Under Pressure [IAD Agency] (Siren Publishing Classic)

they could hear Sal’s mournful sigh as they left. With thoughts of raspberry confections running through his head, Rock thought he got the best gig yet. Adrian stuck his head back in and promised to tell them how it tasted.
    “Fuck you, dick.”
    With a laugh, he left.

Chapter Eighteen
     
    The napoleons were finished.
    A collective sigh went through the room as the flaky pastries were placed on the counter in front of Bella and Jenna so the whole room could see. Bella knew that the confectionary looked perfect with its glazed red-and-white icing. It was gratifying to show the class how the dessert was supposed to look at the end of their labor.
    “All right, guys, get to work. Jenna and I will help you if you get stuck.” Turning to Jenna, Bella studied her carefully. “Jenna, you’re an awesome chef, but your pastry skills are exceptional. I’ve never had these come out so perfect.”
    “Hmm, what? Oh, really? Thanks, Bella! That means a lot to me. Your recipe for this is killer. The crème is to die for.”
    Bella looked at her new friend with a speculative glance. Jenna was nervous, had been all day. Ever since she had walked into the room at ten that morning, Jenna had not been her usual self. Bella wondered what was going on with her. Sneaking a peak toward the front, she decided that there sat the reason. Or should she say reasons.
    As soon as Ryan and Adrian Savage locked onto Jenna, their penetrating eyes had never left her. Either one or both men had kept an interested, watchful eye on every move that Jenna made. It was obvious their attention made her nervous.
    Jenna was shy. She was a pretty woman, but Bella realized that she was self-conscious and didn’t realize her appeal. So what she was not stick thin? Jenna had a full woman’s body, and Bella thought she should stop hiding it in big baggy clothes she always wore. Both of them were wearing chef’s jackets now, so it didn’t matter, but she wondered what the brothers would think if they saw Jenna’s big breasts in a wicked low-cut shirt. Bella knew underneath the chef’s hat she wore, Jenna had long beautiful mahogany tresses that she usually wore back in a ponytail. It would be a blast to build up her self-esteem, give her a makeover, and let the inner wild woman lose.
    On the other hand that could also be bad, Bella thought, sliding another covert glance toward the men. Considering she wasn’t sure if Jenna was ready to take on a man like Rock or Adrian, let alone both of them. Jason had told her the twins shared everything together, literally everything, even their women.
    After doing a round to check on the progress, Bella came back to lean on the counter next to her assistant. “Hey, Jenna, are you busy tomorrow night?”
    “No, not really. I mean I don’t have plans. Why?”
    “I’m having a party for a friend of mine tomorrow. It’s her birthday. I’m cooking a big dinner for Tara and our friends and wanted to know if you want to come.”
    A bright smile lit up Jenna’s face. “I would love to! I could make the birthday cake if you want. I wanted to try a new white-chocolate lavender-buttercream recipe, and I could make it for tomorrow.”
    “That would be perfect! You really don’t mind?”
    “Not at all! I can come help with the dinner prep, too, if you want. I don’t mind really. I can start everything at my place tonight and bring it over and complete it there. Where are you hosting this party?”
    “Oh, at Jason’s…umm, our apartment.” She looked sheepish. “I still have to get used to that. I’ll give you the address after class. Thank you so much for offering to make the cake. If you want, you can come over early and I can help.”
    “Don’t worry about the cake. I got it covered. I will go to the market after class.”
    Bella glanced over at the three large men guarding the front of her classroom. She smiled despite the fact that she was still a little pissed at them.
    On the ride to school Adrian had let slip that there had been another threatening message left on her apartment answering machine. They had been coming since Tuesday, and no one had told her about them. The number they had traced was to a prepaid cell phone and gave them little to go on. All three men had got a severe tongue lashing for keeping that information from her.
    Bella had put Jason in his place when she had asked how he would feel if she had been getting weird calls on her cell phone, too, and she didn’t tell him.