By: Ailyse Lucard
Rated: Mature
E-mail: I'm not affiliated with the owners of Sailor Moon. The story belongs to me.
Summary: He rejected her love and the uncomplicated life she offered him for another woman. Years later, Darien and Serenity meet again under tragic circumstances and he finds himself responsible for her and her son.
Chapter 1: Twitter-pated
Present Day
"Mr. Shields?"
"Yes, Claire?"
"There's a call for you on line one. A man by the name of Malachite Bradshaw," she informed him through the intercom in her typical monotone voice.
Dark brows furrowed together as the man sat back in his black leather chair. The Bradshaws were the family lawyers. Malachite particularly took care of anything that involved Jadeite. Whatever he wanted, it was somehow connected with his younger and rather irritating sibling.
He idly picked up the phone and answered in a bored tone, "Yes?"
"Mr. Shields," Malachite said steadily.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Bradshaw?" Darien asked casually, yet dreading the upcoming news at the same time. Everything that concerned Jadeite included the police, detectives, investigators, and even more lawyers. He was a walking, talking menace, and a great pain in the ass. But lately --that meaning three years-- he hadn't heard anything from his delinquent brother.
"You haven't heard the news? I was sure your father would have told you by now," the man was surprised.
Darien almost laughed, his striking blue eyes suddenly turning cold. "My father? Come now, Malachite. How long have you known this family?"
"Yes, but . . . "
"Malachite . . . " the dark man sighed impatiently. He had a lot to do. And if Jed had robbed a bank or murdered someone, he wanted to know without all the tedious preliminaries. He just wanted to resolve it as quickly as possible so he didn't have to stress about the dumb punk until the next time the he screwed up. Hopefully this time it'll be another three years. "What about Jadeite?"
There was a momentary pause and then, "He's dead."
4 Years Ago
"I'm sick of it, Jadeite," Darien raged as he paced his office like a caged tiger while his younger brother sat comfortably on a leather chair smoking, and as relaxed as a limp noodle. "I'm sick of fixing the chaos that is your life. I'm done with it. This is the last time I'm helping you with your damn problems."
"Oh, please," Jed rolled his eyes, "You always say that."
"This time I mean it," Darien said through his teeth.
The younger male stared blankly at him but said nothing more. Satisfied, Darien sat down on his leather seat made for a king and took out his check book. "I'll give you ten thousand."
"Twenty-five."
"Fifteen."
"Twenty."
"Seventeen, and don't push it anymore or you'll get nothing," Darien ground out.
"You're such a stickler," Jadeite complained.
"And you're a pain in my ass so we're even," Darien replied casually.
"You need to get laid more often," his brother pointed out and then grinned mischievously, "Which reminds me . . . how's it all workin' out with the Red-Headed Bitch of Doom? Ask her yet or is the Hope Diamond still in your pocket?"
"That's none of your business," the darker man almost growled.
Jadeite smirked, finishing off his cigarette and stabbing it into an ashtray. "Don't do it, Darien," he pleaded, hands clasped together as though in prayer, "I beg of you. Beryl Huntington as my sister-in-law? Dear God. She'll rip me alive with her French-tipped talons; blind me with her blood-soaked hair, and make my ears bleed with her incessant whining. She's out to get me. I'm telling you this 'cause I'm your family. Blood is thicker than water . . . or in her case cum. Spare me. Please."
Darien ripped the check from his checkbook and glared at his sibling. "I don't need you lecturing me about my affairs, especially when it concerns Beryl."
Jadeite snatched the piece of paper from his hand and sat back in his chair once more, studying it with sharp blue eyes. "Hey, I'm only looking out for you. You're like my Yoda."
"I'm your bank account. Now get out before I strangle you." Darien pressed his intercom. "Macy, will you please show Jadeite out."
"Yes, sir," a voice replied on the other line, "And this isn't Macy. Her two-week notice has ended."
"Very well then," Darien hung up.
"New secretary?" Jadeite looked intrigued.
"Keep your dick away from my employees," Darien warned him.
The door opened and both pairs of eyes looked up to watch the new CEO assistant, and Darien felt his whole world freeze as though time had slowed down to seize the moment.
His latest assistant was a young woman, younger than how he liked his secretaries. She was certainly every man's wet dream come to life with her silver, blond locks tied in a neat ponytail and bright cerulean eyes outlined with long, black lashes. She had a small stature, almost pixie like in its build, and dressed simply but stunningly in a grey pencil skirt, a light pink blouse and matching pumps. An elegant silver watch adorned her small wrist and a pair of reading glasses perched on her delicate nose.
She looked every bit a conservative secretary, except maybe for the cheery and almost innocent smile on her striking face.
Both Shields brothers couldn't help but gawk and admire, one doing so openly while the other silently and without any show of emotion.
She stood confidently next to Darien's desk, meeting his eyes with poise. "Good morning, Mr. Shields. I'm Serenity Moon, your new assistant," she introduced herself happily. "These are the folders you've asked for," she said, placing them on his desk along with a few stray papers, "And these need to be signed and dated. They're from the Augustus dealing."
Darien just stared at the striking woman before him, his expression blank as he soaked her in like a sponge in water.
"Mr. Albertson called as well. He wants a confirmation about the meeting you have with him next Thursday. Just let me know when you're ready and I'll connect you to him as soon as possible," she continued before looking up at his brother. "Mr. Jadeite Shields? When you're ready," she smiled at him.
"Oh, darling, I'll go with you anywhere you'd like."
"I'll wait outside," she said, taking his comment in stride as she left the office, hips gently swaying.
Jadeite looked back at his older brother. "Can't you make one exception to the whole dating your employees rule, Darien? Please," he begged.
"No."
"But look at her! You can't tell me you don't wanna bone her either," Jadeite grinned, "C'mon. I know you. You wanna stab it into her just . . . ."
"You have five seconds to get out of my office or I swear to God I'm pushing you out the window," Darien growled, eyes darkening.
Jadeite frowned and then gave him his trademark smile, a cross between a grin and a sneer. "Even that's a little too sinister for you. But fine. I won't touch her . . . for now."
Outside the office, Serenity leaned breathlessly against the dark mahogany doors, her heart drumming dangerously fast against her chest. Macy had warned her that the Shields men were every woman's erotic daydream come to life. Unfortunately, she had just written it off as a quixotic fantasy of a middle-aged secretary who watched too many soap operas.
But dear Lord she should've taken the warning into heart.
They looked like a pair of Grecian Gods, one light and the other strikingly dark. Like two separate sides of a coin, the brothers looked like complete opposites. And even seeing them for only a few minutes she could already tell that their personalities were just as conflicting.
She sat down at her desk, just to the right of the doorway leading to Darien Shields' office. She gazed vacantly at her glowing computer screen, a small smile on her face.
Stormy blue eyes. That was the first thing she noticed about her boss. Stunning blue eyes that any person with a uterus could easily drown in . . . only if that menacing and annoyed look hadn't appeared on his elegant face the minute she walked in.
She shook her head lightly. She needed to get a hold of herself. She was starting to sound like some twitter-pated airhead. For God's sakes, she hadn't spouted off that kind of whimsical babbling since junior high and her entire world had revolved around Andrew Franklin and his family's arcade shop.
Maybe it had been a complete mistake to take this job. This was just not her area of expertise. She had said the same thing to Macy, a regular at the coffee shop she worked at, but she knew how much Serenity was struggling with rent and everything else in life.
The coffee shop she had been working at for four years had closed down and after a few days of searching she had still yet to find a steady 8 to 5 employment that paid a decent hourly wage.
Macy had told her that she was getting married and would soon be moving to Idaho of all places. Her secretarial job at the D. Shields Corp. would be open and she was more than willing to train Serenity for it.
Of course, she had been undecided then. Being a barista was all she had known since she had moved on her own to New York at 18. It wasn't exactly the stuff of dreams but she still had hopes of becoming something more someday.
To top it off, she wasn't exactly secretary material. She had no idea how to work faxes, she could barely type, and she never did get along with photo copy machines. If she remembered correctly, the one she used at Kinko's to make copies of the coffee shop fliers ended up exploding. Although the presence of cops and cute firefighters with tight buns made the humiliation worth it, almost blowing up the building didn't exactly endear her to them.
But by two weeks and still no job, Serenity had to admit that there were worst places she could end up at.
And the pay and hours were good. More than good actually. At this rate she could get out of her ghetto apartment and into a nice one in the Village within 6 months. Not to mention all the Jimmy Choos she could start buying. Finally her days of dreaming the life of Carrie in Sex and the City can finally come true.
She gushed at the thought.
But was it all worth it having to cater to a total bo-hunk of a boss?
"I know that look."
Suddenly catapulted off her wandering thoughts, she stared into the deep blue eyes of Jadeite Shields.
She stood so quickly her chair reeled back to hit the far wall. "Mr. Shields," she smiled awkwardly before gathering a few folders, "Are you ready?"
He looked at her mischievously, leaning over her desk. "Don't let Darien catch your fancy so quickly, love," he said, his voice so deep and rich it consumed her with its seductive appeal, like a trickle of molasses against her skin.
She stared at him, falling into a trance. His was so beautiful, his face chiseled to perfection and his lips full and inviting. He was the total opposite of Darien Shields but just as equally handsome. She unconsciously leaned forward so their faces were inches apart. "Not when you got me right here, more than willing to scratch that itch of yours."
Serenity was tossed callously from her castle in the sky at that rude comment. Gorgeous, handsome and he knew it. What a prick. She glared at him and raised her chin high in the air. "I doubt you can reach that itch, Mr. Shields."
Jadeite only laughed as he watched her come around the desk, leading the way towards the elevators. What a little spitfire. It was rare occurrence for any Shields employee to talk back. He shook his head lightly before tilting his head to watch her ass sway like hypnotizing pocket watch.
Back in his office, Darien turned on the small monitor at the corner of his desk. He watched suspiciously as his brother followed his secretary towards the elevators. He knew there was trouble ahead, not only for his younger sibling but for himself as well.
In reality, secretaries were ladies often going through a mid-life crisis with a passion for romance novels, Friday nights in front of the TV watching romantic comedies, and Sean Connery. They were rarely hot young women in their early twenties with legs that went on for days and a smile that could make the most formidable of men bend.
The phone rang. "Yes," he growled.
"Darling," a smooth voice drawled on the other end of the line.
His eyes turned cold. He wasn't in the mood to talk to Beryl at the moment. "I'm very busy," he said curtly.
"Dearest," she said, her tone turning ominous and impatient, "Don't talk to me like I'm one of your other trophy girlfriends you can just set aside and ignore."
Darien said nothing as he painfully gritted his teeth.
Beryl's voice turned sickeningly sweet. "Are we still up for dinner tonight?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"I'll see you at 8, darling."
He bit the insides of his cheek. "I'll see you at nine and that's the end of it."
"But . . . ."
"Don't start with me, Beryl," he growled threateningly, his voice quiet but dangerous, "I've already consented to having dinner with you and your dimwitted ass kissers tonight. Nine o'clock, and not a minute earlier." Darien slammed the phone down before he said something he would regret. Sitting back in his chair, he rubbed his face warily.
His relationship with Beryl was a complicated and tumultuous one.
She was a model -- an infamous one at that -- with a penchant for raising hell, partying like the nights would end too soon and drinking like the alcohol would run out in the morning. She was demanding and spiteful, starting fights with other models and celebrities, verbally abusing innocent employees and infuriating the general public with her high handedness. A vindictive and manipulative bitch that stopped at nothing to get what she wanted. She was at times like a dragon. A dragon a wise man avoided maddening.
Why was he with her?
He wasn't sure himself. He only knew that she was a worthy woman who was as equally as passionate as he. Clever and amusing, he was never bored when he was in her company. Great in bed with her own fortune to tap into whenever she was feeling like jetting off to London during the weekend or go wild at Tiffany's.
There was a knock on the door. "Come in," he said curtly.
Serenity opened the door and strode confidently in with a small grin. "Your brother wanted me to give you this," she said, handing him a simply folded paper.
"Thank you," he said gruffly, trying hard not to look at her. "Also, can you call Oki Restaurant and confirm my reservations for tonight?"
"Of course," she replied, handing him a folder.
He stared at her as he signed the familiar contracts. She gazed at him in return, her eyes twinkling in amusement as her mood turned witty. "May I ask you a question, Mr. Shields?"
His brows shot up in surprise. "You may."
"I wonder where your brother gets his lack of decorum from?" she asked, an impish glint in her blue eyes.
He stared at her, incredulous and shocked but not once showing it. Not many people had the confidence to talk to him so candidly. They mostly feared him. He demanded respect and apprehension without asking for it. Just one glance, one growl was enough to let the most austere person know that he wasn't someone to mess with.
But here she was, just a little girl compared to those he made tremble before him and she was teasing him. "It's not from me if that's what you're thinking," he said, his face remaining stoic despite his enjoyment of her light banter.
"We'll see," she dared to say, "The apple does not land far from the tree." She paused. "Or in this case two apples do not fall far from each other . . . from the tree," she frowned, confused, "You know what a mean."
He remained unsmiling as she gathered the papers he had just signed. "May I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"You've never had a secretarial job before, have you?"
She was motionless. Oh God. Now she'd done it. She mentally slapped herself. Why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut? For God's sake this was her boss! A secretary didn't talk to her boss like he was a friend! "I-I'm sorry if I went past the line of propriety . . . ."
He waved his hand to stop her stuttering. "Save yourself the trouble, Miss Moon, it's not everyday I meet someone who ignores my status and challenges my authority." He stared down at the contracts in front of him, refusing to show her how entertained he was. "Continue to do your work and I'll allow the bluntness . . . as obtuse as they are," he added gruffly.
Serenity mentally breathed a sigh of relief and then huffed at his arrogant comment. Already forgetting about her manners, she crossed her arms before looking at him impudently. Well, he definitely thought highly of himself. "Why thank you, your graciousness," she said sarcastically.
"And more coffee," he added as a side note. "No sugar, no cream. Plain black. I'm sure you can manage."
Serenity rolled her eyes at his arrogance. "Anything else? Foot massage, back rub . . . perhaps you would like me to feed you grapes while you lounge on your chair?"
He thought about it for a minute, his imagination running amuck at the suggestions but he kept them in tight rein. Serenity Moon was a beautiful woman with a great pair of legs and a smile that could melt a man into a puddle but he was much stronger than that. "No, that's all."
She bowed and walked away, and Darien watched her go, her derriere rocking gently in a rhythm.
Darien shook his head to clear his mind. With a frown he opened the note his brother had left for him. Four words glared back at him in black and he couldn't help but grin at the ironic truth in them.
Let the games begin.
Please R&R! Until next time!