Page 63 of Misdeeds of a Billionaire

God, he was a prick. He was lucky we were blood; otherwise I’d punch him in the face and wipe off that grin. Maybe have it smeared all over this restaurant’s floor.

“Kristoff, you’re closest to him. Just smack him.”

My friend didn’t move. “I dealt with enough idiots while we served in the military. I don’t feel like wasting energy on another one,” he drawled. “Now, about this woman. Why can’t you get over her? Just get another woman under you and fuck her raw.”

“Now we’re talking.” Royce was determined to get his ass whooped today.

“Which part of not being able to get it up don’t you understand?”

“Have you tried?” Kristoff tutted.

“No, I’ve just opted for abstinence these past six years because it’s such a fucking joy.” Wasn’t he listening to me at all? “I’m obsessed with this woman. I need to figure out how to move on. I have no fucking skin left on my dick.”

“I’d say. Six years of jerking off is a long time.”

“You think?” My tone was dry as gin.

“Why don’t you set up anarrangementwith a woman you like, and ensure you both get what you need?” His suggestion didn’t surprise me. Years ago, before he fell in love and married his wife, he had a similar kind of arrangement going with her. Well, sort of similar. He’d offered her a secretarial job with someextraduties. Of course, Gemma refused, and he chased her down, offering her a trial period. My buddy was obsessed with her.

I shrugged. “Much like Gemma, I’m fairly certain Dr. Swan would refuse me and then probably cut my dick off.”

“At least it’ll be professionally done.” Royce was so damn unhelpful. “Regardless if she’s a doctor or a nurse.”

“Dr. Swan is actually a surgeon,” I gritted. They both chuckled and I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Christ almighty.” I put my head into my hands in dismay. “You two are not helping.”

“Aurora said she’s gorgeous.” Royce was so fucking helpful today. At this rate, I might murder him in broad daylight. “Even the Nikolaev men agreed. And you know how those men have eyes only for their wives.”

Kristoff’s brow rose in surprise, but he remained quiet.

“The worst part about it is that I feel like I already know her.”

“What do you mean?” My brother saw too much. Or not enough. I couldn’t figure it out.

“I can’t explain it. There’s this connection I feel with her. The familiarity. It’s like I’ve known her forever.”

“Well, technically, only for six years,” Kristoff pointed out. “How long were you together?’

Fuck, they’d laugh. They’d laugh and laugh until they keeled over. So I didn’t answer.

“According to Winston, only for a day or two.” Of course my brother knew. It was impossible to keep secrets in this family. Except really big ones. Those remained sealed and shut away.

Kristoff frowned. “What happened? Why only a day or two?”

I threw my hands up. “I don’t know. The night we’d spent together was perfect. When I came back from the bakery the next morning with food, she was gone. I thought maybe she’d been called into work early. I went to look for her, and she gave me the cold shoulder.”

“I can’t imagine a woman givingyouthe cold shoulder,” Kristoff remarked, taking another sip of his scotch. “Usually they fall at your feet.”

“Well, this one fell at my feet like Gemma fell at yours,” I retorted dryly. “You remember those days, right?”

A dark expression crossed his face. He’d almost lost his woman before he finally got smart.

“Listen, you two old fuckers,” Royce interrupted us. Kristoff and I winced. We weren’t that old. Older than him, but not that fucking old. “Stop reminiscing about the old days. Byron—find a way to get your woman.”

“I have to agree with your brother. Not about us being old, but finding a way to get your woman.” Kristoff flipped open the paper before he continued. “Find her weakness and reel her back to you.”

“Unless you’re bad in the sack,” Royce cackled. “Then there’s no amount of weaknesses that will bring her back to you.”

Royce just couldn’t help being a jackass.