Page 76 of Mr. Wicked

“We’re equal partners with matching salaries. We’re losing memberships, revenue is down,” Easton said. “We’re very much in this together, Grayson.”

He looked at Holden, his brows raising. “I’m going to take a stab at something, and tell me if I’m wrong.”

“All right,” Holden replied to him.

“I have a hunch that this one’s all worked up because he’s feeling something for Jovana and he doesn’t know what to do about it.”

“Fuck you.” My feet dropped from the desk, and I drained the rest of my glass. “Don’t act like I’m not in the goddamn room. I can hear every word you’re saying and I don’t like any of them.”

“But am I right?” Easton challenged.

“No.” I got up and went back to the bar, bringing the bottle with me when I returned to my desk. I unscrewed the cap and said, “I’ve told you how this is all making me feel. I mean, fuck, look at me.” I held my newly filled glass in the air.

Easton glanced at Holden again just as Holden said, “I think you’re right.”

I set the glass on the desk, staring at my best friends. Aside from my father, they knew me better than anyone. I needed to know what they were seeing. “What would give you the impression that I felt anything for her?”

Confidence was building across Easton’s face. “Because I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why you wouldn’t be into her. She’s hardworking. Smart, bubbly, charming. She wouldn’t take your shit, and that’s exactly what you need.”

“She’s beautiful,” Holden added. “And she’s just your type—petite, dark hair, blue eyes. When you’re fishing, that’s always what you go for.”

“I can’t deny that she’s my type,” I told them. “You got that part right, at least.” I wrapped my fingers around the tumbler, not wanting it to be too far away. “But where you have it wrong is when you say she’s exactly what I need.” I glanced down toward the top of the glass, remembering how, back in the day, one of these had always been in my father’s hand. When vodka would be his dinner, sometimes his breakfast. When I would go into his room as a kid and find bottles of it on his nightstand. “I don’t need a woman in my life.”

“And I get why you say that,” Easton said, taking a quick glance at Holden. “We both do. But I still think that during the two dates you’ve been on with Jovana, you’ve had a good time. You’ve thought about her after you dropped her off. You’ve been surprisingly intrigued by the conversations you’ve had with her.” He paused. “Am I wrong?”

I was ashamed that they’d come to this conclusion. That I’d somehow, through all the growling and anger and refusal, shown that I had feelings for her.

I let out a long, deep, drawn-out exhale. “She’s interesting. I’ll give you that.”

“Hell, the girl is more than interesting. She’s magnetic. Belle and I have watched some of her videos. Even my daughter was blown away.” Holden ran his hand over the top of his hair, trying to tame his wild locks. “Jovana sure knows what she’s doing when it comes to those little dance endorsement things she does.”

I had to agree.

During the hours I’d lain in bed last night, unable to sleep, I’d looked up Jovana’s Instagram and TikTok accounts.

I didn’t go on Faceframe.

Fuck them.

We were currently in litigation with that company, and the moment we’d hired an attorney, I’d canceled my account.

But while I was on the other two, I checked out her posts. Some were just photos, like the one she’d released of my hand on her leg. That shot had collected more than eleven hundred comments.

It had been entertaining as hell to read them.

The questions.

Accusations.

Words of congrats.

But there was negative feedback, too, and that made me mad as hell. It took everything I had not to reply and tear into the commenters, giving them a piece of my mind.

How dare they speak to Jovana that way.

I didn’t just stop at that post. I checked out her others as well, where she was showing off brands and products—whether it be some type of makeup or lotion for her face, clothing, or accessories. Sometimes she was even in the kitchen cooking from a particular meal service or using a special sauce or a specific kind of meat or utensil.

She had built a name for herself, and I could easily see that she was in demand.

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