Contractually Mine (Best Friends Book Club #5)

Prologue

Nicolas

Walking into the lobby of Willamette Tech always gave me a sense of immense satisfaction. Maybe it was because I knew that one day, it would be mine.

In two years, when I graduated from college, I’d be joining the ranks, working my way up in the company and learning the ropes from my father, the current CEO. I couldn’t wait. Everyone kept telling me the last two years in school would go buy so fast, and not to blink because it would be over.

Though, fuck, part of me would miss college. The parties, the friends, the girls. My life was perfect.

The lobby was pristine—glossy tiled floors and large glass windows that the sun shined through on a rare sunny day in Portland, the large reception desk a slab of white quartz.

It was sleek and high end—exactly what you’d expect from a tech company making their mark on the world.

We were one of the fastest growing tech companies outside of Silicon Valley, a badge of pride for everyone who worked here.

I was here to visit my father to finalize my internship for the summer, the one my university required I complete to finish my degree.

It seemed completely unnecessary to me, considering I already had a job offer post college, but it meant I got to spend more time here, and so I couldn’t complain about that.

Heading towards the elevators, I rolled my shoulders back, walking like I owned the place. It was a mantra my dad had instilled in me since I was young. I’d always tried to absorb his lessons. To be the perfect heir he’d taught me to be.

It was only when I’d started college that I’d realized how much more there was to life. How much I’d been missing. Now I was determined to live life to the fullest, never letting anything—or anyone—hold me back.

The doors in front of me started to close, and I slipped my hand in between them, holding the elevator open.

“Sorry.” I slid in, the only other person inside a girl. She looked to be around my age, maybe a few years older, from her blouse and a tight skirt.

I pushed the button for the top floor—the one my father’s office was in—before leaning against against the wall, I watched the numbers increase as we went up, up, up.

She looked straight forward at the doors, reaching into her bag to grab a small red tube, but her grip slip, and it clattered to the ground, rolling away from her.

“Oh!” The girl exclaimed, her dark brown curls bouncing as she lunged for it.

Still, I was faster, picking it up. I held it out to her and she turned to look at me—giving me a full view of her face for the first time.

Holy fuck. She was hot.

Grinning at her, I held out my hand, offering her the red lipstick. My eyes darted down to her lips, and I felt captivated by them. Which was fucking weird, because no matter how hot a girl was, I’d never looked at them and wanted to know if they were as soft as they looked.

She frowned at me, grabbing it quickly. “I could have grabbed that.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “No big deal, really.” The girl stared at me, and I opened my mouth again, hating the silence. “I’m Nicolas, by the way. Nicolas Larsen.” I emphasized my last name.

“Zofia,” she said, blinking at me with no recognition. “Nice to meet you. Do you work here?”

She really had no clue who I was, did she?

“I’m Alexander Larsen’s son,” I told her. “The CEO?”

“Oh.” She looked unimpressed, and it felt a breath of fresh air. So many people only saw dollar signs when they found out who I was.

The elevator door dinged open, and she stepped off, turning back to me. “Bye.” She brushed her hair back over her shoulder, her eyes holding mine one last time as the door slid close.

“Damn,” I said to myself once I was all alone.

There was something different about her, and I wanted to know more.

Wanted to know her.

No matter what it took.