Corden

Meetings used to be where I flourished most. Knowing how the side businesses were doing grounded me and gave me order knowing I was that much closer to taking Rafino and burning his reputation into the fucking ground. But now that Carmen started our arrangement up again, it's the only thing I'm focused on. It's out of character for me–so far out of left field that during Delano's breakdown of the sales reports, I'm well aware of how distracted I am. His words go through one ear and out the other, flashes of lacy blue panties with evident arousal smeared on the front controlling the majority of my thoughts.

Delano clears his throat, sensing my disconnect. "Where is your head at?"

"Hm?" For the time being, I pull my focus back to him, narrowing my eyes at the laptop he's spun around on the kitchen table of our townhouse.

"Your head," he repeats slowly. "I can tell you're not paying attention to this briefing, and although I don't want to overstep, this is a briefing you should pay attention to. We're running out of money, Corden, and that lump sum you told me about? We need it."

That lump sum of money was my portion of the company shares, but after seeing my brother work so hard trying to save our father's company, I decided to stop pursuing it. I thought the side businesses would be enough to hold us over until I came up with a new way to earn the additional funding, but...

"I'm working on it," is all I reply. "It's taking longer than expected."

"Well, we need to think of something in the meantime. It's not like we're in danger yet, but this past month we've had an influx of spending, and..." He doesn't need to finish his sentence. With him being my second, he tracks the cash flow and spending. He's aware of my luxury purchases, and I'll make no apologies for them. However, this is my father's operation, and I'll do what it takes to get a new income stream soon.

But with no ideas in mind for another income stream, it leaves me with my portion of the company shares as the only option. I don't want to strip Lincoln of something he's spent so much time on. As much as he hates me, he only hates the version of myself I've pretended to be. He doesn't know I often reminisce about watching football games together or regret every second of pushing distance between us. But the stakes are higher than just my portion of the company shares. If I don't obtain them, I'll risk losing the people integral to this operation. Security, spies, employees who run the side businesses... I won't be able to afford them if I don't figure out a way to sell this fucking company, and without them, my protection and reputation will go down the toilet, which in turn will allow Rafino to kill me with hardly a lift of his finger.

It leaves me with no other option than my last resort: speaking to my mother. She's the one who controls not only my inheritance but also my portion of the company shares, and if Lincoln isn't willing to sell the company, she's the only person allowed to release the funds to me. It's not something I'll be able to swing by and ask, though. My mother isn't one to be fooled. She attended business meetings with my father for years, and when he passed, he left the company in her hands. Lincoln eventually took over to ease the burden off her shoulders while she was grieving, but the point is, I'll have to come up with a pitch to get her to agree to release the funds early to me.

"Is there something else we need to discuss before we start brainstorming ideas?"

My eyes bore into his. "What are you talking about?"

Delano isn't one to beat around the bush, but we've never discussed our personal lives. It's the one thing I've kept separate, but with Carmen, she's the first person to have crossed both boundaries, and I don't know how to handle it.

We're the same, which is why he holds my stare unflinching when he says, "You know exactly what I'm talking about." Rising from the chair, he opens the fridge and pulls out two beers before returning to the table and sliding one over to me. "Should I expect to see her here again?"

Prior to meeting Carmen I would have lied and said no, but now that I've promised to let her in....

"Probably, but that's all I'm saying on the subject." I have no idea if that's something Carmen would even be comfortable with after I opened up to her about what my job really entails. Before I was stupid and made a move on her, she didn't seem...scared. But she didn't seem thrilled, either. Who would be?

He takes a long swig of his beer, and with years of training comes the inability to read his thoughts, but whether he approves or not is pointless. I'm going to pursue her despite whatever warnings he'll fill my head with. "Noted."

"And in regards to the new stream of income, I'll handle it. Give me a few weeks."

I can feel my mask slipping the longer he continues to analyze me like I'm an abstract painting, but he finally diverts his eyes from mine, spinning the laptop towards him again before beginning to click away at the keys. "I figured as much. You know, about Carmen. I'm getting her thumbprint into the database at the warehouse now to allow her entry, as well as alerting the security in the nearby area that she isn't a threat if she's spotted."

"I appreciate that."

"No problem. It'll be nice having a boss lady." I snort, which causes him to arch a brow. "Did you just laugh? Damn. I should come up with nicknames more often."

Showing emotion is a weakness. It makes you vulnerable. But the mere idea of anyone calling Carmen boss lady is just... "Call her that the next time you see her," I say with a ghost of a smile. "I'm sure she'll love it." Or put him in a chokehold.

Besides, I don't know if he'll get the chance to see her again. Regardless of whether or not Carmen allows me to continue spending time with her, that doesn't mean I'll win her over. She's well aware of what my work entails and the risks that come along with it, so she has every right to put distance between us again.

Maybe I'm wrong about her love for danger, but that night in the alley when she watched me shoot the man who assaulted her, she hardly flinched. If I'm not mistaken, the glint in her eyes reflected intrigue. Passion. Lust. Archer isn't the right guy for her and deep down, she knows it too. Carmen has an edge to her that includes a passion for pole dancing, and not doing crossword puzzles over a cup of coffee in the morning.

"I know it's not my place, and I'm sure you're already aware of this, but she's on Rafino's radar now more than ever. If this is something you want to pursue, you need to lay low."

"Of course, I'm aware of that." It's the only reason I ended things in the first place. But Carmen has a hold on me for whatever reason, and the thought of putting distance between us again makes me physically ill. I like our nights together at The Harbor. I like getting to know her more and learning about the things she's passionate about. They've become the brightest parts of days that used to be full of gloom. She's given me a reason to enjoy my life again and forget all the fucked up shit I've done.

As I take another long swig of my beer, it dawns on me that all of these things I like about her are putting me in very dangerous territory. Carmen is becoming important to me, a complete contrast to the solitary life that was ingrained in me right before my father's death.

Despite every caution sign, I'm falling for someone who's dating someone else, and nothing has terrified me more.

"Should I expect your company tonight? Some of the boys are driving up from Jersey to play poker."

I shake my head, completely aware of the smile tugging at his lips. "Not tonight."

"The Harbor?" He guesses.

Yes, because nothing is calling my name more than another chance to be around Carmen and admire every curve and inch of her skin. I don't need to answer Delano when he knows the answer. I've spent the majority of my nights there this week aside from the nights Carmen isn't working.

I shrug, tossing my bottle into the recycling bin, but the silence between us speaks without him having to add anything at all.

I'm utterly fucked.