Page 196 of Always You

It started out as a joke from Johnny when I was fifteen and convinced the entire class to skip the last period to go to the riverbank instead. Cheeky stuff like that still pulled a silent chuckle from most of my family after I faced the consequences. But by the time I hit eighteen, alcohol and drugs were part of daily life, and the only one still laughing was me.

I cock an eyebrow, making it clear I have no desire to give my boss an opening to learn more about my troubled teenage years.

In the last five years, I tucked that version of me away, as far as possible, making sure she’d never show her face.

Mimicking him, I take the last shot in my hands and raise it up in the air.

“Cheers.” I beam, repeating the move once more.

The sharp taste hits the back of my throat, and goosebumps trickle onto my arms.

“Okay, next time you are in LA, we are going out. We’ll have some fun, and you can show me exactly how much you can handle.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me with a cheerful smile, the professional distance now completely gone.

Johnny punches his arm. “That’s my niece, you perv.”

Mr. Davis throws his hands up in the air, placating. “I was talking about dancing or something.”

He turns his head to me. “I mean no offense. You’re beautiful, honey, but you’re a little too young. Besides, wife number four is already in the making.” His boyish gleam holds mine before his attention is grabbed by something behind me.

“In fact, there she is right now. Johnny, Ms. Stafford, this was fun, but if you will excuse me?’’ He taps Johnny on the shoulder, giving me a quick nod, then walks over to a gorgeous exotic woman with long black hair, her voluminous curves wrapped in a fiery red dress.

I watch how he gives her a longing hug, and she returns it with a shy smile, like a woman in love, her cheeks turning a soft pink.

“Why is it that he is already working on his fourth wife, and you didn’t even make it to number one?” I mock, turning back to Johnny.

“Because he’s rich enough to afford four divorces,” he snorts, then orders two rums, neat.

“Well, you could at least afford two.”

“I could, but then what would you inherit when I die?” he counters, grabbing his tumbler while handing me the other.

“Good point. Don’t marry.Ever.”

Johnny was only seventeen when I was born, and I’m the baby sister he never had. And with him being only forty years old now, he is the big brother I always wanted.

After working together for the last five years, we grew closer. In fact, he’s the only person who knows me underneath my thick skin and sunshine smile that gets me through the day.

A brief smile reaches his face until it changes into a slight scowl as he looks at something over my head, and automatically I turn in curiosity. Cursing myself, I let out a grunt when my lying ex-boyfriend stands behind me with that lopsided grin of his that used to heat my panties within seconds.

He’s looking hot as always in his white t-shirt that’s perfectly hugging his hard chest. He is fit, tall, and with his thick brown hair and piercing blue eyes, he looks like a fucking Disney prince. I can still acknowledge he’s handsome as fuck, but I have too much pride to give him the satisfaction of letting him know that.

I twist my body back to Johnny in annoyance.

Johnny exhales loudly, then reaches out his hand to Sean with a fabricated smile while I finish my drink in one go, knowing I’m gonna need it.

“Kent, having a good time?” he asks, feigning sincerity.

Sean’s arm wraps around my neck, his nutty signature cologne enveloping me while I suppress the urge to shrug him off.

It used to turn me on like crazy.

Now it just makes me want to gag.

“I am, thanks.” He takes Johnny’s hand, a satisfied tone in his voice, and I don’t have to look up to see the big smirk he surely has on his face. “Can I talk to Rae for a second?”

Johnny finds my eyes, silently asking me for confirmation, and I bite my lip in indignation, giving him a short nod.

Johnny hates him. He never liked him because of his super star attitude on the team, but Sean’s behavior toward me only made that worse.

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