Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 64704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
“Relax. I know Brick isn’t there. I’m here at work, and saw him come in. He had that smile on his face. That smile that said he got something dirty and wet this morning.”
My stomach rolled. “What do you want, Ralph?”
“Don’t take that attitude with me, Daisy. I know what’s going on. You think that Brick Langston is going to be your ticket to the good life, don’t you? Are you trying to sweet talk him out of paying me? We have a signed contract. You try to use that pussy of yours to cheat me out of what’s mine, and I’ll tell everyone that Brick Langston had to buy his new sex toy.”
Was he drunk? At work? God, he sounded drunk. “Ralph, there’s no need to do that. I’m not trying to convince Brick of anything, and I have no fantasies.” I swallowed hard. “Someone like Brick is never going to actually want someone like me.”
“Damn right, he’s not,” Ralph spat.
“I’m just doing what you told me to do. Making him happy so he pays us the money.”
“Good girl. Your future is with me, and don’t you forget that. If this goes well, Daisy, we might be on to something here. Imagine all the money that we could make.”
Horror gripped me. “Selling me?” I whispered. “You want to do this again?”
“Don’t worry, Daisy. I only have your best interest at heart,” he said soothingly. “You still trust me, right? You still love me?”
“I…” I squeezed my eyes shut when the words didn’t come. “I’ve got to go, Ralph.”
“Daisy,” he suddenly growled. “Tell me that you love me. Make me believe that you aren’t trying to rip me off, or you won’t like what happens.”
“I love you,” I said quickly, afraid Ralph really might cause trouble for Brick if I didn’t.
“Good girl. I’ll call you later.”
He hung up, and I sighed with relief as I collapsed against the wall. How had this whole thing gotten so messed up?
I wasn’t in love with Ralph. I was never going to be in love with Ralph, but Brick? Even in my wildest fantasies, I didn’t see Brick confessing his love to me.
The best that I could hope for was to take the cut that Ralph promised me and start a life on my own. No Ralph…but also no Brick.
True independence and freedom. It wasn’t something that I’d ever had before, and I wasn’t sure if I would be any good at it.
My heart broke at the prospect of living a life without Brick, but I knew that it was for the best. Believing that a friendship might develop into love like with Ralph had ended up with me as a sex toy to a billionaire, but giving in to the chemistry and passion of love with Brick would leave me with a broken heart. It would leave me broken.
Chapter Twenty-One
Brick
“Okay. Gentlemen, I think we’re done.” Julia smiled as she uncrossed her legs and stood. Bending down, she gathered the files from my desk, and I couldn’t help but notice Jim’s gaze straying to her body. We’d been working for half the night to finish hashing out the details of a new contract. I was tired from sitting in my chair. I was tired of dealing with this.
All that I wanted to do was go home to Daisy.
“Thank God,” Jim muttered. “This has been a nightmare.”
I had a feeling it wasn’t the work he was talking about as much as it was being next to Julia. Whether the two of them wanted to admit it or not, the chemistry between them was hot enough to scorch even me.
“Working with you hasn’t exactly been a walk through the park either,” she snapped. “I’m going home and pouring myself a glass of wine. I might even be late to work tomorrow.”
“No.” My head snapped up, and I glared at her. “You will not be late tomorrow because I have a million emails to respond to.”
“Fine, but I’m coming in with a hangover,” she said and rolled her eyes. With one last look at Jim, she stalked out and almost slammed the door behind her.
“All right, you need to fix that,” I grumbled. “Her attitude is getting worse and worse, and it’s all your fault.”
“My fault?” he huffed. “If I recall, she spent a week not talking to you because you bought yourself a damn girlfriend.”
“True, but she’s talking to me now.”
“Yeah, because you’re clearly in love, so she figured it’s not going to come back and bite the company in the ass. Now she’s pissed because you’re in love with Daisy and not her.”
His comment floored me in more ways than one, and I decided to tackle the half that didn’t terrify me. “What the hell are you talking about? Julia isn’t in love with me.”
Jim narrowed his eyes. “Are you certain?”