CHAPTER TEN

Jamie sat frozen in his seat as he tried to reign in his urges, but he couldn't get the image of the wet, skimpy top clinging deliciously to her breasts. He just wanted to run his tongue along with her pointed nipples. He groaned and got out of his chair, adjusting his bulge, and went back to his desk, sent for Kieran before burying himself in work. Kieran showed up a few minutes later, Jamie could tell that he was disoriented and he had lipstick smudges on his face and shirt. Jamie smiled ruefully to himself.

'At least one of us is getting some.'

"You sent for me, boss?"

Jamie smirked at Kieran's tone, he had disrupted something very important and from the looks and sound of it, Kieran wasn't too happy about it.

"Yes, I did. When Phoebe's friends get home, be sure to let them know that Phoebe is around and that they will all be staying in this house from now on."

"Will that be all?"

Jamie was about to nod when he remembered Phoebe's parents.

"What have you found about Phoebe's parents?" Kieran groaned and took a seat, rolling his eyes but immediately losing the attitude when he caught Jamie's stink eye. This was going to take longer than he would like.

"I did some digging into their past and he had some involvement with Mr. Wilson in some of his earlier years, more like the wingman no one saw. Responsible for several assassinations ordered by Wilson, as no one knew who he was except the most inner circle, it was easy for him to leave when he married and he was good friends with Wilson so there were no bad feelings."

"And now, what's he about?"

"Nothing much. He still does some favors for Wilson here and there but nothing serious."

"Okay. Is that all?"

"There is something that you should know?"

"What?"

"I haven't confirmed it yet but I got wind of something going around about joining the two families." It took Jamie a few slow minutes to understand what Kieran was trying to say. And then everything left his mind.

"The fuck do you mean!?"

"Listen, it's just word on the street. It might be nothing."

But they both knew that it wasn't anything. Soldiers were like maids, gossip filtered from the top tables and then slowly down to the streets. If it was on the street, then it was worth Jamie's unrivaled attention. Phoebe was worth Jamie's unrivaled attention.

"What else did you hear?"

"Something about having the heir have someone that is trustworthy and there was no better candidate than his friend's daughter. And here we are?"

"Did you perchance hear when this is meant to happen?"

"When it is time for Michael to take over from his father, I guess."

"Fuck!" Jamie stood from his chair and threw his chair across the room and began pacing the room.

"Listen, Jamie. You need to calm down."

"How can I calm down? Phoebe is about to be taken from me, Kieran."

"She won't be going anywhere if you play your cards right."

That got Jamie's attention. Kieran groaned internally; this was not what he bargained for. He had Hailey in his bed…finally…and here he was giving his friend relationship advice. Of all things.

"What do you think I should do?"

"Well, you need to be more of a gentleman. This is the 21st century, no lady likes to be treated like a lapdog."

"I don't treat her like a lapdog."

"You do, Jamie. You just don't realize it."

"Okay."

"Rule number one. Check the attitude."

"Check the attitude."

"Rule number two. Buy her flowers and chocolates."

"Check."

"Rule number three. Take her on dates to nice places and tell her every day how beautiful she looks."

"Phoebe knows she is beautiful, why do I need to tell her that every day?" Kieran facepalmed himself, but took a breath of patience and continued.

"Do you want to win Phoebe over?"

"Yes but…I don't even get the point of this."

"The point is for you to get her to love you and marry you before Michael takes his father's place."

"I know that. I have to do all these?"

"Yes, Jamie. You do."

"Okay."

For the next hour, Kieran educated Jamie on the ways of love. For someone who built very successful businesses, Jamie was completely daft in the ways of love. It was like teaching a toddler to walk.

***

Phoebe was awakened to some serious banging and shouting at her door. She immediately recognized the voices of her friends and rushed to open the door. She couldn't unlock the door fast enough. The second she did, they all fell on each other screaming and crying. It was a touching reunion only the guards didn't think so. They burst into the room, guns raised and ready to lay waste to anyone who dared to infiltrate their stronghold.

The laughter died on their lips as they watched the guards watch them, soon they realized there was no danger and they angrily stomped out of the room, triggering their laughter again.

"Oh my Gosh, did you guys see that?"

"Yeah, they're so stuck up."

"I guess they're just doing their job…" Phoebe looked at all her friends and felt tears come to her eyes again. They saw this and they all gathered themselves into a group hug.

"I've missed you guys so much. I was so worried when I woke up and you guys were not there, and I didn't know whether to expect the worse…"

"It's okay, Phoebe, we're here now. We're not going anywhere. Come on, let's get off the floor."

All four girls stood from the floor and all retired to her bed. All except Hailey who was too busy doing a mini-tour of her room.

"Wow, guys. Can you imagine this place? It has everything. So much more luxurious than ours, and to think we were here before her. You know what that means, right?"

Hailey wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and almost immediately Cindy and Mindy got the drift and turned to Phoebe. Phoebe just stared back at them, not understanding why they were staring at her.

"What?"

Hailey ran to the bed and jumped on it, causing its three other occupants to almost fall off, she scooted closer to Phoebe and took her hand in hers.

"It means that Mr. Hot shot has something going for you."

"What? No!" Phoebe pulled her hand out of Hailey's grip but Hailey just grabbed it back and held on to it tighter.

"He likes you!"

"I don't care, I can never date someone like him."

"And why not?" Phoebe stared at Cindy and racked her brain for all the possible reasons why she couldn't date Jamie but came up blank.

"Because…"

"You see…she doesn't have a reason."

"I do."

"Then what is it?"

"It's because he's…he's…controlling. Yes! He's controlling."

"How is he controlling?"

"He brought me here without my consent and doesn't want me to leave."

"I think what you meant to say was he saved you and is giving you protection."

"Well, I wouldn't have been kidnapped if it wasn't for him anyway."

"What do you mean, Phoebe?"

"The nutcase who kidnapped me did so because he thought I was dating Jamie."

Phoebe told them everything that transpired while she was kidnapped. From Jamie's supposed marriage to Nikki to the part of Lorenzo wanting more territory, carefully editing the parts about drugs and guns. By the time she was done, the girls were looking at her blankly. Phoebe didn't know what to make of their looks.

"What, you guys are just going to sit there looking at me?"

"Is that all, you're not going to date him because some chick and her dad decided that he was going to be their source of income."

"But…"

"Do you like him, Phoebe?"

"Well…he's okay, I guess."

"So, you like him. Then just fucking date him. It's not that hard, there will always be people who don't want your relationship to work. It's normal."

"I don't know why you guys are making such a big deal about this. You haven't seen me in months and we're talking about a boy."

"Oh no, baby. That piece of ass is not a boy, he's a man. A really hot cake, one that is baked to perfection…I would love to run my tongue along…"

"Okay, okay, I get it. He's smoking hot, everyone knows that. Stop with the graphics."

The girls screamed again, this time making Phoebe jump. All the years she had spent with these girls and she couldn't understand some of their reactions sometimes. Like now.

"Someone's jealous…"

"I'm not…"

"Yes too."

"You know what…ugh…I don't even understand why we're having this conversation. It's not like he wants to date me, he hasn't even asked me out yet."

The girls looked at Phoebe like she had just grown another head. Or maybe two. Hailey turned to the two other girls and completely ignored Phoebe.

"You know, all these years she has spent with us, one would imagine she would have picked up a thing or ten but…it's a pity."

All the girls hummed and nodded their agreement. Phoebe opened her mouth but was interrupted by a knock on her door. All conversations ceased immediately and the girls watched Phoebe go to answer the door.

"Yes." Phoebe opened the door to one of the guards, standing with a rather large box in his hands.

"The boss wanted you to have this. Said to be ready by 8:00 pm tonight. He's picking you up."

Phoebe took the box from him, thanked him, and closed the door with her foot.

"What's in the box, Phoebe?"

"Chill, Hailey. Can't you see she just came in with the box? Even she doesn't know what's in the box."

"Another reason why she should hurry and open up the box, let's find out what's in it?"

Hailey jumped down from the bed and assisted Phoebe in dropping the box on the bed. Impatiently ripping the wrappings off of the box and pulled out the most beautiful dress Phoebe has ever seen.

"Holy shit…"