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Weird. It’s only eight-thirty and nobody knows I’m back in Boston. I’m rarely here except for when I need a stopover on the way to my next destination.
Imagine my surprise when I find Peter on my front step.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in New York visiting Gray.”
Looking nonchalant as usual, Peter shrugs before he holds out a Starbucks cup. “I wanted to catch you while you were in town. Thought I’d say hey and bring you some antidote for jet lag.”
“My hero.” I make room for him to enter.
We set up on the living room couches and I’m about to divulge every sleazy detail about Ibiza when Peter holds up both hands. “Can I be honest?”
“That’s suspicious, but sure.”
Peter exhales through his perfect teeth before grimacing. “Okay, don’t kill me, but I lied. I was sent here.”
Davis. I’d bet my inheritance on it. Peter never shows up unannounced at my house, especially before ten in the morning. My brother is playing hardball—and I should have seen it coming. Davis is sweet and fluffy by nature…but when it comes to his job, he’ll fuck your shit up to get what he wants.
“You traitor,” I mutter, shaking my head. “I can’t believe you. You’re supposed to be on my team, not doing pro-bono persuasion for my capitalist prince of a brother.”
“Look,” he levels with me like he knows this conversation is about to be annoying as hell, “I don’t know what’s going on. Davis called and said he wanted to involve you in an acquisition, but you’re hesitant. He thought it might sway you if you talked to me.”
Both of my eyebrows shoot up. “That’s what Davis said? That he’s involving me in a deal?”
Peter’s careful nod tells me he’s being honest, but suddenly wishes he weren’t.
“So, nobody mentioned Gus Winter to you,” I reason, folding my arms. “Do you know him?”
“CEO of FundRight,” he answers automatically, bobbing his head in recognition. “The one and only.”
Immediately, disbelief surges through me. “Okay, does everyone know this guy? How did I miss the memo?”
“Gray has a weird crush on him,” Peter muses. “Gus Winter was at your father’s party, right? Yeah, Gray thinks he walks on water. I assume it’s a hero-worship thing, but also…” He trails off.
“What?”
“He’s super hot,” Peter finishes with a devilish grin that I would normally love, but the circumstances have me practically seething.
“Great,” I supply mordantly, choosing to ignore Peter’s comment. “You know all about Gus Winter. So, did Davis mention how Gus likes to block acquisitions until he gets to sleep with the relatives of the people leading the deal?”
For a few seconds, his face slips into a pale sallowness like I’ve never seen before. An entire quarter of a minute passes before his lower lip drops. “What the actual fuck?” he finally mutters.
When I finish explaining the situation, all Peter can say is, “Well, that’s something you don’t hear every day…or ever. Julia, this is insane.”
I raise a shoulder. “Welcome to my downward spiral. I’ll be taking commemorative photos shortly.”
Peter lets out a long sigh that shifts into another hum as he slouches in his seat and props his feet on my coffee table. “I don’t know what’s more upsetting: that Gus Winter asked—sorry—demanded, or that Davis sent me here to convince you. These guys need…”
“An intervention? An exorcism?”
“I was going to say therapy, but those work too,” he responds with a smirk. “Well, you know my next question.”
“Do I?”
He exhales and places his cup on the coffee table before he straightens his spine and faces me. But I can sniff out coercion a mile away, and I immediately shake my head.
“There’s no way I’m doing it,” I preempt him. “No way in hell.”
“Sure, because it would be completely out of character for you.” His tone is acerbic. “Sleeping with a hot, rich guy who wants you because you’re the most desirable and yet unattainable woman on the planet. That’s definitely not a regular day for Julia Ridgeway.”
