Riding the Waves: TEKSUEN (The Agency Book 1) Read online

  Riding the Waves

  TEKSUEN

  By SERENITY KING

  http://www.serenityking.com/

  Riding the Waves: TEKSUEN

  SERENITY KING

  Copyright © 2010 & 2015 by Serenity King

  Kindle Edition

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including but not limited to: printing, photocopying, faxing, recording, electronic transmission, or by any information storage or retrieval system without prior written permission from the authors or holders of the copyright.

  This book is a work of fiction. References may be made to locations and historical events; however, names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination and/or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), businesses, events or locales is either used fictitiously or coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only.

  Published by

  Serenity King, Inc.

  P.O. Box 20457

  Huntington Station, New York 11746

  http://www.serenityking.com

  Cover Art: FantasiaFrogDesign

  http://www.serenityking.com

  Edited by: Debra Stang

  Proof Reader: Novellette Whyte

  Note about eBooks

  eBooks are NOT transferable. Re-selling, sharing or giving away eBooks is a copyright infringement. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author Serenity King.

  CAVEAT

  This work contains adult language and sexually explicit scenes. This book is intended only for adults, as defined by the laws of the country in which the purchase is made. Keep this book out of the hands of under-aged readers.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Note about eBooks

  Caveat

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Epilogue

  Other stories by Serenity King

  About Serenity King

  Chapter One

  ‡

  Teksuen “Tek” Montreal stood on the balcony of his oceanfront condominium, breathing in the fresh morning air and listening to the waves as they danced across the ocean. He loved this place: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He’d purchased the condo with his brother three years ago after vacationing here with some of his best buds, Stelvson, Winston, and Oregon.

  He’d instantly fallen in love with Myrtle Beach. In fact, Tek liked to refer to this place as his “little piece of paradise.”

  Yep, this was a perfect hideaway from all the stresses of his business and, unfortunately, the stress caused by his mother, Sachi Montreal. No mistake, he loved his mother to death, but her habit of constantly badgering him and his twin, Takeem, to settle down was grating on his last nerve.

  At a few months shy of his thirtieth, you’d think a man should be able to decide for himself when, and if, he wanted to settle down and start a family. Not to his mother’s way of thinking. According to her, it wasn’t natural for a man of his age to still be single. Tek didn’t know if it was natural or not, but he did know that he wasn’t settling down. Not yet, anyway. He was having too much fun as a single man enjoying himself to the fullest.

  Tek had turned to walk back into his condo when he noticed, from the corner of his eye, a lone woman walking across the sand. There was something about the woman that caught his attention. Maybe it was the way she walked alone, as if she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.

  He knew that feeling. He’d experienced it many times before. There was a familiarity about her, too. As if he’d seen her before. Shading his eyes with his hands, Tek strained his neck forward and leaned heavily against the balcony to get a better look.

  He continued to watch her as she walked along the shore. The thin, sheer covering she had on over her bikini did nothing to conceal what appeared to be one sexy body. The breeze coming off the shore caused her long hair to lift off the nape of her neck. It flowed like a wave in back of her. Although her shoulders were slumped, her movements were fluid and graceful. Definitely someone worth a second—or even a third—look. We’ll see, he thought, hoping he would run into her during his stay.

  She must have sensed his presence because she stopped, looked up at the balcony, stared at him, and then waved before moving on.

  “Well, I’ll be damned.” He laughed richly at being caught staring. If she was walking on this side of the beach, then she had to be staying in the condo complex. Tek was sure he’d be seeing her again. In fact, he’d make a point of seeking her out.

  Turning on his heels, he walked through the sliding glass door leading into his place. He headed directly to his bedroom where he took off his robe, put on a pair of running shorts and trainers, grabbed his keys, and then left the condo for his morning jog. This was the perfect time for a jog. Early morning, not many people on the beach, and he could run while enjoying the beauty of the sun above the water.

  Tek was about five minutes into his jog when he thought he heard his name being called. Who would be calling me out here on the beach? Only his brother and friends knew Tek was here, and, as far as he knew, they were still in New York and wouldn’t be joining him for several days.

  “Tek, wait up,” he heard the familiar voice call again. Frowning, he turned toward the voice just as his brother came upon him. He slowed down to an almost walk and smiled into the face that mirrored his own. “Takeem, man, what are you doing here?”

  “I got in last night.” Takeem smiled back.

  “Where’d you stay?”

  Why had he even bothered to ask? Tek watched the smirk on his brother’s face and knew that he’d hooked up with a woman.

  “All right, who is she?” Tek asked with a shake of his head.

  “I don’t kiss and tell.” Takeem slapped his twin on the back.

  “You’re unbelievable,” Tek snickered. “Well, since you’ve decided to grace me with your presence, you might as well start jogging, brother. By the way, where are your things?”

  “I only brought a carryall. It’s still in the trunk of my car. I figured I’d catch up with you on the beach this morning, so I changed into my joggers and left. I’m only here for the weekend, and then I’m off to Atlanta.”

  “What changed your mind? I thought you weren’t coming this time around. The guys will be here on Sunday.”

  “Just needed a break is all,” Takeem said, staring straight ahead.

  Tek knew it was something else. He could feel it, but he decided not to call his brother out on it. Takeem would tell him what the problem was when he was ready. Even though they were twins, they both knew when to respect the other’s need for privacy. He and his brother were so in tune with each other, it sometimes seemed as if they communicated without words. For instance, Tek had thought he’d felt his brother’s presence last night, but he had ignored it. Now he’d come to find out Takeem had been in town all along.

  “Well, this is the perfect place for a break,” said Tek. “I’m planning on Jet Skiing later. You want to come along?”

  “Hmm, not sure yet. I might be otherwise occupied.” Takeem smirked.

  “Damn, brother, you wound me. And here I thought you wanted to hang out with me,” Tek chuckled.

  “Give me a break, Tek. If I know you, and I do, you’ll
be occupied as well,” Takeem snorted.

  Tek thought back to the woman he’d seen walking along the shoreline this morning and smiled. “Yes, I most definitely will be.”

  “From that tone and the smile on your face…you’ve met someone already,” Takeem guessed.

  “Not technically.”

  “What the hell does that mean? You either did or you didn’t.”

  “Well…” Tek stressed the words. “I did and I didn’t.”

  “Well, that clears everything up,” Takeem said sourly.

  “I saw her this morning before my jog. She was walking along the shoreline in front of the complex,” Tek explained.

  Takeem lifted an eyebrow. “So, why isn’t she jogging with you? Don’t tell me you’ve lost your touch.”

  Tek scowled at him. “No, I haven’t lost my touch. I didn’t speak with her. I just saw her walking along the shore from my balcony…she waved at me, and I waved back.”

  At that his brother stopped walking and turned to look at him.

  “Let me get this straight. You saw a woman…from your fourth-floor balcony. You didn’t get her name, her number, or where she was staying, and you’ve decided that you two are going to hook up?” Takeem inquired, looking at Tek as if he’d lost his mind.

  “That about covers it,” Tek said slowly, realizing that, when spoken out loud, it did seem preposterous.

  Takeem doubled over laughing. “Man, you do realize that there are more than two people staying along this beach, right?” he said. “How the hell do you intend to hook up with a woman that you might not ever see again? And on the off chance that you do, how are you going to know if it’s her? I mean, really, how good a look could you have gotten from the balcony?”

  “Trust me. I’ll know,” Tek said, jogging a little faster.

  “If you say so. You do know that there are a lot of vacationers here, too?”

  “Be quiet, Takeem,” he grumbled. He needed to think. What had been a great start of the day had just turned sour with his brother’s logic and reasoning.

  The two brothers jogged around until they reached the condo and took the elevator up to their apartment. Once they were inside, Tek threw the keys on a nearby table as Takeem shut the door behind them.

  “There’s coffee in the pot. I’m going to take a shower,” Tek called over his shoulder on his way to his room. The condo housed three bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. Once in the shower, Tek’s thoughts went back to the lone figure he’d seen on the beach. Takeem could make fun and laugh all he wanted, but Tek knew that he’d see her again. And he’d know her, too. Her figure was engraved in his memory. He had a damn near photographic memory, and at times like these, he really appreciated his gift.

  Besides, he had a plan…he’d just hang around this side of the beach until he saw her again. She was bound to come back to the area, and he’d be ready to make his move.

  * * *

  Stepping out of the shower, Tek dried himself off, walked into his room, and put on a pair of swimming trunks. He heard pots rattling in the kitchen. His brother must be making breakfast. His brother loved to cook. In fact, as far as Tek was concerned, Takeem was one of the best chefs in New York and maybe the entire Atlantic coast. Of course, he was biased, but there was no denying that Takeem could prepare almost any food dish for any occasion.

  “What are we having, Chef Takeem?” Tek joked.

  Takeem scowled at him. “Keep up that kind of talking and I’ll feed you seaweed and sand.”

  Tek laughed heartily while Takeem took out all the fixings for one of his special omelets. Tek and his buddies had tried to figure out all of the ingredients on many occasions, but they couldn’t imitate the omelet no matter how many times they had tried.

  After eating a great breakfast, which consisted of a Takeem “special” spinach omelet, bacon, toast, and coffee, Tek helped Takeem clean up the kitchen. As they worked, they talked about their jobs, and before Tek knew it, two hours had passed.

  “I’m going for a swim before it’s time to pick up the Jet Ski. You want to come along?” Tek asked his brother.

  “Nah. I’m going to get a little sleep before I start my day. I didn’t get any last night,” Takeem responded with a suggestive grin. “Wait, didn’t you just take a shower? Why go for a swim now?”

  Tek smiled and shook his head. “Because I need to burn off some of this restless energy. That night life is going to kill you, Takeem.”

  “Then I’ll go a happy man, my brother,” Takeem said with a wiggle of his brow. He patted Tek on the back before heading for his bedroom. “I’ll see you…sometime today. Have fun.”

  Tek watched his brother disappear into his room. Taking his key from his armband, he reached behind his neck and unhooked a thin gold chain bearing a single gold cross. He put the key on the chain and placed the chain back around his neck. He didn’t want to wake Takeem when he came back in. Tek grabbed a towel and left for the beach.

  Chapter Two

  ‡

  Dr. Josinia “Jo” Brown walked along the shoreline with a heavy heart. Tired of walking, she sank down on the sand, watched the waves, and listened to the quiet of the morning. Her best friend and business partner, Gemini Sealtest, had coaxed her into coming along with her and two of their old sorority sisters, Pamela and Stephanie. Jo needed a break, Gemini had said seriously, and Myrtle Beach was a great place for all of them to relax and have fun.

  In truth, Josinia had needed a break in the worst way. The startup of her and Gemini’s Sports and Rehabilitation facility, as well as the strain of trying to keep her impetuous sister out of trouble, was fast becoming a problem. The twenty-year-old girl seemed to have a talent for finding trouble. Jo was afraid she’d end up in jail—or worse. At least her seventeen-year-old brother gave her absolutely no grief. She thanked God for that. She couldn’t have handled him being a problem, too.

  Josinia had been a senior in high school when her mother had died of breast cancer. She’d fought it off bravely once before, but when it came back for the second time, she’d had no more fight left in her. This time, the disease had spread throughout her body. Her mom had held on as long as she could, fighting the battle for three years before finally succumbing to the inevitable.

  To make matters worse, that was also when Jo had found out that she had an eleven-year-old sister, Tempest, and an eight-year-old brother, Anthony. Her father had been having an ongoing affair for years. And she didn’t even have the energy or the inclination to hate the man.

  She’d promised her mom on her deathbed that she’d finish school on time and go on to college, no matter what, and that she’d find it in her heart to forgive her father. Josinia hadn’t had a clue as to what her mother was talking about at the time. She’d always adored her father. He wasn’t around much, but she understood the life of a surgeon was hectic. Apparently it wasn’t too hectic. He had found time to carry on with a mistress and father two children outside of his marriage.

  Josinia’s high-school graduation present was the announcement that her father would be marrying his long-time mistress, Monica. She’d been hurt beyond belief. How her father expected them to live happily-ever-after was beyond her.

  The whole situation had been a disaster from the start. Monica had moved in and immediately started removing any and everything that had belonged to Jo’s mother.

  Her father, Stamford Brown, was a successful heart surgeon and was on staff at not one but several area hospitals. He’d also had had a private practice. Had being the operative word. Josinia’s father had died three years ago of a massive coronary at a medical convention in Nevada. He’d been found in his hotel room alone. Ironic. Karma’s a bitch, Jo thought.

  Even more ironic was that, while he lay dead in his hotel room alone, his wife was in their home screwing one of his colleagues. Josinia knew that because apparently her father’s widow refused to answer the phone when the hospital called. Since Josinia was the secondary emergency contact, she’d had to driv
e from her Manhattan apartment to Long Island’s South Shore, just to find her stepmother in bed with one of the partners in her father’s practice.

  All hell had broken loose. She could remember every detail as if it were yesterday.

  Josinia pulled into the circular driveway and frowned. Apparently Monica was home because her Mercedes, along with a silver Lexus, was parked in the driveway.

  She parked her Honda and got out. Josinia didn’t bother to ring the doorbell as she usually did. She didn’t know why…she just didn’t. The tears were still rolling down her face; with shaky hands, she reached in her purse for her spare key, opened the door, and walked in, closing the door softly behind her. The alarm that hadn’t been set beeped, causing her to fluster and jump.

  Her gaze slowly traveled across the dimly lit room with soft music spilling out of the surround sound system. On unstable legs she proceeded through the foyer, across the carpeted living area and straight to the winding staircase. At the bottom of the staircase she hesitated before placing a trembling hand on the banister and beginning to walk softly and slowly up the stairs.

  That’s when she knew. Monica and her guest were having sex. Shuddering uncontrollably now, she continued directly to the master bedroom…the door was slightly ajar. Josinia could see his and her clothing scattered across the floor through the partially open doorway.

  The couple was so engrossed in their sexscapade that they didn’t notice when she pushed the door open and stood inside the room. She should have been shocked, but she was not. Nothing surprised her with Monica. Considering the way she’d gotten her father in the first place, this only confirmed what Josinia already knew…the woman didn’t have a faithful bone in her overrated body.

  She must have snickered out loud because the two jumped, both of their gazes whipping towards Josinia as the man scrambled off of Monica. That was when she got her second blow. The man with whom her stepmother was entangled in the sheets was none other than one of her father’s business partners.