Page 11 of Off Limits (Alpha Billionaire)

“I did. And after a few years in New York, I moved to LA to be closer to Mother. Her health took a hard turn for the worst. Then Dad.” I sighed. It had been a hard few years, but they brought me home. “I realized I didn’t need to be in any of those locations to do what I do. I opened a small office with the staff I needed locally, and it’s barely any different from being in LA.”

Ryan laughed. “This is very different from LA.”

I shook my head. “Not as far as work and doing what needs to be done. If I need to meet someone in person, I can jump in a plane and get there. Or they come to me. Don’t tell me you’ve been doing business in Monterey all this time, and this is the first time we’ve connected?”

Ryan shook his head. “You got me. No, I’m headquartered in San Francisco. Like you said, Boston was a lifetime ago. I got to thisside of the country after a stint in England. I've been in the Bay Area ever since.”

“Well, now that we don’t have anything to distract us, tell me this idea again. I have some thoughts brewing, but I also know that sand trap derailed my thought process.”

“I would think that a pretty nanny would derail your thought process. I know she certainly would have me thinking anything but property development,” he said with a smirk.

That feeling of tightening in my chest was now partnered with some heat behind my eyes. “Let’s keep my home employees out of the conversation.”

He roared out a harsh laugh. “You gonna report me to HR? Ah… yeah, you’re right. Business.” He clapped his hands together and rubbed them.

He then proceeded to pitch a very intriguing development concept. His examples were undeniable, and I was sure once I got a chance to review the numbers, they would back up his claims. “I want to partner with someone who can not only help to locate and acquire the right property, but also who would hang around through the development process.”

I nodded. This was definitely the type of long-term project my board and I liked to get our fingers into. And here Ryan was, placing this baby in my lap. “I want to see numbers. This could be more than something.”

“And I have locations tagged that are showing exceptional growth. Markets that are ripe for this type of development.”

“Why aren’t you taking it all the way yourself?” I asked.

Ryan smirked. “I’m the ideas guy. I can keep this project on track and see it through to the very end. I have developers I like to work with, but something like this needs a real development partnership.”

He had a point there. I nodded. “You want another beer?”

“Yeah, that would be great. Hey, which way is the bathroom?”

I gave him directions as we both stepped back into the kitchen. I put the bottles in the glass recycle bin and pulled two more out of the fridge. I didn’t want to keep drinking without backing the alcohol up with some food. I pulled out some chips and found a seven layer dip in the fridge. Perfect.

I was setting up the food with some sliced cheese when I thought I heard a commotion. I paused and listened, but I didn’t hear anything else. I carried the food out and returned to the kitchen for the beers. There was another loud noise. I definitely heard something.

I pushed out of the kitchen.

I stopped before either of them saw me. Jessica was picking up a chair and Ryan was reaching out for her. I wanted to barge in and break up whatever it was I thought I was seeing. When she reached out and placed her hand in the middle of his chest, I wanted to roar out some kind of battle cry and charge in. But then she pushed him back. Yeah, good for her.

I stepped back into the kitchen but stayed next to the door, listening for any movement or raised voices. Jessica didn’t need my help to put anyone in their place. But in case she did, I was right here. I didn’t move until I heard heavy footsteps headed my way.

“Oh, great, I wasn’t sure if you had gotten lost. I have chips out on the deck,” I said as soon as Ryan reentered the kitchen.

6

JESSICA

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it was trying to beat its way up my throat. I tasted blood from biting the inside of my cheek hard. I felt like a trapped, very frightened rabbit. Only worse, rabbits know how to run and maybe kick their way out of a situation. I couldn’t do any of that.

I kept backing up, trying to get away, but Ryan was right there. He kept coming toward me, trying to touch me.

“You need to go. I’m not like that anymore,” I said. My legs hit a chair, and I stumbled. I tried to grab onto the chair to keep from falling. I stayed upright, but the chair tipped.

He laughed when I tripped over the chair, and his hand on my arm felt like scalding hot needles stabbing into my flesh. I hated that he was here, that he was speaking to me, that he saw me being scared.

“Don’t touch me.” I wish I had the strength and fortitude to wrench my arm away from him and to yell. I could barely get the words out of my throat. At least I wasn’t crying.

“It was good to see you, Jess. I think running into you might just be the best thing to happen in a while.” He smirked and turned to leave.

I shook so hard I could hardly get my legs to properly move. I didn’t want to know what Ryan meant. I wanted to be ignorant of his motives or what that smirk meant. But I wasn’t. I knew what he thought he had just “lucked” into.

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