Page 1 of The Prices We Pay (Vittori Enterprises #1)

Josephine

“ G ood luck tonight,” I say to my little brother through the speakerphone. Jasper is a professional bull rider and competing in a rodeo later today in our hometown of Billings, Montana.

“No luck needed, Joe Joe, not when you’re this good.

” I huff out an incredulous laugh as I apply a coat of lip gloss in the bathroom mirror, but I know he’s right.

Jasper is the best at what he does, and I know he’s going to kill it.

However, a ball of nerves sits deep in my gut, the same as it does every time he competes.

He may have more skill in his left pinky toe than his opponents have in their entire body, but that doesn’t make him invincible, and he’s the only family I have left.

“Be careful, okay?”

“Always am. Good luck today.”

Standing up straight, I stare into the mirror, a ball of nerves settling for an entirely different reason now. I’ve got this, though. I know I do. So, I repeat his words back to him: “No luck needed, Jas.”

His deep laugh fills the bathroom, and I smile at the sound. “All right, I’ll let you finish getting ready. Go get ‘em, tiger. Love you.”

“Love you, too. Call me tonight?”

“Call you tonight.”

He hangs up the phone, and I take one last look in the mirror. Satisfied with my hair and makeup, I take a deep breath and head to my closet to find something to wear.

My eyes immediately land on one of my favorite pairs of straight, high-waisted emerald-green slacks.

Knowing it’ll work perfectly with the pants, I grab a white button-up and slide it on over my white lace bra.

I slightly cuff each sleeve, not bothering to hide the tattoos that cover my forearms. It’s 2024, and I refuse to accept the notion that tattoos make someone less competent or knowledgeable than the next person.

If that’s the reason I don’t get hired, then it’s not a place I’d want to work anyway.

Regardless of how much money it’s going to make me.

After I button up the blouse, leaving the top three buttons undone, I slide the slacks on and tuck the shirt beneath the waistband.

I slide on the gold Rolex that Jasper bought me for my birthday last year and my trusty black closed-toe Louboutins.

Sweeping my long black hair over my shoulders, I step back to look in the full-length mirror in my closet.

I may be wearing slacks and a button-up blouse, but I look hot as hell.

And what’s more… I look like a woman who’s about to land a multimillion-dollar contract.

Leaving my room, I grab my laptop off the kitchen counter and slide it into my black tote. I lock my apartment door and head down to the lobby to grab a cab, just like I do every other day. Except today isn’t any other day. Today is the day .

Today is the day I secure the biggest contract of my life. The day I’ve been working towards since I left Billings eight years ago. Today’s the day I prove to everyone and myself that I’ve finally made something of myself.

A cab pulls up almost the moment I hold my hand out, and I climb in the back seat. “Vittori Enterprises, please.”