Page 23 of Necessary Roughness

Normally, I didn’t spend hours… days…weeksthinking about the opinions of other people. But Brett’s words had grabbed hold of me.

How could I be this intrigued by someone who hated me so much?

Then again, maybe Leonard had picked up on something that both Brett and I had missed.

Something in the stars.

“Great!” Brett said, his tone clearly, painfully mocking. “A magical telescope that reveals all. Maybe it’ll help Luke understand why he’s been so out of touch lately.”

Wow, I thought,back to square one.

Just when I thought we might have made a little progress with our animosity. Just when I thought, for a fleeting moment, that Brett might soften and reveal his true self, he shows his true colors again.

He couldn’t help himself.

Maybe this is all there is to him.

The thought made me shudder.

Deep down, I had desperately wanted him to be a nice person. I wanted the ruthlessness and attitude to be just a persona. I wanted to have one—just one—interaction with him in which he didn’t insult me or take shots at me.

I wanted to dig deeper and see who Brett Mercer really was.

But for the life of me, I couldn’t figure outwhy.

7

BRETT

Since I had no personal life—aside from babysitting a bird and watching over someone else’s dream house—I decided to spend the day somewhere I never thought I’d be: Leonard Worthington’s private yacht.

Much to my surprise, he had invited me and Claire to join him for a day of fun in the sun. Although, he hadn’t phrased it that way in the handwritten invite he’d taped to my front door.

Captain Leonard requests your presence for a most extravagant voyage on the high seas tomorrow at 1 p.m. sharp! Feel free to bring a friend—or an enemy for extra spice. No need for RSVPs. If you’re not here, I’ll assume you’ve been consumed by a sea monster.

P.S. The boat has snacks, a full bar, and magic.

How could I resist?

I’d immediately called Claire to invite her. I promised we could spend the afternoon ignoring Leonard and enjoying the view.

Besides, how often did I get to hit the water on a private yacht?

I’ll bet Luke rides yachts all the time. I’ll bet he takes a fucking yacht to work!

I had no idea where that thought had come from. Evidently, I couldn’t get Luke off my mind.

So, I tried to focus on my surroundings.

Marina del Rey was a bustling sanctuary, perfectly positioned for tranquility along the Malibu coastline. Swaying palm trees and beautiful flowers surrounded the marina, lending themselves to the ambiance. Wooden docks extended out over the water, where extravagant yachts and colorful sailboats bobbed up and down. My senses were overwhelmed as the air filled with ocean mist and the sounds of seagulls permeated the area.

The atmosphere was lively and upbeat with well-heeled people—some dressed casually, some dressed for formal events—walking along to the various vessels matching each passenger’s attire.

“Hard to imagine Leonard Worthington in a place like this,” Claire scoffed as we walked. “But I guess he has the money for it, after all. Now we just need to figure out which boat is his. Did he mention on the invite?”

I shook my head. “Claire, the invitation was hand-written on an old receipt and duct taped to my front door.”

I pulled it out and showed it to her. Her eyes widened when she saw Leonard’s handwriting, frantic scratches of ink resembling those of a child.

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