Page 14 of The Protégé

Working with a smart and attractive woman was an added benefit any business executive would agree with, and I was a man who valued profit.

“Have Ralph drop off the Bugatti at the garage.” I hopped into the black SUV and headed to my apartment, which was an entire floor in my office building.

I pulled into my garage, and my phone rang. Getting out, I groaned at my cousin’s name.

“What is it, Jasper?” I asked, not in the mood to deal with him.

His parents had left him a lot of money, but nothing he’d done in the past two years had garnered success.

“Can’t I call to see how my cousin’s doing?”

“That would make you too considerate, and that’s not you.”

“Asshole,” he said.

I grinned, thinking about his missing Rolex and the Bugatti watch that were inside a safe of things I’d soon sell on the black market. I didn’t want his watches; I just liked knowing he’d suffer because someone took his belongings.

“You sound cheerful. Did you just buy a new watch or something?”

“You know me so well. Got a watchanda car.”

“You don’t have a good track record holding on to things.”

“Not my fault! I’ve been searching for them in the market. I’m going to destroy the fucker who took them.”

“Probably one of your friends.”

“Nah, they can afford their own Rolex and car. It has to be some lowlife. Anyway, have you reconsidered my proposal?”

This was the reason he called.

“I already told you no. My answer is final, Jasper. I’m not selling Quintile Island.”

“Your father said you might change your mind if I gave you enough time to think about it.”

That was a lie.

“First, there’s no price that would make me sell my island. Second, if you don’t already know, my father and I don’t have a relationship other than a DNA match. He doesn’t know what I want. You’ve been misinformed.”

Speaking to Jasper drained my energy. He was an irritating person who never listened to anything that didn’t align with his needs. He should take lessons from his older brother, Jonah, who had more business experience and common sense. Jonah had taken over his father’s position, helping run the Reimann Sienna Bank along with my father. But Jonah also had his real estate company to manage. It was recently voted one of the top ten firms in the world. I often wondered if he ever had the same pressure placed upon him the way it was bestowed upon me.

Did he have panic attacks? Did he suffer in silence?

Jasper had asked me to collaborate with him on several business ventures. I’d declined all of them. Even his brother had declined him.

I didn’t enjoy collaborating with family. Too much potential to get messy. Besides, I’d never forget how Jasper and my aunt had talked about my mother behind her back. Or how they had shamed Kate for being open about her battle with depression. My chest tightened as my hand went to the gold ring dangling from my necklace. Kate and I were supposed to get married before mental illness took her from me.

That familiar sadness crept in, and I hated Jasper even more for souring my mood. “I’m done talking.”

“I’ll give you another week to think about it. If your answer is still the same, I’ll stop bugging you. I really want Quintile Island.”

Frustration flared, and a headache bloomed in my temple.

“Why?” I seethed.

“Because it’s a great location. I want to develop a tourist resort that could bring in a lot of money.”

I rolled my eyes, and the gesture reminded me of Elena. Then a surge of desire swarmed through me.

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