Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Fernando first met Noel, Fernando had honestly thought his brother was trying to set him up. Who the hell hires a baby-faced twenty-year-old as a mafia boss's PA? Especially one who looked like that . Noel was incredibly cute and soft looking, the delicate structure of his heart-shaped face further emphasized by sweeping blond hair. He wasn't the type to have a malicious bone in his body, Fernando would swear to this. It had felt like either a joke or a dig at his singleness to have Noel work under him. Not to mention kind of an insult. He'd been running a business for three hundred years, so why anyone would think he couldn't handle paperwork was beyond him. He'd had it under control for the most part, right?

Two weeks into Noel's employment and Fernando felt like he owed the young man an apology for even thinking like that. Damn, but the kid was good at his job. He'd taken Fernando's schedule—which had been a hot mess express on steroids—and straightened it out within the first week. Not once since his arrival had Fernando stayed late putting together paperwork for a meeting or business deal. Instead, he came in every morning to find it all waiting on his desk, neatly prepared in a binder. Phone calls from foreign businessmen or shipping companies? No longer Fernando's problem. Noel handled them and only asked Fernando for clarification if there was an issue. It wasn't until he acquired Noel that he realized how badly he'd been sinking. PAs were indeed wonderful, especially when he constantly had to send Franklin out to deal with other fires. All hail PAs.

And what Noel had done earlier in the week? The way he'd safeguarded Fernando against a bad business deal with Souma? Absolutely brilliant. Behind that pretty face was a very sharp mind.

Noel was still learning the ropes, and he had moments where he had to ask Fernando to walk him through something, but it was mainly because he didn't have the history to understand what was going on. A year from now, when he was completely caught up, he'd be the perfect PA.

Which meant only one thing, really. People could try and poach Noel over Fernando's cold, rotting corpse.

He had an impromptu meeting with Seb that morning to review the situation with two of their warehouses. Despite the meeting's informal nature, Noel had already prepared a number of documents and had them waiting in a black binder. Fernando tried to remember how he'd functioned before he had acquired a Noel. Shuddered at the mental image and hastily put it back on the shelf. No, no. Let's leave the past in the past.

Anyway, with Noel having all the documents already in line, it freed up sanity and brainpower for Fernando. He needed both as he was a bit foggy this morning, as he hadn't fed recently. Truthfully, it had been hard waking up and convincing himself to get out of the bed.

Absently, he cleared his throat before opening his emails and checking them. He lifted his coffee cup to his mouth, grimacing when he realized he'd already drained it. Dammit. He didn't feel sharp enough to deal with anything today, but needs must. After he conferred with Seb, he had to check in on said warehouses to figure out why their invoices weren't matching the productivity numbers. Surprise inspections were called for, which didn't fill his heart with glee whatsoever.

Noel strolled into Fernando's office with another cup in his hands, which Fernando eyed hopefully. It was unusual for Noel to bring him a second coffee right after the first.

Damn, was it that obvious he was dragging this morning?

To his surprise, it wasn't a coffee Noel handed him. Fernando blinked down at the pale-yellow liquid and lightly sniffed. Lemons?

"It's lemon-cinnamon tea," Noel explained as if Fernando had asked the question out loud.

That did and did not answer his unspoken question. "Why?"

"You've cleared your throat several times this morning." Noel evaluated him with pursed lips. "The tea's a good immunity booster. In fact—"

Without a by your leave, Noel raised a hand to Fernando's forehead. Fernando was so dumbfounded at the move he just blinked up at Noel. No one had checked his temperature like this since he was…eight? After his mother died, overtly affectionate gestures like this had stopped.

Noel's frown deepened. "You're cold and clammy to the touch. What other symptoms are you having?"

For some inexplicable reason, Fernando answered him. "I'm a bit tired, that's all."

"I think you've got a cold. The beginnings of one, at least. Hang on."

Fernando watched as Noel retreated out the door and to his desk, still bemused by the whole scene. Since when was his PA also his nurse? Was this just Noel's professionalism in play? He knew the kid took his job seriously, so was all this mere courtesy?

Why did that thought strangely hurt? Like a prick against his heart.

Maybe he should just tell Noel it had been a few weeks since he'd last fed, hence him feeling cold to the touch. The sore throat was from yelling half the night over a soccer match he'd watched with Ronan and Zander. It would heal soon enough—no doubt the process slowed by his lack of feeding—but this begged the question: Had no one told Noel most of them were vampires?

Noel came back with two boxes before he could really examine the question. He pulled pills out of both, showing Fernando the boxes. A cold remedy and pain killers.

"Take these, let's try to nip that cold in the bud."

It seemed indeed no one had told him. Oops. "Noel, I do appreciate the thought, but medicine like this doesn't help me."

Noel blinked at him as if his statement didn't make an ounce of sense.

"I'm a vampire, Noel. Medicine doesn't work on me."

"Oh." Noel blinked, clearly taken aback. "Uh. Wish I had known that earlier. Um, sorry."

Fernando felt amused, seeing his PA's flustered reaction. "Is that why you kept trying to feed me?"

"I just figured you were a really picky eater." Noel made a face, nose scrunching up. "I was about to pull out dino nuggies as my next trick, but this, uh, makes more sense."

His only comment upon learning his boss was a vampire was a crack about eating habits? Oh, this one had a spine of steel under that cute face. He liked Noel even better for it.

"Like I said, I appreciate the thought." A soft smile teased the corners of his lips. "Really, I'm just exhausted right now. I haven't fed recently, hence why I'm like this."

Ever efficient, Noel whipped his notebook out from underneath his arm. "Can I call someone to feed you, sir?"

"I have an appointment set for this afternoon. I'll be fine until then, but thank you."

Fernando saw no reason to reject the tea, as it smelled lovely, so he took a sip then paused and let the flavor bloom over his tongue—a perfectly delicious brew. It brought a smile to his face and he took another sip, savoring the flavor. "This is good."

"Home remedy," Noel stated with an answering smile. "Usually works wonders. Mr. Fernando, do you want to move the inspections planned for this morning to another day?"

"No, it needs to happen today, but I'll leave work after we're done. You can go home early as well."

"Thanks, but I need to finish a few things afterward. I'll leave work after that." Noel's phone rang and he answered it. "Yeah? Oh, good. Thanks, Crammer. Got it." Hanging up, he reported to Fernando, "Your brother just arrived. I'll show him up."

Fernando sipped his tea and mused that he needed to get Noel to make him this tea more often. It wouldn't heal anything, but it was just so damn tasty.

A minute or so later, Seb appeared, sauntering in like he owned the world. Fernando stood, taking tea and binder with him, moving to the two couches arrayed in front of his desk. It would be more comfortable to talk there.

Seb dropped onto one couch, crossing one leg comfortably over the other. "Hello, big brother. Noel, you settling in?"

"Very well, sir," Noel assured him with a smile. "Can I get you a coffee or anything?"

"Make him some of this tea," Fernando directed.

Noel's expression lit up. "You like it that much, eh? Sure, I'll make another cup. Back in a moment."

Seb lifted a blond eyebrow in question as he jerked his chin toward the cup. "What tea?"

"It's lemon-cinnamon, or so he said. Delicious."

"Uh-huh." A teasing light came into Seb's eyes. "The PA that you adamantly refused, insisted you didn't need, is making you special teas. Can I take that to mean you've realized you need an assistant? That I made a good choice with him?"

"You just have to hear me say it, don't you."

"I really do. Mostly because hearing you admit when you're wrong brings me tears of joy. I think it's only happened twice in your long life."

Damn little brother. Fernando sighed, looking elsewhere for a moment. "All right, fine. I was wrong. You were right. Happy?"

"Ecstatic." Seb chuckled a little before sobering. "Truly, though, he's working out well for you? I can assign him elsewhere and get you someone—"

Fernando pinned his brother with a look that threatened mayhem. "I will shoot you if you try to take Noel from me. Clear?"

His brother was downright gleeful as he spread his hands in a classic "Don't shoot!" pose. "Crystal. Wow, he really has made a good impression on you."

"That man is my sanity." Fernando meant every word. "I will not take it well if anyone tries to pull him out of my office. Not even you. Stop tweaking my nose, Seb."

"Okay, okay. Fine." Seb turned his head to track Noel's movements as he came back into the office. "Noel, you must be very, very good. Fernando threatened to shoot me if I tried to assign you anywhere else."

Noel startled at his words, blue eyes flaring wide. "Eh?"

Damn, why did he react like that? Had Fernando not made it clear how much he liked Noel's work? Seemed he had not. He was bad at saying stuff like that. Maybe he should put more effort into praising his assistant.

Seb accepted the cup Noel handed him, still teasing. "Don't listen to what he says, he's not really a talker, anyway. Instead, look at his actions. If he's kept you with him all this time, he likes you. I fully expected my brother to boot you out the first day. That you're still here two weeks later tells me a lot."

A pretty blush spread across Noel's pale cheeks, his smile dazzling. So this was what he looked like when he was happy? Fernando had thought Noel couldn't get any cuter. Turned out he was wrong. For a moment, he found it impossible to take his eyes off Noel, that's how mesmerizing the smile was. His heart did a funny flip-flop.

Seb took a sip of the tea and made an approving noise. "Mm, this is very good. What brand is this?"

"Homemade," Noel denied with a shrug. "Fortunately, the right ingredients for it were in the breakroom. I assumed Mr. Fernando had a cold incoming, so I thought it best to make him some of this tea. Sir, anything else you need before I go back to my desk?"

"I'm good," Fernando assured him.

"All right." Noel retreated, closing the door behind him.

Seb regarded him more carefully. "You do look a bit off. Have you not fed?"

"I've an appointment set for this afternoon."

"Ah. I know you wanted to inspect those warehouses on the river, but you sure about that? Don't neglect your body."

"I'll be fine." Fernando dismissed his concerns before drinking some more tea, then set the cup down on the coffee table. "All right, let's find our rat."

Seb accepted his assurance and switched to business. Fernando took a few notes as they talked, showing Seb the paperwork Noel had prepared, which reported last quarter's invoices and expenses. They compared the information to the current quarter, trying to figure out where the gap was. Something was off. Fernando couldn't figure out what, hence the surprise inspection. Usually, when he saw this sort of shenanigans, it meant people were abusing his warehouses in order to conduct their own business. Whatever the reason might be, they'd pay dearly for crossing him. He paid people very well and expected utter loyalty in return.

In the back of his mind, Seb's teasing words turned over and over in his head. His brother better have been teasing about reassigning Noel. On the other hand, Noel had displayed talents and abilities Seb hadn't known about when interviewing him. Noel really could be moved elsewhere in their company, and he would excel wherever he was put. Fernando disliked the thought even as it ran through his head.

He wouldn't respond well if his brother tried taking Noel. He was even a little surprised at the depth of such feelings. Since when had he become so fierce in regard to his PA?

Perhaps…he should keep an eye on such thoughts.