Page 60 of Hard Limits

“Okay, I’m not gonna get serious with a man for at least six months. Maybe I’ll have a rebound fling with a Portuguese stud.”

“Why don’t you focus on the swales for now?”

“Aw, don’t be a killjoy. Go lose your V-card to your hot boss. Wait, does he know—”

“Yes.”

“Wow. How did that come up in conversation?”

“Please, just stop.”

Because I knew Mr. Vale would. I’d said no, and he respected no. He wouldn’t catch me off guard and do a Lance Clifton. Although I wouldn’t mind—

No!

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Meera promised. “Hang in there.”

“Love you, twinny.”

“Love you too.”

CHAPTER 24

BRAX

Brax read over the latest email from his lawyer. Carissa had agreed to a provision for his mother—and let’s face it, she owed that much—but now they were haggling over the amount. Carissa had come up from one million to one point five, and Brax had come down from five to four point five. They’d end up settling for three, he knew it, but they still had to play this stupid legal dance first. Otherwise the divorce attorneys wouldn’t be able to afford their golf club memberships, and that would never do.

Today, he was viewing properties around Los Angeles. In less time than it would take Carissa to redecorate Brax’s former apartment, Nyx would be reborn as Phoenix, and he needed to find the club’s new home. He’d have the million from the divorce settlement as start-up money, and Violet Miller had offered a two-million-dollar loan. The movie business was going well. Plus she’d first met Dawson in The Dark, and they still dropped by on occasion to use the facilities. She’d get a free lifetime membership in return.

The first property he’d looked at was smaller than the current one, but it benefitted from a good-sized basement, a private parking lot, and a secluded location. There’d be no room for an admin team, and he’d have to live out of a modest studio apartment, but he’d done that in Virginia and survived. Remote working was a possibility, or he could hire a smaller office space nearby when funds allowed. The second property was much larger, a former warehouse, but it would need complete redevelopment. A huge project, but he’d be able to put his own stamp on the place. And then there was the derelict mansion he’d agreed to see tomorrow—that was the most interesting of the three, but would he have time for a major renovation project? Once Brax had put together a shortlist, Justin had agreed to fly in and give his professional opinion, and he’d also oversee the construction project for a sensible fee.

Brax’s phone rang, and his guts seized. The only person he wanted to speak to today was his lawyer, and “wanted” was doing a lot of heavy lifting. But it wasn’t Jeff Benedict. No, it was Alexa.

As usual, she didn’t waste time on pleasantries.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“At this moment? I’m drinking lukewarm coffee and contemplating the meaning of life.”

“Okay, what are you doing with Carissa?”

“Nothing. She’s in New York, thank fuck.”

“Don’t be flippant. You know exactly what I’m asking.”

Brax gave a heavy sigh. “I’m waiting for the divorce paperwork to land on my desk, and then I’m going to sign it.”

“Have you lost your mind?”

“Probably.”

“Because of your assistant? Chase said you had a thing for her.”

“Because I’m sick of living in purgatory. If I so much as talk to a woman, Carissa finds out and tries to twist it to her own ends.”

“And the assistant?”

“Her name is Meera.”

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