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I pick up my lucky ball and throw it in the air, catching it, knowing I need to slightly reroute my plan. I toss it higher and lower, watching a loose thread in the leather dangle.
This ball reminds me I can make anything happen, even a bases-loaded, out-of-the-park home run. I watched a star fall before I went to bat, then made a wish that’s currently coming true.
That was the summer my parents finally stopped arguing over me and decided to file for divorce. My mom let me stay with Nick and his mom, Silvia. I was fourteen, and my big brother spent the summer with me while he was home from college. My dad insisted that I sign up for an extracurricular activity, so I joined a summer baseball league. There were only a few times when I felt like a normal kid; that was definitely one of them.
Nick lived on a cul-de-sac in a small town just outside of New York. His mom always had grape Kool-Aid in the fridge and fresh oatmeal cookies on the counter. I understood why my dad had cheated on my mom with her; she was everything my mother wasn’t, right down to being genuinely nice. I got high for the first time in his backyard, kissed a girl four years older than me, and spent countless nights dreaming about seeing Billie Calloway again as I stargazed on my back in the grass.
Now I smirk as I realize I’m completely in love with her, to the point of wanting to ruin the life of the last guy who hurt her. Nothing Josh could expose would ever change how I’ve always felt about my diamond princess. What we have has been building for a long time, and now that it’s finally here, I won’t give her up for anything or anyone.
I check the inner pocket of my laptop bag to make sure my USB drive is safely tucked away. I grab my lucky baseball from my desk and flick off the lights at my office at Lustre.
On the way to my firm, I text Harper. We have our own little code.
I text her a simple,Hi.
She replies with,How are you?
I send her a thumbs-up emoji. Until this whole thing with Lustre is over, I can’t text Billie directly. This little exchange tellsBillie to meet me on the top floor of Banks’s Advertising and Marketing Firm.
As soon as I arrive, I take the elevator to the top floor. It’s a space for remote workers visiting the city, but right now, it’s completely empty. I find myself staring out the expansive windows while I wait for her.
Fifteen minutes later, the door to the conference room swings open and then clicks shut. I hear the sharp sound of high heels tapping against the floor, and I turn my head to see her. It feels surreal when our eyes finally meet, and she beams at me, looking stunning in a white pantsuit.
“Wow,” I whisper, taken aback.
I left before she woke up this morning, and seeing her now is just … breathtaking.
“Thank you,” she replies shyly, making her way toward me.
When she’s close enough, I rest my hand on her hip, feeling a rush of warmth.
“No more black?” I ask, intrigued.
“I’m ready to play my own game,” she tells me, perching on the edge of the desk, exuding confidence.
“I need to tell you something,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest, my tone turning serious.
Her brows knit together in concern. “I don’t like that look on your face.”
“Josh is losing his mind over the potential engagement between you and Princy. You need a scandal to break you two apart that will make you look like an angel,” I explain, watching her reaction closely.
Billie shakes her head vehemently. “No. I can’t do that.”
“Listen to me. Josh has recorded videos of your and his sexcapades. He had hidden cameras set up at his place.”
The color drains from her face. “What?”
I nod gravely. “A sex scandal never really disappears, princess. It will follow you for the rest of your life, even if it’s fake. It’s notworth the fight. Trust me, it’s not something you ever want to deal with,” I tell her firmly. “Just play his game for a few more weeks for me,please.”
“He’s lying,” she whispers, tears spilling down her cheeks. She looks utterly horrified.
“He showed me a recorded FaceTime call. I’m curious why you used the Prince Louie,” I mutter against her mouth, pulling away just enough to lift my brow in question.
Her cheeks flush, and she buries her face against my chest. “I thought it was hilarious.”
“I want it thrown away immediately,” I state firmly. “No way his cock is going inside of you ever again. Mold or not.”
She grabs my tie and pulls me closer, her eyes fierce. “I haven’t needed to touch myself since we’ve been together. I always save myself for you, Ash. All of me. That’s yours. Just like yours is mine.”