Page 68 of Strictly Business

Amara:

Oh god…

Me:

Fuck. I can practically hear you moan already. My cock is so hard.

Amara:

Nicholas. I’m begging you.

I press my lips together, biting back a groan.

Me:

Don’t worry, baby. You’ll be begging me for something else tonight.

My phone buzzes again, but before I can respond, the sound of a knock at my door pulls me out of my head.

Robert’s here.

I slide my phone back into my pocket with a quiet groan. “Come in.”

The door opens, and Robert steps in. “Mr. Blackwood,” he greets. “Apologies for the delay.”

I give him a nod in acknowledgment as he sits down in the chair across from my desk. “No problem. What’s the situation?”

“We’ve got a problem,” Robert replies, and his tone immediately sets off alarm bells in my head.

I sit up straighter. “What kind of problem?”

“We’ve received a letter from Alexander.” The blood drains from my face. “He’s claiming your relationship with Amara is a tactic. A move to secure the deal with the hotel. That it’s not real.”

My jaw clenches. Are you fucking kidding me?

“I don’t talk to my brother,” I grit out, fighting the urge to punch something. “He doesn’t know a damn thing about my life or Amara. This is none of his business.”

Robert nods. “I know that, Nicholas. But the board…” He hesitates, a momentary flicker of concern crossing his face. “They’re taking his letter seriously. They want proof. They want to see both of you together, in public. They’re going to be at the L.A. opening tomorrow. I think it would be a great opportunity to show them how serious you and your fiancée are.”

I exhale slowly, my fingers digging into the edge of the desk, the tension in my shoulders almost unbearable. I wasn’t planning on attending the opening, certainly not with the board breathing down my neck. But it’s unavoidable. I need to put out any fires that Alexander started.

“Fine,” I mutter, grinding my teeth at an attempt to contain my frustration. “We’ll be there.”

Robert pauses, his gaze flicking to mine as if expecting something more. But when I stay silent, he stands. “I’ll let the board know. They’ll be expecting you both.”

I nod curtly, my mind already racing through the possibilities, a hundred scenarios playing out in my head. I stand up, buttoning my jacket, trying to regain control over the situation.

I open the door for Robert and give him a tight smile. “I’ll see you and the board tomorrow.”

His nod is stiff, but he doesn’t say anything more. I watch him leave, the door clicking shut behind him. The meeting, the board’s doubts, it all sinks in like a brick in my stomach. This situation is spiraling faster than I can keep up, and I need to get ahead of it.

I exhale slowly, my fingers flexing at my sides. I pull out my phone, the screen lighting up in my hand as I scroll for Ethan’s number.

The phone rings twice before he answers.

“Look who it is. Where the hell have you been? Busy with your fiancée?” he teases.

The muscle in my jaw tightens, but I push the frustration down. I don’t have time for this. “Ethan, I need a favor.”

---