Page 16 of The Billionaire's Temptation

Sean peered at him. “You seem distracted. What’s going on? Issues with the club?”

“No,” Levi assured his friend and partner. “Everything is fine there. Emily has everything under control.” Emily was the club manager and she was excellent at ensuring the smooth operation of every aspect of the club.

“Of course she does,” he replied with a chuckle. “Emily wouldn’t allow anything to get out of control.” He looked at his friend carefully. “That means that your issues are with that half-brother of yours. What did he say?”

“Nothing of importance,” Levi answered, then smiled smugly. “He asked when his application for membership would be approved.”

Sean snorted. “The bastard has no idea that you’ve trashed both his and Clay’s applications, does he?”

Levi chuckled. “Nope. They are actually arrogant enough, and entitled enough, to believe that I will approve their applications. Even though they don’t meet the criteria for membership.”

Sean snorted. “Hell, half of our membership don’t meet the criteria.”

“Only the legacy members don’t meet the criteria,” Levi corrected. “They’re going to be surprised when we increase the membership dues next year.”

Sean’s only response was a triumphant grin.

Levi laughed and smacked his friend’s arm. “Another?” he asked, waving his empty glass towards Sean’s.

“Absolutely!” They headed towards the bartender at the far side of the room. “By the way, how did that thing go with Arthur’s daughter?”

Levi smothered a groan at the reminder of Clarissa. Not that she was ever far from his thoughts, these days. He just wished that she were here now so that he could introduce Sean to her. However, he understood that she’d dealt with a lot over the past twenty-four hours. A big society bash might have truly rocked her mind.

“She’s settling in,” he replied, and he hoped that his comment was true.

“Are you sure?”

Levi’s eyes narrowed. “What have you heard?”

Sean put in his order with the bartender, ignoring the irritated glares from several other guests when the bartender immediately left them to serve Sean and Levi. The two friends had been ignored by too many of them in the past, so it was payback now that their net incomes were more than anyone else’s in the room. But Levi suspected the bartender’s customer service was more due to the fact that he and Sean, and their third partner and friend, Matteo, all had reputations for generosity to everyone on their staff. The other corporate executives tended to pay their employees as little as possible in order to reap larger profits. That translated into higher dividends for their stockowners, but didn’t address the increasingly angry staff that were resentful of their decreasing buying power.

Levi, Matteo, and Sean all knew that the greed mentality of the other corporate CEOs would only serve them for a limited time. The low-ball salaries and abusive employment policies would eventually catch up to the bastards with disgruntled employees leaving in droves to find other sources of income, many of whom might start their own businesses, creating more competition.

Sean waited until the bartender delivered their drinks before replying. Both of them were very aware of the gossip that servers overheard during events like this. In fact, they relied on that kind of gossip. It was one of the reasons their private club was so effective.

“I haven’t heard anything about Ms. Donata in particular. But there are already rumors that she’s beautiful.”

Levi’s body tightened, thinking about the way her hair danced across her shoulders. “She’s stunning,” he corrected, taking a sip of his drink.

Across the room, Levi saw Clay, his younger half-brother, enter the house. Sean must have seen him as well because Levi heard a low growl.

“Trouble is brewing,” Sean pointed out as Clay and Martin’s heads lowered into a conspiratorial angle.

“Yep.”

Moments later, Clay shoved his way through the crowded room, only stopping when he was in front of Levi and Sean. “Why the hell are you two slow-rolling our memberships into your pathetic club?” he snarled.

“Lower your voice,” Levi ordered in a conversational tone.

Clay looked around, realizing that he was creating a scene. Moments later, he smiled easily, as if they were just chatting about the weather. “Give me a reason why we’re not members in your freaking club!”

Sean sipped his drink while Levi simply stared down him down. “Membership applications are evaluated by the club staff very carefully.”

Clay kept going. “That’s our father’s club, you ass!”

Levi chuckled, knowing that it would rile his little half-brother. “Yes, and our father is dead. He left the club to me.”

“As a joke!” Clay asserted.

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