Page 85 of Sexting the Boss

I arch a brow. “I get a lot of invitations.”

“This one’s from Nina.”

My entire body goes still. “Not interested,” I say flatly.

“She doesn’t seem to take ‘not interested’ as an answer,” Oleg replies, clicking open an email on his screen. “She’s hosting some charity gala this weekend. Made sure to extend a personal invitation to you.”

I smirk, shaking my head. “I already turned that down.”

Oleg nods. “She knows. Didn’t stop her from inviting someone else.”

I glance at him, my patience already thin. “Who?”

Oleg doesn’t blink. “Your mother.”

A slow pulse of irritation thrums through me.

I stare at him for a beat, letting the words sink in.

Nina is pushing.

Testing.

Going too goddamn far.

“Christ,” I mutter, dragging a hand down my face. “She really doesn’t know when to quit, does she?”

Oleg shrugs. “She’s persistent, I’ll give her that.”

“Persistent,” I repeat, my jaw tightening. “Is that what we’re calling it?”

“She wants a reaction,” Oleg says simply. “Question is—are you going to give her one?”

I breathe in through my nose, forcing the slow simmer of anger to stay beneath the surface.

I don’t like being manipulated.

I don’t like people using my mother to get to me.

And Nina? She’s just made it clear that she still hasn’t learned when to back the fuck off.

“When is the event?” I ask, my voice calm. Too calm.

Oleg watches me, then checks his screen. “This Saturday night.”

I nod once, pushing off the desk.

Nina wants a reaction?

Fine.

She’s about to get one.

14

SASHA

I’m sprawledacross my bed, scrolling aimlessly through my phone, still trying to process everything that happened today, when my roommate pokes her head into my room.

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