Page 87 of The Boss

My hand clenches my empty glass to the point I should worry I’m about to break it. “He should’ve matured out of stealing his sister’s girlfriends after high school.”

There it is. The nasty truth hanging between us. Because it was never enough that Ted got the bulk of the inheritance while I worked for my business. It wasn’t enough that he gets the family home when Mother and Father pass. It wasn’t even enough that he was the one born with the chiseled jaw and Devil-may-care attitude that women fall for every time.

No. He had to take my girlfriend, too.

Savannah wasn’t the love of my life, but that wasn’t the point. Ted set his sights on her and couldn’t help himself. Or so he said. And so Savannah also swore when I caught them.

So, I don’t care how much Jordan says my brother has matured since then. Fact of the matter is, Ted has never apologized, and I’m pretty sure that even if he tried, I’d punch him the fuck out. Enough to get me written out of the rest of the will.

I still remember the way he looked at Alessa when they met…

Great. Now I’m thinking about Alessa!

“Care to tell me what happened between you two?”

At first, I think he’s asking about my brother. Once I realize he means Alessa, I sigh and say, “Our relationship started with Presley betting me that I couldn’t ‘seduce’ her. A word that was defined, by the way.”

“Naturally, you proved her wrong.”

In many ways. “Alessa heard a different version of events. She thinks Presley bet me that I couldn’tsleepwith her. Then again… well... Anyway, she left that day, and I haven’t seen her since.” Believe you me, I have tried multiple times to contact Alessa. I’ve called her nonstop. Left a shitton of messages. Gone to her apartment only to find it empty. Sent her messages via couriers. I’ve begged her to at least let me explain my side.

Instead, you know what she did?

She filed a suit against the company. With Cher.

Presley and I are both being sued over inappropriate relationships with our employees.

Kill. Me.

Jordan must sense the dooming air surrounding me, for he quickly changes the subject. “Maybe you should go with Ted and his friends. Mine are treating me to a rousing game of poker. $50,000 buy-in, but it’s going to be a lot of bullshitting between us while men in thongs serve the drinks and act out for our amusement. Ted’s got women.”

“And he’s my brother, so that’s weird.”

Jordan slips off his stool. “You two never partied together?”

“Guess there’s too much of an age difference.” By the time I was old enough to “party,” Ted was deciding what grad school to attend. “I might go back to the hotel.”

“I’ll let him know before he leaves.”

“Thanks. Sorry for being such a downer at your party.”

“Put on a smile for the wedding photos, and we’ll forget all about it, Julianna.”

I snort into the back of my hand as I stumble off my stool. Within five minutes, I’m outside hailing a cab and jetting off to my hotel room in downtown Tokyo.

I’m in my room for all of five minutes, contemplating how to get my drunken ass into the shower without hurting myself when someone buzzes my door.

And by someone, I mean a very attractive, very raring-to-go beauty wearing hardly any clothes and radiating money and sex.

She has Ted written all over her, and that’s before I consider her timing. How much does she cost, I wonder? Five grand a night? Ten? I’m sure Ted paid her the full rate for her services so I can have whatever I want and as much as I want.

I never catch her name. The alcohol has inebriated me enough that my reflexes inhibit me from shutting the door in her face. She’s inside my suite, unzipping her dress and asking me in perfect English what my poison is.

My poison?

My poison is Alessa. The beautiful, sweet, smart-as-a-whip woman I want to make love to right now. I don’t even know where she is. Is she in Portland? Is she okay? Has she already moved on with someone else?

“Ma’am?” The escort bats her fake eyelashes at me. “Where do you want me?”

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