Page 10 of Sexting the Boss

I don’t text back right away.

Instead, I set the phone down and let the message sit there.

A wrong number. A mistake. Nothing worth my time.

And yet…

I roll my neck, exhaling slowly as I cross the room. The penthouse is silent, save for the distant hum of the city below. Dark, expansive, too big for one person.

Which is exactly how I like it.

I don’t need people filling my space.

I had that once. Family. Noise. Closeness. And I left it behind a long time ago.

I step into my walk-in closet, grabbing a pair of dark trousers and a shirt, pulling them on with methodical ease. The fabric is crisp, expensive, tailored perfectly to my frame. A uniform of control.

When I emerge, Oleg is already waiting in the living area, his large frame half cast in shadow, arms folded across his chest.

And she’s with him.

Nina.

Tall. Blonde. Too beautiful for her own good.

She’s perched on the armrest of my couch, legs crossed, a drink in one hand, watching me with the kind of slow, predatory amusement that once held my attention.

Now, it only irritates me.

“Took your time, didn’t you?” she drawls, swirling the amber liquid in her glass.

I button my cuffs. “Why are you here?”

She sighs, setting the drink down. “Always so cold, Damien. I almost missed that.”

I say nothing.

Because I know exactly why she’s here.

Nina never comes without a reason. And she always wants something.

She pushes off the couch, sauntering toward me, her heels clicking against the marble floor. “I heard about the deal today. Seems like congratulations are in order.”

I give a noncommittal hum, reaching for my watch.

She steps closer, invading my space like she belongs there. Once upon a time, she did.

That time is long gone.

“You could at least pretend to be happy to see me,” she murmurs, fingers trailing over the buttons of my shirt.

I glance down at her hand. “No, I couldn’t.”

Her lips curve slightly, but there’s an edge of frustration in her gaze. “You’re impossible.”

“I’ve heard.”

She exhales sharply, tilting her head. “Are you really sending me home already?”

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