Chapter 7
Evan
Istorm back to my office, seething. And not just because Anais was late returning with my lunch.
No. What really pisses me off is that I’ve let her get under my skin.
Again, I should know better than to engage with her.
Especially when I know damn well she pulls these kinds of stunts just to provoke me.
Her little show in the lobby was evidence of that.
What the little brat doesn’t know is that I have access to every security camera in this building. I watched the whole thing from my computer. Watched her smug smile grow wider with every minute that ticked by.
What really caught my eye is when she checked her watch then leisurely planted her ass down on one of the leather couches like she had all the time in the world.
She pulled her phone from her purse, fingers flying across the screen, that sly smirk curling her pouty lips.
Was she texting someone? Talking about me?
And the more worrying question? Why the hell do I care?
My jaw tightens. I exhale slowly, leaning back in my chair.
It hasn’t even been a full day, and already I’ve had enough of her invading my space.
Sighing, I pull my lunch from the brown paper bag, punching the straw into my juice, and taking a long sip.
Then I unwrap my usual clean, protein packed, sub.
Anais had an opinion about it of course.
And yeah, I admit, maybe I am a bit of a health nut, but you don’t get an eight-pack gorging on burgers and fries.
I spend hours at the gym, along with eating a balanced healthy diet to keep myself in shape.
I’m not throwing that away because Anais doesn’t approve.
Who the hell does she think she is anyway?
Shaking my head, I unwrap the paper, my mouth watering at the sight of the turkey. I take a bite, enjoying the familiar taste... Until my teeth crunch down on something that definitely doesn’t belong.
I freeze. Pulling the sub away, I inspect it. My eyes narrow when I find the offensive culprit. A crouton. A. Fucking. Crouton.
That little brat…
Shaking my head, I drop the sandwich to my desk and push back my chair, ready to go out there and shout at her for her insubordination. But I stop myself. Barely.
Because if I go out there, then I’ll be giving her what she wants.
A reaction. Engagement. Attention.
Well, fuck that. I’d rather eat the damn crouton than give her what she wants.
I don’t, of course.
Instead, I unwrap the sub and calmly pick out every offending crouton. I throw them in the trash, rewrap my lunch and slowly take a bite.
I smirk, as I swallow the meat down.
Evan – One.
Anais – Zero
When boys’ night rolls around a couple of nights later, I’m more than ready for a night with my friends.
Hayes is hosting tonight, at his Columbus Circle penthouse. His daughter is with his parents at his brownstone. Two properties. Two lives. One for family. One for everything else.
My driver pulls up outside Hayes’ building. I slide out of the car, just as Harrison arrives, handing his keys to the Valet.
“Maxwell,” he nods in greeting.
“Lauder,” I grumble back.
He chuckles and claps a hand on my shoulder. I shrug him off, already irritated by his presence. Though it’s not really him I’m pissed at. It’s his sister. Three days of dealing with Anais have tested every ounce of patience I possess.
The frustration I have toward Anais now extends to him. Just hearing the Lauder name is enough to send me off the deep end.
“Someone needs to get laid.” Harrison says, eyeing me. “You seem more grumpy than usual.” I shoot him a glare, but he just smirks, shaking his head. “Come on, man. Seriously. When was the last time you fucked? Visited Elite? The gossip pages have been suspiciously quiet lately.”
“Fuck off,” I grate out, coming to a stop at Hayes’ private elevator and punching in the code.
He leans against the wall, watching me. “I’m serious, man. Your dick will drop off from under use.”
I exhale. Harrison’s not wrong - about the last time I fucked, not my cock falling off - it’s been a couple of weeks since I last got laid.
Celeste, my usual casual hook-up and a runway model, has been out of town, which is why I haven’t bothered.
And while the tabloids love to paint me as a playboy, I’m not a serial womanizer like Nathaniel.
I keep it simple, sticking to women I know or Elite, the high-end sex club we’re all members of.
No strings. No drama. It’s easier that way.
Women who don’t expect more from me than a night of good sex.
Celeste gets that. So do a few others. Though one’s been getting clingy lately, so I will have to end that particular arrangement.
Relationships are a hard pass for me. I also know Celeste is clean.
Though I’ve always used condoms with every woman I’ve ever been with, including Valentina, my long-term girlfriend, I expect the women I fuck to have a clean bill of health.
Like me. One of my favorite things to do is eat pussy, and I don’t want to eat a dirty cunt, no matter who that woman is.
Safe sex is good sex. And I will continue to practice it.
My dick twitches with need.
I suppose I could always give Amelia a call…
The elevator dings open, snapping me from my thoughts.
We both step inside.
I run a hand through my hair and sigh. “It’s been a long week.”
Harrison laughs, shaking his head as he points out. “It’s only Wednesday.”
“Exactly. And like I said, it’s been a long week,” I mutter. “I know she’s your sister, but Jesus Christ, Anais is a brat.”
His eyes narrow, his expression flickering with hostility.
For a second, I expect him to get defensive, but instead he shocks me by laughing.
“She is,” he agrees. “Blame my mother. She’s always pandered to Anais from the moment she was born.
It’s worse now that she’s older. She sees her as a little best friend instead of parenting her.
I had structure. Anais got whatever she wanted.
But I stand by what I said before. She has matured. ”
I snort. Matured? Is he fucking joking? I’m quite sure he wouldn’t be saying that if he heard about the little game she’s playing with my lunch.
The elevator stops, the doors opening onto Hayes’ entryway. I turn to Harrison, serious now. “I don’t know if I want her interning for me.”
Harrison sighs, patting my shoulder. “You better get used to it, man. You’ve got over seven weeks left and you know how your father is. Once he agrees to something, it’s set in stone.”
He walks off, calling out to Hayes. I stand there, squeezing my eyes shut and breathing deep.
“Fucking hell.” I curse under my breath, following him in. “Get your shit together, Evan. You will not let a nineteen-year-old brat get to you.”
“Why’re you talking to yourself?” Jameson appears out of nowhere, startling me.
He stares at me, his brow arched. I shake my head, ignoring his question. “I hope Hayes has good liquor.”
“He does,” Jameson says, nodding to where all the others are gathered. “Seems like we’re all in the mood to get fucked up tonight.” He exhales, slipping his hands into his pants pockets.
I glance at him, seeing the pain he normally tries so hard to hide written all over his face.
Racking through my brain, I think about the day, the month, my eyes widening when it hits me.
Today marks ten years since the girl he loved vanished from our boarding school without a trace.
A scholarship student, that he should’ve never crossed paths with, but from the moment Jameson met her, he was smitten.
Then she disappeared.
And he’s been looking for her ever since.
I sigh. Suddenly, my problems with Anais seem insignificant compared to what Jameson must be going through.
I rest a hand on his shoulder in silent support. He won’t talk, Jameson never does. Despite that, he knows we are all here for him, if he ever needs us.
“Come on,” I say. “Let’s get a drink.”