Mikayla [Orchidea: Love on the Bayou 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (18 page)

“I will call them if you don’t do it immediately,” Johnny told her as he held up his phone.

“I’m meeting Pierre this morning for the closing. I’ll tell him afterward.”

Johnny nodded his head.

* * * *

“What?” Pierre yelled as Mikayla sat in his car after the closing at the attorney’s office.

“Pull over, Isaac,” he stated firmly, and Isaac pulled the Range Rover into the back parking lot of Mikayla’s agency. Isaac got out of the car and opened Mikayla’s door. He offered her his hand, and she took it, giving Isaac a small smile but feeling her insides tighten. She turned around as Pierre grabbed her arm and turned her back toward him.

“Repeat what you just said,” he told her.

“On Sunday, when I arrived to meet the potential customer interested in the property I recently listed, I recognized him. At first I thought nothing of it, but as we drove together to the home I didn’t like the feeling I had. Anyway, by the time I showed him through the house and began to make arrangements to show him others for the next day, he made his move.”

“It was Vincent Lukon?” Pierre asked, looking so intense she stuttered as she spoke.

“I really thought he was just being a jerk and had gotten pissed because you got the property on Burrens Place.”

“He mentioned that? He remembered you showing me the place?” he asked, then looked at Isaac who was listening.

She didn’t look away from Pierre’s face.

“He asked me if I was…if I was…”

Pierre cupped her cheek.

“He asked you what?” he whispered. She glanced at Isaac then back at Pierre.

“You can speak freely in front of Isaac. He’s known my brothers and I for years and I trust him with my life.”

She swallowed hard.

“He asked if I was fucking you,” she whispered, and she could see him trying his hardest to hold in his anger. His cheeks sunk in as if he was biting the inside of his cheeks.

“Damn it, Mikayla, we asked you to tell us everything and you didn’t.”

“After I spoke with Franco, Johnny, Gustave, and my sisters they made me see that telling you was the right thing to do. It really doesn’t matter, Pierre. I had my reasons.”

He grabbed her wrist and held her to him.

“That’s where you’re wrong. He forced himself on you, kissed you hard enough to bruise your lips,” he countered, his arm now snug around her waist.

She glanced at Isaac who appeared just as angry.

“I broke his fucking nose, didn’t I, Pierre? I defended myself. That’s what I’m used to doing. Can’t you understand that?” she asked him, feeling herself getting upset now.

He was silent a moment as he looked down at her. Angry determination glittered in his eyes.

“You are ours to protect. If somehow my business transactions have placed you in some kind of line of fire, I will resolve the situation immediately and take you out of harm’s way. What if he went after you again? What if he followed you home or waited for you in this parking lot after work?”

Mikayla lifted her chin and swallowed the fear his words caused inside of her.

“Then I would fight him off again.”

Pierre shook his head.

“A beautiful woman like you shouldn’t have to fight off attackers. I am going to take care of this, Mikayla. First I’m going to talk to Michael and see how you’re going to go about pressing charges.”

“But.”

He raised his eyebrows at her, and she knew not to argue with him. He was really upset, and he was concerned over her safety. Franco and his brothers had made her understand that.

“What are you going to do, Pierre?” she cautiously asked. Her concern lay with his safety as well. Not that she thought he couldn’t handle himself. All of his brothers were very muscular and just seemed capable.

He held her gaze.

“That’s not for you to concern yourself with, Mikayla.”

“Please don’t go after him. I don’t want to be the reason you get into trouble. It’s really not necessary and I—”

He placed his fingertips against her lips as his hand smoothed over her slim-fitting skirt and straight to her ass. He gave a squeeze then pulled her a little closer to him.

“This is a minor situation that I will deal with. It is not your concern now, and keeping you safe is my priority as it is my brothers’.”

“You’re going to tell them then?” she asked, and he gave her a look as if she’d said something terrible.

“Of course. There are no secrets between us, and there will be no secrets that involve you and your well-being.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I don’t want to explain what my line of thinking was. I just want you to know that I’ll try to abide by the rules.”

He smiled at her then gently laid his hand against her cheek. His thumb caressed her lower lip, and he inched closer.

“That’s all we ask.”

He kissed her, and what started out as soft and gentle turned into demanding. By the time he released her lips she was so aroused it took a few moments to open her eyes and gain focus on where they were.

Quickly she pulled away and straightened out her suit jacket.

“I should go,” she stated, and he nodded at her.

“I’ll call you later.”

Isaac opened Pierre’s door, and Mikayla headed into her office building.

* * * *

Pierre called Michael first.

“So who the hell is this guy, Pierre?” Michael asked.

“Just an asshole who’s jealous of my business dealings. He’s really no concern.”

“It’s a concern because it affects Mikayla.”

“I know that, and I’m going to handle it. Just leave it to me and it will be resolved.”

“She should press charges. That way it’s on record that this asshole assaulted her. If he tries something else, she can get him legally. We can get an order of protection.”

“We’re her protection,” Pierre snapped.

“There are legal items to worry about here.”

“Like we worried about following all the red tape to help Douglas?”

Michael was silent for a moment then he said, “Okay, it’s your call. Let me know how it goes. How was Mikayla’s hand? Antoine had me nervous last night.”

“Her hand looks better. Antoine said it wasn’t broken. He was just being overly concerned for her. This situation doesn’t sit right with me. I don’t like having her out of our sight.”

“I hear you, Pierre, but she seems to be able to handle herself fine, and she does have a professional career. She can’t drop everything and follow us around and I know you would love that.”

Pierre chuckled. “Well, not the following around so much as having her nearby at all times. She’s a beautiful woman. You should see the business suit she’s wearing today. Every fucking attorney at the office was looking her over. I was pissed and couldn’t do a damn thing about it. I wasn’t sure how Mikayla would react to me pulling her into my arms and kissing her breathless.”

“Yeah, that might not have gone over too well. Relationships like ours are better off well hidden from the typical public eye. Well, I’ve got to go, let me know if you need anything on my end.”

“No problem, Michael. See you later tonight.”

Pierre got off the phone and called Antoine then Douglas. Fifteen minutes later he asked Isaac to drop him off at the office.

“Isaac, take care of the situation with Vincent Lukon for me.”

“You’re sure you don’t want to handle this yourself?” Isaac asked, surprising Pierre. He thought about it for a moment, but he knew better. The anger he felt would make him do something stupid. He wouldn’t cause Mikayla upset over this.

“It would be better if I didn’t see that asshole. God only knows what I might wind up doing.”

“I’ll take care of it, sir, and it will be my pleasure.”

Pierre smiled. Isaac lived for this kind of stuff. Pierre also noticed that Isaac seemed to be taking a liking to Mikayla.

* * * *

Mikayla conducted four interviews, taking up most of her time throughout the day. All her calls were being forwarded to her voice mail. She had one last closing to do at four thirty downtown, and then she could focus on her date with Douglas.

As she spoke with her assistant about the interviews, they agreed on three young women who showed great potential but had less experience. They were hungry and in sales. Being hungry was important.

“So would you like me to make the calls and set up for them to start this week?” Betty asked.

“Sure. Have them come in just to fill out the necessary paperwork as new employees and to meet the others. I’m going to just check my e-mails real quick and my phone calls before I head out for the closing.”

“What a busy day. You must be exhausted?”

“I am,” she replied then smiled at her secretary. Betty did an awesome job.

Mikayla opened up her e-mail messages and saw a few more inquiries into the Decantur Street house and two other places she was representing. Her belly tightened at the thought that one of them may be Vincent Lukon. But Pierre said he would handle things, and she trusted him. She just hoped that he didn’t get into any trouble.

She was tight on time as she looked at her cell phone and saw ten text messages and a few voice messages. Exhaling, she wondered what was going on, but then she saw the texts were from the guys. Michael, Antoine, and Pierre asked how her hand was and told her that they missed her. She smiled as the warm feeling filled her belly. Then there were two text messages from Douglas. One asking how she was feeling and how he missed her and the other about looking forward to their date tonight. She instantly felt the smile reach her cheeks all the way to her heart. She had strong feelings for all four men and was looking forward to getting to know them better.

She glanced at her watch and saw the time. She really needed to freshen up her makeup and get ready to go. As she quickly mass texted them back, she thanked them for caring, told them her hand was fine and that she missed them, too, and looked forward to her date with Douglas. Hitting “send,” she smiled as she walked over to her purse and pulled out her makeup bag. She placed her phone on speaker and listened to her voice messages as she applied her makeup. She heard Douglas’s voice and instantly was giddy. Then the others and suddenly a very deep, creepy tone. “I’m watching you and I want you. I won’t give up until I have you. There’s nothing they can do.” She stopped what she was doing and instantly felt her heart ache. Was it Vincent? It didn’t sound like him. She heard the next message and then the ones that followed. They were similar or there was just silence and what sounded like heavy breathing and her name whispered between panting. She pressed “end” then lifted up the phone to scroll through the numbers. She recognized the guys’ numbers, but then there were several private numbers.

Her gut ached. She wondered what she should do. She remembered Pierre’s words warning her to tell him immediately if anything happened. Maybe these calls were from Vincent before Pierre had a chance to take care of things? She wasn’t sure what to do as she gathered her things and headed out of the office to her appointment. While driving, she felt nervous, and her hands were shaking. Those calls were scary, and she kept glancing around in her rearview mirror trying to see if anyone might be following her. She didn’t like the feeling she had. She needed to call the guys. Her phone began to ring as she pulled into the attorney’s office parking lot. She could see her client waiting by the walkway, glancing at his watch. He looked at her and an expression of relief hit his face. She didn’t have time to call the guys now. She would call them when she was done.

Suddenly Marie Cherise’s words of advice entered her mind. Although at the moment she couldn’t recall her exact words, the intensity of her tone caused Mikayla to call Michael as she got out of the car.

“What do you mean a strange voice? How many calls? Did you recognize the voice at all?” He asked her a bunch of questions, but she couldn’t stall the meeting much longer. She needed to get inside.

“I’m sorry, Michael, this is going to have to wait. I need to get into the meeting to close this deal. I’ll call you when I’m done here.”

“Where is your meeting?”

“McComber and Loft Law Offices,” she told him.

“Call me immediately if anything else odd occurs.”

“I will.” She hung up the phone and despite the intensity of Michael’s tone, immediate investigative attitude, and professionalism, she felt slightly relieved she’d called but also unsure if she were blowing this out of proportion. She couldn’t think about it now. She had to do this closing. As she greeted everyone in the meeting room, she thought about Douglas and his big, strong arms, and she couldn’t wait to see him and have him hold her.

* * * *

They were concerned to say the least. Knowing very little about Mikayla’s past, Michael and his brothers had little information to go by. Could the caller have been Vincent Lukon, even though Isaac paid the man a visit earlier in the day? Could this have something to do with a past relationship or even a secret admirer potentially stalking her? Or, perhaps it had something to do with Bennitto Flores? But why would Flores send a message to Mikayla when she had nothing to do with the case? It was Illeanna that Flores vowed to capture and keep for himself.