Page 6 of Key Of Dreams
I want to throw up at the thought of anyone touching Maya. It must show clearly on my face, because Kailyn walks behind my desk and puts a hand on my shoulder.
“Exactly. Tomorrow holds no guarantees. I believe in planning a future, but let’s not forget to live today. If you like her, and I mean really like her, do something about it. Maya is sweet and sensitive, but she craves adventure. I think that girl is a super surprise in a little package.” Kailyn giggles.
I turn my head to see Kailyn’s smile. “Phoenix is a lucky man.” Their road to happiness hasn’t been an easy one. I didn’t make it any easier on them by giving Phoenix a hard time for falling in love with Cory’s wife. I had it in my head that he was disrespecting one of our own. I was an idiot. Anyone can see the love they have for one another is real. It doesn’t mean we don’t think or talk about Cory, but he was the kind of man who would want Kailyn and Phoenix to be happy.
“We both are,” she says. “Think about what I said. Please.”
I give her a slanted grin. “I promise.” I see her relax, and she lets out the heavy breath she was holding.
“You’re one of my favorite people. I want you to find that person who does for you what Phoenix does for me,” she confesses softly.
I’m left in stunned silence as she leaves my office. I’ve been alone for most of my life. The only people I call family are the men in this building and Kailyn. I’m not even sure I’m capable of loving a good woman the way she should be.
Yet, from the moment I saw Maya struggling in the hallway, I knew she was different. I’ve had to stop myself from going back to the apartment in the hope of running into her. But a knife twisted in my gut when Phoenix mentioned the guys who’ve been snooping around Maya.
I guess I’m going to a party Saturday night.
* * *
Saturday evening…
I can hear Rebel’s roar of laughter as Falcon and I get off the elevator. It’s still early, and people aren’t expected for another hour. Falcon got caught on a call, and I stayed behind to finish up the paperwork from the last job we did. A final report is due, and I’ve been procrastinating. It’s a bad habit I’ve got when it comes to paperwork, but it’s the one part of the job I hate.
To be honest, it was good to have the distraction to keep me from an even bigger distraction. And here she is now. Maya steps out of her apartment looking so beautiful that I want to take her back inside and turn this into a party for two.
Her long blonde hair is pulled back into a sleek ponytail. Her makeup highlights her big blue eyes and full pink lips. Maya’s wearing a pair of skinny jeans with a powder-blue sweater and brown tanned-leather ankle boots. She’s a cross between the girl next door and a sexy angel that has me questioning my sanity. Sweet, angelic women aren’t the type I’m usually attracted to. She’s too busy locking her door to notice us.
I have no business getting involved with an angel, but I’m done fighting the pull.
“Hey, Maya.” She startles and puts a hand to her heart. “You’ve got to pay more attention to your surroundings. You’re not in Kansas anymore,” I tease. It bugs me that she’s far too nonchalant with her safety.
“Hi, Bull. It’s good to see you again.” Maya glances at Falcon. “Hello.”
“This is Falcon. He works with Phoenix and me. Falcon is the guy who started Storm, and we all agreed that he should take the lead.”
Falcon extends his hand for Maya to shake. “I’ve heard great things, Maya.”
“Nice to meet you too,” she replies shyly. “I guess we should join the others. I promised Gertie I would walk over with her.”
“Go ahead, Falcon. I’m sure Gertie has trays she needs to be carried over,” I tell him.
“Sounds good.” Falcon turns the corner, and I walk with Maya to Gertie’s door. “Did you have a good week?” I ask.
“I really did,” she exclaims. “I checked out the local shops and had time to finish my unpacking. And, of course, I called my ma. She spent the first fifteen minutes trying to talk me into coming home. Then my brother gave me a lecture about safety in a city that nearly scared me out of my mind. I think it was his way of getting me home. I held out, though.” She giggles.
“They care about you. That’s a good thing, babe.”
“I know they do,” she says as she knocks on Gertie’s door. Gertie promptly opens to see the two of us standing together.
“Oh good, you brought Bull along with you. Be a doll and grab the two sandwich trays on my table,” Gertie says to me.
“I got it.” I collect the trays with one hand, then take the keys from Gertie and lock the door before handing the keys back. “Hang on to Maya,” I order Gertie. Gertie’s much better than when I first met her, but she hasn’t completely recovered and has a tendency to lose her balance. The chemo really knocked her on her ass. Gertie thinks she’s superwoman and that worries me, but I see Maya linking Gertie’s arm in hers.
“Lead the way,” she tells Gertie.
* * *
I’ve been watching from the corner of the room, and I’m not happy. It started with Rebel flirting with Maya. I nearly pulled him outside to have it out with him. When he saw my expression, he knew I was upset. In an angry tone, he said, “Man the fuck up or quit looking like you’re out for blood.”
