Page 8 of The Billionaire's Rival (Bad Boy Billionaires)

5

FORD

Because I’m an idiot, I followed Jay downstairs, then through a door marked “Private” that led to a hallway where several rooms were located. The rooms were only available to certain guests. The guard at the door nodded to us, and we walked in.

I was hoping all the rooms would be occupied, but luck wasn’t with me. Jay found us a room halfway down the hall. We stepped inside, and he locked the door behind us.

If I made a bargain with him, would he fuck me in here? Did I actually have the nerve to find out? No, I’d only had one drink so far. I’d need a hell of a lot more before I lost my mind to that extent.

Thankfully, the room didn’t have a bed, just a comfortable looking sofa. I’d never actually used these rooms. I wasn’t a prude like Jay tried to imply, I’d had my share of hookups, but they were never particularly satisfying. I saw no reason to have one here. Vincent’s was a place I came to hang out with my friends.

Now, here I was in a hookup room with a man who was only interested in getting me to make a stupid decision that would fuck up my relationship with Miles and my professional reputation. That was not going to happen.

Jay sat on the couch and looked up at me. “Don’t you want to join me?”

I shook my head.

“I’m not going to bite you.”

I huffed. “I’m well aware of that.”

Jay smiled. “Are you really going to make me negotiate while you loom over me?”

“I’m hardly looming.” Jay was at least four inches taller than me, so even with me standing I wasn’t that far above him. “Say what you came to say, and we can continue this discussion tomorrow.”

Jay sighed. “This isn’t working, is it?”

“What?”

“This room. It’s making you nervous.”

I glared at him. “I’m not nervous. I’m annoyed. I was having a nice evening, and you interrupted it.”

“How about I order you a drink?”

“Absolutely not.” The last thing I needed was to get drunk around him. “This is supposed to be a professional meeting. We don’t need to add alcohol to it.”

“Tell that to the senior partners at my firm.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Are they fans of the three-martini lunch?”

“Definitely. Please sit down so we can talk.”

His insistence was making me wary. “What is so urgent about this discussion?”

“Nothing. I just thought it would be nicer to talk like this than in a stuffy office.”

“I keep my office at a nice temperature. We can meet there.”

Jay raised his brows. “You know what I mean.”

“I do, but that’s where these discussions belong.”

“Tell that to the senior partners as well.”

I didn’t even want to think about where the men and women at his firm were willing to take their discussions. “Just because you work for assholes who—”

Jay held up a hand. “Why don’t we get out of here and go somewhere less crowded and more comfortable?”

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