Working On Love (The Griffin Brothers Book 6) (2 page)

Matt bursts out
laughing before I can respond. “Really, Princess? You sound like
some 90s movie.”

“That’s enough,
Matthew. Please continue, Reina.” Matt shuts up and looks serious
again. His grandmother is not someone you mess with. Neither is mine.

“As I was saying,
we’re more than just a foundation, Alex. On a daily basis, all of
us
do
help women
around the world, but we do so much more. As a Griffin woman, you
were going to find this all out on your twenty-first birthday, but
since you’re our new receptionist, you’ll need to know it all
now. You may sit in the seat right there. It will be your seat for
our meetings in here.”

I’d noticed the extra
chair at the middle of the bottom of the star. I pull it out and sit
down. Once I’m comfortable, Reina continues. “Over a decade ago,
Jane and Cyndi decided that they wanted to be more than just
socialites. They wanted to make a difference. One of their friends
had been beaten by her husband, but was too scared to go to the
police, because he was a powerful man. With the help of a woman high
up in law enforcement, they took him down on their own.

“Soon after, they met
your grandmother. Your grandfather’s business was taking off, and
she was attending society functions. They saw a kindred spirit in
her, and when they told her what they were thinking of, she
immediately agreed to be a part of it. She suggested that they
include her friends, Helen and Mallory. A few well-placed calls, and
anonymous investments, allowed their families to move up the social
ladder. It was important that all the women held powerful positions,
so that they could meet more people and find more women to recruit.
Jane convinced her husband to create this foundation, although he
didn’t know what the true purpose would be.

“The first women
recruited were all law enforcement and military trained. The
parameters of recruitment have changed, as times have changed. The
ten of us here, with you, bring different strengths to the table.
Once we were invited in, we all had training in weaponry, martial
arts, technology, language, fashion, and etiquette. The only grades
for those classes, which are taught by past and present agents, are
pass or fail. Failure is not an option if you want to remain here, so
we all made sure to pass. While we still retain our original
strengths, we can seamlessly fit into any situation.

“That’s exactly
what we do. We go undercover and rescue women who need it. We take
down, and sometimes
out
,
men and women who are victimizing women. All in all, we just
generally try to do what we can to protect as many people as we can.
We can’t save everyone, and not every mission is a success, but we
do the best that we can, always. We also help friends and family on
smaller missions when they need it.”

My mouth is hanging
open. I know it is. This is just—wow! My grandma is part of a group
of secret agents.

“I know this is a lot
to take in, and I’m sorry to spring it on you, but you have to know
everything if you’re going to work here. We’ll try to answer any
questions you have.”

I do have one. Well, I
have more than one. But there’s one I’m really curious about. “If
this is all about women, why are Matt, Zane, and Uncle Scott here?”

“Each woman can tell
one man in her family. We needed Scott to build our computer system
and maintain it. Helen wanted Zane to know once Mallory told Quinn.
And we had no choice with Matt.”

“Why didn’t you
have a choice, Princess?”

Reina closes her eyes
and takes a deep breath before answering. “We needed Matt’s help,
as well as that of his friends, when a mission turned ugly.”

“
You
needed my help. Don’t include everyone else. It was your screw-up
that almost cost Darcy her life.”

“Yes. It was.
I
needed Matt’s help to save Darcy.”

The leather clad
redhead is out of her seat before I even register that she moved. She
leans down into Matt’s face. “Shut the fuck up, Matt. She
couldn’t know that things would go wrong. I appreciate you and your
guys helping rescue me, but if you ever blame her again, I’ll cut
your balls off.”

The other “agents”
are standing and glaring at him, too. “Everyone sit down. Matt has
a right to his opinion, and we
do
owe him. We wouldn’t have extracted Darcy without his help.”
Reina still looks like she’s seconds from falling apart, which
scares me more than her normal glare. It also makes me angry.

“You’re an ass,
Matt. Just like your brother.”

Tegan lets out an
ear-splitting laugh. “You’ll fit right in here, Alex.”

“I think you will,
Alex. If you still want the job. You’ll be in no danger, of course,
but I know it’s a big secret that we’re asking you to keep.”

“I can keep a secret.
And I think it’s cool what you’re all doing.”

“Great. Ainsley will
train you on all our systems this week, while Tegan helps cover the
desk.”

Reina practically runs
from the room and most of the other women follow. They all smile as
they walk past me; a few stop for hugs. Matt starts to walk out, but
Jane stops him. “My office, Matthew.”

“I have meetings,
Gram.”

“That wasn’t a
request.”

“Fine. Lead the way.”

Wow. I guess grandma
trumps CEO. Speaking of grandmas, mine’s still in the room with me,
along with my aunts, my uncle, Quinn, and Zane. I’m kind of glad. I
had more questions, but I didn’t want to keep everyone from their
jobs, not when I now know how important what they do is.

“You have more
questions, don’t you, Alex?” Yasmin asks me.

“Yeah. I mean, I know
Corrigan & Co. moved their headquarters to Vegas because Mitchell
Corrigan had requested it in his will.” He’d grown up in the city
and wanted to help the economy with the jobs his company could bring
here. “But, is that why we moved here, too?”

“Yes. I convinced
your grandfather that this would be a great place to relocate. The
architecture is some of the most diverse in the country.”

“I can work anywhere,
but there’s a good tech industry here, too,” my Uncle Scott adds.

“Okay. And there were
two of those gorgeous women with each of you at your points on the
star. Did you pick them?”

“Yes. I recruited
Isabelle and Audrey. I should’ve introduced you, but I thought you
were getting a lot of information already. All of the women are
really wonderful. They wouldn’t be working with us if they
weren’t.”

“Do their families
know about what they do?”

“They know that they
work for the foundation. One person in their family knows the true
nature of their job, so they can help cover if they have to be gone
for extended periods of time.”

“What if they want to
leave?”

“Then they leave.
Each woman has signed a strict confidentiality agreement, and like I
said, they’re wonderful. They wouldn’t reveal our secret.”

“Who was the
receptionist before me?”

“Helen’s niece. She
didn’t want to leave Chicago, so the position’s been open. It has
to be filled by a woman from one of our families.”

“This is just—wow.
I mean, I knew you were cool Grandma, but I didn’t realize just how
much of a bad-ass you really are.”

She laughs. “I’m
not a bad-ass, Alex. I’m just a woman who saw a need and had the
means to help put a proper plan into action.”

“Don’t sell
yourself short, Maggie. We all think this is so cool,” Olivia tells
her.

“It’s like Alias or
something, Alex. Those women are like chameleons. They change style
and hair color faster than you can blink,” Candi says.

“I was already
excited to work here, but now I’m even happier that I asked for the
job.”

“So are we, my dear.
We should all get going and let you start training. Ainsley is
brilliant—she went to school with Scott and helped design every
piece of technology that’s used here.”

“Why didn’t you
recruit her?”

“Jane had an opening
at the time. It doesn’t matter who we recruit; although we mentor
our own women, we’d do anything to help other women, too. That goes
for you as well, Alex. If you ever need anything, fifteen women will
have your back.”

“Plus us, of course,
and your other uncles,” Chloe reminds me.

At that moment, a text
comes through on my phone. It’s from Nick. When I look at the
picture he sent, I have to fight to keep my composure. It’s a
screen shot of an email in his draft folder—addressed to several
news organizations with an attachment and a message reading, “The
Griffins aren’t as upstanding as everyone likes to believe.” The
message Nick has written for me, is just as clear: “Can’t wait to
play, Alex.”

“Thanks.” I finally
manage to say, realizing everyone is still waiting for me to say
something. I mean it. Maybe I
can work up the nerve to ask them for help, too.

Miles

I’m glad to be back
in Vegas. Sure, the girls in Europe were hot, but sleeping around is
losing appeal. If I’m honest with myself, it lost its appeal quite
a long time ago. I just have nothing better to do, so I keep doing
it—and them. In fact, that’s what I’m planning on right now.
The guys in my division told me that the foundation hired a new
receptionist last week, and that she is smoking hot. It’s time to
introduce myself—and hopefully, my cock—to her.

I walk through the
doors to see her bent over, putting something in the bottom filing
cabinet behind her desk. My body instantly reacts, which is weird.
It’s only ever reacted that quickly for one girl. If it can do that
for this one, there may be some hope for me yet. Right now all I see
is a nice round ass encased in a sleeveless dress that appears to be
fitted on top, but loose on the bottom. It has some red and black
design on it, but all I can think about is keeping her bent
over—especially with those red heels on—until she stands up and
turns.

“Alex? What the fuck
are you doing here?” I didn’t mean for it to come out as harshly
as it did, but I wasn’t expecting her.
She
can’t be here. Not in the same building as me. Now I know why my
cock came to life when I walked in.

“I-I work here,
Miles.” She looks hurt, yet pissed.

It takes me a minute to
say anything because I’m drinking her in. From her long brown hair,
which is red at the bottom right now, to her beautiful face with
those damn green eyes that everyone in her family has, her porcelain
skin, and sexy as fuck lips. I’m not even going to look at her
body. That’s a lie, I’m totally looking. She’s got a graceful
neck and perfect, medium sized tits, a slender waist and…

“Is there a problem,
Miles?”

Tegan’s voice brings
me out of my trance. Shit. This isn’t going to go well. I might as
well make it worse. “I don’t think she’s qualified to be here.
I mean, all she knows is singing.”

“And all you know is
fucking. Yet you’re running a major division of Corrigan & Co.”

“You didn’t mind
when I was fucking you, Tegan.”

“You two…you…oh
my God,” Alex says, looking shocked.

“Alex, honey, are you
alright? Miles normally fucks everyone, but we won’t let him near
you.”

“Everyone? You mean,
all the girls?”

“Not
all
of them.” Reina is behind me and she looks pissed.

“You’re too good
for me, right Reina?”

“Yes she is, little
brother. Show some respect. To all of the women here.”

Great. Matt’s here,
too. Time for another lecture. “Like you do with all your
‘Princess’ remarks and shit?”

Matt wants to hit me. I
can see it in his clenched jaw and fisted hands. He won’t, though.
That’s one thing he’ll never do—hit me. He feels too guilty
about living with his mom and having almost no contact with me when I
was little. It would’ve been nice to have had him there to hang out
with, but I wouldn’t have wanted him to have to live with the sick
bastard who fathered us. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

“I quit.”

“What? Alex, no. I
told you we won’t let him bother you. He’s harmless. We had some
fun and it was all consensual. He wouldn’t hurt a woman.” Tegan
goes to hug her, but Alex backs away from her.

There are three people
glaring at me now. Two of them I could care less about, but I
do
love my brother. He moves his head in Alex’s direction. I sigh, but
do what he asks. “I’ll stay away from you, Alex. I promise. You
do your job, and I’ll do mine. Never the two shall meet.” I
salute her and start to walk away.

“Just like the last
six years, right? I’m still not good enough to even be friends
with, apparently.”

I whip around and stalk
to her desk, stopping right in front of her. “Actually, you’re
too good, Alex.”

We stare at each other
for a minute, as everyone around just looks at the two of us. At
least, I think they do. I can only look at her. I think I could stand
there forever, looking in her beautiful eyes, but my grandma chooses
that moment to walk in.

“Why is it so tense
in here? Matthew, are you fighting with Reina again?”

“Nope. Not me. I’m
actually in agreement with her at the moment. It’s him you need to
talk to.”

“Miles? What’s
going on?”

“I was just surprised
to see Alex here, is all.”

I finally turn around
and smile at my grandma, kissing her cheek as I walk past her and out
the door. I need to get drunk. And laid. Unfortunately, I have a
video conference, so both are going to have to wait for now.

* * *

Alex

It’s been two weeks
since I had my run-in with Miles. He’s kept his word, and hasn’t
come near me at all. I’ve seen him in the cafeteria a few times,
always surrounded by beautiful women. I knew he slept around, but
having it thrown in my face is hard. Knowing some of the women I work
with at the foundation have slept with him, is even harder. I like
them. A lot. But thinking about him holding them, kissing them, and…I
can’t go there. I just can’t.