Page 76

“Because you are. Holy shit, Presley, at least I covered my bases before I continued to make a fool of myself with an intern. Did you clear it with HR atall?”

“Does paying half her tuition in exchange for her cooperation count?”

I smack the bottom of my hand against my forehead. This woman is going to ruin me and my reputation before I have the chance to embarrass the whole lot of us with my “romance.”

Excuse me while I throttle my business partner’s neck. Apparently, I didn’t do it hard enough the last time she almost lost me a billion bucks in legal fees.

Chapter 35

Alessa

My girlfriend has been a surly bag of sour grapes for a whole week now. Something about Presley Bradford being a “huge stupid idiot,” which is the pinnacle of crass talk for Julianna. It only happens when she’s had a shitton to drink and makes stumbling around her penthouse look like an Olympic sport.

As it so happened, I was too distracted by schoolwork to give a shit. I finished most of my finals ahead of time (when possible) thanks to Julianna’s giant distraction and Vern not having much for me to do at this time of year. How many women get paid to sit around a high-rise office doing their homework in the afternoon? No better scene for typing eight-page papers about the American economy in 1982!

Julianna has a business trip this weekend. As a congratulatory present to me for finishing my junior year and as a way for her to chill the fuck out, she’s taking me along instead of hopping herprivate jet with Vern like she usually does. Oh, Julianna and I have done some jet-setting since we started dating, but nothing as glamorous as the East Coast. The most we’ve done is Seattle and parts of California. She promises to take me to Hawaii this July and anywhere I want to go in the whole world right before I start senior year. How do I say no to that? It also tells me that she expects us to still be together then, which speaks to my young, romantic heart.

If this is what young love is, then I never want to grow up.

I take Julianna’s hand as we descend the stairs from her private Gulfstream and step onto New England soil. Stu follows, on the phone coordinating his local team that will follow us around for most of the weekend. I have no ill feelings toward Stu since he only ever does his job—and Julianna is a tough boss, I know—but I can’t help but think that he’s so unnecessary. Julianna is more than enough to protect me should some whacko jump out of the bushes and try to rob us. Ms. Marcon does not skimp out on her workouts and grappling classes.

She stops to kiss me before lowering her sunglasses and turning to our temporary driver. “We’re heading straight to the hotel.”

“Yes, Ms. Marcon.” The driver already has the door open. Julianna stands out of the way so I can get in first. It’s the little things, you know?

“We won’t be staying in the hotel for long, Alessa,” she says to me, hand clasped firmly around mine. “So once we get there, I suggest you freshen up and change into something nice but comfortable. It’s going to be an interesting evening, to say the least.”

“You said as much before we left.” We’re meeting with Danica Moreau and her team so they can finalize their deal. Originally, Danica was supposed to come out to Portland again, but her wife went into labor, what, a week ago? So Julianna decided to takeme on a quick trip instead, because Danica is not leaving the same city her wife and newborn are in if she can help it. “What restaurant are we heading to?” I’m her assistant on this trip, so I should know, right? Except that was left up in the air until we took off from Portland. I can only imagine what Presley decided in the five hours it took us to get here.

“We’re not going to a restaurant,” Julianna says. “You’ll see.”

The hotel suite is exactly what I expected. Big, airy, and sparkling clean from top to bottom. The view of the city core almost rivals Julianna’s view from her penthouse. Almost. That one is more romantic, of course, because I’ve looked at it a hundred times after making love with her. Nothing can truly compare.

But it’s almost enough to distract me from what Julianna had instructed. She’s already in the bathroom changing into a fresh outfit and touching up her makeup. I open my suitcase and search for the business dress I wanted to wear for tonight’s first meeting.

“Not that one,” Julianna calls from the bathroom. “I know you packed a cocktail dress.”

“You do, huh?”

She pokes her head out, a mischievous grin that I can’t interpret spread across her lips. “Black. Slinky. Make it happen, Alessa.”

How about that? I happen to have a slinky black cocktail dress in my bag!

Not sure how an open back, short skirt, and plunging neckline is going to pass at a business meeting, but I’ve long learned to stop asking questions.

Like I should nod and smile when she reaches around me and wraps a black leather choker around my neck.

“Told you I’d get something made for you.”

I freeze, looking at us in the mirror. My black dress suddenly gets ten times sexier with a choker resting on my skin. “What…?”

“Trust me, Alessa, it’s part of the dress code of where we’re going.” She walks away in a cloud of sandalwood and cinnamon perfume. I’m left standing here, wondering what the hell is happening.

I have a feeling we’re not going to the country club.

Chapter 36

Julianna