Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
There is a twist in my belly. This suddenly feels a little more personal than professional. Worse, Tyler rejoins us as Becker asks, “You still have my number?”
Tyler’s energy bristles and a stab of unfounded guilt pinches in my chest. This is ridiculous. It’s common for agents or even prospective agents to do this kind of thing. “In my address book,” I confirm.
“Great,” Becker says. “Text me and we’ll work it all out. See you Friday, sunshine.” He winks and turns to Tyler. “Good to see you, man.” He glances at his watch. “Gotta run. I have a plane waiting.” He heads for the door.
Tyler’s full attention slams into me like a freight train on a downhill track. “What was that?” His voice is low, terse.
I play it cool and professional. “We’ll see. Hopefully, he’s not as happy with his agent as he says he is. He invited me to his show at Aldean’s.”
His eyes darken, and if his mood was dark minutes ago, it’s a tornado now. “He rejected you as his agent, but he invited you to his show?”
The word “rejected” bites a bit, but I set it aside and I keep my tone matter-of-fact. “I do stuff like this all the time. I’ve had clients I got to know for years before they finally changed over.”
“You said yes?” There’s an incredulous quality to that question. He steps closer, too close for a business café. “He wants to fuck you, Bella.”
There are people nearby and I lower my whisper, “Stop.”
“No, Bella. No.”
He means no to Becker’s show and I bristle. “You can’t tell me no. This is a smart business decision. Besides, after hours—”
“No.” That’s all he says.
He rotates away from me and starts walking toward the door.
My eyes go wide and my heart leaps. Oh my God, is he going after Becker? I launch myself forward, but Tyler’s already exiting the café. I follow closely behind, ignoring Allie as she tries to intercept me, zooming past her and entering the lobby. Becker is at the elevator, not far out of Tyler’s reach, when I call out, “Tyler!”
He takes another step and I try again, more forcefully. “Tyler!”
He halts, his spine stiff, and I race forward and step in front of him. “What are you doing?” I bite out softly. “He’s a potential client. A big one.”
The elevator dings, a signal that Becker is one step closer to out of the line of fire.
Tyler steps right, and while I know the receptionist might see, I step with him. “Please don’t do this.”
His eyes simmer with barely contained anger. “Careful,” he warns tightly. “Someone might think you want to fuck me, not him.”
That’s a hit. He’s hit a nerve and it’s a gnarly one. My fingers curl into my palms. “Bastard. I don’t know why that surprises me. You always have that in you, don’t you, Tyler?”
“I don’t like sharing.”
“As if I’m trying to fuck everyone with legs?” I demand, but I don’t give him time to reply. “Don’t worry, boss. I won’t stain the firm’s reputation. I’ll do my job, the only one I want. And that job requires I go to see Becker play his show while trying to figure out how to partner him with Hawk Legal.”
I’d step around him, but Dash and his damnable timing, once again, appears next to us. He must have been with Allie when Allie tried to stop me from chasing after Tyler. I wasn’t oblivious to his approach. I rotate to face my brother. “Let’s go get your prep work done.”
Dash flicks a look between us, obviously reading the room I don’t want him to read, not when we’re in a public place. I catch his arm and try to get him moving. He holds his ground, and now he and Tyler are staring at each other. Great. Just great. If the two of them want to go at each other in public, I’m not going to be around for the slaughter. Though I doubt either is that stupid.
I start walking. If they want to talk, they can talk. I have work to do. My guess is my brother will follow me to my office and ask a lot of questions. I’m not sure I have it in me to keep my mouth shut. I have a lot of feelings about Tyler right now, and a lot of words that I want to spew out at him, not Dash.
But Dash will do.
Chapter Twenty-One
Bella
I need a space to breathe that I don’t share with Tyler, and space to calm down before that Zoom meeting.
I’m about to exit the lobby where he still resides with my brother when I hear, “Bella! Wait.”
I’d keep going but it’s not Dash or Tyler calling me.
It’s Debbie, Tyler’s assistant, which means this is about that Zoom call.