Page 401 of Most Eligible Billionaire CEO

Not that it matters, but it’s a good thing I’ve always steered far away from reckless bad boys. They’re too unpredictable. I value order and frown upon chaos. Walking into a meeting unprepared is my idea of living on the edge.

“Rehab connected you.” I veer the conversation back on track.

“That’s where we became fast friends,” Beckett says.

“That’s also where the company started—”

“They encourage business startups in rehab?” I ask, interrupting Rhys.

Beckett and Rhys laugh.

I blush. “I guess my inexperience shows.”

“Don’t apologize for not knowing how rehab works,” Rhys says. “Not everyone develops an addiction to drugs like we did.”

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never done drugs,” I say.

“Never?”

“Never.”

“Wow,” Beckett says. His expression is unreadable.

“Not even marijuana?” Rhys asks.

“Oh, God, no,” I say, horrified.

They both cock a surprised eyebrow.

“I’m sorry, I interrupted you, Rhys.” I’m eager to move the spotlight away from me.

“This guy here”—he points to Beckett—“was complaining about the nonexistent bass on the four-hundred-dollar headphones he bought.” Rhys grabs a pair of well-worn headphones from the tray of samples in the middle of the table and lifts them up. “Beckett fell for the glitzy marketing.”

“The multimillion-dollar marketing campaign for those was omnipresent!” I say, recognizing the brand made famous by a rapper turned billionaire. “Every big shot celebrity, singer and athlete was photographed wearing them.”

“Exactly,” Beckett says. “I’m surprised they weren’t able to get the Pope to deliver the Easter sermon with them wrapped around his neck.”

We all laugh.

“Their reach was phenomenal,” I say.

“Aesthetically, the headphones are perfect,” Rhys says. “Regrettably, if you’re a music lover, they don’t offer the best audio experience. I should know. I bought a pair of each model to test. In fact, we have a sample room with our competitors’ products.”

“You do?” I ask.

“The bass makes or breaks a song,” Beckett says.

I’m impressed.

I draw my eyebrows together. “Forgive my naïveté, but how does a former rapper and a rock star who met in rehab create a company that rivals that one.” I point to the headphones Rhys is still holding. “I assume a certain level of sound engineering knowledge is required, and then there’s the whole production and manufacturing side. Those things can’t be easy to figure out.”

“You’re right on the money,” Rhys says.

“She’s sharp.” Beckett smiles wide.

“I’m a good listener,” I say.

“Easton said you have a sexy brain… I see why,” Beckett says.

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