The Billionaire and His Driver

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

They all sat down, with Ronny sitting next to Brina on one side of the conference table, while Sully sat on the opposite side of the table with Reynolds McNabb. Brina was pleasantly surprised to see that their head of security was a black man, given how Mrs. Dash was the only person of color of any authority at Bradshaw Manor. And the fact that he was one of those hot black guys with the great deep-toned skin and those caressing, light, golden-brown eyes, and that athletic physique that could take a woman to the rafters in the bedroom and all the way back again, was something to see as well. A man like Reynolds McNabb used to be her dream man. But after so many of those perfect-looking dream men made clear by their actions that she was not their dream woman, she lowered her standards. Went for the geeky types. Ended up with losers like Jeremy who used her too.

“We’re still looking for the attacker,” Reynolds said as soon as they all sat down.

Sully was confused. “What attacker?”

“The man that broke into Sabrina’s apartment,” Ronny responded.

“But the good news,” said Reynolds, “is that we have a name. We know who did it.”

Brina and Ronny looked at each other. “Who is he?” Brina asked. Of everybody at that table, she was the most anxious to know the details.

“His name is Dresnick Wilburn. Better known as Drez.” Reynolds looked at the black woman sitting across from him. He was also shocked when he saw that she was of his same racial background. Had it been Sullivan Bradshaw, it wouldn’t have been a surprise at all. Sullivan was a very private man who didn’t let most into his inner circle, but the few times Reynolds had to discreetly enter that circle because of some woman extorting him or stalking him or for whatever other reason, they all were black women. Every single one of them. He’d never known Sullivan to fool with or date or be with anybody other than a black woman. But he’d never known Ronald to have similar tastes. All his women tended toward skinny white blondes from what he could remember. But you never know with Ronny. “That name ring a bell?” he asked Brina.

Brina shook her head. “No sir. Never heard of him.”

“Any photos?” Ronny asked him.

Reynolds produced three large photographs and sat them in front of Ronny and Brina. Ronny picked up two and Brina picked up one.

“That’s certainly the guy that was in her apartment,” Ronny said. “How did you get his name?”

“Video cameras from every business we could find. I’ve got a massive team on the case.”

“Good,” said Ronny. “Spare no expense. I want him found.”

Sully was still stunned to see this side of his brother.

“We will find him, take him into our custody, and debrief him before any law enforcement gets involved.”

“Debrief him?” asked Brina. “What does that mean? You’re going to interrogate him?”

Reynolds nodded. “Yes ma’am, you can call it that.”

“Then why aren’t you calling it that?”

Reynolds was impressed. Most women sat silent around a temperament man like Ronny Bradshaw, who wasn’t above putting his lady friends in their place. But not this sister.

But Ronny answered before he could. “They employ more tactics than simple questioning,” he said to Brina. “It goes beyond interrogation.”

Sully and Reynolds were a bit surprised that he would give her that much sources-and-methods’ level intel, but Sully was beginning to understand the dynamic. Ronny treated her, not as his driver or even just as his woman. He treated her as his equal. It was refreshing for Sully to see. A miracle in a lot of ways.

“We’ll get him in our custody, ma’am,” Reynolds said to Brina, “I can promise you that.”

Brina smiled. “Thank you so much. I’ll sleep better if I knew he wasn’t still out there.”

“Yes ma’am,” Reynolds said.

But Ronny caught his eyes roaming down Brina’s body, as if there was some interest there. He had already noticed how both of them seemed to be assessing each other, which made him wonder if Reynolds was more her speed. Which made a flash of jealousy shoot through his own body. The idea of any other man touching Brina was a nonstarter for Ronny. She was off limits to every man on the face of this earth who wasn’t him. Already.

“And we’re going to get all the answers we can possibly get,” Reynolds continued. “That I can promise you too.”

Brina smiled. Reynolds turned to his boss. “As soon as I find out anything else, or anything actionable, I’ll let you know.”

But Brina wanted more. “Did you run his name through databases? Has there been any information on whom might have hired him or if there were other people involved?”

“Not yet, no ma’am. We literally just got the name and these photos. But if others are involved, we’ll know as soon as possible.”

“Do you know anything about his background?”

“He’s the garden variety criminal. Does odd jobs for various lowlifes. We have the names of a few of his prior bosses, but none of them fit the bill. But we’ll get more intel on that too.”

“What kind of odd jobs?” Brina asked him.

“You name it, he’s done it. From simple assaults and threats, to kidnappings and murders. You name it.”

When Brina heard the word murder , her body tensed. Ronny, sensing it, placed his hand on the back of her neck and began massaging her. “It’s okay,” he said to her in the softest tone Sully had ever heard him use. And the fact that he was comforting her so sweetly was a magnificent sight to behold to Sully. He’d wanted all of his brothers to find that wonderful woman who wasn’t greedy and so stuck on herself that she’d stick them. Could Sabrina be that woman for Ronny?

But Sully was ultimately a very suspicious man. The jury was still out on her, as far as he was concerned.

Reynolds stood up. “I’m going over to our central command to see if they have any new news,” he said. “I’ll keep you well-informed, Boss.”

“Thanks,” Ronny said.

“Yes, thank you, Mac,” said Sully as he stood up and shook his hand. He and Sully had a far closer relationship than he had with Ronny. And then Reynolds left.

“I’d better get to my office too,” said Sully. He was CEO and CFO of Bradshaw Technologies, an unseemly amount of responsibility for one man to handle. But Ronny wouldn’t entrust those two positions with anybody else. “Tee time at five still on?”

“Absolutely,” said Ronny. “I need to shoot a few rounds at least. I haven’t jogged all week. I need some way to blow off some steam.”

“The office course, or your course?”

“Mine,” said Ronny.

“See you at five then.” He looked at Brina as if he was still making up his mind about her. “Nice to meet you, Miss Hawkins.”

“You too, Mr. Bradshaw.”

Ronny wanted to tell her to call him Sully, but he knew his brother stood on ceremony. Was formal to the core. He let it slide. And Sully left.

As soon as he left, Brina leaned against Ronny and he gladly pulled her into his arms. “I had a murderer in my house,” she said as the tears began to flow.

Ronny’s jaw tightened. “We’ll get that bastard,” he said, holding her tightly. “He’ll never hurt you again.”

And no one else will either , he wanted to add. But didn’t.