Hazel Pierce

”I shouldve known this table would be the liveliest. ”……

Noah has arrived, bringing that dread as Lens grip tightens around me…awesome. Noah is wearing a completely different suit, making me wonder if he had the same idea as Spencer. Does that mean his girlfriend is here…somewhere? That would be the highlight of the night. After a year, Id finally meet the incredibly sexy woman. I chuckle. So sad thats all he gives me.

”…Great. ”, Jen mumbles, watching Noah dragging a chair over.

He places it beside Perry before taking a seat. ”Hows my favorite team? ”.….

Noah shouldn say that out loud. Perry and Dave perfectly block his view of Len and me, and I don think its a coincidence. If ignoring Len altogether means they won argue, Ill go with it. When I catch a glimpse of Noahs face, he looks even more excited than this morning. Im not following the chatter until I see Tessa putting a heart sign on her chest.

”Aww, Boss, I kynew gyou loved us best. ”…..

Noah chuckles, patting his own heart…..

These two, I didn believe, would have gotten along. They both can get under your skin if they tried, so I thought theyd, well…try. I didn anticipate the mutual annoying personalities to turn into respect.

”Did you expect anything less? We are the most attractive team. ”.

I chuckle when Spencers duck lips make their entrance. No one can tell him he isn the sexiest man on the planet.

”We do have a mini celebri ” –

I launch myself on the table, covering Carlas mouth. Damn, I knew this was going to happen! Thank you, Faye!

”WHATS THIS? ”.

The table erupts in laughter…Im just lying there…. I crawl across the table into the seat next to her. ”Come on, Carla, please – help me get more drinks. ”.

Carla doesn protest as I pull her out of the booth behind me. We head to the bar, and the others are still laughing…its annoying. I don think it was that funny. Once we reach the counter, I activate my pleading eyes, turning to face her. ”Ill owe you anything, just don tell the others. ”.

Carla thinks over my words for a split second, then grins. ”Alriiight. I won tell anyone, and youll owe me a favor. ”……

Im…confused a bit…she didn negotiate there. The woman generally drives a hard bargain for favors. That sparkle in her eyes has me racking my brain. As we grab the beers, I can let it go…why did she accept so quickly?

”No way thats her! ”…

My intoxicated brain remembers someone else at that moment. ”Dammit, Spencer! ”.

I rush back to the table while Carla falls to pieces behind me. ”Youll still owe me! ”.

By the time I reach the team…eyes from the nearby tables are already on me….. ”Spencer, I asked you not to. ”. I dive into the booth trying to grab him. Spencer snickers, somehow managing to evade me….. He is right next to me…why is this so hard!

”Its not a problem, Hazel, since you
e always cute. Those pictures only highlight that. ”…..

I collapse on the bench hiding from everyone. ”Len! I wasn reeeeaaaady! ”.

Laughter kicks up once more.

”I can agree with him, Haze, but you
e way past the cute level. You wouldn be so popular if that wasn true. ”.

I groan and sit up. Noahs voice always…why did he need to say anything. I glare at him, knowing that was meant to bother Len, which Im sure it did, and that…conversation Im not looking forward to later. ”You killed my mood, Noah. That voice is such a turnoff, so please go and bother another team. Ive been drinking, and you know how I get. ”.

The table falls quiet as Noah dies from laughter. This is the first time Noah and I interactions…had an audience. For the most part, weve never had a reason to be around each other.

Noah grins at me, flashing me every perfect tooth in his mouth…… ”Thats cooollld. ” – He does some ugly pouting thing that makes my face scrunch up. – ”Why do you treat your friends like this? I even got you pastries this morning. ”.

”You know Im on a diet, but you insist on feeding me those flaky, impossibly soft things. ”…. Im a little past tipsy.

”Diet? Since when? All those ” –

I cover Spencers mouth, and the table erupts again….. Im trying my best to ignore how Len is looking at me. Hes upset, this much I can tell. My heart is already vibrating, knowing what Ill have to deal with later. ”Somethings just keep to yourself, Spence. ”. For some reason, that gave the table something else to laugh about…these people……

”I HEARD YOU ALL THE WAY OVER HERE HAZEL. ”. Dave spills his beer on him and Perry from laughing so hard.

”Daaaaave! ”. The way she squeaked out his name made me join the chorus.

”SORRY! SORRY! ”. He tries cleaning it up but only wastes more.

The look on Perrys face as she watches him trying to focus is priceless. She is internally murdering him in a hundred different ways.

”Dave, just stop! ”. He freezes in place as Jen gives Perry some napkins.

”So obedient, Davie. ”. Spencer laughs behind his hand when Dave starts pouting. He doesn like getting in trouble with Jen. Spencer, Tessa, and I laugh at the child-like expression on our oldest team member.

”Hazel, your Len is cuuuute. ”…

My eyes flint across the table to Carla…sitting beside him…staring…. I know she doesn like men…I still….. ”We
e switching seats. ”. As I climb out of the booth, I bump into someone……

”Easy, Miss. ”.

The man steadies me…and I quickly pull away…… Something just –

I shake my head. ”Excuse me. ”. I don take the time to look at him. Ive already reached Carla and started dragging her out of the booth. She isn talking or fighting me, but it makes my job easier. When I finally settle in beside Len, I notice the entire table…as well as the nearby others, are actually quiet. It takes me a moment to process why everyone is speechless.

”You guys made it. ”.

Noah jumps to his feet, rushing up the aisle, and my eyes follow him, watching that…excitement spewing out before I move them to where the others are looking….. The man I just bumped into is nicely dressed…and is…staring at me. My…hearts…rhythm may have…changed when I met his gaze. Those hands that steadied me…I felt…Ive drunk too much…but that doesn stop me from emptying another glass.

My eyes then move to the tall, well-dressed woman standing beside him….. I gulp down the beer Len has been neglecting since Noah joined. This duo looks like they
e from an entirely different world compared to us. They are out of place standing in this bar/restaurant. The man seems warm in contrast to the woman standing at his side. She appears aloof as her eyes roam the room. Her attention doesn swing in our direction once. They both are…attractive…freakishly attractive… Its ridiculous that I noticed that first….. I push the empty glass away. No more alcohol.

”President Reed and Vice President Kole, its a pleasure to see you here. ”…… Jen stands from her seat, respectfully bowing to them.

The rest of the team is frozen, gawking. Ill admit…I didn expect them to be so…young-looking…and, again…attractive. I wouldn think they
e a day over thirty. They
e emitting that leader aura Ive seen before, but not in a boastful way.

The man smiles at me before shifting his gaze to Jen….. It affected me. That thing is a deadly weapon. I let out a small breath trying to remain…unbothered, but I jerk when Len swings his arm around my shoulders…… I pray he didn pick up on anything…thatll mean hell for me later.

”Please, Miss Wither, since this is a party, Adam and Sylvia will do just fine. ”. Adam then shifts his eyes to Noah when he finally reaches them.

They share a friendly smile before Noah places his hand on the Vice Presidents lower back. He has more connections than I thought. If the three of them are friends, I can imagine what theyd get into, but they must have a sense of humor if they
e dealing with Noah.

”I thought you were going to miss this again. ” – He spreads his other arm out at our table. – ”Meet my favorite team. ”…

Again Noah shouldn say that out loud. Everyone at the table rushes to their feet, minus Len and me, to introduce themselves. I smile, seeing some slower to get up than others.

”Spencer Holdings, its a pleasure to meet you, President Reed. ”.

He reaches to shake Adams hand, and as Adam responds, I catch Carlas eye before snickering. She joins in, understanding what Im thinking. If he doesn look like a fangirl now, I don know what I would call this. As Tessa slurs her way through her introduction, Spencer grabs a handful of peanuts, throwing them at Carla and me….. I snicker as she bats hers away, trying not to laugh.

”At least let us open our mouths. ”.

”No, then one of you will enjoy it. ”….

Carla and I burst out laughing. His tone…poor Spence was offended. The pity eyes Im giving him, lets just say he doesn find them amusing…so hilarious.

”Will you three behave! ”.

”Jen Jen, we aren in the office. ” – Jen glares at the grin on my face. Its hard not to laugh at those pulsing veins. I tilt my head to the right. – ”We knew Carla had a wild side, but who could have guessed that she looooved peanuts so much. ”. Carla shoves me as I wipe my eyes. The thought of her even touching a man is killing me.

”That is aaaalllll you, main squeeze! I hear you are soooooo versatile. ”..…..

That silences me for a moment but makes the others snicker. How would she have heard that? I look over at her with the broadest grin. ”Aw, thanks, Ive learned soooo sooooo sooooooo much from the very best. ”. When I laugh, dusting off her shoulder, Carla pops her lips shoving me harder.

I use the momentum to lay across Lens lap. Looking up at him from this view makes me smile. I love this man. My rising heat and thumping heart are a testament to the fact.

”What are you doing? ”.

Len says it so slowly that I can feel myself coming undone. He pulls me closer, leaning down to me with that melting expression…… I can taste those full lips…that bottom lip is begging to be between my teeth.

”Im, soooo ready to get out of here. ”.

Len blushes, glancing away, and god, that makes him even more irresistible. If I wasn turned on before, I am now. Hopefully, things stay this way even when we leave. Len is one of the most complex people Ive ever dealt with. Hes bold yet quiet, demanding, but at times so gentle. His only constant is this need for control…I absolutely love all the avenues of Len Washington.

”Hazel. ”…….

That sound…kills my pleasant heat again. I scramble to my feet, standing in the booth glaring down at Noah. Its good this thing is made of wood because I was asking to fall with this brilliant idea. The good news is Im not swaying as much as I expected. ”Your voice is such a mood killer, and Im starting to think you
e doing it on purpose! ” – I school my features, giving professional Hazel life. – ”How can I help you, Mr. Jett? ”.

The team snickers as Noah grins, strolling closer to me. This look on his face…is my least favorite…hes about to say something appalling.

”Funny. ” – Noah does this not-so-funny chuckle. – ”You
e the only one who would say I, ” – He lays a hand on his chest, tilting his head to the side. – ”kill a mood. I haven had aaany complaints. Believe me, they
e many who could attest. ”.

The honey he tried to put on those words…yuck… ”Ew, Noah, stop. You
e making me sick. ” – I pretend to gag as a genuine case of light-headedness hits me. – ”And now Im getting that mental image. ”.

Noah finally reaches me, grabbing my hand. ”Shut up. Everything is always gross unless you
e doing it. ”.

I feign offense. ”I was never on your level of gross deeds. ”.

Noahs eyebrow raises as one of those smirks returns. ”Are we sure about that, Pierce? ”…..

That nickname all but proves his point, but Im not caving. ”Pierce and Jett were so not the same. ”.

Noah grins. ”Really, Haze? Thats what you
e going with? Im sure itll be easy to dig up a few victims from back then. ”.

I hate when people refer to those they date that way. People date, and if it doesn work out, they move on. Why does someone have to be a victim or predator? I can see where that could be possible in some cases, but Ive never had ulterior motives with whoever I was with. Noah is fishing for something in his pocket…most likely his phone… Rehashing those times is an unwelcome topic.

”Does it matter now? ” – I move to the edge of the booth, inclining down at him. – ”That was the past. Now I have this fantastic man I wouldn trade for the world. ”.

Noahs jaw tightens before he moves his eyes from mine, looking past me. I assume hes locked onto Len with the way its flexing now. ”Yeah? Where is this man of yours? ” – I didn think hed respond. Acknowledging Len, period, is a rare occasion. – ”All I see is a shrimp kid. ”…..

”Noah. ”.

”Since Im only twenty-two, Ill give you points for that observation, Imitator. ” – Whatever expression Len is displaying has Noah seething. – ”But I can say I like the things you
e saying about my Hazel. Lets level the playing field, huh? ”….….

Lets not do that. Len sounds like hes about to purposely set Noah off. I look back at him…he has his laced fingers lying on the table, but the impassive expression on his face…is anything but innocent. Im about to open my mouth to say we
e just joking when his eyes cut up to me….. The words die in my throat as Noahs grip on my hand tightens.

”Young and stupid. ” – My eyes move back to him as he tuts, shaking his head. – ”What a waste. I know Ive told you a hundred times before not to talk to me, but since you can help yourself, let me tell you something. ” – Noah leans toward the booth like hes trying to get past me as rage eases into his words. – ”Hazel does not belong to you. ”.

Len chuckles at the light threat as I pray for this not to turn into a fight. ”If we do the whole comparison thing, who do you think she couldn do without? ” – My heart takes off at the implication. Somehow for three years, Len hasn given me the ultimatum. As far as Faye and Noah are concerned, not mentioning them around him is all Len asks of me. – ”Im not a heartless boyfriend. I do let her keep you and that gangster around, but ” – Len pauses for effect. – ”Im starting to think the two of you might not be good for her. ”..…..

I turn to Noah, letting my eyes plead for him not to push Len. I…I don know what to do if he forces me to choose. There is no way I can live without either of them…..…

Noah pulls me down from the booth, but his hard eyes remain on Len. ”Go ahead, and then well see how long your smug ass can survive. Then again, you are stupid. ” – Noah smirks. – ”Trust me, Daddy does not make you untouchable. ”.…..

”Noah. ”.

He looks at me as I shake my head. The threatening stage doesn need to happen.

Len laughs like…its a joke…with…tears and everything. ”How many times have you and that thug said something like that. ” – He sobers up. – ”Get some new material, Jett. You don have shit on me, and you know it, but with the skeletons in your closet, my Hazel would walk away on her own. ”.

He has set Noah off. I can tell Noah is about to launch forward at Len, so I squeeze his hand.

”Im sorry. ” – Adams voice cuts through the tension. – ”Im not sure whats going on here, but can we keep things civil. Jett? ”.

Noah glares at Len for a moment longer before looking at me. Those light eyes have lost all their rage and showcase a softness that soon turns…dark. Its…that expression I don like. What is currently going thr –

I shiver…. Something just coursed down my spine, knocking my brain blank for a few seconds.