Page 73 of Rivals Next Door

“Not anymore, you don’t,” he insisted.

“Well, I know you’re the same keyboard warrior you were in college and you never could stand by and watch innocent people suffer.”

“Did you just call me a keyboard warrior?” he scoffed.

I rolled my eyes. “For lack of a better term… You’ve always been the White Knight, Alex. That’s why I know you’re going to accept working with me on this… no matter how much you hate me.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I don’t… You know what? Whatever. Yeah, let’s work together to do a little good, Liv. The sooner I get this good deed over with, the sooner we can get back to being rivals, and I can take BioTech from you. Clearly, the company needs a wiser CEO who won’t blindly jump into a pile of shit with an evil executive.”

Fury sparked in my gut and sent fire shooting through my veins. “Take that back you… you… asshole.”

“I see I’ve hit a nerve.”

My molars clamped together with so much force that my jaw hurt. “Alright, I can admit that I made a bad decision with Weaver, but that doesn’t mean I’m not good at my job. It most certainly doesn’t mean you'll win in the end. That being said… what do you say about another truce?” I batted my eyelashes at him and forced out a saccharine smile.

Unfortunately, Alex knew me well—as much as I hated to admit it—so he saw right through me. His eyes narrowed. “You just gave up that argument way too easily. I should have gotten at least two more insults for being a dick.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, so you know that you're a jerk? Good for you.”

One corner of his mouth twitched slightly upward. “You want something else from me. What is it?”

My teeth sank into my lower lip as I gave him a sheepish look. “I sort of told Raymond Walters that I could prove his innocence… which I can’t do without you.”

His jaw dropped and then he scoffed. “You sort of told him?”

Hanging my head like a child caught being naughty—I had to stay humble so he’d do me this favor—I admitted, “I promised him.”

“Jeezus, Liv.”

“Oh, come on, Alex. Something like that is child’s play for you.”

“So you’re pimping out my hacking services now? Nice.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.” I glowered at him. “Let’s just get along to help the general public and then we can part ways… hopefully forever.” I only added that last part to keep up the pretense of not still being madly in love with him.

He scowled at me but then said, “Meet me back here tonight at eight. I have to get going. I’m spending the day with a very special lady.”

Jealousy flared and swept through me like a tsunami. However, I quickly masked it with a casual shrug. “Okay. Eight it is.”

We stared at each other until I realized that I was in his apartment, so I should be the one to leave. Mentally facepalming myself, I muttered, “See you later,” wheeled around, and hurried to the door. All the while I wondered who his special lady was…

27

ALEX

I stepped off the elevator and hurried down the hallway to my apartment. I told Olivia to be at my place by 8:00, and it was 8:15. I found her pacing between our doors. When she heard my footsteps, she turned around and her shoulders relaxed.

“Oh, there you are,” she said. “I thought you changed your mind. I knocked a few times and got no answer.”

I approached her with raised eyebrows as I took in her appearance. She was wearing leggings and a t-shirt and her hair was piled haphazardly on top of her head. Every time I saw her without her tough CEO armor, I melted a little. “So you thought you’d pace the hallway for…?”

“Ten minutes,” she confirmed as crimson patches bloomed on her cheeks. “You know how I get when I’m on edge.”

“Mhmm.” She’d wear a hole in the goddamn floor… if no one was around. God forbid Olivia Brentwood showed that she was human… to anyone except me, I guess. As much as she tried not to, she still showed me her vulnerable side. “I didn’t change my mind. The tea party ran late.”

Her eyebrows pinched together. “Tea party?” She then blinked. “Are those rubber bands in your hair? What are those on your nails?”

I grinned as I opened my door. “Yes, and it’s paper.” When I closed the door behind us, I ran a hand over my wacky hairstyle. “Do I look bonita? I feel bonita.”

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