Stranded with My Stepbrother Chapter 135

Will

I was fuming.

I held McKenzie’s hand for ten minutes while the jet circled, descended, and touched down. The entire time, I could feel her eyes on the side of my face, begging me to be reasonable.

Fuck reason.

That asshole had put his filthy foot on my woman, and he expected me to be reasonable?! Fuck that!

“Will…” she whispered to me as the jet taxied to the hangar. “Don’t we have to be nice? Aren’t you supposed to… you know… make your grandfather happy?”

“The only person in this whole goddamn situation worth making happy is you,” I replied hotly, still with a full head of steam.

She leaned her head against my arm. “Don’t get me wrong, I think this side of you is kinda sexy. But I’d also really, really like it if we didn’t die. That would make me happy.”

Anger slowly leached out of me. I squeezed her hand. “Fair point.”

The jet stopped, and Ike stood, limping back over to us. “Well, aren’t you two cuter than a puddle of puppies? ”

The phrase put a bad taste in my mouth. I was convinced this asshole was needling me on purpose. “Don’t poke the bear, Ike,” I grunted.

He laughed. “But it’s so much fun! Especially when there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.”

“You have nine more toes,” I reminded him.

His smile faded into a grimace. “You really were a lot more fun when you were the useless face of the company. At least then I could annoy the fuck out of you by taking over your office, but you didn’t give enough of a shit to argue with me.”

“That won’t be happening anymore.” I stood, forcing him further down the aisle so I could help McKenzie out of our row. “I don’t give a flying fuck if we have to demolish half the building to make you an office you feel is worthy of your miserable position, but I’m not letting you make a fool out of me to a bunch of mercenaries and arms dealers anymore. You’re the one who should be ashamed. Not me.”

McKenzie dug her fingers into my arm, warning me to back off.

Ike scowled at me. “And just how do you think you’re going to stop me?”

“Simple. I’ll just tell Grandfather.” I gave him a cold smile. “I just wasn’t petty enough to do it before.”

“But you are now?” he asked.

“You bet your fucking ass,” I replied.

He sighed. “You really are the worst pain in the ass.” He glanced at McKenzie.

I didn’t like the way he was looking at her. I shifted her behind me. “What?”

“Oh, I was just thinking of telling your grandfather how difficult you’ve become,” he mused, “and wondering just what he’d decide to do about it.” His eyes slid to her again.

White hot lightning struck me. One second I was standing with McKenzie at my back, the next I had a hand around Ike’s throat.

Bodyguards mobilized immediately from both ends of the plane.

But it was McKenzie grabbing my arm that stopped me from using every hour I’d ever spent at the gym to crush Ike’s throat. “Will, no!”

“Mr. Masterson, please let go of Mr. Freeborn,” one of the bodyguards said firmly.

“Will.” McKenzie gave me a pleading look. “This isn’t you.”

She was right. It wasn’t. But everything in me wanted to be a new and improved Will 2.0. Someone who strangled the life out of the man who threatened the woman I loved. And, honestly, I could have done it. I could have crossed that line.

But then McKenzie would never look at me the same way again.

I released Ike, who coughed and backed away.

Two bodyguards ushered him off the jet. The other four crowded the aisle between us and the exit door, staring me down.

“Are you finished?” the first bodyguard asked me.

I straightened my jacket. “I’m finished.”

“Good. There’s a limo waiting outside, and the press is just outside the gate. They can see you with a good lens, so I’d suggest keeping it together. Smile. Wave. Get in the limo,” he instructed.

“Understood,” I replied.

“Let’s go.” The bodyguard turned and waved the others ahead of him.

It did not escape my notice that two of them peeled off and flanked us from behind. If Ike wanted us to know we were trapped, he was doing a damn good job.

I hoped he’d be unable to speak for a week.

McKenzie stumbled behind me, derailing my vengeful thoughts, and I turned to grab her. She clung to my jacket, looking shaken, but I knew it had nothing to do with the shoes.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, pressing my forehead to hers.

She nodded then managed a brave smile. “It’s these heels,” she explained to me and the hulking bodyguards around us. “I know you want to support me, Will, but the aisle is so narrow, and I’ll bet the stairs are, too.”

That’s all we needed was for her to twist her ankle and fall down the stairs, doing God only knew what damage to herself. The very idea made my chest seize.

“I’m sorry, Miss Killeen, there isn’t a lot we can do…” the first bodyguard began.

“It’s Kent—Will!” she squealed as I scooped her up in my arms.

“You’re a strong, independent woman, and I respect the hell out of you, but I’m not about to let you break your neck over a pair of shoes. And when we get home, I’m having my stylist get you some flats. Lots of them,” I said.

She blushed, and I could see the conflicting viewpoints clashing in her expression. Finally, she slid her arms around my neck and tucked into me so we could get through the door. “I am not comfortable being William Masterson the Third’s meek little woman in the press.”

“I don’t think anyone would ever call you meek,” I chuckled. “But just in case anybody was going to get the wrong idea….”

As we stood at the top of the stairs leading down to the tarmac, I fused my lips to hers, kissing her hard.

McKenzie froze, then melted, kissing me back passionately.

Let the press try and say she was ‘meek’ now!

Then any thought of the press fled my mind as the kiss drew out. Even though we weren’t alone, there was a lot of emotion behind that kiss on both sides, and all I knew was that we needed to get somewhere private. Fast.

To talk or screw each other’s brains out, I wasn’t sure. Probably both.

The bodyguard closest to us cleared his throat.

I reluctantly dragged my lips from McKenzie’s. “Let’s go home,” I said, my voice gravelly.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly against mine. Her eyes were filled with heat.

Screw each other’s brains out it is.

“You—” She stopped and swallowed, getting the frogginess out of her voice. “You have to get down the stairs first.”

I burst out laughing, and a lot of the tension between us and around us dissipated. “True. Well, if something happens, at least we’ll break a leg together.”

McKenzie held me tightly, and I carried her easily down the stairs. She waved to the press who were behind a distant fence, snapping pictures.

Once the limo door opened, I saw Ike and my smile faded to a frown.

“You were hamming it up just fine for the press. Don’t stop now,” he rasped, rubbing his throat.

I pasted on a smile, but this one was more fake than Ike’s veneers. I set McKenzie down and got her situated in the limo as far from him as possible then got in myself. My smile melted right off. “So, I suppose you’ll spin it that I got swept up in a whirlwind romance and went off grid for a while for a honeymoon of sorts?”

“I’d been thinking something along those lines, yes,” he replied. He folded his arms across his chest. “I’m very unhappy with you, Will.”

“Really? That’s a shame. I’m just thrilled with you,” I bit back.

McKenzie put a hand on my knee, and I settled, taking her hand and kissing it, all the while glaring mutinously at Ike.

“I really should bring this up to your grandfather,” he sighed.

I stiffened.

“But,” he said quickly. “I won’t. I’ll let this one slide. You’re still adjusting to the new order of things, and I’d rather not lose an arm for my trouble.”

“Thank you,” McKenzie interjected. “That’s very kind of you.”

I ground my teeth.

“Will?” she prompted, nudging my leg with hers. “Aren’t we grateful to Mr. Freeborn?”

I growled, not feeling a shred of gratitude.

She nudged me again, giving me a significant look.

“Fine.” I didn’t want to end up in any kind of position where I wasn’t there to protect McKenzie, whether she got taken away or I did. I squared my shoulders and forced my best figurehead-of-the-company smiles. “Thank you, Ike. You’re a real pal.”

“Thank you, Will, for being such a good sport,” he replied without missing a beat, smirking.

Someday, I was going to kill this man. Today just wasn’t that day.

“Great! Now we’re all friends,” McKenzie said, giving us both a desperately positive smile.

“Friends,” Ike agreed, still smirking. “Now, Will, we need to discuss what happens next.”

“Engagement. Marriage. Babies. I’m sure we know the drill,” I grunted, still trying to stomach this new ‘friends’ thing.

Ike snickered. “Of course, there’s that. Mr. Masterson Sr. is very pleased to know you’re settling down. McKenzie is not an ideal choice, of course, but that can’t be helped. We’d have preferred someone of breeding with better social connections…”

“You wanted us to be friends,” I reminded him in a clipped tone.

“Just stating the facts. I, for one, like her spirit. I think every family line could use a shot of piss and vinegar,” he said, holding up his hands.

“So, besides that, what did you want to discuss with me?” I asked, not really liking the fact that this asshole was rating my woman like a horse in the Kentucky Derby. And not rating her well.

“Business, of course. You’ve been an excellent face of the company so far, don’t get me wrong. Well, except for your little adventure these last months, but we’re going to forget about that,” he responded. “Your grandfather would like to see you taking on more responsibility.”

“I’m not sitting with racists and cutthroats to discuss the price of sex slaves,” I growled.

Ike shrugged. “No, not yet. Your grandfather doesn’t want you screwing that up. No, you’ll be taking over our legitimate contracts. I see it as a win-win, really. You get more experience, and I get about thirty percent of the business taken off my plate so I can concentrate on expanding our… other operations. The more delicate and lucrative ones. Not that I still won’t be available to you to give advice or steer you in the right direction.”

“Gee, I feel better already,” I deadpanned.

“I knew you would,” he chuckled. “And then, of course, there are still all your other duties. Charity functions. Gallery openings. The occasional corporate dinner. Press events—”

“I remember my duties, thanks,” I said.

He looked at McKenzie. “You don’t intend to carry her everywhere, do you?”

I put my arm around her. “We’re getting her flats.”

Ike snorted. “The hell you are. She already looks like a hayseed who’s too young for you. The gold digger comments alone are going to be a nightmare. She has to look the part. It’s about appearances, Will, you know that.”

“I don’t give a damn about—” I began.

“I’ll get used to them. I have to be, like, some kind of arm candy, right?” she interrupted.

“McKenzie, you don’t have to…” I tried.

“Of course she has to. She’s going to be Mrs. Masterson, wife of William Masterson the Third. She wears heels. She hosts luncheons. She sits on charitable boards,” he said.

“She finishes school,” I added firmly. “I’m not budging on that point.”

“Oh, she must. At a school and in a program of our choosing.” Ike nodded. “Some prestigious, yet useless, degree. But don’t worry, McKenzie. You won’t be called to use it anyway.”

McKenzie swallowed. “Great.”

“That’s the spirit. Now, let’s get you home. You need to start working on the Masterson heir,” Ike laughed.

I’d never wanted to punch the smile off someone’s face so much in my entire life.