Page 13 of Dirty Deceptions

“No more negative thinking,” Chloe urged, as she resumed eating her donut. “From this moment on we’re both going to get our happy ending.”

Yes, Chloe was right. It could all work out great. For once in her life, she would not overthink it. Go with the flow. It was a foreign concept to her, but she was willing to try.

****

Alexander set the phone aside and took off down the street. He’d wanted to go back into Lauren’s apartment. Just beg her to let him stay the weekend. Maybe if he had her good and relaxed, he could drop the bomb that he was her employer. That he’d known who she was the minute he spotted her at the bar. She’d forgive him for the minor lie and kiss him senseless. But that wasn’t reality. No, the real Lauren Clark was going to roast him alive when she found out what he’d done.

“Fuck!” he shouted, as he took a left turn and headed in the direction of his townhouse on the other side of town. The minute she spotted him Monday morning she was going to feel so betrayed. So used. He hadn’t intended it to go this way. He’d wanted to tell her. Several times. But he’d chickened out because he hadn’t wanted to see the hurt on her face. Hadn’t wanted to cause her pain. Hadn’t wanted to burst the bubble. Selfish as hell, but there it was. He’d wanted to soak in every scorching-hot moment he could before it all went to shit. When his cell rang he grabbed it off the middle console. A little too hopeful that it was Lauren. That she’d changed her mind and wanted him with her. In her bed. Instead, the display showed his father’s face.

He hit the button on his steering wheel. “Hi, Dad.”

“Good morning, son. You out and about already?”

He didn’t want to explain to his father what he’d been up to. “Just running errands. What’s up?”

“I thought I could bring breakfast over and we could go over the details of the merger with Gerson and Sons.”

The merger was a huge coup. They’d been working it for months and it was all finally coming together. There’d be no way for him to get out of the morning meeting without his father asking questions. “Sure. Just give me time to get home.”

“See you in an hour. Drive safe.”

They ended the call and Alexander wanted to shout to the heavens. He had no desire to spend the day going over figures with his father. He wanted to go back to bed with Lauren. For a solid week or so. But that didn’t seem to be in the cards. He purposely squashed the voice in his head telling him she may never let him back into her bed. No, that outcome wasn’t acceptable. If he’d learned anything being the son of a self-made billionaire, it was to never give in. He would use whatever means necessary to keep Lauren.

Too many cups of coffee later, Alexander and his father were wrapping up for the day. His phone chimed and he was a little too eager to jump on it in the hopes it was Lauren. It wasn’t. Neither had the last several chimes been her. Was she rethinking her decision to take him home? Shit, maybe. His sour mood turned even worse and it didn’t go unnoticed by his father.

“What’s got you so preoccupied?” He asked, pointing to the phone sitting on the table between them. “You’ve checked that thing a hundred times since I got here. What gives?”

There’d be no stopping the man now. He could be as tenacious as a pit bull with a fresh new bone. Alexander sighed. “A woman.”

His dad stood and went to the coffee pot to get a fresh cup, then turned and leaned against the counter. “Got it bad for her, huh?”

“We just met so don’t start thinking about grandkids,” he warned as he sat back and crossed his arms over his chest.

His dad wasn’t about to be swayed though. “It only took a glance for me to know your mom was the one.”

“Yeah, well, I’m betting Mom knew your last name,” he grumbled, feeling like a complete ass all over again. “Lauren, however, has no idea who I am.”

“She doesn’t know you’re worth a fortune, you mean,” his father concluded.

“No, and to make matters worse, her first day at Costa Enterprises is Monday.”

His father cocked his head as he watched him. “And when she realizes you’re her boss…”

Alexander cursed. “She’s going to tear me a new one.”

His dad came back to the table and asked, “You care about her?”

Confession time. “She’s amazing. Has a crazy sense of humor and she’s smart as hell too.”

He waved a hand at him. “Then don’t let her walk away. Fight for her. Grovel if you have to.”

Taking relationship advice from his divorced father. That’s a new one. “No offense, Dad, but you were awful to Mom.”

“It’s true. I messed up pretty badly with my Julie. Why she still talks to me is a mystery. However, if there’s one thing I know it’s that regrets are a terrible thing to have to live with, son. So, when you see Lauren tomorrow, you apologize. Own it. Don’t be like me. I was too proud. Too arrogant. If I could do it all over again, I’d tell Julie every single day how amazing she is. How lucky I am to have her. I lost my chance. Don’t lose yours.”

Alexander could count on one hand the number of times his father had admitted to making a mistake. “Thanks for the advice. Also, just for the record, I don’t think you’ve lost Mom entirely.”

His eyes widened. “You don’t think?”

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