Page 23 of One Billion Reasons

“Try to keep it down with all the girls you plan to bring back. Wouldn’t want anyone finding out you’re no prince charming,” I say sweetly.

“I’d tell you to keep it down, but the men you like have never brought a woman to orgasm,” he responds.

I freeze. Did Liam tell him? His eyes widen at the implication of his words.

“Laney, I —”

“Go fuck yourself.” I shove into the living room and close the door behind me.

12

Miles

Great job, asshole. My words seem to spill out without thought when I’m around Lane, and it’s electrifying and horrifying all at once. She gets under my skin like no one else. She always has. I take a sip of the whiskey I found in the hotel minibar and hope for the second time that it’s costing Amanda’s father directly. Just another hour of freedom, and then into the lion’s den. I grimace and take another sip.

I can hear Lane showering in the second bathroom. It makes my suit feel too tight and my skin itch. Be glad there is a second bathroom. I texted George to see if the hotel has any other larger rooms, but I’m not hopeful. The universe is playing tricks on me. Two years without sex and the most tempting woman alive is being dangled in front of my nose.

I take another healthy sip, savoring the smoke and the burn down my throat. Lane Overton. The woman I swore I’d never touch. Naked. Just feet away from me. My hand tightens on the plush velvet of the chair. With any other woman, I could call Liam and vent, but not about Lane. He will always pick her. As he should. And I never let even an inkling, not one single iota of the desire I felt for her seep through into our friendship. Not from some stupid bro code, because fuck that, but because Lane hates me.

I’m pretty sure I hate her too. Or I think I did. Now, I just feel hot and sick with desire and self-loathing and irritation every time I’m around her.

Jonah once asked me why I never made a move on Lane. He was an occasional guest at the Montauk house, and he watched me enough times to know how obsessed I was. My reasons were simple. Lane needed a friend more than she needed a boyfriend. I would never risk my friendship with both Liam and Lane for a roll in the sheets. And because Liam made me swear to protect her.

Besides, I respect Lane too much to do something incredibly stupid. Such as sleep with her and break her heart.

What the fuck were you thinking, inviting her to this wedding?

I take another healthy swallow of my drink, and my phone dings with a text from Jonah to my group chat with him and Jason. Jason’s in Tahiti with Cynthia, so he probably won’t respond.

Jonah

Someone really has it out for us

He links to an article in the New York Star. I click into it.

“Jonah Crown — Playboy of the Year or Getting Played?”

Just this week, our Crown Prince was spotted with Alessandra Artimici, an Italian-American actress known for portraying Catwoman in the latest Batman movies. We can only assume Jonah is crying in his glass tower because Alessandra has already moved on to Tom Giordano, the Italian Stallion. But will Tom have the last word? Jonah’s not known for going down without a fight, and this reporter knows he’s got women waiting in the wings.

I laugh. Jonah is obsessed with finding the reporter who keeps publishing these gossip articles, but I enjoy them when they’re not about me, partly because they drive Jonah insane. Melting down about something that isn’t work-related is probably healthy for him.

Miles

I don’t see the issue. You didn’t even date Alessandra. It was a business thing and then you complained that she wasn’t the right fit and never spoke to her again.

Jonah

This reporter is making me look bad. Making us look bad. Foolish. Weak. If this means we start losing deals, I will personally find this person and dump them in the Hudson.

Miles

Might I suggest leaving that in a comment on one of the articles?

Jonah has a fake name he uses, and I know he can’t help but drop into the comments. Once he stormed into my office to show me something another commenter said to him. It’s definitely bad for his blood pressure, but amusing for me.

Jonah

George said I need to stop “feeding the trolls”

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