area of my body—except for the obvious ones—and still made me quiver. The first kiss was impulsive and a little bit fuzzy if I’m being honest. The second was unexpected and ended humiliation for us both. The third barely moved up the scale from there. But drowning in the fourth, fifth and the hundredth all in the same night is something I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to describe.
 

Staring at myself in the mirror again I fluff my hair and offer my reflection a wink. Turning on my heel I head out the door. Ray should be back soon and I have no idea what this day holds.
 

When I get back…

It was both obscure and obvious. Does he really intend to keep me in that bed, kissing me all day long until I fall asleep, wake up and do it all over again? I didn’t want to assume so I took a shower and made the bed. Now I stand here in the living room pacing, nervously.
 

I pick up my phone from the table beside the sofa to find several missed calls.
 

Uncle Bobby.
 

I dial him back right away, pacing as the phone rings out. His voicemail picks up, so I hang up and dial right back. Still no answer. So, I send him a quick text message asking him to call me.

All of a sudden I’m queasy. I hold the phone in front of me, unsure of what move to make next. It’s about Reese. It has to be. My family’s been calling me like crazy while I’ve been…

What have I done? My skin heats up and I lower myself into the sofa.
 

I just had an intense make out session with Ray Carlson. Reese leaves me to my own devices for a few weeks and I blow it all to hell.
 

“Oh, my God. Sydney, you idiot.” I bury my face in my hands. “He’s a client. A fucking client. You don’t mess around with clients.”

I can imagine Reese’s reaction. One of the first things I’d been curious about was how she worked so closely with so many hot guys and didn’t date any of them.
 

Never get involved with a client, she’d said. It’s the one rule I had and I should have stuck to it.
 

Especially after everything that happened with her and her ex-fiancé. Once upon a time, Neil was a client too. And falling for him meant losing a lot of money. At the time, it was worth. For…love or whatever. But now? Now she’s in a hospital bed about to lose everything all because of one night spent trying to forget how he humiliated her.

Shit. What is wrong with me? I can’t believe I almost slept with a guy because he showed me a little bit of interest. Okay, so he’s insanely hot too, but so what? This is an epic blunder. And all I feel like doing is punishing myself.

This complicates everything. What if he doesn’t sign the contract, like he promised? What if getting me in bed was his way to make me do his bidding…for free?

Way to break through the glass ceiling, Syd.

I’m disgusting. My skin is crawling and my insides swirling.
 

But instead of falling apart, I bolt up from the chair and let out a sharp sigh. I won’t back down. So we had a little bit of fun. It didn’t have to mean anything. We’re adults and we have a deal. I find his sister, which I already have, and he signs the contract.
 

I unzip the side of my bag and pull out the paper. When I decided to bring it with me yesterday it had been a security measure and I’m so relieved. It’s the one impulsive thing I’ve done in the past twenty-four hours I won’t regret.
 

My phone chimes and I jump as Ray’s number flashes across the screen. I drop the phone on the sofa next to me. How am I going to explain to him that what we just did, we can never do again? How is he going to react? Can I just cut him off and still get him to take me seriously? To sign that damn contract.
 

It starts to ring now and I reach for it, ready to give him some lame excuse about having to head back to town. I need to get out of here. Coming here with him was a bad idea.
 

But my heart nearly burst when I see the number flashing on the screen.

I jump up. “Uncle Bobby?” My mouth is instantly dry and my head begins to spin. “I—I’m sorry. I’m out of town and I tried to call but—what’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

“You’re not going to believe it,” he says. “She’s awake. Reese is awake.”

I nearly drop the phone as my knees go weak and I fall back into the chair. “Oh, my God. I thought…she’s awake? She’s okay? When?”

“Last night. The first person she asked for besides that Tony fella was you,” he laughs. “Her doctor is running some tests, but when can you get here?”

“Uh…I—right now. I’m on my way.”

“Wait, didn’t you say you’re out of town?”

“It’s fine. I’ll leave right now. I’ll be there soon. I promise.”

“Good, and Syd, please tell me you managed to sign that kid. She sure could use some good news right now.”

“I did,” I say. “I did.” I swipe the tears from my cheeks. “I mean, I will. I’ve been working on Ray Carlson all week and I’ve got him eating out of the palm of my hand, Uncle Bobby. We’re as good as gold. Oh, my God,” I sniff. “I can’t believe she’s up.”
 

“Atta girl. Now get your ass over here would you? Time to celebrate.”
 

I hang up the phone and squeal. “Oh, thank God,” I mutter. “Finally.”

“Hey.”

I whirl around to see Ray. He’s leaning against the threshold a bag of groceries in his hand.
 

“Ray,” I smile. “I—hi…it’s—Reese is awake.”

“That’s great,” he smiles back but I can tell it’s forced.
 

“I didn’t see you there.”

“Clearly.”

“I…I have to go. I mean she woke up last night and my uncle says she’s been asking for me.”

“Cool,” he says, shutting the door behind him. “I understand.” He rests the groceries on the table.
 

“I’m sorry,” I say. “To just leave like this. I know you have stuff going on with your sister and I wouldn’t bail if—”

“Are you kidding? You’ve got family stuff too. I get it.”

“Good,” I say.

“What’s that?” His gaze falls to the paper in my hand.

“It’s…” I close my eyes and sigh. I can’t do this. Not right now. It looks bad. But does it matter? Reese is awake. And all I want to do is tell her everything’s going to be okay.

“Here,” Ray says, holding out his hand. “A deal’s a deal right?”

“Um…”

“It’s okay. We had an agreement, Sydney. You find Mariah. I sign your contract. Time for me to pay up.”

I pass the paper to him and he takes it. Part of me wants him to take me. Lead me back up the stairs and finish what we started, but I know I don’t have the right to ask for that now. Because of so much more than Reese and my hurry to get back to Seattle. Ray and I need to maintain a healthy client-agent’s assistant relationship. And letting him take me that way, no matter how incredible I know it will be, cannot happen.
 

He scratches his name on the paper and hands it back to me. His hand grazes mine when he does and I have to force myself not to grab him and kiss him.

I’ve crossed a line and it’s doubtful I’ll be able to go back. But I have to try.
 

“Thank you,” I say quietly.

“My pleasure.”

I tuck the contract back in my bag and loop it over my shoulder. “Well, I should…”

He nods, then frowns. “How are you getting back?”

“Um, well.” I glance around. “There must be a bus station or something around. Do you mind dropping me off?”

Ray digs his hand in his pocket. “I’ll do you one better.”

“What about you?” I ask as he dangles the keys in front of me.

“I have a feeling I’ll be here for awhile. I’ve got time. I’ll bus it back when I’m done and pick up my truck at your place.”

“No,” I say. It would be convenient. Easy. But I can’t. “I won’t let you do that. I’ll take the bus.”

“It doesn’t leave for another two hours,” Ray says with a shrug. “You’ll be half way there by then.”

“It’s fine. I can’t take your truck. It’s too much. Then you’ll be stuck on the bus.”

“You think I care about that?” He moves in close to me. “Better me than you.”

I shake my head. “Ray…”

“What?” he asks, then strokes my cheekbone with the tips of his fingers. “What’s wrong?”

My thoughts are jumbled and what I really want to say—that I’m grateful for him, that I want him—is on the tip of my tongue, but I push a lie to the surface. “We shouldn’t.”
 

“Why not?” He tilts my face to look at him.
 

“Because we’re…I don’t know. It’s complicated.”

“Were you using me, Syd?”

My heart jolts. “What?”

“Were you using me to get what you wanted?”

“What are you—?” I pull away. “No! Were you using me?”

“I signed the contract, didn’t I?” He crosses his arms. “And you’re the one who’s got me eating out of the palm of your hand.”

I swallow a gasp, shaking as I step back again. “That’s not what I—it’s not like that.”

“Sure sounded like that.”

“Well, I didn’t mean it,” I snap. “Why would you just stand there listening to another person’s conversation?”

“It doesn’t matter now.”

“Of course it does.” My voice has risen an octave and I reach for my bag again. “What is this? Your way of trying to make me look like I’m the bad one?”

“I’m not trying to make anyone look bad here. I heard what I heard. I’m just asking.”

“So you think I’m some kind of slut who just sleeps with guys to get what she wants? Is that it?” I push past him and stomp my way up the stairs to get the rest of my stuff. “Don’t forget, I held up my end of the bargain too. And that was before you seduced me. How do I know you didn’t plan on holding out?” I throw the comment over my shoulder as I head toward the door. “I can’t make her talk to you Ray. Whatever you did to her is between you and her. Not me. So quit chewing me out like you’re some kind of child. And just so you know, last night was—”