"Well, ain't that a lick."
I glared at Jonas as he uttered the words mockingly. As he struggled to suppress a grin, I considered telepathically seizing his breath with my alpha power. He must've sensed my intentions, or seen the murder in my stare, because he soon raised his hands in surrender.
"Hey, hey. It's not my fault, man. Don't give me the creepy eyes. You look like you're about to grab me by the throat and shake me violently like a rag doll."
It wouldn't have been a terrible idea, I considered. Still, self-control caused me to release a frustrated groan instead. "You can only imagine the joy I felt when I woke up this morning to Mr. McKenzie's reply to my email. The scheduled meeting went as planned, and all terms and conditions were agreed to. We just expanded the strength and growth of this company with his signature on those documents. And to celebrate? My suggestion of one of the top restaurants in the city was declined. Instead, he preferred to be at the Pit for tonight's death match. That's where he wants to celebrate."
I threw myself back on my chair, loosened my tie, and blew my cheeks out. Jonas spoke only after he was sure I wasn't going to choke him to death. "Listen, bro. You've just brought on board one of the biggest investors in these parts. A seasoned entrepreneur and major shareholder in several massive corporations. What's more, he's the alpha of his pack in San Francisco, which means you're out here uniting clans and forming alliances as well. You're making history, bro."
Ordinarily, Jonas's words of encouragement were enough to lift any kind of broken spirits. But I wasn't feeling broken—exhausted was the more accurate description. With a sigh, I rose from my desk and made my way to the large ceiling-to-floor windows at the edge of my spacious office. Pierce Logistics Incorporated stood as a tall, multi-story building on a slightly elevated terrain at the edge of the metropolis. I'd picked my office—the highest room in the structure, of course—so that it faced the literal backyard of the city; long, sloped streets that bordered a wide expanse of sandy beaches, which in turn lay right next to the deep blue waters of the Atlantic.
As I got lost in the beauty of the sun setting across the horizon in the distance, my sharp ears picked up a deep exhale from Jonas. "This is only a small deterrent, Ven. Don't let it darken what you've accomplished. Dad will be ecstatic when he hears the news. And Mom… well, she'd be very proud of you."
I stayed quiet, soaking in Jonas's words. It'd been eight years since our mother passed, and it took me almost as long as that time to finally come to peace with it. But every time she was brought up, a familiar pain in my chest throbbed. Her diplomacy combined with my father's determination and drive was what started the company from scratch. An unstoppable force together, they'd built an empire from scraps and raw will. In the wake of her death, my father handed the reins of the corporation to me, following my rise as Alpha of the Midnight-Moon pack. As its successor, I could only imagine how much this company had meant to my mother. As a son, however, I understood the significance of the ties this job had with my family.
I turned around, facing my brother. I found it pleasingly satisfying how much he reminded me of our mother. The same reddish-brown hair, emerald-green eyes, and mischievous smile. They even shared the same sense of humor, although Jonas was the unfortunate upgrade. I instantly thought of how Mom would've reacted to the news, how she would've prompted me to go and celebrate the moment as well. With a calmer state of mind, I walked over to Jonas and leaned on the desk. His gaze up at me from his chair was uncertain, as if he was undecided on whether to keep trying to convince me or let the matter go entirely. With a small smile, I swiped an invisible lint off the shoulder of his brown suit jacket.
"You're just as pivotal as I was during the negotiations," I confessed softly. "It was thanks to your connections that we even had McKenzie's attention in the first place. So if I'm going to celebrate, you're coming with me."
It took a moment for Jonas to digest my words, with a wide grin spreading across his face afterwards. "Hell, yeah. That's what I'm talking about."
He leaned back with his hands placed behind his head, his expression more relaxed than five minutes ago. "You don't even have to stay until the fight ends. As long as you show up, you can leave soon after."
"Right." I looked down at my dark striped pants and matching shoes, my thoughts racing already. "I don't suppose Pea would be fighting tonight, would she?"
I regretted it the moment those words left my mouth. I'd unintentionally given Jonas ammunition, and with a sly smile forming on his lips, he didn't hesitate to use it.
"Well, well," he crooned slowly. "And I thought Darius was the lover boy among us."
Before I could object and defend myself, he raised a finger. "No need to deny the affinity, bro. Unfortunately, she won't be in the arena today. She's already through to the tournament stages. So, try not to miss her too much, okay?"
Scowling, I stood straight and glanced at my watch. 6:05pm, it showed. I had to be at the Pit in two hours. And I didn't plan on showing up in my three-piece Italian suit. "We need to go, Jo," I ordered. "Grab some dinner and freshen up before the match. Unless you plan to go like that."
Jonas got on his feet. "I don't see why I can't pull up in a fifteen-thousand-dollar cashmere suit. But I do see your point."
"Good." I grabbed my phone and headed straight for the door without waiting. I couldn't help but wonder if Jonas was right in the wrong way. Of course, I wasn't falling for a savage stranger I'd seen just a couple of days ago, but there was this undeniable fascination I'd developed. I wasn't going to admit that I was secretly rooting for her, even if I wasn't going to watch the games. As Jonas's hurried footsteps echoed on the marble floor behind me, I felt washed with the feeling that our second meeting wasn't going to be far off.
Hopefully, I thought humorously, it wouldn't be in a fight.