Page 5 of The Bargain

“No, no. Just a chair. No people.”

I sagged, my head falling back to rest on the roof. “Thank God.”

“He’s sedated now. I’m going to make some changes that should help him stay calmer and keep him from getting agitated.”

“Thank you.”

“Byron…I know I don’t need to remind you that this isn’t the best situation for Ronnie. The facilities at the Holy Mother Hospital aren’t equipped to handle all Ronnie’s needs. I think you need to consider moving him to another facility that has more programs and can be more hands on with their care of him.”

The lump in my throat was making it impossible to swallow, but it was the only way I could squeeze out a few words. “I know, Dr. Willard. I appreciate you taking the time to call me.”

There was nothing to say after that. I knew Ronnie needed to be moved to another hospital that could help him, but the other option was nearly double the cost of his current location and I’d yet to find a way to pay for it. Between paying to support Mom and Ronnie, there was nothing left of my paycheck at the end of the day. I needed more money, and there was none to be had.

With a grunt, I shoved off the car and climbed inside. I couldn’t stay in this downward spiral of frustration and hopelessness. It would leave me curled up in the fetal position in the corner somewhere, and that wouldn’t solve a damn one of my problems. The one thing that made sense was going back to work. At least there, I could be useful.

And if I were lucky, Sebastian would still be working. His smile could help me forget how shitty my life away from the office really was.

3

SEBASTIAN COURTLAND

“How didyou end up here, drinking with us?” Pierce’s voice was evil and sly, dragging a groan out of me while Rome cackled like a fucking hyena.

“To hell with you both. It’s been a hard day.” I sank lower in my chair and glared at two of my oldest friends as they snickered at me from the sofa in my lounge. The assholes had come to my house, intent on annoying me, and I’d made the mistake of allowing them to stay.

I’d met Pierce Sutton and Rome Ashbridge while away at college. Because I was the craftier manipulator, I’d convinced them to move to Cincinnati with me after we’d graduated. The only one missing from our usual quartet was Declan. We went all the way back to high school, and he now worked as CFO for Courtland Enterprises.

Pierce’s thin mouth twisted into a smirk as he stared into the amber whiskey in his crystal tumbler. “Rome got it out of your bodyguard Carl that you were in fine form today at Bluepoint Industries. That should have put you in a good mood.”

I opened my mouth, but Rome was faster.

“Except he had this romantic dinner for two planned with his assistant.” Rome sat up, placed his fingers to his lips, and fakedlooking around the room. “But…but where is he? He didn’t turn you downagain, did he?”

“Asshole. You’re both assholes and jackals. I’m sitting here with my heart in shreds, and you’re laughing at my misery.”

Naturally, my pity party earned me even more laughter, to the point of Rome falling into Pierce and nearly sloshing his drink out of his glass. Pierce snorted and shoved Rome off him.

“Really, Cor, how long have you been pining for this guy?” Pierce mocked.

“Well, he’s worked for me for three years, so I’d say three years,” I said while flipping him off.

It was sad. I was pathetic. And hopeless.

Byron Graham was adorable and perfect in every freaking way. From how he styled his dark-brown hair so that it had a perfect part and this little swoop to the way his suits exquisitely hugged his narrow frame to the way his lips twitched when he was trying so damn hard to hold in whatever inappropriate thing he wanted to say in response to my idiocy.

The first time I saw him had been like getting hit by a semi. For several critical seconds, I hadn’t been able to remember my own name. I hadn’t even been able to breathe. Thankfully, Janice from HR had been there to maneuver the bulk of the interview.

But just to add another incredible layer of ganache to his perfect pastry, Byron was also the most competent, brilliant, efficient assistant I’d ever had in my life. It was as though he could see into my mind and anticipate all the things I needed. He could read a room like no one else and say or do the perfect thing every damn time. It was so fucking sexy.

That was exactly what made him off-limits. He was the perfect assistant, and I couldn’t afford to lose him.

So, I’d learned to make do with sneaking smiles out of him, long lunches where we talked business, and the occasional after-hours meeting where we ordered dinner in and Byron loosened his tie enough to unbutton the top button of his shirt.

I was pathetic. There was no way past it. I was fantasizing about my assistant, and the vultures I called friends were carving up the remains of my heart for laughs.

What the hell was I supposed to do?

“I don’t understand why you torture yourself like this? Just change the employee handbook, and get rid of that stupid rule stating managers can’t date their direct reports,” Rome stated before throwing back the last of his whiskey with a clink of ice in his glass.

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