Rebel (Wolfes of Manhattan 1)

I waited.

And waited.

Then—

Are you kidding me?

I leaned back in my supple leather executive chair and couldn’t help a laugh.

I started to text her back, when another from her came in.

I’m at a dinner meeting.

Where?

None of your business.

Is it a dinner meeting? Or a dinner date?

Again. None of your business.

She had a date. Damn her.

Not that I wanted any kind of exclusivity. We’d just met. But all I’d been able to think about all day was getting her back in my bed.

I typed into the phone. Meet me later.

No, thank you.

Playing hard to get, huh? That wouldn’t fly with me. I had better things to do than chase women.

I texted back. Have it your way.

A few minutes passed.

I will. Have a good evening.

I sighed. A full wet bar lined one wall of my office—a spacious room that was nearly as big as my entire cabin in Montana. I could have a drink to relax, and then I’d make my way back to my empty hotel suite.

I fixed myself a bourbon on the rocks and sat back down behind my desk. I was actually more exhausted now than I’d ever been after a day of good old-fashioned manual labor. Crazy.

As fatigued as I was, I’d have no problem fucking Lacey Ward until the wee hours of the morning.

Aw, hell. I had to try again.

I picked up my phone, but it dinged with a text. From her.

Your sister wants you to join us. We’re at Gramercy Tavern.I hadn’t stopped to think about why Lacey was having dinner with Riley. I’d just hopped in the elevator, gone down the street, and hailed a cab as quickly as I could.

When I got to the restaurant, I hightailed it in.

“May I help you, sir?” the tight-assed maître d’ asked.

“Yeah. I’m here to meet my sister and my…er…attorney.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but we require a jacket and tie.”

I was still clad in my jeans and my one decent shirt. “I don’t have a jacket and tie. So if you’ll kindly show me to my party—”

“If you could tell me whom you’re supposed to meet, perhaps I could let them know that you won’t be able to join them.”

“Are you fu— serious? My sister is Riley Wolfe, the model. I’m Rock Wolfe, the new CEO of Wolfe Enterprises.”

“Oh!” The man nearly fell into a bow. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Wolfe. Please follow me.”

He led me to a small table in a dimly lit corner of the restaurant. Lacey looked amazing. She was all navy blazer but I knew what she was hiding underneath. My sister looked beautiful, as always. Too thin, though. I didn’t like what modeling was doing to her. And her eyes…

I had to stop myself from gulping. I recognized that look in her big brown eyes. To me, she was still the six-year-old begging me not to hurt her daddy. My heart hurt just thinking about it.

So I decided not to think about it.

“Ms. Wolfe, your brother,” the maître d’ said.

“Great. Thank you. Sit down, Rock.”

Lacey’s cheeks were pink. Damn. Pink cheeks made for a hard cock. Crazy shit.

“I’ll send your server over right away, but is there anything I can get you in the meantime, Mr. Wolfe?” He unfolded my napkin and placed it across my lap.

“Bourbon on the rocks. Thanks.” And don’t come near my lap again.

“Any particular bourbon?”

“I don’t know. The first one the bartender can get his hands on works for me.”

“Of course.” He bowed again.

Being Derek Wolfe’s spawn apparently made me royalty all of a sudden.

I opened my mouth to speak when the server appeared. “The ladies’ meals are almost ready, so do you know what you’d like, sir? That way I can get it started and get it out as soon as possible.” He handed me a menu.

I set it aside. “Just get me a T-bone, very rare. Baked potato with sour cream, and whatever vegetable you have.”

“Very good, sir.” He bowed and left.

Yeah. Fucking royalty.

“So, ladies, thank you for inviting me to join you.” I grabbed the bread basket that was next to me. Nothing I recognized, but I took one anyway. “Could you pass the butter, please?” I said to Lacey.

She handed me the tray. “It was Riley’s idea for you to join us.”

That’s what Lacey’s text had said, which was strange, since my sister and I were virtually strangers.

My sister’s cheeks turned pink. “Lacey mentioned that you texted her, and I thought it might be…nice. We could do some more catching up.”

“Sure, that’d be great.” I took a bite of my roll that appeared to have sunflower seeds and some kind of olive in it. Hmm. It was pretty good.

A few moments passed in silence.

“I figured since you invited me,” I said to Riley, “that you’d start.”

“Oh. Yeah. Sure.” She cleared her throat. “How was your first day at the company?”