Page 46 of Faking It with the Bossy Billionaire

“He was with you,” Reagan chirped beside me. “He was what? Thirty, thirty-one? Your business was booming at that time. He went home a week after later.”

“Ryan was free to leave whenever he wanted,” I pointed out. “I wasn’t tying him down or anything. He was a grown man and could have made his own decisions.”

Parker St. James Bourbon was skyrocketing in the market at that time. We had built that business when we were in college. But I didn’t know that Ryan’s mother had died then as well. He said he was leaving home to see his sister, and I wasn’t about to stop him. Family was family, and our business was flexible. He could still do his part as long as he had internet access.

“Are you close with him?”

“I was. He was way older than me and he always protected me when we were younger. He didn’t like it when I met his friends because I was just a kid. He spoiled me when our parents were too busy. Then he went to college and I barely saw him, but he called when he could.”

“What happened after the news broke?” Ah, yes. The news about him stealing from our business. He should be thankful that I didn’t publicize the news about him and Paige.

“I haven’t seen him since. He barely texted me. The last I heard he was vacationing in Bali. I don’t even know if he knows I left home.”

“Why don’t you call him?”

“I tried. Countless times. But he doesn’t pick up. I don’t even know what he plans on doing now that he’s out…” Now that he was out of jail, she meant.

“I’m not going to apologize for what happened, Reagan,” I said. “Our business was flourishing. We had big plans for it. Then he had the nerve to steal from it. It was his fault that we went bankrupt.”

“I’m not asking you to apologize for him, Matthew,” she snapped. “He’s responsible for what he did. I just wished that he’d tell me how he is.”

I didn’t care. I shouldn’t care. Anything related to Ryan was not my concern. He could be dying in Bali and I still wouldn’t give a shit about him.

It was like someone had thrown a bucket of ice-cold water at me as the realization hit me. I could not allow my growing feelings for Reagan to win. Because that would mean I needed to care about Ryan again. Because the fall of Ryan St. James was a part of the the life and history of his sister too.

“My relationship with Ryan—”

She didn’t get to finish because the elevator jolted back to life, and her head snapped in attention at the sudden movement. Then the lights started to flicker on, and the familiar hum of the elevator’s motor filled the air.

Reagan pushed herself to stand without my help. Was she pissed because of what I had said?

She ironed her top with her hands and straightened her spine, clearing her throat as if to muster up the strength to once again fake a smile for the world.

I got to my feet, grabbing my phone to turn off the flashlight. Sure enough, there were several missed calls from Clair, and a bunch of messages asking me where I was and why the generator wasn’t working. I ignored them and grabbed the now watered-down coffee.

I handed it to her and pressed the stop button on the elevator panel. The sudden halt made Reagan stumble a bit, but she was able to catch herself.

I sized her up, wanting to meet her eyes. She looked up at me, and I was unable to read the expression written there.

“Are you okay and ready to go?” I asked.

“I’m fine,” she said and rolled her eyes, her arm reaching for the button behind me. Then the elevator hummed again, signaling that we were nearing the ninth floor.

There was a ping and the elevator doors opened. Reagan walked out first, grace and poise radiating from her entire being as if she hadn’t had a panic attack a moment ago. Then she walked straight to the meeting without acknowledging me.

Great job, Matthew, I thought to myself. You really have a way of pissing off anyone with the last name St. James’.

Chapter sixteen

Reagan

I realized I was pissed at Matthew as I listened to Clair talk about the Global Business Gala.

It was supposed to be the event of the year in the business world. Every big tycoon of national and international fame was invited. So were the press and other celebrities.

I didn’t dare look Matthew in the eye as he stood in the front with the Chief of HR because something in me said that he was already staring a hole into my head. I knew I’d fold if I looked at him.

We were okay in the elevator despite my episode. I was thankful for that, at least.

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