Hayes
nine
Cerberus looks up at me from where he’s sprawled out on my bed.
Paige has a bare leg kicked out from under the covers and it’s resting on one of Cerberus’s massive paws.
He looks quite content to be cuddling with the heiress I stole from Savannah and not at all guilty about the fact he’s not supposed to be on the bed.
A cloud of Paige’s dark hair is spread over the pillows, her face peacefully asleep in the early morning light.
I cross the room silently to the bathroom where I shower off my morning workout and quietly dress for work.
Paige is still asleep when I stand at the end of the bed and fit my silver cufflinks on my shirt.
I had hoped she would stir, roll over, and tell me good morning before I left her here for the day, but it’s probably better if she doesn’t.
I woke with my dick hard as a rock and taking care of myself hasn’t alleviated the need I feel for her body that calls to me like a siren.
I am liable to act on my inclination to run my hands up her soft leg and see where it leads if she so much as smiles at me right now.
“Take care of her,” I whisper to Cerberus, the traitor who normally doesn’t leave my side but now has a new favorite human.
I leave a note on the nightstand for Paige and drive away from the house with an unusual feeling gnawing at me.
I wake up, get shit done, and eat business acquisitions for breakfast with a smile on my face, but I’m not at all excited about leaving for work today.
The gorgeous debutante in my bed is to blame for my lack of desire to do a job I normally love.
“Welcome back from the sticks,” Zander says when I exit the elevator and enter the executive offices of our downtown building. “Bring us any souvenirs from your antebellum wonderland?”
“A little birdy told me he brought himself back a pretty present this time,” Payton pipes in, walking over with a cup of coffee in his hand.
I take the cup from him, and he protests.
“What fucking birds are you listening to now?”
I’m going to have to check which loose-lipped staff member needs a reminder of who pays their salary and replace them immediately.
I operate under the utmost discretion when it comes to my private life, and if someone on my staff is willing to share details with my nosy brother, they will more than likely spill other secrets to someone outside of the family. That’s unacceptable.
“I have my sources but relax. It’s on the Atlanta Haute List, not someone from Olympus.”
He pulls his phone from his pocket and shows me the local gossip site with a dark photo of me helping a woman into my gull-wing Mercedes outside of the jet at the airport.
The headline reads, “Billionaire playboy Hayes Olsen is living the after-hours life, jetting into town with a new plaything on his arm”.
At least they don’t know my ‘plaything’ is a hotel heiress who is fourteen years younger than me.
Once they get wind of that, the real press vultures will descend.
“Check the airport staff. This wasn’t taken with a telephoto lens, so someone was too close to the hangar. Find the person responsible and get rid of them,” I say, handing the phone back to Payton.
“That’s your role, big bro. You do all the firing and nasty work. I stay on top of the gossip and set you loose when the real shit hits the fan.” Payton grins smugly and I’m glad I stole his fucking coffee.
“Is she a liability?”
I turn to look at Zander, standing stern-faced in the doorway of the office I want very badly to enter and shut them both out of. Look at the pot calling the kettle black.
“When have I ever entertained a liability?” I spit.
He’s the one I’m normally cleaning up after, paying off bitter exes and issuing NDAs to every fresh-faced model who doesn’t want to leave his penthouse apartment when he’s finished with them. If any of the Olsen brothers should be called a playboy, it’s the youngest, Zander.
“You know we’re under a deadline to roll out phase two.
If we start making waves in the news that tanks public perception, it’s going to cost us.
Even I’m on my best behavior which means it should be a piece of cake for you to keep your nose clean.
If you fuck this up, we’re back to square one and we lose out on a cash cow. ”
“I’m well aware of our business dealings and needs, so shut your fucking mouth before I shut it for you.” I loom over him with the threat, using the extra inch of height to my advantage.
Zander’s gray eyes flash dark with his temper and likely the frustration of staying out of trouble. His trouble usually involves long legs and willing pussies, so I can only imagine the pent-up aggression he’s holding at bay.
I’m a little pent-up myself and the gorgeous girl probably just waking up in my bed has everything to do with it.
“Get your asses in the boardroom and quit giving me shit. We have meetings to run and deals to make.” I point at the heavy black doors that lead into the room where they can stay out of my business. And now I have to hunt down a leak at the airport and deal with that mess.
Payton whistles. “Look at this elusive fucker not answering our questions about the woman. He really doesn’t want us to know about this one.”
I glare at Payton, ready to deck him if he doesn’t quit his middle-child meddling.
“Let’s see. You flew in from Savannah, so she’s someone you met there. That’s a mixed bag of social elite and backwater busted. She top tier or bottom barrel, Hater?”
I grit my teeth at the stupid nickname. They will keep at this until they figure it out, and it’s better heard from me where I can control what they learn than from one of their minions who will be sent out scouting on their behalf.
“Fucking crème de la crème, leagues above your own standards, Payton.” I pause and double down on my resolve that this is necessary. “It’s Paige Fairchild,” I finally bite out, hating to give this piece of information up when I wanted to keep it all to myself.
Payton pumps his fist in the air. “Holy shit! Hayes has gone after the woman set to inherit the very legacy he wants to steal. You’ve got mad cojones, man. This is conniving, even for you.”
“You think you can fuck the hotel deal out of her? She the kind of girl who would prefer a fat check to running a hotel empire?” Zander asks, a hint of awe lacing his crude words. Even he hasn’t attempted to sleep with someone to cement a potential business deal, which is probably for the best.
“I think you need to drop it and move on. Don’t you assholes have work to do?”
“I like your tactic. Just don’t let it blow up in your face and ruin our chances of adding a hospitality sector to the business. This could definitely fuck up phase two like Zander said.”
“Thank you for your astute observations, Payton. Now get the fuck out of my office and let me work.” I push them both out the door and slam it in their faces. This is what I get for working with my fucking family. I’m stuck with them forever when all I really want to do is fire their asses.