“And his pension?”
“Nothing. They keep making excuses and promise it will be resolved, but it’s been almost a year.” He shook his head. “I have all my days keeping him calm. I believe the MPDC Chief wants him to do something irrational so they have an excuse to get rid of him … either by locking him up or … I don’t even want to think of what else.” Blake brushed a hand over his eyes. “I apologize, sir. I have no idea why I’m unloading all of this on you.”
It wasn’t all that strange to Zeke though. Danton had been the one to identify his association with his spirit and totem animal, the dragon. It was under his tutelage that Zeke had learned to embrace it completely. It was evident in the fearless, passionate, and intensely loyal way he approached all circumstances that arose in his life. He thought, spoke, and acted quickly with the wiseness of an old soul. He wasn’t afraid to seek out the truth in his desire to rise above all circumstances. Because of all those characteristics, people opened up to him easily and trusted in him without fear of being disappointed.
“Sometimes one finds the one person who needs to hear it.” Zeke pulled out five-hundred dollars and stuffed it in Blake’s jacket pocket, ignoring his protest. “Give your little sister a proper birthday party.”
“I can’t accept this,” Blake protested.
“Consider it a loan.” He smiled at him as he took out his phone. “Give me your phone number and I’ll be sure to remind you of that someday.”
Blake was too stumped to do anything other than rumble off his number which Zeke added to his contact list.
“Your family was handed a bad dice and I have the ability to help. Talent and passion should never be wasted. The way your eyes light up when you mentioned culinary school shows me it’s something you desire more than anything.”
“I do,” a whimsical smile flashed over his face, “but I can’t leave my job. It’s the only income my family has, apart from the little money my mom makes from cleaning houses. Thank you for the offer but I can’t accept it.”
“Give me the opportunity to look into this, young man, and then we’ll discuss it properly with your parents.”
Blake’s eyes lit up at the prospect of his family’s lives changing for the better. They used to live a good life but the past year had taken its toll on all of them—more so on his younger brother and sister, who had to get used to the bitterness of hunger and neglect.
Zeke followed Blake to the door. He squeezed his shoulder as he opened it.
“Hang in there, young man. I’ll be in touch.”
Blake left with a bright smile as he rolled up the money and stuffed it in his pants’ pocket, already making plans of baking a humongous birthday cake and his sister’s favorite pastries as soon as his shift was over.
“That was a nice gesture.”
Zeke glanced up at Taylor’s lilt floating toward him. His eyes glimmered in an appreciative foray over her body. She looked fresh and so damn sexy he could feel the effect in the twitch of his cock. Not for the first time, he regretted not fucking her last night.
“There’s an honesty to that young man, a desire to succeed that reached out to me.” He shrugged as he picked up the plates and placed them on the dining room table. He pulled out a chair. “I have the ability to help and he’s the kind of person who deserves greatness.” He gestured to the chair. “Let’s eat. I’m starving and Stone will be here any moment now.”
Taylor sat down. Her breath wheezing from her throat filtered like a melodious chime through the atmosphere as Zeke swept her hair to the side and placed nibbling kisses along her nape.
“Hmm, I love your fresh smell, little one … not to mention how silky your skin feels against my lips.”
“Zeke, this is … you have to stop,” she moaned as he dragged his tongue in a tantalizing caress over the throbbing vein.
“Only because our food is getting cold,” he conceded and sat down. He smiled as she eagerly poured two cups of coffee, giving him the impression she needed to find something to do to get rid of the surge of sexual energy he’d awakened with his brief seduction.
He was onto her.
She might verbally deny it but there was no denying the effect he had on her sexually. He had every intention of using it to his advantage.
Zeke Sinclair had found the woman he wanted—to love, to have and to hold until death do them part. Cheesy, he knew but it was how he felt. All he had to do now was convince her it was exactly what she needed as well.
After she admitted the truth about who she was and why she was going to Key West—and he preferred she did so before Stone arrived.
Chapter Six
“If I may ask, how did you manage to secure this penthouse suite on such short notice? Especially since every other room in the hotel is booked.” Taylor glanced at Zeke as she chewed on the delicious crispy bacon.
Zeke’s shoulders rolled in a negligent shrug. “It is family-owned. We need accommodation in DC on a regular and sometimes unplanned basis. It makes it easier not to have to waste time searching for a suitable hotel room.”
“Why?” Taylor lowered the fork stacked with egg, tomato, and toast as she looked at him, her curiosity sparked. She had been speaking to Peyton on a regular basis but their conversations were focused on female topics since she had made it clear that the celebrity cousins’ private lives weren’t up for discussion. It had been a matter of concern to Taylor, since she couldn’t help but wonder if the case Peyton had investigated six years ago didn’t hold some truth. A prior employee at Castle Sin had claimed that she’d been forced into submission and held there against her will. Her bestie of course found it had been a false accusation and assured her months ago to set the notion from her mind that anyone was under duress who lived or worked at Castle Sin—herself least of all. Now, she couldn’t help but wonder.
Her desire to get to the island was twofold. Mainly to get off the grid but also to set her own mind at rest that Peyton was indeed in love and not being held prisoner.
She blushed at the telltale quirk of his eyebrow. “I mean you were actors and most of your movies were shot in L.A. So, why do you need to be in Washington DC of all places on a regular basis?” She frowned and wondered why Peyton had never relayed the tidbit of information about them retiring from acting. A warning bell blared in her mind. Maybe she had cause to be concerned about her. “For that matter, why did all of you decide to step down from acting at the same time? That is what you said, right?”
Zeke set his utensils down and sipped on his coffee while watching her with an intensity that made her skin tingle. “You’re rather curious about something that doesn’t concern you, especially since you’re adamant we're parting ways in a couple of hours. Now, why is that, I wonder?”
Taylor felt her cheeks bloom with heat and quickly stuffed her mouth with food to give herself time to calm her frayed nerves. He had the innate knack to unsettle her with no more than a look.
Zeke stretched out his legs and sat back in the chair. A grin twitched his lips. “Tell you what, I’ll answer one of your questions and you return the favor.” His eyes narrowed as she shot a sharp glance his way. The wariness in her eyes was a glaring confirmation that she was up to something.