The Boss's Secret

Chapter 6

Blake

"You're going soft, brother," Adrian grumbled and took a sip of his vodka after I told him what happened with Juliet and I. We were sitting in a club, he pulled me out of the hotel room, his excuse was that he wanted to save me from my hormones.

"Soft?"

"You usually don't care about women; they are just a good screw to you." I smiled, taking another huff the cigarette-I usually don't smoke unless I'm really stressed.

"I still don't but she is carrying my child so I can at least be civil."

"Civil? You want her so bad it's written on your face, you want her in your bed and your house that's a dangerous combination you know"I rolled my eyes; he was the self-acclaimed bachelor and would always stay that way.

"Believe me, the last thing I want is a wife and kids but the kids part I'm getting anyways."

"If that is true then enjoy yourself." He gestured to the dancers, I felt a bit of guilt form in my stomach but I pushed it down, tonight I was going to have a little fun in New York.

Too many beers later and a few women, I staggered into the hotel where Adrian dropped me off he would always look and act sober when he is as drunk as a skunk, I wasn't so lucky to be born with that trait. I clumsily got the key out of my jacket pocket and opened my door. Slumping onto the bed my last thought was "I wonder what Juliet is doing" before I passed out.

Things were getting too much for me, very quickly.

When I woke up my head pounding and the light streaming in since I didn't care to draw the curtains. I sat up, rubbing my stubbly chin, looking down at the crumpled expensive suit, damn. Whiskey, vodka, and tequila don't play well with me. I quickly took a shower and shaved, I felt like a new person when I got out of the bathroom. It was one wild night but at least I could forget about my thoughts that lingered on Juliet.

I knocked on the door, she opened up.

"What do you want sir?" She huffed in a snide tone. I held my hands up in surrender.

"We have a meeting in an hour, I was checking in." Her face turned from scowl into a frown.

She didn't say anything more and let me in, she went to the bathroom and got dressed quickly. I grabbed her hand when she was headed for the closet to get her shoes. I pulled her close to me, looking down at her. I promised myself and her that I'd keep my distance but good lord it was hard when all I wanted to do was her.

"What's the matter?" I asked softly

"I want to go home, I'm getting on a flight tonight."

"Then I'm coming with, I have to make sure you're fine" She huffed knowing that there was no use in arguing.

I pulled her into a slow enduring kiss, her hands traveled to my hair, my hands to her hip. Why couldn't I remember how she felt beneath my touch from that night? Why was everything a haze or a blank? The remains of my hangover drifted away.

I was getting too eager, my suit pants becoming too constrictive.

"I promised" I panted as I pulled away from her, she ignored me and continued kissing me with new found passion like a little flame has been set off. I was holding myself back because of the rules and my promise.

This was just kissing nothing more, I was going to make sure nothing more. She shimmied against me to get closer.Our tongues explored each other's mouth, guilt reared its ugly head again. I pulled away from her.

"No, we're not going there"

We were back home, Adrian was actually right-I was going soft-I was worried about everything. The bulk of my work was done so I had a day off. I was starting with my early morning jog, it's almost always the same path every day, under the bridge, through the park and back. I jogged for a good mile before I noticed that someone was following me. I slowed down a bit, taking another turn but he stayed behind me.

I stopped, checked my watch 6:35...not too early for a good ass kicking, I was in just the right mood (note my sarcasm) to deal with whoever he was.

I turned around, the man came nearer, he was ready to pounce. I grabbed his arm, smashed him to the ground and sat with my knee on his back with both his arms folded behind him. Did I mention that I went through a bit of hand to hand combat and learned krav maga when I did my stint in the military...No? Oh well, at least he knows it now.

"Why are you following me?" I whispered in his ear, we were in a covered area of the park so no one was looking at us. I took his gun from him with the one hand and emptied the cartridge.

"Let me repeat my question, why are you following me? Who sent you?" He was getting a little bit purple in the face, he started choking. I leaned in closer.

"Can you repeat that I can't hear you," I commanded in a singsong voice.

"Anatra" I felt my stomach drop, that name...it meant someone was going to die very soon.But it wasn't going to be me.

"Why are you following me?"

"I...needed to get close to you, find out info about you." I stood up from the man.

"If I ever see you near me again then I'm going to make sure that pretty little head of yours is going on a silver platter to Anatra." Just for good measure, I landed a heavy blow to his cheek.

"Tell Anatra if he wants something then he should talk to me and not send one of his Chihuahuas to do a pit bull's job" I smiled and continued my jog back. This made me realize that I needed to get Juliet somewhere safe and I doubted her apartment was safe. I decided to pay her a visit.

I knocked on the door, Juliet didn't open up instead her sister opened up.

"Uh, Juliet? Did you order a mail order husband because I think he just arrived and they added some extra sexy spice." Mail order husband? I wasn't sure if that is considered a compliment or an insult. But the sexy spice part makes me think it was a good thing.

Juliet walked out; when she saw me she turned a slight red and scowled at her sister.

"Ava, this is my boss and Blake this is my very obnoxious sister."

"Good afternoon, Juliet can I talk to you quickly." She nodded and let me in; when I entered her apartment it felt so tiny, it was small compared to my spacious loft. I was tall and not the slimmest of men thanks to working out, I needed space.

I bumped into her, she was about to fall down but I caught her.

"You do this falling thing a lot?" She chuckled.

"No, I'm trying hard not to." Her hand drifted to her stomach but then fell down in an air of hopelessness.

"I need to get you to a safer place, a few men are following me and when they find out who you are to me then they might try something-this apartment isn't safe. I think it will be best if you move in with me for a while-I have the best security and guards, no one would try anything there."

"I can't just move in with you, my sister also relies on me for rent and don't you think they might suspect that I was important to you when I stay with you?" I shook my head, she was hesitant and cautious moving into the lair of the shark was bound to bring us both in trouble.

"It's temporary just for a week or so, I'll make sure they never see you- I'll handle the apartment payments until we figure this out, me, it's just so that we could take care of a few things ." Her sister walked out, she looked at me with a knowing smile. The walls were thin.

"I guess I have no choice then." She looked down, she was afraid and scared.

Living with me, seeing her in my house...I needed to keep my promise but I just knew that it was as good as gone.