—Autumn—
Now
The absolute nerve of that man.
I couldn’t believe the way he’d talked to me like he had a right to. If he thought I was going to forget everything he’d put me through, then he had another thing coming.
He was a job.
He was just another client.
Nothing more, nothing less.
I’d earned a shot at that partnership at High Society, I deserved it, and I’d be damned if he was going to mess it up for me.
By the time I stepped into my hotel room I was beyond exhausted, having back-to-back meetings here in Miami with other clients after what could only be identified as a power struggle between client and publicist.
It wasn’t like I hadn’t experienced this before. Sometimes influential men had to be knocked down a few notches. Their egos were as big as their bank accounts.
Mr. Locke wasn’t any different.
I could handle him.
I was a professional.
I wouldn’t let him get to me—not his words, not his devastatingly handsome good looks, not even the bullshit I was aware he was going to fight me on simply to stay in control.
He’d always had an issue with authority, especially when it came down to telling him what he could and couldn’t do.
I definitely had my work cut out for me.
“Hmm…” I groaned, sinking into the hot bubble bath of my suite.
This was how I usually ended most of my days. It didn’t matter where I was.
Part of my job required a ton of travel, particularly press tours. We were always flying from New York to LA, anywhere really. For the next week, my ass was stuck beside Locke’s. Where he went, I went. Submerging myself into his life was the only way I was going to guarantee he didn’t fuck this up.
For the both of us.
He was already proving to be everything the media had made him out to be. I had seven days to change him into the man I used to know.
Before he’d broken my heart.
I could do this.
“You can do anything,” I reassured myself, sinking further into the jacuzzi tub made for several people while sipping the wine I had delivered from room service.
Out of nowhere, the hotel phone rang, and I answered from the tub. “This is Autumn.”
“How did it go with our Alpha CEO?” my boss inquired, catching me off guard.
I replied, “It went great,” with my voice steady and calm.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“He agreed to your week-long press tour?”
“Not in so many words, but we’re getting there.”
“You’re getting there? His first editorial interview with The New York Times is tomorrow afternoon, Autumn.”
“He will be there.” Even if I have to drag him by his balls.
“Has he signed your contract?”
“Laurel, I know what I’m doing.”
“I don’t need to remind you what’s at stake here.”
She usually wasn’t on my ass with any of my clients, but he wasn’t just anyone. The notoriety we’d get from changing his image would take High Society to the ultimate level. We’d be number one, and that was a spot Laurel wanted more than anything.
We both did.
“You don’t need to remind me. Once I’m made partner we’ll be unstoppable.”
I could tell by her silence she was smiling on the other end of the line.
“Keep me posted on how tomorrow goes.”
“Will do.”
“Try to get some sleep, alright? You have a busy and demanding schedule ahead of you.”
Yeah, and that was only his press tour.
“Of course.”
“Goodnight.”
“Night.”
I hung up, about to breathe a huge sigh of relief when the phone rang again.
I answered, “Laurel, I can deal with Julian, I promise.”
“So when you’re talking about me to other people I’m suddenly Julian?”
I jerked back, staring at the phone as if it had suddenly grown a head. “How did you get this number? Wait, how did you know where I was?”
“I asked you a question, and I expect an answer.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me, Miss Troy.”
“What the hell? How did you—” I looked around the bathroom. “Are there cameras in here? Are you watching me?”
“Would you like me to be watching you while you’re naked in your bubble bath?”
“Juli—” I caught myself, fully aware he was grinning that I’d almost said his name to him. “Mr. Locke, how do you know what I’m doing?”
“Unlike you, I’m not pretending to not know everything about you.”
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know your hair is held back by an ink pen right now, and you’re drinking Merlot while you’re soaking in a warm bath, contemplating how you’re going to get me to agree to your little press tour.”
My mouth dropped open. “How do you—” I sat up, peering around the bathroom again, covering my chest that time.
“You don’t have to hide your breasts, Miss Troy. I’ve seen them.”
Through a clenched jaw, I threatened, “If I find out you set up cameras in my suite, I swear to God, Mr. Locke, I will—”
“You’ll what? Play with your perfect pink pussy so I can watch?”
“You’re unbelievable!” I gasped. “How dare—”
“Relax, kid. My company set up your accommodations.”
“Oh yeah … right. But how do you know—”
“I don’t have to watch you through cameras if I want to see you naked. All I have to do is think about all the times—”
“Enough!” I roared, losing the last bit of patience I had with him. “You cannot talk to me like this. I won’t stand for it.”
“You used to love the way I talked to you. Especially when my face was buried in between your—”
I hung up on him. “The fucking nerve of that man!”
Of course, the phone immediately rang again, but I didn’t answer.
Instead, I heard his rough, husky tone on the voicemail of the hotel suite as it echoed off the walls.
“If you don’t pick up, I’ll walk right into your suite. I don’t even need to knock, Autumn. I have a key. You’re staying in one of my hotels.”
Tired of his bullshit, I picked up the phone and dialed his number. “Are you fucking insane?” I seethed into the phone as soon as he answered.
“No, but I won’t go ignored either.”
“You own hotels?” This was news to me. I had immersed myself into Julian’s world without realizing just how deep I was in.
“I own a lot of things, kid. Locke Enterprises is just one of them.”
“Oh my God.” I rubbed my face. My head was suddenly pounding. “If you come here, I’ll have you arrested for trespassing.”
“Too late. Open your door.” With that, he hung up.
And I lost my shit.
—Julian—
She answered the door like she was ready to beat my face in. Considering I was the one who taught her how to throw a mean right hook, I was prepared to block any advances.
Except for the one where she threw herself at me, but we weren’t there yet.
“You cannot be here! This is not appropriate!”
“Since when have we ever been appropriate, kid?”
“You’re not even listening to me! This is like ten years ago all over again!”
“But look what it’s done for your perspective. At least you’re recognizing our past.”
“Oh. My. God.”
While she threw yet another temper tantrum in the span of a few hours, my eyes raked in her wet body. She was wearing a light blue silk robe that left very little to the imagination. Her nipples were hard, they were pointing right at me.
When she realized where my stare had drifted, she gazed down and instantly covered herself.
“You’re violating so many HR rules, I don’t even know where to begin to report you.”
“You and I both know you’re not going to report me, Miss Troy.” I shoved open the door and walked inside. Heading straight toward the rectangular dining table.
She slammed the door shut behind me, turning around to lean against it. Her arms crossed over her chest. “You know most people wait until they’re invited inside.”
“I’m not most people.”
“Right, you’re Alpha CEO,” she mocked in a condescending tone I wanted to spank right out of her. “You don’t ask for anything.”
“You’re right, I don’t.” Sitting down at the head of the table, I met her pissed off stare. “I simply take, Miss Troy.”
“Oh, trust me, Mr. Locke, I, understand better than anyone, how much you take from people.”
“Are you referring to your virginity?”
Her eyes widened. “No! I’m referring to your asshole ways! How do you know I wasn’t here with my husband tonight?”
“You’re not married.”
“How do you know I’m not married?”
“You’re not wearing a ring and I know how much you love jewelry.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“I’m calling your bluff on the boyfriend,” I confidently countered. “Given your reoccurring attitude, I’m going to bet you haven’t been fucked in a very long time.”
She connivingly smiled, cocking her head to the side. “Just for that comment, Mr. Locke, I’m going to go down to the bar and find a real man who can satisfy my needs.”
“Try to leave, sweetheart. You don’t need a random fuck when I’m sitting right here.”
“I said a real man who can satisfy my needs, not some pretentious, arrogant asshole who breaks into my hotel room.”
“It’s not breaking and entering when you own the whole damn building.
As far as satisfying your needs, we both know how many times I can make you come without trying.
This pretentious, arrogant asshole gave you your first orgasm, and that was just with my mouth sucking your greedy little clit.
Would you like me to elaborate on how many times I made you come with my fingers, tongue, and cock, Miss Troy? ”
“No! I don’t need to be reminded about all the regrets and mistakes in my life.”
“Great, because I’m not here for a trip down memory lane. I’m here to talk business.” I nodded toward the chair next to me. “Sit down.”
“I’m not a dog, Mr. Locke.”
I resisted the urge to call her out on her bitch attitude, knowing it wouldn’t get me anywhere other than proving my point and pissing her off further. Although the desire was there, I firmly nodded to the chair again instead.
Mumbling under her breath, she walked toward the table and sat in the seat parallel to me. “Why are you here? What do you want?”
“I’m here to make you an offer you can’t refuse.” I opened my suit jacket to grab my own contract before sliding it across the table.
“What is this?” she asked without looking at it.
“This … is our contract.”
“Our contract? Our contract for what?”
“For your little press tour.”
“Stop calling your itinerary a little press tour. You make it sound insignificant when it’s far from that.”
“Well, Miss Troy, I have yet to see anything worthwhile other than it bringing you back into my life.”
“I’m immune to your bullshit charm. You said we were discussing business, and all you’ve done is piss me off.”
“I’ll do your press tour, but it’s going to be on my terms.”
“Your terms?” She jerked back. “Is that supposed to make me happy? I think you’re sadly mistaken on who is in control, Mr. Locke.”
“Quite the contrary, kid. I remain at the head of the table. Now turn to page two.”
She did, reading out loud, “Publicist, Autumn Troy, agrees to spend personal time with the client, Julian Locke, that isn't considered working hours.” Her eyes snapped to mine. “What the hell is this?”
“I’m a businessman, and these are my negotiations.”
She slammed the contract shut, roughly sliding it toward me. “I don’t need to read the rest to know I’m not signing that.”
“You’ll sign it, Miss Troy. If you refuse, I won’t do the tour, and you won’t make partner.”
All the color drained from her face when she realized I knew more than she’d wanted me to.
“Let’s face it, kid. You need me. I’m the key to your promotion.”
She scoffed out in disgust, shaking her head, “You’re unbelievable.”
“So you’ve said.”
“How did you find out?”
“You’re not the only one who knows the right people.”
“Get out! Now!”
I gave in to her demands. It was the least I could do. Before I left, I placed the contract on the table, where it would undoubtedly mock her, and then made my way to the door.
I’d won.
Game over.
She knew it too.
But I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard her exclaim, “I fucking hate you, Julian.”
Without turning around, I simply stated the truth. “It’s not the first or last time I’m going to hear those words out of your mouth, kid. You still haven’t read the rest of my terms, and I’m certain it’s only going to make you hate me that much more. Especially page three.”
“Is that where it says I have to have sex with you?”
“This isn’t about sex, Miss Troy. It’s much deeper than that.”
“Don’t use words you don’t understand, Mr. Locke. I was nothing more than a fuck, remember?”
Having her throw my own vicious statement back at me from all those years ago wasn’t a surprise. I just didn’t think it would happen this soon. Pretending as if it didn’t kill me to hear her say those words, I regained my composure and opened the door.
“I’ll be in my office by seven. Sleep well, kid.”
Shutting the door behind me, I left, and as soon as I did, a loud banging shattered against it.
I grinned and walked away.
Autumn shouldn’t have played with fire if she didn’t want to get burned.