Felling Bechet: Wild Cross Family

By Stella Williams

Bechet Cross is determined to get his Reclaimed Wood Furniture business off the ground.
Isis Hale is set on proving herself more than just a pretty face on her path to political glory. Neither has the time for romantic distraction to their goals, but a chance encounter leads to an unexpected bargain. A companionship contract could help them reach their goals without all the mess of an actual relationship.
Can these two stick to the contract, or will the heat between them burn it and all they've worked for to the ground?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Serpentine Creative LLC
• Release date: Mar 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781953917157

Stella Williams

Stella Williams is a Blogger and Romance Author, who lives in Washington State. She has a degree in Anthropology from The University of California, Santa Cruz. Stella prides herself in using her studies to create diverse worlds and characters for her novels. You can find more about Stella at her website www.serpentinecreative.com. Other Social Media http://facebook.com/stellawilliamsauthor http://instagram.com/StellaLove4Life http://twitter.com/StellaLove4Life

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

N o peeking! Jay pulled her hand away from her face.

Isis frowned beneath the blindfold and folded her arms across her chest.

I don't have time for games, Jay.

You know, the Queen of Ice could thaw out a bit, especially for her birthday, he said, pushing her forward.

If anyone else called her the Queen of Ice, Isis would tear them a new one. Being her best friend, Jay was receiving a lot of passes this evening, starting with the whole business of being blindfolded. She knew he liked putting together big surprises, and it was her birthday, so she was rolling with it, despite her protests. Besides, Jay was fantastic at surprises. Last year was a deep-sea fishing trip. The year before that, they had gone hiking through the Grand Canyon. With her line of work, their adventures were the highlights of her year.

This year, however, a big vacation surprise hadn’t been possible. A major scandal had hit the mayor’s office, and the entirety of the local politics was scrambling to see just how far it reached and who would come out on top. Hardly the time for Isis to disappear, even just for the weekend. So here she was, blindfolded and dressed up for a night out, anxiously awaiting her surprise.

Being in a skintight dress and heels didn't usually signal a good time for her, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t like what Jay had planned. Jay blindfolded her once they got in the car, and after a short drive, they had parked, taken an elevator up at least thirteen floors, and were now walking down a quiet carpeted hall. It was unnerving, and she definitely wouldn't be going along with it if she didn't have absolute faith in him. At least, Jay didn't seem to be taking her to a club. Now that would be a nightmare.

When they stopped again, Isis reached for her blindfold once more, and when Jay didn't stop her, she tore it off. Her eyes adjusted to the light, and her frown deepened.

You have got to be shitting me, she said, turning on her heels.

Jay caught her in his arms and turned her back toward the glass doors with the damning sign.

Grand Vista Rooftop Lounge K Hotel

Come on, Isis! It was high school. Kevin isn't that bad anymore, Jay said.

Isis shook her head.

Kevin is still an asshole, and regardless whether he’s here tonight, you know I don’t patronize his ashy behind.

You aren’t. I’m covering everything tonight, Jay said.

Isis glared at him, she knew that Jay and Kevin were frat brothers, but he’d never pushed her in her insistence to not associate with Kevin before. She wondered what the real reason for bringing her here was.

Fuck that! I'm not subjecting myself to that man—especially not on my birthday.

Jay rolled his eyes.

I didn't bring you here to mingle with Kevin. Charlotte assured me there is a fair number of educated, melanated men meeting up tonight, Jay said.

Isis looked beyond the glass entrance door and saw Charlotte waving at them from inside. She shook her head and turned her attention back to Jay.

I don't need help in the romance department.

Really? So, what happened with Richard?

Isis rolled her eyes at the mention of her last attempt at dating.

He never said we were exclusive, and I shouldn't have assumed.

See, this is what you get for dating those country club, white boys all the time. They date you for a minute until they realize dating a Black woman doesn't go over well with their racist ass circles.

It's not my fault they seem like the only ones interested, she muttered.

Jay put his hands on her shoulders and made her look into his eyes.

Trust me, they aren't. You just don't take Black men seriously, and it's a damn shame.

Offended, Isis pushed away from him.

That is not true. I have gone on dates with lots of Black men. None of them have ever wanted to continue past a date or two.

Look, you are my best friend. My A1, day 1. My cradle to the grave. I have to be honest with you. You always, whether on purpose or not, always sabotage the fuck out of a relationship. Starting with dating men you know damn well don’t take you seriously. Ending with all the good brothers you pass over because they don’t fit that little narrow ass box you constructed of who your perfect soulmate should be, Jay said.

So having standards is a crime?

No, but ever since West spread that rumor that he took your V under the bleachers in middle school, you have been hypercritical of any man you’re attracted to, he said.

Seriously, that was middle school, Isis said, and he chuckled.

But the memory still gets to you. Just like whatever Kevin did to get under your skin in high school. You hold a grudge like nobody's business, Isis. Don't you think now is a good time to let that bullshit go and try something new? It's not healthy, Jay laughed.

Isis wanted to protest more, but she didn’t want to let one man ruin what could still be a fun night.

Fine, I guess since I’m already here, Isis said.

Jay smiled and opened the door for her. She stepped through into the swanky outdoor space.

Happy Birthday, Isis!

Charlotte gave her a hug and shoved a drink into her hand. It was a frothy pink concoction that was sure to be the death of Isis’s inhibitions, but she smiled anyway and took a sip. Sweet, fruity deception, that’s what it was. Not a hint of alcohol, except her head was already feeling lighter and her limbs looser.

Thank you, Isis said.

Jay looped his arm protectively around Charlotte’s waist and placed a kiss on her cheek. He whispered something into Charlotte’s ear that made the woman giggle. She whispered something back that had Jay biting his lip and looking like he wanted to devour her then and there. Seeing them so cutesy and in love filled Isis with warmth and longing. She wanted what they had, but if her experiences with dating were any indication, maybe she just wasn’t made for that kind of all-consuming emotion.

With the couple occupied, Isis found a spot to discard the dangerous concoction Charlotte had given her and made her way to the bar to get something more her speed. She had just gotten the bartender's attention when a man a good two inches shorter than she was leaned on the bar next to her. Isis had nothing against short men, but the way he leered at her, licking his lips, was already a significant turnoff. She ordered her drink and did her best not to make eye contact. Even if she vowed at that moment to be more receptive to someone outside of her usual type, he most definitely wasn’t it.

I got this one if you slide with me out on the dance floor, the man quipped.

Isis bit the inside of her cheek to keep from making a face. Instead, she kept her eyes trained on the line of alcohol backlit on the bar. The music was loud enough that she could believably pretend not to hear his tragic attempt at picking her up. The bartender came back with her drink, and the man slid his card across the bar.

The bartender looked at Isis with a raised eyebrow, and she shook her head.

Tab under Jay Thompson, thank you, Isis said pleasantly.

The man snatched his card back before scowling at her.

You coulda just said you had a man already, he spat and stormed off.

Isis rolled her eyes and scanned the rest of the crowd as she sipped her whiskey and ginger soda. Former company excluded, Isis had to admit there were plenty of good-looking men in the crowd. Tall, short, light-skinned, dark-skinned, some in slacks and others in dark jeans. The crowd was a decent mix of the Black male diaspora. It wasn’t until Isis noticed that several men had visible scarring in roughly the same shape—a brand, to be more exact. She frowned, taking a closer look at the room.

Tonight’s buffet of men wasn’t a coincidence. It was a fucking Frat party. The very Fraternity Jay belonged to. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Dominic Westmoore and Kevin Kerrigan waltz into the club. If she had been pissed before, it was nothing compared to how she felt now. This night wasn’t about her. Jay lied about why he’d brought her here. It was about him keeping appearances. She downed her drink and made her way slowly towards the door, trying to not be noticed by Kevin.

Unfortunately, the man was like a heat-seeking missile when it came to sniffing her out at social events. In her attempt to slide around the massive linebacker-built man that was currently impeding her escape, she ended up bumping right into Kevin. He was surrounded by women and wore all black, as was his M.O. Dark colors to suit the darkness of his soul. He glared at Isis before a devious smile tipped his thick, lipstick-stained lips.

Well, well, well! If it isn't the Queen of Ice, he laughed.

She froze, her fists balling up until her nails dug painfully into her palms. It didn't matter that she was a fully functioning adult. Being around Kevin always made Isis feel like an insecure teenager all over again. Isis shuddered just thinking about the incident that cemented her distaste for Kevin Kerrigan. Him sliding into the seat next to hers at lunch. That smarmy smile of his as he slid his hand along her arm before placing her hand on the bulge of his pants.

See what you do to me, Isis?

She tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was too firm. He forced her hand over the bulge, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips just before she closed her fist around him as tight as she could and twisted.

You’re a fucking creep, Kevin. Stay the hell away from me!

Her enraged shout echoed through the courtyard just as Kevin’s friends rounded the corner. They all stared for a moment, trying to figure out the scene before them. Isis stormed away from Kevin, and at the last moment, before she was out of earshot, he yelled back at her.

You’re a frigid bitch, Isis! A god-damned Queen of Ice!

It was high school, and he was rich and good-looking. Teenage girls and teachers alike had fallen at his feet to do his bidding. Not Isis. She didn't have time for boys back then and refused to make time for them now.

That didn't stop the nickname from finding a home right in the middle of her self-confidence. Kevin knew it too. He shot her a gotcha grin and moved along, dragging his little entourage with him.

Isis rolled her eyes and marched over to the elevators that would take her downstairs and away from the possibility of further humiliation by the man. Luckily the elevator was there, so she didn’t have to wait and further be humiliated. As the elevator door slid closed, sealing Isis away from the party and leaving her alone with her thoughts, she let her guard fall just for a moment. Isis didn't want to admit that maybe Jay was right. She was holding onto a grudge from high school. She hadn’t told anyone at the time what happened, not even Jay. She’d shoved it down with the rest of her trash experiences at the hands of men. Her interactions with Kevin now was another story entirely. It wasn't so much a specific thing that Kevin did to get under her skin. Everything about the man rubbed her the wrong way. Whether it had anything to do with the incident in high school or not, Isis knew for a fact she wasn’t the only one who