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I groan. Really? That’s what she’s going to try?
She can’t sleep, so she’s going to try to keep me from sleeping as well. I laugh. The joke’s on her because I can sleep through anything. It’s a talent really.
I roll over and throw the covers over my head, knowing that I will be asleep in a few seconds—as soon as I can get Victoria out of my head. She’s started a war that I can’t wait to finish. She thinks I was cruel to her before. Well, she hasn’t seen anything yet. Because, now, I know her real weakness.
Me.
She wants my body. She wants me to fuck her. And I know exactly how to torture her and win this war.
3
Victoria
I smile sweetly at Lily as I hold back a yawn. I might be completely exhausted after staying up all night, preparing for this meeting, but it was worth it. I’m killing this meeting.
When I first arrived at her doorstep, Lily wasn’t sure that she should even continue to try to run for the Senate, but in the last hour that I’ve been here, I’ve seen her skepticism slowly turn into optimism. I’m going to get this job.
The only thing standing in my way is Carter.
I was shocked to see him standing in my doorway when I opened the door at Logan’s. I’ll have to remember to kill my brother later for not telling me that Carter would be staying with him as well. But I shouldn’t have been that shocked. I know what Carter does for a living. I should have known he’d be all over Lily, trying to get this job. He didn’t fool me with his I’m here to see my best friend speech. He’s here to get this job.
He just doesn’t have a clue that I’m here for the same reason.
That’s why I moved my meeting up earlier. I knew I would need to get to Lily first to have a chance at competing with Carter. I know he has a lot more experience than I do, but that doesn’t mean he is the best person for the job.
I just wish I could have been there this morning when he realized that I turned off his alarm and that his clothes were all covered in beer. I would have loved to see the expression on his face. He thinks he can win this fight, but he’s wrong. I have years of pent-up frustration from all the times he and my brother teased me. Now, it’s time for payback. And nothing is going to be sweeter than me landing this once-in-a-lifetime job instead of Carter.
Although it was incredibly fun to sneak into his room and turn off his alarm, carrying in his beer-soaked suitcase. My cheeks flush when I think about him lying naked from the waist up in bed. He was always good-looking, but now he’s a buff man. A man who, from what I’ve heard, has dated his fair share of women. He’s a man who most women would die to have. He has the body of an athlete, the money of a prince, and the wit of a jester. And, when I saw him lying naked in the bed, all I could think about was how badly I wanted to slip in next to him. Not how angry I was at him for taking that bed away from me.
“Victoria, are you okay?” Lily asks.
I clear my throat and drink a sip of water, trying to get my cheeks to stop flushing and my mind to move away from Carter.
“Sorry. So, what do you think of my ideas?”
Lily smiles, looking back at the plans I have laid out of how I think she can manage to still keep the public on her side and make a real run for the Senate.
“You certainly have given me a lot to think about. I thought I was done when…”
I nod. She can’t even speak about what happened. I’m not sure I would be able to either if a sex tape of me with a man who wasn’t my fiancé was exposed on national TV.
“I would love to work for you, Lily. I think, together, we would make a great team. I know you think that things look bleak right now, but I promise, come election time, no one will even remember this. I’ll make sure of that.”
Lily smiles sweetly at me and nods. I haven’t convinced her. Not yet at least. I want to stay here all day, talking with her until she’s persuaded. But I can’t. I’ve made the best argument I can, and now, it’s up to her to decide what she wants to do next.
“I would love to work with you, too, Victoria. From what you’ve presented here today, it’s clear that you are one of the best, and I have no doubt that, with you by my side, we could conquer the world. I’m just not sure if my heart is in it anymore.”
I nod. “I understand. But I don’t think you should give up on your dreams because of one hiccup. You can do this, Lily. We can do this together.”
I take Lily’s hand
and give it a squeeze. Through my years in this business, I’ve learned that the best way to connect with a client is to connect with them emotionally. I have to gain their trust, and the best way to do that is to treat them like a friend, not like a client. She needs to trust me completely if we are going to work together. She has to be able to tell me anything.
“Thank you for coming. I don’t have too many friends in this world right now, and it’s been nice to just talk to someone and to realize that my life isn’t over.”
“It definitely isn’t.”
We both stand, and I give her a quick hug.
