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“The majority share and top management are freaked by how much money you’ve spent to launch your new venture.”
“The Cookery will work.” My back is up because this idea and the work we’ve put in will fucking pay off. It’s the gamble of my career, but it’s a sure bet in my mind.
Dax continues, “--- after trying to buy that over priced tech last year and let’s not forget your billion-dollar fuck-up with Bugle—”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
He squeezes his eyes closed. “You went all in and pushed it to be the next big social. The platform and code crumbled under the weight of what you were doing.”
I scrub my face with my hands and walk around in a circle. It was that bad, but I’ve already atoned for this shit. What I’m doing now is an enormous investment, and I thought I’d sealed up all the doubt with my father and the board.
“For someone who has stayed far away from the family business and wants nothing to do with the company, you sure have a lot to fucking say about it. Why the sudden turn? Business has nothing to do with the wrong women I break up with.”
Dax puts his hands on my shoulders. “Dad sealing your trust and Ladd Media if you don’t stay single. Optics. It looks erratic and irresponsible.”
“I should knock up some woman and stay in a miserable marriage? That’s not the example we have. That’s not the brass ring of their fucking perfect relationship.”
“Your divorces are undermining the entire company and the shareholders are wigging out. This shit is serious.”
My heart bottoms out because my job is the only thing I’m good at. I love it. I’m shit at relationships but I rock at work. And money. I’m fucking lucky, but I don’t know a life without it. Making it comes naturally to me, and spending it is my forte. I’ve been yelled at for giving too much away, but never threatened like this. Other than the threats about getting a girlfriend before I was in college, this is the first time they’ve put this over on me.
Dax catches my shoulder and pulls me into a hug. More like a headlock, but still our kind of hug.
He says directly into my ear, “It’s why I created the bet, to stop you before it all blew up.”
“Does everyone know?”
“No. I thought if we teased you enough, you’d cave to a bet and stay strong. I didn’t plan on Mak being any part of your next year.”
“That’s a bet we all would have lost.” I slap him on his back and look around. I look at everything in the room but my brother. “When’s Dad bringing the hammer down?” Our father is a phenomenal and patient person, and it appears I broke him. Not the first time, and pretty sure it won’t be the last. But at least I’m maintaining my black sheep status.
I ask, “How long? You know this is fucking stupid, right?”
He nods.
I continue, “Paying Gavin to draw up these bullshit papers will cost more than Ariel’s monthly palimony.”
“Your mermaid was the worst one.” Dax shakes his head.
I’ll play along because the my multimedia gamble, the Cookery launches soon. “I’ve developed too much to abandon it now. But the mermaid’s deal runs out this year. That’s one off of the books.”
“It’s gonna take a sizable chunk to unload Laura.”
“Hey, that’s my wife.” I grin.
Dax smiles slightly, then says, “Give Dad a year to calm the fuck down. Be wary. He knows every dime you spend and every penny your serial monogamy is bleeding your bank account and the trust. Their trust money and their actual trust are hemorrhaging.”
I run my hand over my head. “Simple. Nix dating, don’t screw Makenzie, successfully launch a super fucking unprecedented stellar concept, gain back Dad’s trust and look fucking good doing it. I’ll fuck around, have threesomes, make everyone happy.” But I do want to screw Makenzie, like desperately. I’m willing to find a loophole that leads to her hole. That was a joke my dick would make. Not a dick joke, but one he would make if I were listening, but I’m not. Because I’m keeping my job.
“Terms of the bet if you still want to honor it.” I shove him back and cock an eyebrow. “You can’t fuck the same woman twice and you can’t date anyone.”
I scream into the casino in frustration, and no one even bats an eye. It’s loud and crazy and no one is noticing.
Makenzie appears at the club door, looking around for me. Her dark hair falling on her bare shoulders is breathtaking. Her slender frame sways to the music, and as I watch her hips, my mind is no longer in control.
But I can fuck her once.
Just once.
