Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Fernando walked into his office that morning to find a lemon bar and coffee waiting for him. He mentally applauded North's efforts before sitting down and promptly biting into it. The first taste was ambrosia on his tongue. Seriously, with baking skills like these, Noel should have opened a bakery.

He wasn't about to say so. He liked his PA precisely where he was.

Even while trying to space out the lemon bar, he ate it far too quickly. Fernando was aggrieved by his own lack of restraint. The odds of there being more lemon bars in the break room were abysmal, so he didn't even try.

Now, how did he suggest to Noel what to make next, and on what schedule could he expect treats? Daily was probably too much. Weekly sounded too long. Hmm, maybe every other day would be reasonable?

Noel lightly knocked on the open door, a habit of his that cued Fernando up, then came all the way into the office, his hands full of binders.

"Morning, Mr. Fernando. I've got a few things for you." Noel started handing him binders. "This is what we think is the real record of distribution for the first warehouse. Forensic accounting said to tell you this isn't one hundred percent—they're still combing through things—but they wanted to give you a preliminary report."

Fernando took the binder with an understanding grunt. He needed something to work off, so their efforts were appreciated.

"This one is a business proposal Mr. Sebastian forwarded along to you. He's marked a few places that look iffy to him, and based on what happened with Mr. Souma, I marked a few places as well. I think these guys work with Mr. Souma under some kind of umbrella company, but honestly, the only reason I say that is their presentation uses a lot of the same graphics and wording. It looks suspiciously like a copied homework assignment. It has that vibe."

Fernando took the second binder and gave it the stink eye. "If Seb's giving this to me, it means he wants me to bury it rather than dealing with it himself."

"Just tell me how you want to handle it. I'll take it from there. And finally, this." He handed over not a binder this time, but a stapled stack of papers. "Overall list of expenses for the office. I took a quick look and there's something that looks off? I highlighted the line item. Either someone made a typo or…well, take a look and tell me."

Fernando flipped the page over, eyes scanning down to the line item marked in light blue. Oh, yeah, that did look weird. Why was the vehicle expense so high…? Ah. Right. "No, that's correct. We had one of the vans break down, so it was replaced this month."

"Ohhh. That makes more sense. Okay. In that case, that's all I have for you this morning. There's a few scheduled conference calls on your calendar, but they're mostly just check-ins. Tell me if you want the files for any of them." Noel stepped back, then paused.

Why did he look shy all of a sudden? And was he blushing a little? Fernando straightened up, curious why his usually confident PA looked bashful.

"Um. Here." Noel withdrew a small notecard from a breast pocket, handed it to Fernando, then quickly took himself out of the office.

Fernando looked at the notecard in his hand in bewilderment. What the hell was this? He glanced toward the open door Noel had just disappeared through, then slowly opened the envelope.

A card with a yellow smiley face was inside, which was even more surreal, for some reason. He opened the card, literally no expectation of what he'd find inside, only to see Noel's usual flowing script.

Mr. Fernando,

I was afraid I'd be tongue-tied saying this, so I wrote it in a card instead. All of the security equipment you put on my house really means the world to me. For the first time in a long while, I was able to sleep deeply, assured that if someone tried to break in, I'd hear alarms. That help would be coming. Words can't express how grateful I am. I can only offer these words, inadequate as they are—thank you. Truly, thank you.

Noel

This was a thank you note. For the first time in his long life, Fernando had been given a thank you note.

People still did that?

It teased a smile onto his face because if anyone still wrote thank you cards in this modern day and age, it would be Noel. He was an old soul that way. The card made Fernando strangely happy, but he couldn't pinpoint why. Damn, was he smiling? He was smiling. Stop that, he had an image of cold boss to keep up.

He gave himself a light slap to erase the smile. It only semi worked.

Fernando read through the card again, and this time he paid better attention to that third line. It was the first time in a long while that he'd been able to sleep deeply? Were these random attacks so frequent, then, that Noel always slept with one eye open? Just the concept of this pissed Fernando off. No one should live in that kind of constant fear, much less the gentle-natured Noel.

The more he stared at those words, the more antsy he felt. No, he couldn't just leave the situation as is. Security equipment could be gotten around, he knew that better than anyone. It should be the first line of defense, not the last one.

With only a half-cocked plan in his head, he got up, leaving the note on his desk. Noel glanced up with a questioning look as Fernando approached his desk.

"Up," Fernando ordered, gesturing him out of the chair. "I need to test something."

Noel got up, rounding the desk to stand in front of him. "Test what?"

"Combat readiness." Fernando held up a palm toward him like a boxing coach. "Hit my palm as hard as you can."

His PA looked at him like he was a little more cray-cray than usual. "I'm sorry?"

"Don't worry about hurting me, just punch my palm as hard as you can." Fernando realized he probably wasn't making sense so threw out some explanation. "I told the guys that I'd handle your hand-to-hand combat training. I can't trust them to do it. But I don't know what you're able to do right now. So just punch my hand, let me test your current level of ability."

Noel still looked like he didn't quite understand the situation. "You are? But you don't need to—"

"Stop arguing and just punch my hand."

Still very unsure of himself, Noel held up a fist and smacked it against Fernando's palm. Fernando barely felt it, honestly, but he did notice something good. Noel didn't tuck his thumb inside his fingers as most amateurs tended to, and it was a technically correct straight punch. Someone had taught him the basics. Not that it did an ounce of good with such an abysmal amount of force. "I told you not to worry about hurting me. Again."

Noel's sass came to the fore. "I know I can't hurt you. I'm the puny human here."

"Then actually hit me." Fernando unbent enough to grin at him. "Come on, hit me like you wanted to the day you met me."

"You were an ass that day."

"I was. You have carte blanche to unleash your frustrations on me, but do it now."

He didn't look comfortable doing it, but Noel drew his fist back once more and slammed it into Fernando's palm. The punch was probably a good thirty percent increase in strength. Meaning Fernando felt something of a tingle.

Dammit. His PA had all the strength of a baby walrus.

Fernando could see it in his eyes. Noel just didn't have the will of a fighter. Fighting prowess had very little to do with brute strength. And Noel? Might as well have a fucking target on his back.

Okay, switching tactics. "Someone taught you how to punch."

"Yeah, my older brother. He's the fighter, not me."

Bless your older brother for trying. "Did he teach you anything else?"

"He did, but I didn't really retain any of it."

So this must have been years ago. All right. Fernando knew his baseline now. Just one more thing to test.

He grabbed Noel by the collar, not hard, but firm enough he couldn't wiggle free. Noel startled, blue eyes fixed on Fernando's. "If I grab you like this, do you know how to get free?"

Noel swallowed hard and gave a slight shake of his head.

No, of course he didn't. Fernando blew out a breath and slowly let him go. Slowly, because he liked having his hands on Noel. A little too much, truth be told. And this wasn't even a proper touch.

Libido, back the hell down. This wasn't the time or place.

"You don't have the mindset of a fighter," Fernando stated without segue. "It's useless to teach you how to punch, kick, or otherwise hurt people. I had a feeling that would be the case. I won't teach you any of that. Instead, I will teach you how to evade, break free of holds, and put other people into a hold. That way you at least have a fighting chance of getting out of danger. Against other humans, anyway. I have different tactics you can use against vampires."

Noel was intrigued now. "There's a way to do all of that without hurting anyone?"

"Yes. Many."

"Oh. Okay, sure. I think I can do that."

He'd better. He got assigned a permanent bodyguard, otherwise. "Bring workout clothes tomorrow. Well, really, bring them from now on. We'll spend an hour in the gym at the end of each work day. I'll hammer some skills into you."

There was that shyness again, and for some reason Noel seemed to have a hard time meeting his eyes. Fernando's ears picked up the slight uptick of Noel's heartbeat, the scent of his blood rising to the surface, and it was all very enticing. Made Fernando want to bite him.

"Um, Mr. Fernando, I really do appreciate it, but it's not like you're responsible for me—"

Some impulse seized him and before he could check the action, Fernando snagged Noel's chin with thumb and finger, bringing his eyes back to meet Fernando's. He liked the way Noel looked at him a little too much. That flush in his cheeks, the way his mouth parted in surprise, he looked imminently kissable. All Fernando had to do was lean in and—

Dammit. Seriously, stop it!

His voice sounded a bit rough around the edges as he spoke, but Fernando couldn't seem to help it. "I will not risk you. Clear?"

Noel's answer was breathless. "Yes, sir."

"Good." Fernando had to get out of here before he did something stupid. Er. Stupider. Putting his hands on Noel was apparently stupid in and of itself because he really was barely keeping himself in check.

He withdrew his hand and hoped it looked natural when it actually felt very forced. For lack of anything better to say, he ordered, "Get my younger brother on the line for me."

"Yes, sir."

Fernando retreated into his office, closing the door as he needed a moment of privacy just then. Because Noel was efficiency itself, he had Seb on the line for Fernando within a minute flat.

Seb sounded distracted as he spoke. " You've got five minutes. I'm on my way out the door ."

He didn't actually plan to say this, but the words popped out of his mouth. "That escort business you like, send me their number. Not the feeding one, the other one."

" I think I'm losing my hearing in my old age. I thought I just heard you asked for an escort's number ."

"I did."

Seb digested this for a second. " You're that close to jumping him, huh ?"

"Jumping who?"

" Noel ."

Fernando pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it suspiciously for a long second before placing it back. "Where the hell did you get that idea?"

" You haven't realized that all your guys have a betting pool on when your willpower will snap ?"

Fernando, for some reason, had the distinct urge to make his guys train. All day. "That's ridiculous."

" Brother of mine, let's review the facts. Shall we ? You—who are famous for not liking close contact with strangers—just asked me for an escort's number. You treated Noel's burn yourself before putting him into your own clothes and sending him home to change. You put high-grade security equipment around his house without charging him a penny. And—this is the kicker—you apparently have some kind of hair-trigger reflex where that kid is concerned. If you even suspect he's in trouble, you come flying in. I understand that you leave everyone else in the dust, that's how fast you react ."

"So which one is it?" Fernando mused, trying to hide how perturbed that list made him feel. "Your source of information is either North, Joe, or Crammer."

" I'd tell you, but you'd murder them ."

Damn right he would. Fernando was still trying to process the fact that he lusted after Noel. The fact he was so damn obvious that everyone had picked up on it was just…humiliating. Yeah. That was a good word to describe it.

Unfortunately, Seb wasn't done. " Fernando, I realize this will be wasted breath, but I'm going to say it anyway. Mostly because I want the pleasure of telling you ‘I told you so' later. You are allowed to feel things for people outside of the family. Okay ? You're allowed to want people. To need them. Noel is one of the sweetest, most trustworthy guys I know. If he's what you want, I'm not about to talk you out of it . He is absolutely nothing like your ex-wife. You know that you can trust him, and do not have to fear a repeat of betrayal. "

"I'm not touching him." Fernando wasn't sure whom he was trying to convince, himself or his brother.

" Why ?"

"That's so obvious I'm not answering."

" Give me one good reason why, or I won't give you the escort's number ."

Shit. Damn blackmailer. Fernando blew out a stressed breath and leaned back in his chair.

"He's too…" Innocent. Pure. Sweet. Fernando felt guilty just thinking about seducing him. "I can't. All right? I can't. I'd ruin him."

" Well, at least you'll admit that you do want him. I'll take that victory, and I'll text you the number. But Fernando, I think you're being too hard on yourself. Noel knows your business dealings better than anyone else. He's not under any illusions about what you do for a living . And most people would jump at the chance to date a generation zero, you know that. "

"Working for a boss versus being romantically involved with one are completely different things. Dammit, Seb, he can't even bring himself to punch my hand when I ask him to. He's too gentle by nature. I'd ruin him. He needs stability in his life, not…" Fernando hated himself for even imagining putting his hands on Noel, even if it was only a moment.

" You're being too hard on yourself ," Seb repeated. " You've always been very good to us. Anyone you hold dear, you're thoughtful and protective of. I know you'd be a good partner to anyone your heart chooses. But it'll never happen if you keep talking yourself out of things. I won't keep driving the point home, but…Brother, please. For once, let your heart choose instead of your head. Let go of the past. "

No. No way in hell was that a good idea.

He shook the words off. "Bye. I'll get back to you on this new project, but it's probably a no."

" Done talking about it ? Fine. I'll talk with you later, then ."

Fernando hung up and stared absently at the napkin with its crumbs. Seb's words rang in his head, and he really wished they would stop. He didn't need or want that kind of advice.

He could really use another lemon bar right now.