Pursuing Phoenix: Nova Satellite Security Read online

  It was the longest conversation we’d had in years. We didn’t talk to each other unless we needed the other for a function. She lived in one of my houses on the West Coast.

  The older I got, the more I wanted something real in my life. I filed for divorce over a year ago, and she’d been fighting ever since. Rachele had a nice trust fund, but it would not be enough to continue the lifestyle she was accustomed to with my money.

  “I’m willing to move to Houston to make this work.” She was grasping at straws. Rachele didn’t want to lose the clout of being married to one of the Black brothers. Her family had money, but nothing like what my brothers and I made over the past ten years.

  I downed the remaining whiskey. “Why? We’ve never slept together or even lived together. This isn’t going to work. I offered you a great deal of money in the divorce. Let’s go our separate ways.”

  “I’m still in Houston for the week. Maybe we can try to make this work.”

  Over the past couple of months, she had kept trying to push me to go on a date. She would send a text every other week asking. I never replied, hoping she would get the hint. I knew she had been in Houston more and more lately, but it didn’t change how I felt. I wanted the woman out of my life. “No, Rachele. We are never going to be together. Hell, we never really were. Just sign the damn papers.”

  “I want the house in Los Angeles,” Rachele slurred. Each time we went to the table for negotiation, she came with a new demand. Last time, she wanted the vacation home in Cocoa Beach, Florida. I gave it to her, and then she didn’t sign. I was at wit's end. If I was going to move on with my life, I needed to make a clean break with Rachele.

  I got up and poured a couple more fingers of whiskey. “Rachele, you will sign the papers as is. If you delay one more week, I will start over and make sure you get nothing and then come after whatever money you have left in your trust.”

  Her voice hitched on the other side of the phone.

  “No more changes,” I ground out.

  “But I can’t afford to live in that neighborhood unless you give me the house.”

  She was no longer my concern. Rachele’s family might’ve had more money when my brothers and I started Nova Satellite Security, but their net worth didn’t come close to mine anymore. The house she was living in was worth over thirty million dollars. I didn’t need the home or money, but she needed to learn that she couldn’t have everything she wanted. She needed to grow up. I let out a sigh. “Then move to another. I’ve given you more than I needed to. We aren’t married for love, just sign the damn papers and let us move on with our lives.” When she got back to Los Angeles, she would not be pleased. I had movers come to the house and move all her stuff to storage. The gates and house locks were changed. She wasn’t getting back in. Next week, the house was going on the market.

  If she wouldn’t go through with the divorce, I was going to make her life a living hell. The woman was pure evil. A few weeks before, she didn’t like the way an owner of a restaurant looked at her, and she used her connections to get the place shut down. Since filing for divorce, I had a private investigator following her wherever she went. The reports coming back were horrific—she treated people horribly.

  She sniffled on the other end of the phone. “Fine, I’ll sign the papers and have them brought over to you tonight. Can we meet for lunch tomorrow, since we don’t need to talk with our lawyers? That way we can discuss me moving out of the L.A. house.”

  I wasn’t going to tell her she was already out until the paper was signed and in my lawyer's hands. “Thank you, Rachele, I don’t think lunch is a good idea. When are you heading back to L.A.?”

  “I don’t know, Houston is starting to grow on me. Maybe we can start with a clean slate.”

  No matter how many times I told her it wasn’t going to work, she ignored me. Luckily, my phone beeped to let me know I had another call. I looked at the screen, and Kat Ross’s name flashed. “I need to take this call, Rachele.” I swiped to the other call before she could answer. “How is my favorite assassin doing?”

  Kat huffed on the other end. “Antonio doesn’t let me kill anyone anymore.”

  I laughed, which felt good after the day I’d had. “Really? That’s not what I watched in the video last week.” Asher, Antonio’s twin brother, had added me to the group text discussing Kat’s kills.

  “CJ really needs to stop stealing our camera footage. I took our security system off the internet because Brock kept hacking in. Now, when CJ and Asher watched Ant last week, he took a copy of our surveillance hard drive.”

  Asher and Kat’s husband were twin brothers who looked alike but acted nothing like each other. Asher was quiet and fun loving, but Antonio barely cracked a smile unless he was looking at his wife and kid. “You know, nobody would be going after your videos if you didn’t keep dragging bodies through your backyard.” Rumor had it that Kat was pregnant, and Antonio was at wit's end with his wife. I couldn’t wait to watch a video of her eight months pregnant and dragging a body across the lawn. I knew nothing would stop Kat from protecting the ones she loved.

  The phone crackled for a second. “I have one more in my sights, and then I might consider giving up my craft.” She let out a sigh. “Greg somehow got out of jail.”

  I put the glass of scotch on the table and paced in front of the large windows. Lily was supposed to be safe—her moving to Houston was a precaution. A week before, I was talking with Antonio about how I’d lost my assistant to a competitor, and he asked if I was looking for a new one. He started to talk about Lily and what she had been through. Antonio knew about my past and how I wanted to help anyone in danger of abuse, so he Antonio sent her file over. The woman reminded me of a Victoria’s Secret model with her long blonde hair and striking green eyes. When I flipped to the sheet listing which bones had been broken over the years and finally the last page showing bruises, I didn’t blame Kat for wanting to kill Greg. If I ever saw the man, I wouldn’t think twice about doing the same. “How?” I yelled into the phone.

  Muffled voices echoed on the other end. “Sorry. Antonio asked me something. What did you say?”

  The Houston skyline lit up from the lightning, and thunder cracked less than a second later. “I asked how? Antonio told me he wouldn’t get out. I read her file. There is no way that man should be walking the face of the Earth. So, I ask again, how did he get out of jail?”

  “Don’t snap at me,” Kat growled. “Someone tainted the evidence, but it’s more than that. The pictures and statement from Lily should’ve kept him in longer. The officer who tainted the evidence is gone. Vanished. We can’t find him. We’ve been looking since Antonio got the call from Detective Higgins. The officer who processed him went missing. Someone wanted Greg out of jail, and the person who did this has connections or bottomless pockets.”

  I grabbed the glass of scotch off the table and downed the remaining alcohol, though it didn’t help. Nobody liked watching a woman get beaten, but unless one had seen it firsthand or been a victim to abuse, it was hard to understand. No woman should ever be hit. My jaw tightened as a memory of my piece-of-shit father throwing my mother across the room flashed in my mind. It had been a long time since I thought about him. “What do you need me to do?”

  Papers crackled through the phone before Kat answered. “We’re keeping Abe there. He’s in the condo across from Lily. He agreed to watch Tommy during the day while Lily is at work. Abe will take her to work then come back and stay with Tommy.”

  “Maybe she should wait to start work until you find Greg.”

  Kat let out an aggravated sigh. “In a perfect world, we would do that. I know Lily, and she wants to start her life and make money for herself. It’s killing her to stay in the condo and not pay for it. I told her you own the building and that it was okay, but she’s stubborn and wants to do things on her own.” I kept a few of the condos in the building open for guests and friends.

  I couldn’t hold back the smile. “Stubborn p
eople frustrate you, Kat?”

  “I’m different.” She huffed.

  There was no point in arguing with Kat. She was the most stubborn woman I’d ever met. “Okay. I’ll make sure security knows to keep their eyes open. I’ll send them a photo of Greg. When you hear anything, let me know.”

  “Greg might send someone else after Lily. He knows we’ll be looking for him. However, he has no money… Unless the person who got him out gave him some.”

  Every protective instinct I had kicked in. “I’ll make sure nobody gets into Nova Satellite Security without identification.”

  “Thank you for helping, Jacob. I’ll keep you posted.”

  “Bye, Kat.”

  I slid the phone back into my pocket and sat in the black leather chair. I planned to do everything in my control to make sure Lily stayed safe. I sent a text off to my brothers, letting them know I was going to beef up security at the office. They would understand. I watched the way my oldest brother Jared’s jaw had twitched when he saw the pictures of Lily—growing up, he’d shielded Jax and me from most of my father's drunken episodes. Jared responded almost immediately that he would go in early and make sure security was tight.

  3

  Lily

  “Mommy, you pretty.”

  I had put on a gray pencil skirt and white blouse from the closet. I was still shocked by the number of outfits Kat had bought me. I slipped my feet into a pair of black high heels. My feet wobbled at first, and I grabbed the closet doorframe to stabilize myself. It was the first time since high school that I had a pair of high heels. Even back then, I had to hide them from my parents. The thought of my mother sent a shiver down my spine. She would’ve locked me in the closet for days if she found out I owned a pair of heels. Only whores and devil worshipers wore them. I walked over and pulled Tommy into a hug. “Thank you, little man. Be good for Abe today.”

  “I will.” My son bit his bottom lip. “Mommy, is Dad coming for us?” My arms tightened around my son. He was little, but he watched everyone and everything around him.

  I took a deep breath. “Why do you think he’s coming for us?” I never wanted to lie to my son. He had already been through so much. Tommy already had one worthless parent, and I wasn’t about to be the same way.

  Tommy hugged me tighter. “Because on the way here, you talked about how much I would like school, but now I’m not going.”

  I tapped my son's nose. “You’re too smart for your own good. Yes, your dad is out. He doesn’t know where we are, so we’re safe. Abe is going to stick around and make sure. Okay?”

  Tommy nodded and ran out of the bedroom. I heard him yell Abe’s name as he ran through the condo. I sat down on the bed and looked in the mirror across the room. I had applied enough makeup to cover most of the bruise on my face, but under my eye, there was still a light hint of green. I reached up and ran my hand along the bruise, which no longer hurt. Pain is just another weakness. I hoped nobody would notice the injury at work today. My past was something I didn’t want to talk about.

  I grabbed my black purse and my little box of items for my desk off the bed. The box was filled with pictures of Tommy, the light in my dark life. My heels clicked across the hardwood floor as I walked toward the living room. Tommy’s giggles filled the condo. Abe was tossing him up in the air. When he heard me come into the open living room, he stopped and set my son on the ground. “Good morning, Ms. Minix.”

  “No Ms. Minix. Call me Lily, or I will call you sir.”

  Abe was dressed in a tight black tee and jeans that hung low. He had a military-style haircut. I couldn’t see his eyes because he had his sunglasses on, but I knew they were ice-blue. Abe was a good-looking man, and he knew it. If I had been younger and not damaged, I might’ve made a pass, but dating was no longer in the cards for me. Tommy came first. “Okay, Lily, the car’s ready when you are.”

  I set my purse on the white marble counter. “Did you eat yet?”

  “Nope. I planned to have a protein bar.”

  Since the fridge was full of food, I wasn’t going to let a big guy like Abe eat just a protein bar. I opened up the fridge and pulled out the milk. Reaching into the pantry, I grabbed the box of Froot Loops. “Come sit. You too, Tommy.” I poured each of them a bowl of cereal and grabbed a banana for myself. While Abe and Tommy finished eating, I packed a sandwich and chocolate pudding for lunch. I couldn’t remember the last time I had pudding.

  The drive to Nova Satellite Security was quick. Houston traffic was horrible, but we only had to go ten blocks. When I knew Greg was back behind bars and I had nothing to worry about, I would walk to work. “Thank you for the ride, Abe. Do you want me to call when I’m done for the day?” I didn’t plan on fighting the bodyguard. There was a slim chance Greg would find me, and I wasn’t going to chance being on my own when it happened.

  “No. Tommy and I will be here at five to get you. If you want to leave early, let me know, and if you see anything out of the ordinary, call. I programmed my number into your phone. I don’t care if you think it’s nothing. If something sets off an alarm for you, call me.”

  I nodded. “I promise I will. Kat said Nova Satellite Security has top-of-the-line security and Neal’s technology running through the building. If I know Kat, she’s going to watch my every move while I’m at work.”

  Abe’s lips twitched, which was the only indicator I needed to know I was right. Kat or someone at AA Security was watching me. The idea would make most people mad or creeped out, but it gave me a little peace of mind.

  I gave Tommy a kiss on the forehead before getting out of the car and grabbing my box from the back of the car. NSS’s building was sleek and modern. I shielded my eyes from the sun as I looked up at the skyscraper, taking note of the sign with the company’s name. I took a deep breath and headed for the large glass doors. This was my first real job since getting my GED. I’d worked the food industry as a waitress and dishwasher for extra money when Greg went on his benders. Most of the time, he didn’t like me working. He thought I should be at home, making sure the apartment was ready for him. But when he lost his job or we were low on money, he would yell at me for not working.

  The building was breathtaking on the inside. White marble lined the walls and floor, accented with silver to provide a crisp, modern look. The large clock behind the reception desk at the front of the building showed seven thirty. I was early for my first day, but I wanted to get my stuff settled before Jacob came in. The blonde behind the desk looked up from the computer as I approached. “Hi. Can I help you?” Her voice was chipper.

  I shifted the box to the other arm and wished I’d waited another day to bring my things in. “I’m here to see Jacob Black.”

  The woman looked to her computer and typed a few keystrokes. “I’m sorry, he’s not in yet. What’s your name?”

  “I’m Lily Minix, and today is my first day as his assistant.”

  “Okay, hold on.” The blonde reached for a pile of files. She flipped through the stack, and her pretty smile turned into a frown. “I’m sorry, I don’t see a new badge for you. Are you sure today was supposed to be your first day?”

  My palms started to sweat. Did Kat get the info wrong? I wasn’t in the wrong building—the woman knew who Jacob Black was. “Can you look again? I really wanted to be at my desk when he shows up.”

  The young lady shifted through the stack again and picked up the phone. I looked around the reception area as she made her call. Modern black-and-silver chairs lined the waiting area.

  The lady tapped her finger on the counter. “I don’t see your paperwork, and human resources doesn’t have anything. I’ll leave a message for Jacob when he gets in.”

  “Okay.” I rested the box on my hip, pulled out my phone, and started to walk toward the door, my eyes glossy with tears. My first day was not starting out well, but maybe Kat could help me. I was looking down at my phone when I ran into a hard body.

  “Why can’t people put their phones down for two sec
onds and watch where they’re going?”

  I looked up into a pair of steely-blue eyes. His lips were turned down. “Sorry.” God, the day was going horribly.

  The man grabbed my arm, and I flinched. “Sorry,” he mumbled, dropping my arm. “Lily?”

  “Yes, and you are?” Kat had shown me a picture of Jacob. The man was not him.

  “My name is Jared. Why are you leaving?”

  I let out a sigh. Great, I ran over the oldest of the Black brothers. Kat warned me to stay away from him. He wasn’t the nicest of the three. I understood, and I’d just met him. “The receptionist said she didn’t have any paperwork for me and told me I would have to come back.”

  Jared headed for the receptionist, whose eyes narrowed as he approached the desk. For some reason, I wanted to back the lady up.

  “Why didn’t call me, Kaylene?” he asked.

  “You didn’t mention anything about a new hire.”

  He leaned over the desk. “Next time, call instead of sending a new hire on the way.”

  “But Huma—”

  He cut her off. “I don’t care.”

  He was a total asshole, but the younger girl didn’t seem to be as bothered by him as I was. “You don’t need to be an overgrown asshat.” I wasn’t sure where my backbone had come from.

  Jared pivoted in his expensive shoes and stared me down. His lip twitched. “Hmm, not so broken after all.”

  “You're rude.”

  “So I’ve been told. Kaylene, make sure you see Lily to her desk. She’s Jacob’s new assistant.” He didn’t wait for Kaylene or me to respond before he turned and walked away.