Page 2 of The Bourbon Bargain

“And that is why I’m the CEO. I come up with brilliant ideas. You really should listen to me more,” Zander quips to Payton.

“Yeah, Zand, I’ll take your advice when I want a sexually transmitted disease or a broken bone from an extreme sport.” Payton rolls his eyes in an exaggerated way and I almost smile. Almost.

“One fucking time I crash from a skiing accident, and you think it happens every time. I’m all healed up and not pushing the sharp bone ends of a compound fracture out of my arm, thank you for asking.”

“You refute the broken bone comment but not the STD? Telling.” Payton says.

“I’m clean, so there was no need to even deem it worthy of comment.”

“I’ve started the big gesture, so you can both fuck off now.” I wave my fingers along with my words and hope they just go. They can continue their bickering elsewhere for all I care. I feel the headache building and just want to make things right with Paige if she’ll even let me.

“That’s only the beginning, Hayes. Sure, the big gesture is nice and may soothe her hurt feelings over losing the future she was groomed for, but now you gotta figure out how to make right all the shit that likely came with it. Betrayal! Underhanded business dealings! Lies!” He animates his words with jacking off hand gestures.

“Zand is right, and I don’t admit that easily, but I will when it’s you who has fucked up and needs to hear it.”

Payton inclines his head my way and I’m back to hating my brothers. I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him. He levels me with his own surly look before he continues.

“You’re in luck. We’re on the case of returning your balls to Paige because she’s the only one who deserves to carry them in her Chanel purse.”

I bristle and I’m about to once again demand they get the fuck out when Zander speaks.

“If you want to keep that beautiful wife of yours and avoid the annulment, or worse, the divorce I’m sure her daddy is itching to file—taking half of everything you have—you better take notes.” He holds up one finger. “First, you need to admit that what you did was wrong, even if you managed to get the outcome you wanted from the situation. Second, you need to apologize for putting your shit first, instead of her. Third, you need to get on your knees and eat that pussy like it’s your favorite ice cream.”

“Bravo, Zand. You managed to make what was a half-decent apology vulgar,” Payton says as his eyes roll toward the ceiling.

“Listen, I may not do relationships, but even I know an apology is best served with a side of cunnilingus, vulgar or not.” Zander brings his hand to his mouth, splitting his fingers into a V and flicking his tongue through the opening.

“You’re a fucking idiot,” I growl and swat at him across my desk to make him stop.

“You most definitely need to fight to get her to forgive you, but no one said you have to fight fair. Now get your ass out of this office and don’t show your stupid face again until you have your bride back.” Zander stands and rounds the desk, grabs the laptop out of my protesting hands, and shoves it into my briefcase.

“He has a point. Use whatever means necessary if she’s really that important to you. Otherwise, you might as well just let her go and move on because you got what you wanted. Either way, you need to ease the fuck up on everyone here and get on with it.” Payton comes around the opposite side of the desk, palming my shoulders and forcing me out of my chair before pulling my suit jacket from the hook on the wall and folding it over my arm.

“I can’t believe I’m actually listening to you two fools,” I grumble, now standing between my two irritatingly stupid, but loyal, brothers.

“I already called the pilot. He’s on standby to fly you to Savannah whenever you’re ready.”

I tilt my head and appraise Payton.

“You were that confident you could convince me that you arranged for the pilot to be on standby?” I cross my arms over my chest and wonder at the ruthless manipulation skills of my brothers. I’ve seen them in action many times, but I never realized they could work so well on me.

“You were getting on that plane of your own free will or with us throwing you on it, so yeah, I made the arrangements in advance.”

“You shifty motherfucker.”

“Oh, shut the fuck up and go get your girl already. Jesus, it’s like you prefer being here, giving us shit, to fucking your hot wife. If you’re that ambivalent about it, I’ll take it from here.”

My hand is on Zander’s throat before I realize I’ve moved. He’s pinned to the door and struggling to breathe, his hands clawing at mine.

“Don’t you ever talk about fucking my wife. I don’t care if it’s a joke, you say one word that even insinuates you’re thinking about her that way and I will end you, brother or not.” My voice is a low growl of rage and Zander’s eyes widen when he takes it in.

“Hayes, let him go.”

Payton places his hands on my shoulders, but he doesn’t force me away, likely knowing I would smash my elbow into his face if he even tried. I have murderous intent on my mind, and he’d be my next victim.

“He fucking asked for it, but you can’t choke out your own brother for a misspoken and crass joke.”

I release my hold on Zander and back up a step, fully expecting him to throw a punch and turn this office into the sparring ring of our youth. He rubs his neck and sends me a dark stare that crackles with electricity.

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