My cock is rock hard underneath this desk, and I’ve entertained the idea of having the temp who showed up today in place of my usual secretary drain me under this desk, but she’s got a hectic vibe. I think if I told her to get on her knees, she’d probably just stare at me, waiting for further instruction. Besides, I don’t want her dark red lipstick staining my cock for the rest of my day. I don’t want to betray my little doll by showing up to make love to her with some random whore’s lipstick on me.
“You couldn’t make it a week without me?” I deadpan. A little of the irritation I feel toward him for interrupting me leaks out in my tone of voice.
“I might have,” he shrugs, pushing a mug of coffee across the desk to me in tribute, “if the Tinseltown theater hadn’t opened a week ahead of launch.”
I narrow my eyes at him, seeking further explanation. Dex slides his phone across the desk, right alongside the coffee I haven’t touched.
“They’reopen?”
I reach for the phone, tapping the screen to light it up so that the article comes into view before me. The headline sets my jaw.
Private Theater Opens New Opportunities to Community.
My eyes flicker to the byline, even though I already know the name it will say.
Katie Grant.
They sayhell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Katie isn’t a woman, though. She’s hellspawn, and the devil himself has got nothing on her fiery attitude.
“Bitch.” I mutter, looking to Dex for confirmation. “She did this on purpose. She’s pissed I dropped her after that last gala.”
“The one where you nearly choked her to death in a coat closet.” Dex nods, like he needs to remind me of my past transgressions. Hooking up with a reporter who’s desperate to know all your secrets is probably the single dumbest decision you can make as a businessman, particularly when your extracurricular activities are asillegalas mine.
“Not my fault she kept telling me it wasn’t hard enough.” I grumble, sliding the phone back to him with a roll of my eyes. “Also, not my fault that she thought me fucking her like a whore in the closet was akin to a marriage proposal.”
“Speaking of marriage…” Dex clears his throat. “You spent the week, what was it? ‘Elbow-deep in pussy’? Did you find a wife, by chance, while you were fingering random floozies in Sin City? And did your sister watch?”
“You’re sick.” I shake my head, unamused by his mention of my sister.
“Not as sick as you.” He winks knowingly. “I mean, I didn’t get a phone call, so I’m guessing you didn’t…”
He lets the thought trail, like he is afraid to say it out loud.
Dex is the brother I never got to keep, and he’s done more for me than any friend should ever have to do. I know it can’t be easy having a best friend with proclivities like mine.
Even when you have money to pay people to stay quiet or to hide bodies, murder is risky business.
“I didn’t murder a sex worker in my suite and dispose of her in the trash if that’s what you’re asking.”
“That’sexactlywhat I’m asking.” Dex nods, looking mildly relieved. “And the wife thing?”
“Oh, fuck off.” I shove the coffee mug back at him, watching it slosh over the side onto his white shirt, which he left exposed beneath his unbuttoned suit jacket.
“Real mature.” He rolls his eyes and flings coffee from his stomach, standing. “I suppose that answers that question. Who would want to marry an insufferable man-child with a habit for killing?”
I roll my eyes back at him, unamused.
Taking a wife isnoton my to-do list, despite what my father wants. He’s dangling a million dollars over my head like a dog treat and expecting I’ll roll over to present him my belly so he can stab me through it.
Fat fucking chance.
We need the money to open a second theater if we want to corner the market—Katie’s article serves as a lovely reminder of such—but not only do Inotwant a wife, I don’t want to bend to my father’s wishes.
I’d happily take his money if it were freely given, but my father gives nothing without taking something in return. I saw the fate he let befall his own wife—there’s not a chance in hell I’ll take one so that he can think he has some sort of dominion over her, too.
“The more important question is, where should we look for fresh investors? If we want to maintain the edge we’ve created, we need an infusion of cash. My assets are either not liquid or already tied up in this business.”
“Most of the people who will be willing to invest with us are not people we want to be involved with,” Dex warns, watching me warily.
