I don’t, and I never have. Sylvie never started as a hookup, but a few before her did. It started as a hookup, but it turned into more because, for some weird reason, I can’t do casual.
If Rip were any other person, our relationship would have ended five hookups ago. Instead, they happen every time wehave to “work” together because I can’t let Rip off the hook as much as I know I need to.
“That’s a dangerous game, King,” Shawn mutters, oddly sympathetic.
“I think I’ve dealt with worse than a hookup,” I say flatly.
With a nod, Shawn reaches into his pocket for his vape and takes a puff. He exhales smoke as he speaks, the hazy vapor momentarily obscuring his face. “If you’re so sure your fuck buddy isn’t selling us off to the police, how about we all hang? Plus Thomas. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, but I have to sniff them myself first.”
“If it gets you off my back about them, then sure. They can come to Lila’s art gala with us next week.”
“Fun,” Shawn says, tone dripping with sarcasm.
A loud series of bangs on the door forcefully pulls our focus. When it creaks open, Elijah’s head pokes through like a turtle. “Sorry to interrupt. Xavier called, said you need to get back home.”
Get back home? He knows what I’m doing here at the base. I’m too busy to come running every time Dad summons me. “Why?”
“Rip wants you.”
Speak of the devil.
Shawn smirks at me. “Daddy’s calling.”
As I follow Elijah out, I give Shawn the bird, but his words have more irony than he realizes.
Rip calls, I come running. I’m like a damn dog on a leash. It sounds absurd even to me, despite trying to convince myself it’s because we’re working together for Beaumont Grand. I know I’m a bald-faced liar.
The sound of Rip’s rough voice, or even picturing him, sends an uncontrollable surge through my legs, making me move. If he’d told me to jump off a bridge, the gravelly resonance of hisvoice would make me consider it. I’m supposed to be the leader, to run this whole thing, but my body does what Rip says like it’s law. My legs walk when he tells them to, my mouth moves when he commands it, and my dick gets hard when he looks at it.
The social media manager with a sexy accent, also known as my employee, holds dangerous power over me. I don’t know how to take it away.
When I make it home, Rip is waiting on my couch, legs propped up as if he lives here. Lately, he’s been super comfortable in the house, talking to Zara, and chatting it up with my sisters. I guess that’s the type of ego you get when you become buddy-buddy with Xavier Beaumont.
He sees me, perks up, and I keep going, nodding for him to follow. He’s on my heels immediately. I lead him into my bedroom, somewhere I don’t ever take him, and close the door.
I waste no time getting to the point. “What do you want?”
Rip’s got that smug smile he always wears. “To talk to you about the next video. Tommy wants you to?—”
“Bullshit,” I interrupt forcefully. He and I both know why he’s here. Every time Rip has shown up like this, he’s wanted one thing.
But he feigns innocence with a light shrug. “Why’s that bullshit?”
Trying to ease the pounding in my head, I rub my temples. “Sorry, but I’m not interested in fucking around with you after the day I’ve had.”
“You don’t want to blow off some steam?” He wiggles his brows.
I don’t even know if I can trust you.
But then again, I’ve never known. He’s always been a random employee my father hired to film content and advertisements for the business. Rip and I have never known anything true about each other, so why does it feel so different now?
Silently, he sits beside me, leaving less than an inch of room between us. My eyelids are heavy, and I could drift off to sleep this instant, courtesy of an early start questioning a significant portion of the Crowncrest.
From his pocket, he casually pulls out a granola bar, unwrapping it as he speaks. “You seem tense.”
“My sister just got arrested,” I snap.
Rip scoffs. “Trust me, I remember.”
