Chapter 46

James

James knew for a fact Matt was pissed with Mia. The man had been patiently enduring through the whole morning staying by Andy’s side, praying the boy would be all right since he had been admitted into the emergency department. Only when Andy woke up moments ago, the first person he saw was Mia. Not Matt. To further rub salt into the wound, Andy didn’t even realize Matt was present until Matt made himself known.

James found the situation oddly amusing and secretly smiled at his friend’s irritation.

Matt was in turn annoyed at James’ disgusting delight and snapped, “What the fuck are you smirking about?”

James shrugged his shoulders. “Did I tell you that you look horrible?”

Matt nodded. His scowl darkened as he muttered loudly, “Fuck! I need a shower.”

“You do,” James agreed, nodding his head.

At that, Matt chuckled. “That stupid kid,” he muttered. “He made me so worried. I’m sure I’ve gotten a few gray hairs since he came into my life.”

James didn’t deny the fact that Matt had had a lot of worries over Andy since they’d met. He wasn’t sure about the gray hair part though.

“Your own fault,” he said easily. He didn’t voice the falling in love part that went with the your own fault bit because he knew Matt would be pissed.

“Why the hell did you have to bring Mia in today?” Matt asked sourly. “Couldn’t you have waited until tomorrow?”

James remembered the look Mia had given him the moment he had walked in through the door when he had returned this morning. Those bright eyes of hers as she gazed at him clearly reflected the high hopes and faith she had in him. Those were enough to drive a man’s testosterone into protective mode. It did his. Fuck! He could never disappoint her and slaughter her faith in him.

“Like I want to upset her by making her wait,” he said. “Would you want to wait if you were in her shoes?”

Matt sighed, disgustingly disappointed in himself. He knew he was selfish, but he merely wanted to be alone with Andy after all that shit that had happened. What was so fucking wrong with that?

James heard Matt muttering in some dark, foul language under his breath and chuckled. They both were quiet as they exited the hospital.

The two men arrived at the hotel about a half an hour later, and James went straight to his room. There, he didn’t waste any time in sorting out personal business. He called one of his most trusted men, Cole Packer, to get the job done.

Cole picked up on the second ring. “Hey, boss, what’s up,” he asked. “You got a new assignment for me?”

James went straight to the point. “Mia Donovan. Find out the restaurant she’s working at. Make a visit.”

“Sure, boss,” Cole said.

“She’s resigning,” James said bluntly. “She’s my girl now.”

Cole understood immediately what that meant. “Sure, boss… Mia Donovan… Restaurant visit.”

James was about to hang up when he added, “Oh, and the uncle too. His name is Herbert. He’s not a Donovan. Find out where he is and make a visit. Take your men with you. Tell him we’re pleased to have finally met with him.”

Cole also understood what that meant. “What’s he done, boss?” He was curious.

“A fuckload of shit I can’t forgive,” James said, his tone hard.

“Sure thing, boss,” Cole said. “It’d be my pleasure.” He chuckled merrily.

“Good,” James said.

“I’ll get in contact once the jobs are all done and dusted,” Cole said. “Bye now.”

James terminated the call. A couple of knocks came at the door. He opened it to see a butler standing there with a pretty wrapped box in his hands.

“Your package, sir,” the man said.

James took it and gave the man a handsome tip.

The butler said, “Thank you, sir.”

James nodded and then shut the door.

Back in the bedroom, he opened the package and took out the outfit he had ordered. Slowly a smile formed on his lips.

Mia was going to look great in this, he thought, picturing her wearing the lingerie. Lacy, see-through, and sexy to the core. Shit! He was already turned on, imagining her wearing this erotic garment. Suddenly the image of her pretty face crying while he was making love to her came to his mind. The experience was new to him, a mixture of a thrill and being in control, of being empowered. He loved being in the dominating position, and yet there were those feelings of compassion and protectiveness toward Mia as well. The feelings that she belonged to him and it was within his power to protect her.

Just as quickly, another possible image of her conjured up in his mind. It was of Mia in Andy’s position, being kidnapped and cruelly tormented.

A twist of agonizing pain erupted within his chest.

Fuck! That type of shit had better not happen to Mia. But James knew otherwise. She was with him now. The more he doted on her, showing the world just how much he liked her, the more likely she’d be in danger. She’d be a target; he knew that. But hell! He was fond of Mia, and doting on her was his way of showing his affection. Fact was, he liked seeing her delightful face every time she was pleased with him.

His cell phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. He picked up on the second ring. Scott was on the other end of the line.

“Hey, bro, how’s life in Vegas going?” Scott asked. “Heard you had a bit of fun, eh? And without me? I’m heartbroken.” He cheerfully chuckled.

James suspected Scott had already found out about the goings-on here in Vegas.

“It doesn’t sound like you’re that heartbroken. Why do you sound so far away? Wait! You’re in Japan, aren’t you?”

Scott didn’t deny this. “Yes. I’m in Japan.”

“Sounds like you’re having a good time?”

Scott didn’t deny that fact either. “Hey, a boy’s gotta have some fun even if he has to babysit his hotheaded younger brother on a mission to ruin his father’s wedding.”

James laughed. “How’s the mission going?”

“Eric’s prowling the streets like a maniac, looking for the woman’s house. Dad wouldn’t tell him where…or me for that matter.”

“It’s not like it’s hard for you,” James retorted. “Digging up dirt is your specialty.”

“Damn right, but then again I can’t be bothered. It’s fun watching Eric fail, if you know what I mean.”

James chuckled. The youngest brother needed to learn how to use his head and his logic more before charging ahead without thoughts or plans. Like what he was doing now. Flying all the way to Japan on a mission to terminate their father’s wedding by what? Finding the soon-to-be bride and threatening her into submission, ordering her to back out of the wedding? Like that was fucking going to happen.

“Besides…” Scott continued. “If I know, Eric would know I know, and he’d go to any lengths to get it out of me… God! I don’t think I can bear the very thought of him torturing me. He wouldn’t know how to do it right, and I’d laugh my head off until I’d voluntarily surrender the information just to make him stop.”

James knew it was hard for the Maxwell brothers to hide anything from one another, despite the fact they all had different mothers. They seemed to have this sixth sense. It was weird. Of course, there was the fact that each brother had his own men working for him as his eyes and ears to keep him in the loop too, to keep him in the know, so to speak.

“You know me,” Scott continued. “I have a soft spot for that hotheaded brother of ours.”

A soft spot indeed. James was the same toward both Scott and Eric. He’d risk his own life to save either of them. It was in their blood, this loyalty and sibling affection. They didn’t outwardly show it, but it was there. A bond of sorts that had united them since birth.

“So,” Scott asked, changing the subject, “how many did the Mexican lose this time?”

James shrugged indifferently as he gently caressed the lacy material of the lingerie, a smile playing about his lips. He imagined it was Mia in it now, her pale skin showing clearly through the sheer material. It was a beautiful picture, and he couldn’t wait until tonight when he’d really fuck her like he had promised her.

“Didn’t count. It was still too dark, and we needed to find Andy.”

On the other end of the line, it was Scott’s turn to shrug indifferently. “What a pain, eh? That boy. I knew it was going to be troublesome the moment Matt took an interest in him.”

James understood the meaning behind his brother’s words. This was, no doubt, due to past experience. Scott considered investing himself in another person a waste of time and resources, bringing about both heartache and headache.

James chuckled. “I don’t think he can help it.”

He knew it was the same for him with Mia. A man couldn’t help himself when he finds someone he’s interested in. Someone who caused him sparks.

“James?” Scott’s voice came low this time. Cautious almost.

“What?”

“Just curious and all. Is it the same for you with Mia?”

It was weird Scott was so perceptive even though he hadn’t yet met Mia.

James sighed. “Yeah.”

Lowly, Scott chuckled. “Like on first sight?”

James sighed again. “Fuck! Yes! Now stop pestering me about Mia. If you really want to see her, why don’t you just come over and see her?”

Scott laughed. “Sure. I’ll take that as an invitation.”

“You’re just seeing her. No touching. No flirting. And don’t even think about luring her into your bed.”

Scott laughed. “You wound me, brother. Like I want to get myself beaten up by you.”

“Well, good luck with getting Eric back,” James said.

“Don’t worry. I’ll let him suffer for a bit longer here. He’ll realize it’s futile soon enough,” Scott said.

The brothers hung up after that. James returned his attention to the lingerie at hand. He laid the garment out on the bed and then wrote a note on a piece of frangipani-scented paper he had ordered with the erotic garment.

Wear this tonight. James, he wrote. Once he was done, he headed out the door for his office. He was whistling a happy tune.