Page 5 of Tempting the Billionaire
“Well …”
“What’s your apartment number?”
I don’t respond.
“I’m already outside the building, Em. Just lemme know the number.”
He’s here? He’s outside? I bite my lip. Damnit. “204,” I finally mutter.
“I’ll be right there.” And with that, he hangs up.
I barely have time to register what I’ve just agreed to before a loud knock sounds at my door. I shake my head, opening it up to see Justin standing on the threshold. He smiles warily. “It’s great to see you, Em.”
I wish he’d stop calling me that. Like he still owns me or something.
He steps into the apartment, shutting the door behind him. We stand in awkward silence for a few moments, until finally, he breaks it.
“I heard you got a new job.”
My heart sinks at that. I eye him warily. “Yeah …”
“Bishop Jewelers,” he says.
Okay, so he knows. I bite my lip, preparing myself for anything. That’s the thing with Justin. He could be totally fine about something, or he could end up flipping out. You never knew.
“You know, considering how you just up and left me, there is one big thing you could do to help withclosure,” he says.
I narrow my eyes at him. Both at the implication that my leaving was heartless, and at the suspicion as to what he’s going to suggest. “What do you want, Justin?” I ask quietly.
“I want to fuck up Bishop Jewelers, and you’re the way to do it,” he states simply.
I stare at him for a few heartbeats. “What?” is what I finally come up with.
“You heard me.”
I shake my head, feeling the exasperation coming on. “What are you talking about?”
“You know they’re the reason Stoll Jewelry went out of business. It’s bad enough that you jumped ship and went straight to them—but now you can actually do some good—”
“Stoll went under for a lot of reasons, Justin, you know that,” I interrupt.
“Bishop Jewelers being the main one!” he snaps. “They’re a fucking conglomerate. They squash the little guys. Well, it’s time for the little guys to get revenge.”
“Revenge?” I echo, trying to piece together whatever crazy plan Justin has come up with.
He nods. “Yes. At first, I was furious to learn that you’d taken a job with them, but now? Now, it’s the perfect in.”
I’m already shaking my head. “I’m not spying on them for you or anything like that.”
“Good, because that’s not what I want.”
“Well, then what—”
“I want you to seduce the owner.”
A long pause stretches between us, his words echoing in the stillness around us. Finally, a laugh bubbles up from deep within me. “Are you serious?”It’s quite possibly the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard come out of Justin’s mouth. And he’s said quite a few absurd things.
But he doesn’t laugh along. He simply stares me down, unmoving. “Yes, I’m serious. Ezra Bishop. The owner, CEO, or whatever. He’s married, and he’s the perfect face to their perfect company—one of their engagement rings is even named after his wife.”
