Wifey (Finesse #2)

By Vera Roberts

He came back into my life, but we both know he never really left.
It’s different now – in order to protect me, I have to be under his watch. The lifestyle I wanted nothing to do with, I’m fully a part of.
He promised he would take care of me as long as I don’t get involved. When danger knocks at your front door, you have no choice but to open it.
Everyone knew me as Taylor. In Finesse’s world, I was simply Wifey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vera Roberts
• Release date: Mar 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005863524

Vera Roberts

Vera is the bestselling author of the number one D'amato Brothers series, the Scott & Mariana serial, and the Breakaway series.She loves chocolate, has a Netflix addiction, and seeing the Maury show in person is currently on her bucket list. She's also a member of both the BeyHive and RihNavy.Vera currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Maks, son Bear, and cat Sushi.

Book preview

Wifey (Finesse #2)

By

Vera Roberts

For BESM.

© 2020-21 Vera Roberts, All Rights Reserved

Smashwords edition

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Other Titles by Vera Roberts

The Breakaway Series:

Breakaway

Game Misconduct

Face-Off

Power Play

Scoring Chance

Love So Brand New

The D’Amato Brothers Series:

The Nanny

To Love and Obey (BDSM)

Where I Wanna Be

All I’ve Ever Wanted

Love

Nothing Even Matters

One More chance

War

D’Amato

Stay With Me

The Ellison Brothers Series:

Her Savior

Simply Complicated

Her Ocean

Watercolors

Her Soul

Sweet Nectar

The Feeling Some Type of Way Series:

Feeling Some Type of Way

Bad and Bougie

Not about That Life

The D’Amato Brothers/S&M Crossover (BDSM):

Anticipation

Yes, Master

I Need You

The Jackson and Liane Series:

Daddy’s Angel

Fire We Make

When Love Calls

The Scott & Mariana Serial (BDSM):

S&M

S&M II

Discipline

S&M III, Vol. I

S&M III, Vol. II

S&M IV, Part 1

S&M V

The Ex-Factor

Stronger Than Pride

Unravel Me

The State of Affairs Series:

State of affairs

Superpower

Standalone Novels:

I Knew You Were Trouble

Wait for Love

Soul Infinity Crew (under Maya Brooklyn)

Short stories:

Blow by Blow: Diary of a Call Girl #1

Blow by Blow: Diary of a Call Girl #2

Boo’d Up

Dear Diary

Gettin' It

H.E.R.

Hot Like Fire (Sweet and Clean Romance)

Quench My Desire

Stealing Home

The Train Ride (Free on Smashwords.com)

The Erotic Intoxication, Vol. I: Bad Girls

The Painter

Til Tomorrow

What About Us?

Table of Contents

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-One

Twenty-Two

Twenty-Three

Twenty-Four

Music Playlist

Blurb

He came back into my life, but we both know he never really left.

It’s different now—in order to protect me, I have to be under his watch. The lifestyle I wanted nothing to do with, I’m fully a part of.

He promised he would take care of me as long as I don’t get involved. When danger knocks at your front door, you have no choice but to open it.

Everyone knew me as Taylor. In Finesse’s world, I was simply Wifey.

Book I

One

You know that moment when shit just got real?

Everyone has it. It might be your first job and you see how much they really took out of your paycheck. It might be when you bought a new car and trying to figure out if you really need all that insurance coverage. It might be you finessed your way through an interview only to arrive on the first day and you do not know what the hell you’re doing.

My ‘shit just got real moment’ is staring back at me in a big way. I hate that my heart is having a spectacular show of fireworks while my brain is firmly shaking her head in an IKYFL type of way.

You honestly think staring at it is going to make it go away?

If I were being completely honest, the answer was yes. Staring at this overpriced luxury car in my garage is going to make it go away.

Holding a cup of coffee, I’m wondering where in the hell did I go wrong in my life? I have a college degree. Great friends. A supportive family. The coffee business I inherited from my father is doing perfectly.

So, of course, my drug lord ex-boyfriend came back into the picture.

As I stand in my garage, looking at the new, fully loaded BMW with all the gifts in the backseat, I wonder if looking the other way is worth it. It’s not like infidelity or some other not as grave crime.

Cameron has killed people to protect his interests. His senator father is well aware of it and doesn’t care one bit.

This differs from other women who stay with a man because he stepped out or has other women on the side. She can ignore him leaving to go to the other room or glancing down at his phone. Can I really ignore Cameron coming home knowing he probably just tortured a man, hours before?

There’s something he’s not telling me. I blow on my cup of hazelnut coffee. Ever since Cameron dropped off the car–or had someone do it for him–I haven’t driven it at all. I asked Meadow to park inside the garage for me and leave everything intact, including all the designer bags filling up the backseat.

I don’t know what else he’s hiding, Meadow shrugs. She’s one of my ride or die chicks from college. She’s not a part of the hood lifestyle by any means and she’s studying to be a doctor. She’s also engaged to a nice guy named Jamal, who’s also in med school. She leads the nice and quiet boring life I envy. He laid all of his cards out on the table for you, Pooh.

No, that’s not it. I can’t help but to stare at the car longer. I know it cost a pretty penny, and it was above ‘the car in the lot’ price range. Everything about the car was customized, even down to the leather seats.

I don’t know if Cameron wants me to shut up or if he’s truly remorseful. It might be both, but I don’t know which one is leaning harder. He tells me just enough, but never the full story.

That is also my fault; I never really want to know everything. There’s more to this.

How much more? Meadow asks. She’s dark-skinned and thick. She always looks like she carries a glam squad with her at all times because baby girl never misses a step with her looks. He’s a drug lord with connections all over. He killed two people in front of you. How much more do you want to know about him?

When Meadow puts it like that, I don’t want to know anything. Ignorance is bliss. Why me?

He loves you, she shrugs, sometimes, it can really be that simple.

But it’s not that simple, I reply. Nothing about Cameron screams simple. He’s more complicated than he wants to admit.

He laid out all of his cards, Tay. You met the parents. You met his brother and sister-in-law. You know what he does. Meadow sighs. And he’s supporting you.

"He’s not supporting me. I correct her and she shrugs again. I can feel Meadow threatening to do eye rolls but she’s being gracious. He’s not."

It’s a bald-faced lie and we both know it. I received a text this morning from Gabe inquiring about the security system that’d been implemented. He was excited about the changes and ranted about how he tried to get my Daddy to do the same for years.

It would be outright stupid to think Cameron wasn’t making improvements in my life on a professional level. I don’t have to worry about firing anyone or cutting back someone’s hours. The mess called my personal life, however, still needs to be cleaned up.

I hate I thought I forgot about that fool. I know I haven’t. I stalked his IG page more than I wanted to admit. I was shocked to see he still followed me. I was stunned to see no evidence of another woman during the time we were split.

Still split. This is not a reconciliation.

Things at the shop are easier now than they were a year ago. Hell, things are easier than they were even a few weeks ago. Meadow replies. Cam’s money helped regardless of how you feel.

It’s blood money, I reply before a sip. Someone died for that.

People die every day for wars sanctioned by powerful men, Meadow quietly replies, no one blinks an eye.

The stun of her words hits my core and I hate to admit she’s right. I expected that from Hayley, not from you.

Tay, your savings were damn near wiped out fighting that lawsuit against your dad’s killer. You were eating Cup Noodles at home while you’d serve fifteen-dollar avocado toasts at your shop. You were barely breaking even, girl. Meadow’s soothing voice has staccato notes. Don’t act like Cameron didn’t save your ass.

I know he did. Worst yet, so does Cameron. I’ll be forever indebted to him no matter what happens between us and I have a feeling that’s what he wanted. And he owns me. I shot back. He told me he did. I can’t argue with that.

So don’t, she replies. He saved your shop and you’re acting like he should’ve let you starve. He’s the most powerful man in East Atlanta, and probably all of Georgia. Is this a fight you really want?

Integrity doesn’t have a price. I turn away from the car. If I keep looking at it, I’ll want to drive it. I don’t want to be purchased.

Everyone has a price, Taylor. Meadow replies. What’s yours?

The hair on the back of my neck stands up. Save me the dramatics, I roll my eyes, I need to get to work. I have a lot to do.

Well, you have a new car you can drive to work in. Meadow picks up her Chanel bag. Have fun. Say hi to Cam for me.

We’re not dating, I state and Meadow shakes her head as she walks away. She turns around to face me.

What you think is going on and what is reality are two different things. She raises an arched eyebrow before she leaves.

I hate my girl is right but I’ll worry about all of that other stuff later. I need to go to work and pretend none of this happened. I’ll drive my beat-up Honda Civic to the Fresh Espresso shops and be happy. I’ll pretend none of this happened.

Ignorance is bliss and I’m about to be really happy.

~~~~~~

Cameron didn’t disappoint with the changes.

There are several cameras placed in the corners of the shop, with a state-of-the-art security system installed. In my office, I have security playback cameras with color. This isn’t a rinky-dink security system; this is all top of the line.

I push out a harsh breath from my lungs and shake my head. What the hell have I gotten myself into? All of it is a much-needed upgrade other than the chain and lock Daddy had for years. I’m surprised he was never robbed or burglarized. Honestly, I think he was, too.

Well, this is a nice change. Gabe Butler greets me. He’s a tall Black man with a goatee and dreads. He looks a lot like the rapper, Future, and gets confused for him on a regular basis. He was Daddy’s former right-hand man and I promoted him to the manager. It makes sense to make it official. I’m glad you listened. Lamont wouldn’t budge.

I wanted to tell Gabe it wasn’t my idea at all and that I didn’t want to change anything Daddy had done. I also knew I didn’t want to explain my connection to Cameron in any way, shape or form.

People may not have known who Cameron was but everyone knew who his daddy was. The incomparable and equally aggravating Republican senator Eric Page. He was just shy of 50, but had the boy-ish charm and gorgeous looks to make any woman weak, no matter how liberal she was.

Eric was known to be a hardline Republican and never budged too much from that stance. He did manage to put up the standard #blacklivesmatter statement like all of the other numerous brands, complete with the white lettering on black background.

All of that, just like some of the other brands, was just an act. The moment everything died down for them, it was the usual voter suppression business from Eric. He claims to represent us, but really, he knows who he cares about and it’s most certainly not anyone Black.

For me to admit I accepted money from the well-revered and equally-hated Page family would make my father turn over in his grave.

Well, it was time for a change. I lied through my teeth. I feel sick to my stomach to lie, but it’s better to tell a lie than to explain the truth sometimes.

A refreshing change this is. Gabe smiles at me, showing all 32 of his teeth. He’s one of the major draws to Fresh Espresso and I would be lying if I didn’t think women came in for more than just a biscuit and jam. It seems everything is better now. I know we had conversations about changing hours and possibly letting go of people.

I don’t want to be reminded of that. I hate they put me in the position to consider it. I hate Cameron is the reason it stopped. If it were any other angel investor, I wouldn’t even think twice and I would name a cup of coffee after that person.

How can I name anything after Cameron, knowing what he does and who his father is?

Yeah, that won’t happen now, I say with a slight inflection in my voice. Honestly, I’m not sure. I don’t think Cameron would give me this money, only to just play a cruel joke on me. My employees need the shop more than I do.

So, what happened? Gabe prods. I’m annoyed at him for being nosy, but he’s not. He genuinely wants to know how we went from being on the verge of closing to suddenly we’re swimming in money.

Generous donations. It’s not a lie. Someone really loved my father and wanted to see his shop stay open. That’s all.

Hey! That’s glorious news! Gabe beams and flashes his orthodontist’s work. Do we know who it is? We should name a coffee after them!

Yes, I’ll have the Cameron Page. A vanilla latte with shots of bourbon that’ll fuck you up if you keep sipping on it. Smooth, but deadly. They were anonymous. I blink the visual out of my head.

Ah, that’s too bad. Gabe shrugs. Maybe they’ll make themselves known one day.

That is the one thing I definitely do not want to happen. Cameron will need to keep quiet about this forever. Somehow, I don’t think that’ll be a problem. Yeah, maybe.

Everything went as normal in the shops. Everyone was glad and there were no problems. It was as if everything that happened within the last 24 hours didn’t even happen. I barely paid attention to the cameras and shrugged it off whenever an employee mentioned it.

Shrugging it off differed from how I felt on the inside. I wondered if Cameron watched me throughout the day. Did he monitor my actions when I was with a male customer? Did he pay close attention to any female customers he might have thought were cute? What was his reaction on the other side?

I get mad at myself for even caring that much.

Two

For the first time in a long while, my home actually smelled like one.

When things were financially bad, I stopped caring about essential oils and candles. I opted for the cheap dollar store air freshener that reminded me why it only cost a dollar and nothing more.

Now, my home smelled like lavender, lemongrass, and sweet orange. I poured myself a glass of affordable wine and relaxed. The tension between my shoulders dissipated, and I felt an unnerving calm for the first time in weeks.

Thanks to Cameron.

My kitchen is filled with groceries and I can’t even see the back of my refrigerator or my cupboards. I gave Alicia a substantial cashier’s check and she was surprised by the dollar amount. She asked me where did the money come from and I wasn’t ashamed to say the same lie I repeated to Gabe:

An angel investor.

Alicia gave me a look that told me she wasn’t sure if she wanted to buy what I was selling but she left it alone for now. If Cameron’s generosity keeps up, I don’t know what else I could tell her other than I started a secret OnlyFans.

As I relax at home, I turn on some indie hood movie as background noise and scroll through IG. I do the standard like and comment on a few photos and leave it. My mind wanders to if Cameron had posted anything lately. I had him on mute so I wouldn’t subject myself to him dating anyone, but I never unfollowed him.

Now I feel like some lovesick groupie going onto her favorite celebrity’s page and hope I don’t get heartbroken over what I see. And of course, like clockwork, I am heartbroken by what I see.

It’s a picture of Cameron leaned against his father’s Aston Martin. He’s wearing jeans and a tight Henley t-shirt that outlines his perfect, lean build. He’s wearing a necklace and a Braves baseball cap.

I was drawn to him, as if he pulled me by some invisible rope. He was a beautiful man, and worst yet, Cameron knew he was. My face blanched as my body heated. My heartbeat quickened as my lips parted so my tongue could refresh them.

The caption kills me: With a little taste of sin.

I immediately know where that comes from – The System’s Don’t Disturb This Groove.

I don’t want to look too much into it. Cameron could be just making a random caption. As I scroll through his page, he doesn’t have the same energy for his other photos. In fact, he only made an 80’s song reference one other time and it was directly to me.

What on earth had I gotten myself into?

~~~~~~

Did you like your gift?

I recognize Cameron’s deep, cultured voice over the phone. I blocked him a long time ago, but unblocked him just a few hours prior. There was no point in keeping him blocked when he has me on lock.

Knowing Cameron, he could always buy me a new phone if he wanted to.

It’s midnight and prime time for booty call hours. It’s just me and my thoughts in my father’s home, my home. Cameron also knows I’m alone, via the security detail that plays watch outside my home.

Is there a reason why you’re calling me this late, Page?

I wanted to talk to you. His smooth voice paused, trying to find the words. About everything. About what happened. About…us.

I roll my eyes and yawn. It was too fucking late at night for that man to be playing with my feelings yet again. I’d gone through all that before. I was introduced to his staff as the lady of the house as if I was going to be a permanent resident. I didn’t even last one day.

Just when I thought about taking