Chapter 5

Tapping her left foot impatiently, Olivia huffed in frustration at the snail's pace of the coffee line. Of all the days! She grumbled to herself; it's not as if Jonas isn't waiting for his second cup of caramel with three shots of whipped cream and extra sugar coffee or anything. Jonas Harder, managing partner at Harder-Lords Law Firm is nothing more than a wannabe playboy who's currently Olivia's obnoxiously demanding boss.

She didn't graduate from law school to be some douchebag's personal assistant, then again, Olivia couldn't complain; at least she gets to practice the very thing she loves even if it's solely corporate law. Her own mother blacklisted her after all, this is the best she'd ever do unless she moved to another country.

Clicking her tongue, Olivia turned around in an attempt to get out of the lengthy line only to crash into someone. She could already feel the cold waves of liquid seeping through her steel-blue sleeveless sheath dress that was layered with a sleeveless khaki duster. It was required of her to always look her best, which is why the stiletto pumps that were gifted to her by Molly match the dress, along with the buff satchel that coordinates so well with the coat.

“Bloody hell, I'm so sorry, didn't see you there!” A vaguely familiar accented voice says, peering upward at the person, Olivia gasps. “Hey, are you alright, I can pay for ruining your dress.” the woman offers, sapping the paper towels on her chest in order to salvage it from the spilled beverage.

“Jessica?!” Olivia exclaimed as she stared at the woman. Sure, her skin tone is of a honey-like shade compared to his tan complexion but it's definitely her.

“Do I know you?” Jessica McQueen asks in confusion, surely the lady whose dress she just ruined did not know each other, yet there's something strikingly similar about the slender brunette.

“If you really mean what you said about paying for the dress, how about you get your brother to talk to me for a minute as payment.” Olivia bargained not believing her luck.

“Listen, lady, surely my brother told you he didn't want anything from you but to warm his bed so get out of my face with your bullshit!” Jessica angrily replied storming out of the cafe not caring about the spilled coffee or the crazy woman's ruined dress.

“Jessica, wait!’ Olivia yelled, practically chasing after the woman in pump heels. “Please, it's not what you think!” She further added, halting Jessica in her tracks.

“What is it and how do you know my name?” Jessica demanded.

“We met over a month ago at club Essence, my name's Olivia Cohen,” Olivia answers as the wind chooses that exact moment to throw her curls into a frenzy. Even so, she didn't miss the slight recognition within the woman's brown eyes along with the deep scowl.

“Stay away-” Jessica started to get defensive but she got interrupted.

“That's just it, everyone keeps telling me to stay away but I need to know why goddammit!” Olivia snapped tiredly, she was sick of the unanswered questions and vague warnings without proper explanations. “Please, I just need a minute of his time, that's all.” She says but Jessica didn't reply, leaving Olivia disheartened as she quickly fished out her keys and huddled inside her car that was parked further ahead from the coffee shop.

Moved to tears, Olivia swallowed her pride as she returned to the office only to be humiliated by Jonas in front of a few fifth-year associates. She was never one to get into arguments which is why the only thing she did was finish up her workload for the day, then went home to a lonely apartment. After asking Richard about Jairius, he had paled significantly before bluntly telling her to drop it. When she refused, Richard stated he didn't want trouble and politely asked her to leave if she continued to pursue the matter. And instead of causing a rift between him and Molly, knowing her friend would, in fact, defend her. Olivia packed her suitcases a week later and moved out.

It's been nearly two months since then and Olivia felt more alone than ever before. The argument with her mother now only a bitter memory didn't deteriorate her from finding out the truth though. She had almost driven herself flat broke hiring two private investigators, both came up empty. Jarius McQueen either didn't exist or was just too powerful of a man to touch, but she didn't believe either theory.

No matter how abrupt, vague, and disappointing their two encounters have been, Olivia didn't believe Jairus to be a prick of power. He had come to her rescue, god knows what would've happened if not for him. He's tender too, that much she picked up on as well, he cares about people despite the frosty attitude and frown he had on his well-defined face; the small scar above his eye only made him more appealing.

Olivia wanted to know the man, even if it seems to be too far of reach; she remains hopeful.

**

Jackson Carmichael retired pro footballer, watches as his wife and partner of eight fruitful years pace up and down in the middle of their bedroom mumbling and grunting to herself in rapid Spanish. He knew better than to interfere until she at least cools back down to speaking standard English, having memories of being cussed out by her in her second tongue.

“How dare she!” His wife finally fumes in English as she stomps her foot in annoyance. “How dare her!” She said again, this time a little less aggressive than before, a good sign to step in.

“Babe, calm down and tell me what's gotten you in such a pissy mood, did your thanksgiving dinner shopping list not work out?” Poor Jackson asks knowing how the holidays made his wife a little crazy about getting the details right.

Taking a deep breath, Jessica plopped down on the bed beside her husband, and sigh before running a hand over her eyes. “I saw Chance's sister today,” she tells her husband.

“Oh really, what did she want?” Jackson asks surprised at the news.

“She wanted to talk with Jairus, but I didn't give her the time of day,” Jessica replied.

“Would it be so bad to find out what she wants? Clearly, it's important to her. She's been tracking down your brother for peace's sake,” Jackson responded calmly per usual making Jessica frown.

“What if it's a trap to set my brother up again?” Jessica asks her only fear out loud.

“What if it's not?” Jackson argued. “If the General is indeed using her to get to Jairus, don't you think he'd use more sophisticated ways to track him down instead of an ex-second-rated cop and a wannabe investigator?” He added giving his wife some food for thought.

“Just think about it, I'm gonna pick up the boys from school,” Jackson says getting up and placing a chastised kiss on his wife's lips before leaving their bedroom.

What if Jackson's right? Jessica thought to herself. Thomas Cohen has the resources to more than find her brother in mere hours, yet the two investigators who she and her brothers' loyalists had managed to discourage, spent days finding out Jairus's workplace. She had first gotten the information from Richard Wolf, a former trainer of Jairus and the closest friend to Chance.

But why is this woman so interested in her brother? Jessica ponders. They both clearly have a bond, hearing her name slip out of her brother's mouth on more than one occasion. After years of trying to seduce Jairius in her bed, Alicia Ferguson a spoiled brat Jessica wishes she hadn't known came crying about how her brother did wrong by calling her Olivia during their heated moment of passion. Jessica couldn't restrain herself when she burst out laughing, drawing the attention of her sons and husband, much to Alicia's embarrassment.

Since then she's been hoping her brother had forgotten about the woman. Weighing her mind a few more minutes, Jessica took out her phone to call their family attorney so he could get Olivia's information for her.

**

Traveling back into town the next day, Jessica needed to test her bond theory on her brother. Walking into the garage, the slamming of car doors, metal hitting metal, and the whooshing sparks of blow torches is all that can be heard and seen as the working men just give Jessica a once-over glance in acknowledgment as she made her way to the far end of the building where Jairus office is. Most of the workers, if not all are discharged soldiers, Jairius had a thing for helping his fellow army brothers.

“Hey, Mrs. Carmichael,” Jennifer, the self-proclaimed state's best assistant, secretary, and receptionist; which is sort of true since the boys would be lost without her homemade dishes and desserts teased.

“Hi Jenny, how are Henry and the kids?” Jessica asked chuckling at Jennifer's antics by calling her Mrs. Carmichael.

Rolling her beautiful green eyes whilst blowing a breath upward at her strawberry-blonde bang, Jennifer sucked at her teeth. “Henry is his usual self, allowing the boys to walk all over him, as baby number four here keeps tickling my bladder,” she replied, causing Jessica to laugh out loud. “Go on ahead, boss man's by himself, I gotta go pee for the hundredth time within an hour,” Jennifer complained, waving Jessica away as she digs through her purse.

Without even knocking, Jessica marches right inside Jairus' office, plopping down in the armchair that's in front of the desk that's occupied by stacks of paper. “I really need to fire Jenny,” her brother grumbled without looking up from the document he was keenly going through.

“How the hell do you do that!” Jessica huffed in annoyance but didn't expect an answer.

“Seeing as though you're the only person allowed in here without permission, the scent of your Gucci bloom cologne overpowers Jenny's Chanel-Paris. Now, what is it?” Jairus asks his voice laced with irritation.

“You never did answer my question,” Jessica responded. “The woman I caught you with, was that her?” She questioned as vague as possible.

“Jessica, for the last fucking time, I don't want to talk about Olivia!” Her brother yelled, looking up from his paperwork for the first time since she walked in. “Dammit, you're just as persistent as she is.” He countered, his eyes betraying him and it almost knocked Jessica out of her seat.

“Alright, I'm sorry,” Jessica half-heartedly apologized. “Anyway, I'm really here to grovel and plead nicely for you to attend our small thanksgiving dinner party.” She lied, hoping he didn't detect it.

Sighing heavily, Jairus pried his black-rimmed reading glasses off his tired face, rubbing his equally exhausted eyes. “Yea, I'll be there,” Jairus replied to his beaming sister which only made him scowl. “You're buying me lunch, and it's going to be expensive as fuck.” He tells his bubbling sister whilst grabbing his coat.

“Done!” Jessica exclaimed in agreement only for her smile to disappear at the ‘Hey boys, lunch is on my sister, Jenny will order anything you want free of charge’ a declaration by a smirking Jairus over the intercom system.

She didn't dare complain though, because the burning passion in her brother's eyes as he mentioned Olivia's name, made her decision easy. Olivia Cohen will also be at the party and she has no doubt the curious kitten won't show up. Jessica could only pray her brother forgives or show leniency for what she was about to do.

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