Page 59 of Rivals Next Door

Syn-Genix was even bigger than BioTech, and Don Weaver was like a god in our arena… one of the richest. It was rumored that he was looking to decrease his responsibilities because he had his hands in a ton of other ventures. I figured I’d jump in and offer a merger. With my science background, he’d see that I was perfect to run things. It would be a win-win for us both. However, if Alex had already gotten to him, maybe I had already lost.

I dropped onto the nearest chair and proceeded to stare into space. Was that hope running away hand-in-hand with my future at BioTech that I saw in the distance? They were getting further and further away…

“Livy? Are you still there?”

I blinked. “Yes…”

“What are you going to do?” Elena asked.

Rubbing my eyes, which burned from lack of sleep because I stayed up most of the night thinking about Alex just next door, I sighed. “Honestly, I’m tired of fighting to keep my company. It’s been struggling for a while and?—”

“Don’t you dare, Olivia Brentwood,” Elena snapped, cutting me off. “I can’t let you say what I think you’re about to say because I know you. You’ll regret it later.”

My hand found its way to my mouth as I reverted to the habit I’d worked hard to break. I chomped on my fingernails as if I were starving, and they were the only meal I’d seen for days. “You’re right. I’ll regret not fighting with everything I have for the rest of my life.” Lord knew I already had enough regrets.

“Let’s try that again,” Elena said. “What are you going to do?”

My little laugh was weary but filled with appreciation for my friend. I didn’t know what I’d do without her encouragement. I couldn’t confide in Mom about the family’s financial struggles, and Liam never got it together to help run the business as I hoped he would. I’d been the sole burden-carrier of the crumbling Brentwood legacy since Dad died. Elena was a godsend.

“I’m going to pull up my big girl pants and meet with Weaver as planned,” I declared with growing confidence. “I’ll persuade the hell out of him to partner with me and make us both richer. He loves money. That last part will definitely convince him.”

“Now that sounds more like the Olivia I know. If you need my help with anything, I’m here.”

“Thanks, Elena. You have no idea how grateful I am for your support.”

“Hey, remember back in the day when you helped me with my first high-profile investigative article?” Elena asked.

I groaned, remembering the chaos of that adventure. It was the most fun I’d had since Alex and I parted ways. “You mean tried to help.” I had her pretend to be my assistant to get her into corporate offices so we could snoop around for insider information.

Elena laughed. “And you were so terrible at being low-key that we almost got busted by that one mogul.”

I sniggered. “And I had to flirt with him to get us off the hook. I was terrible at that too.”

Our combined chortling went on for longer than intended because each time I recalled my ridiculously atrocious flirting skills, the way Elena rolled her eyes and smacked her forehead in the background, made me dissolve into more giggles.

When she sobered, she said, “The point is, when I asked for your help, you didn’t hesitate to say yes. You stuck your neck out for me. You have my back, and I have yours. That’s what we do, so call me if you need me.”

Feeling a hundred times better, I sighed. “I will, and I’ll let you know how the meeting goes.”

“I’ll be waiting. Go get ‘em!”

I was still grinning long after I hung up. “I can do this. I will do this,” I said firmly. The day I sit back and let Alex win is the day there will be a goddamn snow blast in hell.

I was floating on cloud nine by the time I walked out of Don Weaver’s office. The fact that the man turned out to be sleazy aside, our meeting went well.

He actually listened to what I had to say when he took a break from gawking at my chest and legs. My icy stare whenever I caught him checking me out helped to cool his jets, and he focused on my stellar business proposal instead.

In the end, he was talking about numbers and our next step with enthusiasm. The potential monetary benefit for him practically had him salivating. He then expressed that he was willing to work with me rather than sell his company, and we had another meeting set up.

As I stepped out of the elevator and strolled toward my borrowed apartment, I squealed with excitement and did a twirl. I then caught up on myself and looked around to see if anyone had witnessed my lapse into frivolous delight. A little embarrassed, I continued my trek down the hallway.

When I stopped in front of my door, I glanced at Alex’s, wondering if he was home or out plotting my demise. Curiosity and smugness got the better of me, and I knocked on his door. I waited for a while with no answer and gathered that he wasn’t home. I was mildly disappointed about not getting to gloat fresh off my meeting with my new business partner.

Before I stepped away, the door swung open. My breath hitched at the sight of Alex with just a towel wrapped around his lower half. It seemed I’d caught him after a shower. Goodness… His body glistened with moisture, and I couldn’t help but admire his chiseled chest. He’d always been toned, but the years had been good to him. There was a harder masculine edge to the entirety of his being compared to when he was in his early twenties.

My gaze dropped to his defined abs and his lean hips, which the towel barely covered. I knew what was under that towel, and it was impressive… My face flamed as my gaze traveled back up past his broad shoulders and to his face.

His eyebrows furrowed at the sight of me. “Olivia.” His voice was tinged with confusion.

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