Legally Bound 3: His Law (10 page)

Chapter Fourteen

P
amela was five and a half months pregnant and everything annoyed her. At the moment it was Nate and his disappearing acts. He was flying out on “business” with Bobby and of course he couldn’t talk about it. Pam wasn’t sure what pissed her off more. Not saying she thought Nate was lying to her, but he was certainly hiding something which in her book was close enough to a lie.

If it wasn’t for Paige she would have let Nate have a piece of her mind by now, but her sister was always talking her off the ledge. Pam was frustrated because Nate was amazing when she didn’t feel like he was hiding something from her.

The sex was still amazing and he gave her all his attention when they were alone. It was like Nate was always in her thoughts. Like today she had wanted some ice cream so bad as she was styling a music video. Nate showed up with lilies, her favorite flowers and a pint of vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce.

Pam was so frustrated. How could such an amazing man drive her so crazy? She had yet to tell him she was in love with him because of her crazy mood swings and his seemingly hidden secrets. They’d been arguing more the last two months. Well, Pam would argue and Nate would calmly handle her. She hated being handled.

Now she was fuming because he had to cancel their plans for some emergency meeting. Pam was ambling out of the car Nate had insisted on providing her, with a driver of course. It had been a fight, but Nate gets relentless when it comes to his children she is carrying.

Pam’s phone buzzed and she pulled it out to see it was Rita. A smile formed on her lips. She had grown really close to Rita in the past months even before a stubborn Rita decided to return home to her family and her man.

“Hey honey, what’s up?” Pam sang into the phone.

“I need to get away from my husband for a few hours before he drives me crazy,” Rita laughed.

“What is Marcus up to now?” Pam chuckled.

“It’s the house again. I guess I haven’t decorated fast enough for him. I mean I did just get off bedrest. He is driving me nuts with planning the nursery. Do you know he hired two designers just for the nursery?” Rita snickered.

“He is so in love with you and the idea of that baby. I mean he married you almost as soon as you arrived in the States,” Pam laughed as she fished her keys from her bag and started up the stairs to the condo.

“I’m on my way to your place. Paige said she was heading your way. I told Marcus I was going to get some help from you guys to finally make some decisions.”

“Well in that case I will see you when you get here,” Pam smiled into the phone.

“See you in a few,” Rita said before hanging up.

Pam’s mood had shifted from that one call. Little did she know that was exactly Nate’s idea. He had known Pam was pissed once again so he called in a favor with his sister. Pam was lost in thoughts of what she could put together for the girls to eat as she stuck the key in the door.

“Excuse me,” she heard someone call from behind her.

Pam turned to find a gorgeous woman standing at the bottom of the stairs. In her heels she had to be six two, with beautiful brown skin and deep brown eyes. She was smiling up at Pam trying not to let it be noticeable that she was sizing Pam up. If it wasn’t for the smile in the woman’s eyes Pam may have took offense.

“Hello, can I help you?” Pam asked.

“I hate to bother you,” the woman started and moved up the stairs. “I am supposed to look at the property next door. My realtor is late. I saw you and thought I could at least get a feel for the neighbors and the neighborhood.”

Pam smiled back at her. “Oh, well I haven’t been in the neighborhood long but I love it. There is a nice old couple next door on my right and on the other side of the vacant property is a younger couple and they seem pretty cool. I tend to stay to myself though,” Pam offered.

“Oh,” the woman said and her smile dampened. “I love your shoes and that coat. I thought I had a new friend,” the woman said coyly and laughed.

Pam laughed out loud. “I’m actually a stylist so I can give you my card if you like,” Pam said reaching into her bag for one of her cards.

“Oh great,” she replied.

“Here you go. Good luck with the place,” Pam nodded toward next door.

“Thanks. My name is Vanessa by the way,” the woman said holding out her hand.

“Pamela,” Pam said and took the woman’s hand.

“How far along are you, if you don’t mind me asking,” the woman asked with a smile as she eyed Pam’s baby bump.

“Oh, a little over five months,” Pam smiled and touched her bump.

Vanessa’s face crumbled for a split second before she recovered. Reaching for her own tummy she smoothed her hand down her front. “Wow, I haven’t popped yet,” Vanessa smiled weakly.

“Oh you’re pregnant,” Pam beamed. She had caught Vanessa’s slip of face but now she wrote it off as the other woman thinking she was not showing.

“Oh yes, six months,” Vanessa replied and bit her lip.

“Well don’t gage your belly by mine. I’m actually eating for three these days,” Pam laughed.

“Oh my God, you’re having twins?”

“Yes,” Pam nodded. “And right now they are sitting right on my bladder. It was so nice meeting you but if I don’t head inside I will be ruining these shoes.”

Vanessa laughed. “Sorry, see you around,” Vanessa waved and headed off the stairs and over to a car Pam had not noticed.

Pam thought nothing else of it as she truly did need to use the bathroom.

Chapter Fifteen

“
B
aby, I hear what you are saying Pam. I told you that in a few months things will work themselves out,” Nate sighed.

It had been a long day. Nate had been dealing with threats toward Rita and Marie off and on. He was glad Rita had come to her senses and came back home but there was still a lot going on that needed his attention. Because of the threats he and Bobby still didn’t think it was wise to reveal the family’s secrets.

Today just was not a good day. He had just come out of an important meeting for Hydro, one of the companies he had built and wanted to unload, when his phone rang. Nate frowned at the screen but answered the call anyway.

“Nathaniel Briggs,” he answered the line.

“Hello Mr. Briggs, this is Lisa from club Desire,” the voice on the other end said into the line.

“Yes Lisa, but I’m not sure why you are calling me,” Nate replied.

“Mr. Briggs, I know you have dismissed your membership but,” Lisa cleared her throat. “Ms. Luscious has been insistent that we contact you for her.”

“Well I will be just as insistent that you erase this number from your files and never call me again. I have nothing to say to her or anyone else there. Lose my number,” Nate barked into the phone and hung up.

He was pissed that Vanessa was being so persistent. He had been receiving emails from her in his company account. In all of which he informed her to stop contacting him. He would have to address this sooner or later.

“Nate,” Pam hissed bringing him back to the here and now. “I won’t keep doing this. I know you are hiding something. I can tell when you are. I was willing to give you a break before. My sister was always able to vouch for you in some way.”

Pam placed a hand on her hip. “But now Nate, you have just been disappearing at all times of the night. You are distracted and you are not with Bobby. He has been home in bed with Paige,” Pam yelled.

Nate rubbed a hand down his face. She was right. He had been on top of a few leads concerning the threats against his sister. Sure he could have had someone else on the team handle it but this was too personal for him. It was Marie and Rita.

It didn’t help that a few weeks ago his sister had one of her gut feelings that Marcus was in danger. He and Pam had just walked in the condo and he was about to put it on his woman, but when his father called he was out the door in a flash. Pamela had been more than pissed. He knew he wouldn’t be able to do this for much longer.

“Pam, you know I run a billion dollar empire. Things come up. I have to make sure my business is running properly,” Nate tried the half-truth.

“Nate, when are you going to realize that my bullshit meter is never turned off,” Pam hissed.

“I’m not bullshitting you, Pam. It’s work. When I’m not working I’m with you,” Pam held her hand up to stop him.

“Stop talking Nate. I’m tired. When you have something real to say to me then we can talk,” Pam said turning her back and moving to the bedroom.

Nate threw his head back and blew out a breath. This was not the way he wanted this relationship to go.

~B
~

“How are things at home?” Marcus asked with a knowing smile before sipping his drink.

“Need you ask, I know my sister is telling you everything,” Nate snorted.

“If we don’t watch it those women are going to form a gang on us,” Sam chuckled into his glass.

“I’ve been on my best behavior. Rita gets a little twitchy with that trigger finger. She has been out behind the house having target practice with Jasper since the doctor gave her the all clear,” Marcus shook his head thinking about his wife.

“That sounds like my sister,” Nate chuckled shaking his head as well.

“Speaking of Jas, where is he,” Sam inquired.

“Where he is whenever I dismiss him for the night. Chasing after our sister,” Marcus replied.

Sam and Bobby paused in their spots. Sam was the first to speak up. “Well it’s about time,” Sam roared with laughter.

“You knew about this too. Do I just not pay attention around here?” Bobby asked with a sour look on his face.

“Bobby you have had your mind on the firm and Paige since she joined the firm. The only reason the firm gets the attention it does is because Paige works there and you wanted to impress her,” Nate laughed.

“Screw you,” Bobby grumbled with a smirk. He knew Nate was telling the truth.

“But why is he chasing her,” Sam asked tilting his head. “It has always been pretty obvious that Jas had a thing for Marie but I’ve noticed her little looks at him since they were in high school. I’ll tell you one thing. Jasper is a hell of a lot better than that prick she was dating.”

Marcus shrugged and frowned. “Marie is a lot more innocent then we all knew. I think he intimidates her a little, at least from what Rita says.”

“Poor Jas,” Nate chuckled. “He has been trying to get a transfer to be with the girls for years. I don’t know who I feel sorrier for, him or Marie. He is not going to stop until he has her. I haven’t put my tux away. Those two are headed for the aisle if my little cousin can help it.”

“But seriously Nate, I think you and Pam are good together,” Marcus added returning to the original subject.

“You’re right, we could be great together, she drives me insane but I’m crazy about her,” Nate admitted.

“Wow, never thought I’d see the day you slowed down for a woman,” Sam chuckled.

“I second that,” Marcus joined in the laughs.

“What can I say? I’ve never met anyone like Pam. I’d be lying if I said I don’t enjoy all the making up from all the fighting,” Nate laughed and sipped at his own drink.

“Well, all your fighting is starting to show up in
my
bedroom,” Bobby grumbled. “Paige is very protective of her big sister and I think it is getting worse with the pregnancy.”

“It is definitely getting worse with the pregnancy,” Marcus teased and Bobby narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah, well something has to change soon. I’m not going to be able to keep selling Pam this crap. Before there’ll be no making up,” Nate said looking at Bobby. “We need to make those changes we’ve been talking about sooner rather than later.”

Bobby sighed and rubbed his forehead. He knew his friend was right. “I hear you,” Bobby sighed again finishing his drink and standing to go to the bar to get another. “Both our father’s think this is a good idea and they are in full support.”

“Well then I say we set things in motion,” Nate said.

“You do understand the blowback that can come from this. We have to make this so clean it never comes back to us,” Bobby said.

“I agree,” Marcus said. “We all have a lot more at stake now.”

“I know,” Nate breathed out and ran a hand down his face.

“I think it would be a good idea to bring Black in on this,” Sam suggested.

Both Bobby and Nate looked at each other. It wasn’t that Nate disliked Joe Black or his sons. He was just wary of bringing danger to anyone in the situation. Nate again wondered what business Sam had tied up with the likes of the Blacks and Uri for that matter. Lately Nate was noticing that Sam was building relationships with a unusual crowd. He hoped he knew what he was getting into.

Nate rubbed the back of his neck. They were all right. This had seemed like a great plan when Bobby had come across the Russian trafficking ring. He and Nate had seen the women, girls and even a few boys that were left behind after the damage of being seen as nothing but goods.

They had been able to help a few once when one of the small time rings had been busted. It was back than about four years ago that Nate started thinking of ways to change the way Briggs security operated. He and Bobby had come up with the idea to offer help to more of the unfortunate individuals being trafficked.

They would train them and give them a new life, but only if they wanted it. It would take time to vet them and make sure they could be trusted. Nonetheless, Nate and Bobby thought it would be a better life than the one they had.

The catch was they wanted to free more of the slaves from a ring Bobby and Black had their eyes on. Black and his sons ran a high profile private investigation firm and did a little bounty hunting from time to time. They had stumbled upon this new operation and knew that they had newer recruits that were either sold into slavery by their parents or offered up themselves to come to America.

They were taking a big chance with this idea but they knew it would solve at least two problems at once. Bobby and Nate didn’t have families when they brought the idea to Sam and Marcus. They had all been on board then just waiting out a decision from James and Thomas.

Now that they had the approval it was time to act. There were lives that could be saved and bettered. These individuals could be the ghosts the family needed to continue the Briggs tradition but at the same time give them all a chance to live a little easier.

Nate would never give up the family business. He lived and breathed it like all Briggs but it was time to make some changes that would allow him to sleep better at night. But Bobby was right this could not come back to them. Nate trusted his team and knew they were the best but he wouldn’t put Pam or his girls in danger.

Nate smiled inside at the thought of his unborn daughters. He needed to do this for them as much as he needed to keep them safe. He could remember not getting to really spend time with his father when James Mairettie was in the height of his career. Nate didn’t want that for his girls. He had built his own empire to make sure he didn’t have to. His family would want for nothing.

He made his decision right then. “Calling Black in may not be a bad idea. He does things outside the box and if we can get him to agree on this I think he would be just the person we need to do this without it leading back to our doors,” Nate relented.

“Trust me, he’ll agree. There is more to the Black family than people know,” Sam said.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you. What is with you and Uri and now you and Black?” Nate asked lifting a brow.

Sam looked at Nate for a long moment. “Long story,” was Sam’s final answer. “I’ll make the call. Get the logistics ready.”

Nate let it go for now. He was content at the moment. He would be able to make things work with Pam if he could slow things down for once.