Be Mine… Or Else(2)

Our place isn't big, but it's cute. There are two small bedrooms and a shared bathroom. The kitchen and living room are tiny, but it's not bad for the two of us. I jumped on the place when I found an ad in the paper for someone looking for a roommate. I'd just graduated high school and for some reason I didn't have the drive to go to college. Even with my good grades I really didn't know what I wanted to do. My parents didn't take it well, but I have to live my life.

It was my first act of rebellion in my entire life. I told them I wasn't going to college and I was moving out. If they could have chained me in the house to keep me from going they would have. I knew deep down I had to get out. If I stayed with my parents they would build my whole life and that’s not what I wanted. I’ve felt unsteady for a long time and haven't had a direction. The only time that feeling has ever gone away has been in those few minutes when I was with Beau.

When I met Tia I wasn't sure how we'd get along. We seemed like such opposites in every way. But like the old saying goes, opposites attract. Right away we clicked.

When I walk into the living room I see her standing in the kitchen drinking her coffee. Her mug states that it contains the blood of her enemies and it makes me smile.

We might be night and day, but we work together somehow. Over the past six months she's become my best friend. She puts up a good front, but once she let me past that I found out she’s a sweet marshmallow inside. She’s loyal and would do anything for someone she called friend.

"Maybe I could go with you, move this along a little, because god knows you aren't going to make the first move." She pauses for a second. "And you shouldn't have to. A sweet girl like you should never chase."

"I could never…" I trail off. I wish I had the moxie to make a move on Beau, but I don't. Heck, when he touched me I couldn't even find words. We stood there just looking at each other in silence. Then he smirked a little and left. I stood like a seashell in a current, unable to process what happened. "No. I'm taking it slow."

Which is true. I've never had a crush before and it's driving me crazy. Why did my first crush have to be on someone like him and not someone who was more on my level?

"I can't wait for the wedding. I’m going to get my walker studded in black diamonds and skulls. I'll be the baddest old lady there," she says, winking at me over her mug.

I stick my tongue out at her even though I know it's childish. She laughs as I grab my white jacket and purse from where they’re hanging next to the front door. When I pull open the front door, butterflies are already taking over my stomach.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," I hear yelled from behind me. I huff. There isn't anything Tia wouldn't do.





Chapter Two





Beau





"Sir, she's on the move."

I pull myself from the file I’ve been trying to get through for an hour. I kept reading the same two lines over and over, because I’m out of my mind. With those words, I'm up instantly. When I make it to the door, Katie is already standing there with my suit jacket in hand. I grab it from her and keep moving.

"No, I don't need any coffee, thanks for asking," she snickers as I walk away.

She's the only person in this office who can get away with smartass comments. Probably because she’s often more of a mother to me than assistant. It used to annoy me, but over time it grew on me. I wasn't accustomed to a woman caring for me just because they cared. Before that, anytime someone gave me attention it was because they thought I could benefit them in some way.

My security guard Samuel steps onto the elevator with me right as the doors open. "Don't come in the coffee shop," I tell him. I say the same thing every day, but I don’t care.

He nods. "I know, sir."

His face never changes. I know he hates when I go anywhere public and he's not by my side, when you have as much money as I do you can never be too careful. I don't want to scare my little sunshine away. Both Samuel and I are big and can be intimidating when standing next to each other. Normally I even have the same look on my face that he has right now. Straight. Giving nothing away. It works well in the courtroom. It’s also how I get people to leave me the fuck alone.

With my little sunshine, though, I always make sure I smile. I don’t want to scare her off or seem intimidating. I also want to tell Samuel to stay the fuck away from her, but I can't. He’s the one watching her when I’m unable to.

"Sir?" He must feel the tension in the elevator.

"She's mine." I glance over at him. A possessiveness like I've never felt slides through my body. It’s always that way with her. Fuck, I need her.

He gives a sharp nod. "I know, sir. I've also made that clear to Quinn."

I feel a little bit of tension leave my muscles. Quinn is the guard tailing her now. This is the first time I ever thought about what my security people really looked like. I've never thought about women’s responses to them because I don’t give a shit what they look like as long as they do their jobs. And I don’t care about women unless they’re on the other side of my desk and I'm taking their case.

I have a very strict policy about anyone working for me hooking up with clients. I put stringent policies in place because of my father. The law firm learned that lesson the hard way, and it’s something that will never be repeated.