Page 9 of Accidental Theirs (Alpha Billionaire Daddies #6)

Chapter Nine

OLIVIA

I wake up just after dawn and have plenty of time before work. I have to admit I’m more than a little refreshed. I guess making friends with my ex relaxed me.

It’s not that I don’t want Dominic back in my life. It’s that I’m scared. I’ve never had my heart broken so thoroughly, and I don’t want to get hurt again.

So, friends only it is.

Even if I did want him to kiss me goodnight last night.

Maybe I’m just greedy.

I’ve kissed Dominic and Damien and thought about kissing Sebastian. I’ve been off the rails recently, and I guess it’s all about this merger.

“We’re going out for drinks tonight,” Roland offers as we walk into the coffee shop together.

“Oh? What about your boyfriend?”

“Brett?”

“Isn’t his name Darren?”

He waves a hand dismissively. “You’re out of the loop. Darren’s been gone for months.”

“Gone where? ”

“Wherever cheaters go, I dunno.”

I laugh. “Oh. I’m sorry I’ve been out of the loop. This merger is driving me nuts.”

“It’s driving everyone nuts.”

“Except Damien. He’s always got it together.”

“Does he?”

I look over at Roland, shocked. “What do you mean?”

“You can’t tell he’s losing weight? Losing sleep? He’s worried about this merger just as much as you are.”

Panic claws at my throat. If even Damien is worried...

“Don’t freak out.” Roland’s voice is calm and even.

He always knows how to calm down my type A personality. “It’s a good thing that he’s so dedicated to this. He must know it’s the right decision.”

“How can he know? I don’t even know if it’s the right decision.”

“Damien knows what he’s talking about, Olivia. Remember, he’s been doing this just as long as you have.”

Roland is right. Damien may play his emotions close to the chest, but he’s never done anything to harm my business.

He’s only ever helped hold it up.

I take a deep breath. “I’ve got a hundred financial documents to go through. I need a triple espresso.”

Roland nods and goes to order our coffee while I scroll through my emails to see if there’s anything pressing.

There’re a couple marked urgent from Damien, signatures and the like. More merger nonsense.

There’s such a big part of me that dreads this merger, and I’m not sure why.

Dominic is right—Damien always keeps it together.

He’s never done anything to jeopardize the company, and I have no reason to think he ever will.

So, why am I so worried?

I think it’s just that I still don’t feel comfortable as COO. My mother gave me the position, trained me how to run the business, but I’m not like her.

My mother was a whirlwind and me, well, I’m barely a summer storm.

I walk into Damien’s office. The door is standing open, so I just step inside.

Damien is snoring with his head down on the desk, his hair mussed.

He must have been here all night.

I smile softly as I walk around the desk, touching his shoulder gently to wake him.

He snorts and sits up.

I can’t help but giggle as a piece of paper sticks to his cheek.

He groans and pulls it off, looking up at me with bleary, blue eyes.

“What time is it?”

“Nine-thirty in the morning.” I pull open his curtains, and he groans when sunlight floods the room.

“I fell asleep.”

“Obviously,” I chirp, in a slightly better mood than earlier this week.

It’s all thanks to Dominic, but I don’t know if I want to look into that right now.

I’m definitely not ready to be in a relationship with him again, but I can’t deny that I’m thinking about it. I can’t help it.

Dominic was once all I wanted, and maybe I have different dreams now, but it doesn’t mean that an old one isn’t still floating around in the back of my mind.

“It’s been a long week.”

“You’re telling me,” Damien groans, his voice raspy from sleep. He runs a hand through his hair. “Did you need something from me? ”

“Just the paperwork you need me to sign.”

“It has to be notarized.”

“I’ll grab Roland.”

I pop my head out of Damien’s office and call Roland’s name.

He startles slightly, standing by the water cooler and no doubt gossiping with Marie.

“Need your notary skills.”

He nods, taking out his kit with the stamp, and I don’t bother reading through the contract this time. If Damien thinks this merger is the right thing, then I do, too.

I have to trust him. He’s never given me a reason not to.

“Are you coming out for drinks, sir?” Roland asks Damien, and I look at him, surprised that he’s even asking.

Damien always says no, and with him being so exhausted, he’ll?—

“Sure.”

I whirl around to face him. “Sure? You’re going out?”

His shoulders stiffen. “Why not?”

I shrug. “You just don’t usually socialize with co-workers.”

“I’m trying to change.”

Roland smiles. “It was fun the other night! See you there, boss.”

Damien turns to me when Roland walks out of the office. “Are you going?”

“Sure,” I drawl, mimicking him, but he doesn’t laugh.

“Buy me a drink?”

There’s something about his voice that makes me freeze. It’s low, almost teasing.

“Y-yeah.” I’m oddly flustered as I walk out of the office and shut the door on him and those piercing blue eyes of his.

Roland stands over at the water cooler, whispering with Marie, and when I walk up, they go quiet.

“What were you two talking about? ”

Marie giggles, but Roland gives her a withering look.

“Just that you and the boss have been getting along lately.”

“We always got along.”

He shrugs. “Sure, but it seems like you’re friends now.”

I cross my arms over my chest, feeling defensive. “So, what? I’m friends with you guys, and you’re my employees.”

“Fraternization is frowned upon,” Marie says in a sing-song voice, and I snort.

“ I made the fraternization policy. There’s nothing wrong with work friendships, just work relationships .”

Roland shrugs. “Friendships turn into relationships.”

I huff out a breath and storm away as they both chuckle.

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

The rest of the workday goes by easily, and when it’s over, I decide to just go out in my skirt and blouse, not bothering to go home and just sprucing up my makeup.

At the club, some new place called Glory, there are go-go dancers in cages, and it’s kind of a wild atmosphere.

Damien stands out like a sore thumb in his simple suit, standing over by the bar with a drink and looking incredibly lost.

I sidle up next to him, handing the bartender my card. “Put that on my tab. And I’d like a vodka soda with extra lime, please.”

The bartender makes quick work of my drink, and I take it with a smile.

“Thank you.” Damien’s eyes flit down my outfit until he looks back into my eyes.

“Decided to just come straight from work.” I shrug, a little embarrassed now that I decided not to change.

Damien’s suit was black this morning, this one is blue.

“Wish I’d done the same.”

“You look nice. Handsome. ”

He gives me a slow half-smile that, by any other handsome man, might make my knees weak. But this is Damien, right?

My knees feel weak all the same.

“Thank you. You always look beautiful.”

“You think so?” My cheeks burn.

“Wouldn’t say it if I didn’t.” He sips his drink, his eyes on mine.

My cheeks are an inferno now, and there are butterflies in my stomach.

Maybe it’s just that I’m sipping this drink on an empty stomach because I skipped lunch. There has to be a reason.

I’m not attracted to Damien Blackwood. He’s my friend. My boss.

Damien chuckles, gesturing with his drink toward the door.

I look over to see Sebastian walking in.

“Oh, holy shit.”

He’s dressed casually in a tight black T-shirt and a pair of jeans. His salt-and-pepper hair is slicked back. He looks... incredible.

“Surprised there’s not a woman on his arm?”

Surprised that he looks delectable.

But I don’t say it, instead walking over to Roland and Marie at the end of the bar.

“You made it!” Marie hugs me, having pre-gamed a little too hard.

I hug her back, chuckling. “Make sure you drink your water.”

“Yes, Mom .”

I roll my eyes and glance toward Sebastian. “Have you guys seen Sebastian?”

“Oh, those jeans ,” Roland groans, and I can’t help but laugh .

He’s right. It’s like they’re painted on.

“I dare you to flirt with him,” Marie says suddenly, and I stare at her.

“ What ?”

She shrugs. “It’ll be fun. Taboo or whatever. Doesn’t have to go anywhere. Plus, look at him.”

I glance over at him again, and he glances back, sending me a little cheer with his champagne glass.

My heart flutters, and I do the gesture back.

He winks and turns back to the bartender.

“Oh.”

Roland snorts, nudging me with his shoulder.

“Do it. I double dog dare you.”

I think about it for only a split second, my impulsive nature taking over, and I stalk over to Sebastian.

“Hello, Olivia.”

“S-Sebastian.”

Great, I’m already stuttering.

I clear my throat. “What are your plans tonight?”

He shrugs. “Not sure. Might duck out early.”

I raise an eyebrow. “With a woman?”

He raises his eyebrow right back. “You offering?”

“Maybe.” I grin at him, showing my canines, and he grins back.

“Come look me up when you decide,” he says in a low voice, and somehow, even though he’d been open to my flirting before, I didn’t expect that.

I squeak in the back of my throat and rush back to my friends, who are both cackling at me.

We all laugh together like schoolchildren, sipping our drinks and teasing each other, but then Roland’s face goes pale.

“Fun's over. Your boyfriend’s here. ”

“I don’t have a—” I look toward the door to see Dominic standing there. “Aw, shit.”

Roland looks mildly disappointed. “No way you’re going to take Sebastian home instead of him.”

“You don’t know me.”

Roland just sighs and orders another glass of wine.

Dominic wears a more casual outfit than usual, but still stylish. His chest looks broad and tight in a silk-button up shirt that brings out the amber in his eyes, and his gray slacks seem tailored to his form.

He looks amazing, but I push down my arousal.

I’m going to let loose tonight, make some bad decisions, and I don’t want Dominic ruining it.