Elijah: The Boss's Gift Read online

  “Which friend?” Mindy folded her arms across her chest. “Dad, if you’re wanting to bring girlfriends home you don’t have to lie about it. She’s beautiful,” Mindy said.

  Okay. Cherry didn’t have a clue what to say or do. Her face was bruised, she needed a bath desperately, she’d been threatened with death, and this girl thought she was beautiful. She really didn’t know how to handle this.

  “My dad would have killed me if he saw the trouble I was getting into,” Cherry said.

  “You’re wearing a maid’s uniform and you’re bruised.”

  “Again, bad day.”

  Mindy stared at her for several minutes. “So you’re not dating my dad?”

  The disappointment was clear to see on the young girl. Cherry felt bad for her.

  “No, I’m not.”

  “Damn, here I was hoping you’d found a woman to deal with your crap.”

  “Language, Mindy.” Elijah scolded his daughter. It was strange to see. Cherry rarely saw men telling their daughters off. She’d never had a father herself. “Come on, I’m starving.”

  Mindy took her coat and urged her into the dining room. “Sit, I’ll bring it all through.”

  Taking a seat beside Elijah, Cherry kept her hands on her lap. Neither of them spoke as Mindy hummed bringing in pans filled to the brim with sauce.

  “She makes a really good pasta sauce.”

  Cherry nodded, doubting he wanted her to talk. Her life had taken a dramatic turn, one that she wasn’t really prepared for.

  Chapter Two

  Ignoring his guest Elijah focused on his daughter, asking her about school.

  “Dad, seriously, it’s boring,” Mindy said. “Serve up.”

  He stood, serving all three of them with pasta then with the sauce and the slightly burned meatballs.

  “I’m sorry. I burned them. I needed to make sure that the meat was cooked through.”

  “Don’t worry about,” Elijah said. Friday night was always interesting on his taste buds. Mindy wasn’t the best cook, but at least she tried.

  “You like to cook?” Cherry asked.

  She was another complication he didn’t want to think about. He responded to her in a way he hadn’t responded to anyone since Mindy’s mother. Elijah closed off the memories of Bethan. She’d been the woman he loved more than anything else.

  “Yes, I love it.”

  Cherry nodded. “I like cooking.”

  “You do.”

  He watched Cherry as she talked with his daughter. She wasn’t much older than Mindy, and he hated the need that Cherry inspired inside him. They ate their food together with Cherry and Mindy talking about food. He was surprised by how much Cherry knew, and from the look on Mindy’s face, she was loving her already.

  When it was over, he sent his daughter off, as she had done the cooking, and he carried the dishes through to the kitchen. He dumped the leftovers in the trash.

  “Thank you for not crushing her heart.”

  “I’m not mean, and the food tasted okay.” Cherry took the dishes and started to dry them up. “So what’s my job now?”

  “Clean, do whatever you want. I’m not interested in dealing with your shit.”

  He shouldn’t be doing this. If Cherry went to the cops he’d be in for a world of shit, but he just couldn’t bring himself to lock her up. When she’d been tied to the chair, the fear in her blue eyes had struck him hard.

  “I’m going to my office. Mindy will show you to your room.”

  Drying his hands, he left her alone in the kitchen. He’d not finished the dishes, but he needed to get away. Closing his office door, he sat behind his large oak desk. On top of his desk was a picture of Bethan. She had gorgeous black hair with startling blue eyes. All of the women he fucked now were either blonde or dyed out of a bottle. Bethan had died giving him Mindy. She hadn’t been strong enough to handle a pregnancy. It was lucky she’d carried Mindy for so long with her heart defect. Bethan had a hole in her heart that weakened her.

  “What the hell am I doing?” he asked, staring at her picture.

  He expected a phone call from his security detail that Cherry had run off. Ten minutes passed and still nothing.

  “Dad?” Mindy asked, knocking on the door.

  “Yes.”

  The door opened, and she peeked around the corner. “Can I show Cherry to a room? She says she’s staying here.”

  “Sure.”

  “Dad?”

  “Yeah.” He rubbed at his temples, looking toward her.

  “I like her. She’d be great for you.”

  “Mindy, don’t start.”

  “What? I’m just saying. She’s really pretty.”

  “Go, show her to her room.” He waved his hand out for Mindy to leave.

  “Love you, Dad.”

  “Love you, too, honey.”

  His door closed and he heard Mindy talking. He should just let the girl go, but if Marcel wanted, he’d find her. Picking up his phone, he dialed Caleb Cassell, one of the few men he actually trusted with his life.

  “Hello,” Caleb asked. “This better be good.”

  “I need some information on a woman.”

  “Fuck, Elijah, it’s Friday night.”

  “So?”

  “I’m with my woman and you want to talk business. Couldn’t it wait until tomorrow?” He heard Caleb moving away from the sound of Donna laughing.

  “No, it couldn’t wait.”

  “Fine, I’m in my office. What couldn’t wait?”

  “I need information on a woman. She goes by the name Cherry Morgan. I don’t think it’s a fake name. It was on all of the identification with her.”

  “Okay, you want a thorough detail on her?”

  “Yes, everything you can get your hands on, I want it all.”

  Caleb was silent, and he imagined his friend was writing everything down. Elijah rubbed at his eyes.

  “Anything else?”

  “No, that’s it.”

  “Do I want to know why you want to know?” Caleb asked.

  “Let’s just say she was a gift.” He liked working with Caleb and Henry. Both men were known as being the Deadly Duet, two fierce men that rivaled his own reputation. They were good friends and did a lot of business together.

  “Wow, you’re taking living gifts now.”

  “I didn’t have much of a choice.”

  “She’s staying with you?”

  “Again, not much of a choice.” Elijah stared at Bethan’s picture. She smiled back at him, pressing both hands to her swollen stomach.

  “Seeing as you called, Donna’s pregnant again. You’re invited to dinner Sunday. Henry’s coming and bringing Lydia. She’s pregnant also. You can bring Mindy and your new friend.”

  He didn’t think he’d be bringing Cherry anywhere.

  “I’ll be there. I’ve got to go.”

  “Wow, rude, you call me up and now you’re trying to get rid of me,” Caleb said.

  “Since you’ve gotten married and settled down, you’ve become way too fucking happy.”

  Caleb laughed. “You’re just jealous. There’s nothing like waking up every morning to the woman you love.”

  Rolling his eyes, Elijah snorted. “I’ve got to go.”

  “You’re the one who invaded my time, not the other way around.”

  They said their goodbyes and hung up.

  Staring at Bethan, Elijah ran a finger over his lip. “What do I do, Bethan?”

  His life hadn’t killed her. An undiagnosed medical condition killed his wife. She’d been the love of his life, his soul.

  “I don’t know what to do.”

  Reaching out, he took hold of her photo. He didn’t get any answers, but staring at her calmed the beast inside him. The need to hurt someone was strong, but he ignored it. Whenever he thought about the unfairness of Bethan’s life, he wanted to hurt someone. She should be here talking to his daughter about her menstrual cycle, boys, warning her against sex. He’d hired
a doctor to talk with Mindy about her periods.

  “I’m fucking this up.”

  Running a hand down his face, he put her picture away. He couldn’t hide away in his office for too long. There was so much work that needed to be done. Fridays were not his night. They belonged to his daughter, and he left his office, going straight to the movie room. When he couldn’t find Mindy, he walked up to her room only to find it empty.

  Going past each room, he opened the door. He went to the end of the hall to the bedroom next to his. The door was open, and when he looked inside he saw Mindy drying Cherry’s hair. She wore a bathrobe, and most of her hair was damp.

  Leaning against the doorframe he watched them for a couple of seconds. His gaze riveted to Cherry. The bathrobe she wore gaped at the front showing off a great deal of her cleavage. His cock responded to the sight, and he wanted to run his finger along the curve of her breast.

  Would her body be as soft as he imagined?

  The urge to send Mindy away, bend Cherry over the bed, and fuck her hard was strong. He’d never been interested in younger women. Cherry wasn’t innocent, and he’d seen the understanding in her eyes. She hadn’t lived an easy life. Shit had happened to her making her a survivor. What had she survived? Who was she? What was she doing with her life? Why wasn’t she finding any means of escaping? He wanted answers to all of his questions. Most of all, he wanted his body to stop craving her. He’d known her a couple of hours, and he shouldn’t be this easily taken by her.

  ****

  “Your hair is so beautiful,” Mindy said.

  Cherry smiled. Her hair was a pain in the ass. When she was growing up the men her mom brought home would try to get her to do things to them. They loved running their fingers through the blonde tresses. She didn’t like them touching her, but her mother made her. One day when her mother was getting high she found a pair of scissors and chopped it all off. Once her mother came down from her high, Cherry got the beating of a lifetime. There were some sick men out there.

  Mindy hadn’t been through any of that crap. She still held the beauty of the world within her eyes. It was refreshing being around her, calming almost. For tiny moments Cherry could forget that she was here because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  “I love the color. I wish my hair could be this color. I’m dull, mousy brown.”

  “Your hair is beautiful and glossy. You never need to change yourself for anyone, Mindy.” She smiled at the girl in the mirror.

  They were interrupted by Elijah clearing his throat.

  “Hey, Dad,” Mindy said.

  “I’m ready for movie night.”

  “Damn. I’m doing Cherry’s hair.”

  “I don’t mind,” Cherry said.

  “Do you want to watch a movie? You can sit between my legs, and I’ll finish off your hair. You can do mine after,” Mindy said.

  The younger girl was hopeful. Her gaze twinkled as she stared back.

  “If it’s okay with your father.” Cherry glanced at Elijah in the mirror. His gaze was on her chest in the mirror. Looking down, she saw the robe had opened up, showing off a great deal of her breasts.

  Closing the robe, she kept her gaze on his.

  “You can come down.”

  Heat filled her pussy at his stare. What the hell was wrong with her? He was older than she was, and there’s no way she should want anything from him.

  He threatened to kill me.

  Mindy squealed.

  Getting to her feet, she watched Mindy grab the hair stuff and head out of the room. Elijah hadn’t moved, and she ended up standing close to him.

  “Oh, Dad, we need to get Cherry some clothes. She doesn’t have anything here.”

  “I’ll deal with it.”

  Neither of them moved. She stared right back at him as Elijah did the same. Something happened between them. The air seemed charged as they looked at one another. Her nipples tightened, and her pussy grew slick with cream. She gasped at the arousal spreading through her body. This was the first time she’d ever experienced anything like this. The other men had forced her, and she’d never felt any desire for anyone.

  He’s old.

  Elijah was older than she was, but he was handsome. His dark hair was flecked with hints of grey showing his maturity and age. There were wrinkles around his eyes, and she saw he did at least laugh a little, even if he hadn’t with her.

  “You don’t have to be afraid around me.”

  She smiled. “You’ve threatened to kill me.”

  “I’ll only kill you if you force my hand.” He reached out, cupping her cheek. She didn’t flinch. His hands were warm where he held her. They were nice, and all thought of arguing or panicking left her. What would it be like to have his hands on other parts of her body? “Don’t make me kill you.”

  “I won’t.”

  He withdrew his touch, stepping away. Had she been the only one affected by him? Following him out of the room, she cursed her body for reacting to him. She shouldn’t be reacting to him. He was a killer. She’d not seen him kill but knew he must be deadly to have been with the men who held her.

  Elijah took a seat on the sofa, and Cherry sat between Mindy’s legs. The large screen lit up as the movie started to play.

  “I pick the movie. It’s my deal.” Mindy continued to play with her hair while the movie played. Every now and then, Cherry was sure Elijah was staring at her. She didn’t dare look his way.

  The first hour of the movie was spent with Mindy fixing up her hair. By the time she finished, her hair was curled and bumped up, styled around her face. Her hair was long.

  They changed places, and Cherry allowed herself a glance in his direction. He was staring at her. She didn’t know when but he’d removed his jacket and tie. The top three buttons were open on his shirt, revealing an expanse of his chest. Forcing her gaze away from him, she focused on Mindy.

  Cherry removed the clip that held the girl’s brown tresses. Her hands were shaking as she started to work. It took her several attempts to get her body under some kind of control. Every time she looked Elijah’s way, he was staring back at her.

  Mindy was oblivious to them. Cherry was careful as she worked with the younger girl’s hair. She brushed out the length, seeing she had hair that fell to her shoulders. Blowing out a breath, she forgot about Elijah watching her, and focused on playing with Mindy’s hair. The girl before her seemed to be desperate for female company. She had a wonderful life, lived in a luxurious house, and yet she was missing something.

  Cherry didn’t know what she’d do if she ever got to live in such a beautiful house.

  You’re living in one now.

  This wasn’t by choice. She wasn’t a welcomed guest, unless she counted Mindy’s welcoming gestures.

  When the credits rolled, Cherry finished the last curl of Mindy’s hair.

  She watched the girl look into the mirror, squealing at the style. “I love it. I love it.” She wrapped her arms around Cherry.

  “This is so awesome. Tomorrow I think we need to shop. Dad, can I take Cherry shopping?”

  “I’ll think about it,” Elijah said.

  “Okay, I’ll beg tomorrow. I’m going to head to bed. It was great to meet you, Cherry. I know we’re going to be really good friends.” Mindy gave her another hug then took the hair stuff with her.

  Within seconds they were alone and Cherry was aware of her almost naked state. She wasn’t wearing any clothes underneath the robe. Mindy had offered to lend her a night shirt, but one look at the girl let Cherry know there was no way she’d fit. Her curves were designed for a size sixteen, not anything less.

  “You’re good with Mindy,” he said.

  “She’s charming.” She stood and made to walk toward the door. Elijah stopped her from going when he reached out to grab her hand. The electric struck her hard from his grasp. His touch sent yearning coursing through her. Licking her dry lips, she stared down into his darker eyes.

  “I want to
make a deal with you.”

  “What kind of deal?”

  “Until further notice you become Mindy’s friend.”

  “You don’t need to make a deal with me to be her friend. She’s a great kid.”

  “I don’t want to be worrying about threatening you. You’ll stay here until further notice. When I know it’s going to be safe, you go without any worries.”

  Cherry frowned. “You’re making a deal with me and then I’m free to go?”

  “Yes. Mindy doesn’t have a mother, and I don’t allow her to bring friends here. It’s hard for her, and I didn’t realize how much until I saw her with you. Be her friend, be what she needs, and when all of it is over, I’ll let you go. I’ll pay you weekly.”

  “How much?” Cherry asked. She’d be Mindy’s friend for free, but she had to think of her life past this.

  “I’ll pay you fifteen hundred a week.”

  She licked her lips. “Deal.” With fifteen hundred a week she could put away a great deal of money for a long time and she’d be set to do with her life what she wanted.

  “You’re not going to negotiate.”

  “No. I know a good deal when I see one.”

  His gaze ran down her body, and the heat in his gaze twisted her gut inside. She didn’t like the way he looked at her.

  “I have a condition,” she said.

  “Which is?” he asked.

  “I don’t want to have sex with you.” Even as she said the words, she wished she hadn’t said anything.

  “I’ve not asked for sex.”

  “I know that look. You want to have sex.”

  Elijah stood and kept a grip on her wrist. He tugged her close, cupping her cheek. Her pussy was slick with cream.

  “Baby, I’ve got women waiting for me to fuck them. I’m not into force of any kind. I can handle your one condition.” He released her hand. “I’ll leave you out some sweats, and tomorrow Mindy will take you shopping.

  Elijah left the room before she could say anything more. Rubbing her hand where he held her, Cherry wondered what the hell she was doing.

  Chapter Three

  Three days later Elijah sat in Caleb and Henry’s office at Ecstasy. The nightclub was the best club within the city and where a lot of business went down. There were girls toward the back that Henry and Caleb took care of, making sure none of the clients got brutal with the girls. They could fuck them but not harm them in anyway.