Imet Nat at our favorite restaurant in the city, where the outdoor patio made you feel like you were on a quaint street in Amsterdam. Flowers were always in full bloom no matter the season and changed in an array of colorful arrangements. I needed the escape to this place, and their delicious mango salad and strawberry iced tea sealed the deal.
“Hold up,” Nat said before we walked to the hostess stand to be seated. She answered her phone and glared at me. “You’re shitting me, right?” She narrowed her eyes and then ran her hand through her immaculately styled hair.
Shit, this can’t be good. Nat would never screw with her hair like that, I thought, knowing Nat never stressed like this, or at least I’d never seen it, and I’d known the woman since forever.
“What?” I asked after she ended the call.
“It seems that your broker, a man whose name I will never say aloud for any reason…” she paused and sighed.
“So, now he’s Beetlejuice?” I said with a smirk, hoping she was just acting dramatic, and this wasn’t going to blow up in my face somehow. She wasn’t amused. “Do I need to call him?”
“Yeah, call him, and pull that fucking penthouse off the market. This is getting out of hand.”
“I thought we’d all be meeting in a conference room to fix this crap with my aunts and Max.”
“Real estate doesn’t work like that, Bree. We don’t meet in conference rooms like executives. Agents call for their clients and give your listing agent an offer.”
“How do you know about what’s going on, then?” I stopped and cleared my throat. I hadn’t officially listed the property with Nat, so technically, she shouldn’t know most of the details.
“I’ve been in this business too long and have too many friends and contacts not to know what’s going on. Everyone knows who you are to me,” Nat said, sounding distracted or disturbed. Or both.
“I’m sorry I went behind your back, but I didn’t want you or the girls worrying about my financial problems.”
“And because of that, sister-dear,” she said the words with oozing sarcasm, “Alex Grayson is involved.”
“I think we both know that Alex is involved.” I felt the heat in my cheeks when she smiled slyly at me.
“And because you two have obviously had mind-blowing sex since we sent him to do the dirty work for us, I’ll forgive you. Good Lord, that shit must have been good.”
“I’m not saying anything, no matter how hard you probe.”
“You don’t have to,” she chuckled. “Your body is screaming that rich men can fuck good while they hang on for dear life with their lips on your neck.” She arched an eyebrow at me. “Tell me the man was enjoying your perfect little lips so much that your love-bite is just that and not him trying to kick your ass.”
“Jesus Christ!” I clenched my exposed neck, which had at least three hickeys on it.
My lips dried the second I recalled Alex devouring my neck, loving his firm lips and tongue as they pulled my soft flesh, not realizing I’d look like this in public.
“We need to get you a new high-collared outfit and get to your condo immediately. I’ll buy you something from the couture shop three doors down. Don’t argue. Let’s go.”
I picked out a flattering blue silk blouse with a neckline that concealed my hickeys, tucked it into my new high-waisted trousers, and slid on a pair of heels. I couldn’t argue with Nat. I’d shown up in leggings and a tank, and all of my dress clothes were in my condo that my aunts, Max, and their agents were most likely viewing for whatever stupid reason.
I had no other option but to allow my best friend to buy me a new outfit while she gave me play-by-play details about this bizarre real estate situation. Nat was getting all of her news from her friend, Shelby Patton, who was the agent representing my two bitch-aunts. I’d met Shelby over drinks at a club after Max and I first broke it off. She was a sweet lady, and apparently, she liked me well enough to keep Nat in the loop about what was happening.
Ten missed calls and three voicemails from my broker told me that this morning had gone to hell and fast while Alex and I enjoyed his sunrise and neighbors. I hadn’t called back my listing agent because I wanted to speak to Nat first, but I regretted waiting after listening to his voicemails. He’d arranged viewings, and when I didn’t respond to him, he decided to open my house up and let the bidding war commence at my condo with all parties present.
I texted him immediately to hold him off, knowing Nat hated the man, and I told him I’d be there soon. What the hell had started all of this nonsense anyway?
After I was dressed, I wished I’d picked out my outfit and not let Nat do that for me. The blouse had an opening that accented my cleavage, and it seemed the opening started just below my high collar and ended at my belly button. I had no idea what would look trashier, my pronounced boobs or showing off the hickeys?
“You look fabulous. Stop fidgeting,” Nat said after I stepped out of the car in the parking area of the condo. “What the serious fuck with this car? Is this on loan from Mr. Sexy-lips himself?”
“You don’t want to know,” I said.
“Oh, I want to know. I will know all about it too. You finally kicked that dreadful dry spell with a man who tore your hot little ass up.” She laughed and smacked my butt.
“Well, you’re in a pretty good mood, considering that we’re about to walk into a hornet’s nest. Do we need to be here?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “Now, if I were your agent, I wouldn’t have allowed for this showing, but you insisted on secrets, so your dick of an agent has. You will be here, and we’re ending this once and for all.”
“How are we ending this by being here?”
“Well,” she said, hitting the elevator button to get us to the penthouse unit, “I figured that if they all saw you in person, they’d knock this shit off. I also know you,” she raised her sharp eyebrow, “and when you get pushed to your limits, you start thinking smarter.”
“Smarter?”
“Yeah, as in, pulling the fucking place off the market. I think you need to see them all swarming in your apartment like flies for you to end this.”
“Oh shit!” I stopped before entering the elevators. “My power and water are shut off. I didn’t tell the agent about that, and I can’t have them knowing that was all shut off on Friday night.”
“It’s turned back on, sweet-Bree,” she smirked. “Get your ass in here, and let’s go face the music.”
“Did something happen on our drive over that turned this into some fun game for you?”
“Yes,” she grinned. “You look just as hot as you look sexy, and that puts me in a damn good mood.” She looked at my hair and scrunched her face. “Do you have anything to pull up your hair? Good grief, you look like you…” she stopped and pinched her lips into a smile. “Damn, I can only imagine how glorious the sex was. This is he fucked me senseless hair.” She became serious. “Either way, give me that…” She took the hairpins from my hand that I’d dug out of my purse. She ran her fingers through my hair, twisting it into a low knot and pinning it.
“Thanks for this. I feel like I’m getting steamrolled, and now I’m sick that I’m about to see them all again.”
“Don’t worry about their sorry asses,” Nat said. “I’ve got this handled. I need you looking like you own the entire building and not just the penthouse.”
She turned me to face her, and I felt tears surfacing. I hadn’t seen my aunts since I left Max at the altar—the day they showed their true colors. Then there was seeing Max again. Why was this happening to me? I wanted to sell the damn place—as hard as it would be to let go—and start over again. It should’ve been a nice and easy transaction, but that shit wasn’t in the cards for me somehow.
“Why?” I finally let a tear slip and hugged Nat. “I’m only in this position because I was trying to save my dad’s company. Why do shitty things happen to good people?”
Nat withdrew from my embrace. “Look at me,” she said, and surprisingly she had tears in her eyes too. “You’re right. It sucks that assholes prey on good people. We both know life is fucked like that, but I’ll be goddamned if you think I’m going to let you stand there and have a woe-is-me mentality. You’re Breanne fucking Stone, and out of all of us, you are the strongest. I would be the one to crumble for losing my precious car or possessions, not you. Sammy and Cass wouldn’t even know where to start if they had to sell their condos, but not you. Shit happens everywhere every single day, but these stupid fucks who are being horrible to you mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, and you know it. Don’t let them turn you into someone you’re not. You are loved and supported, and you don’t have to go it alone. Tough times are why we have good friends, good sex, and hard liquor,” she chuckled. “So, now that you have all of that in your court, let’s end this. You’ll know exactly what to do once we’re in that condo.” She glanced at her phone as it began to ring. “I need to get this. Hang on.”
I waited as Nat talked to someone who sounded like a client for one of her listings, and I tried to pull it together. She was right. My hardships were not easy for me to deal with, but the world was an ugly place, and it was much uglier to many other people. I didn’t like feeling sorry for myself, and I wasn’t going to anymore. So, I nearly bankrupted myself; so fucking what? I was healthy, wasn’t I? Better people than I had gone bankrupt and rebuilt their lives.
My pride had been in the driver’s seat for too long, and it was time to shut down the pity party it seemed like I was constantly having. I hated being a victim so that shit was going to stop here and now. I was going to pull it together and handle everyone in that room. I didn’t have to accept any of their offers if I didn’t want to.
“Let’s go. Time is of the essence with these creeps!” Nat said, ending her call.
I walked in, and my stomach twisted in knots when I saw my aunts.
“Breanne,” Charlize said with her usual dismissive glare. “We didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Well, it is my place that has made you all go into some bidding frenzy,” I answered as Nat and I moved briskly past five people and into my living area.
“You need to accept one of our bids,” Max stated.
“I don’t need to do anything, Max,” I said, disgusted with him now more than ever.
What did I see in this guy that nearly led me to vow to spend the rest of my life with him? Thank God he was stupid enough to cheat on me and get caught.
“Ma’am,” a man in a dark suit approached, “my client is willing to offer twenty percent over the highest offer on your home.”
“I’m not sure if she’ll love the place or not, but since it’s an exclusive open house, I figured you’d want to see it.” I’d just sat on my couch when I heard Alex’s scratchy and overly humored voice say that to someone. I glanced up to see Dr. Cameron Brandt with a beautiful woman at his side.
When I looked up to see him, Cameron, and the woman—all who were dressed as if they owned the entire county—I saw that Alex’s expression didn’t match his humorous tone.
“Excuse us,” Aunt Blaire snapped. “We were told that we could view this with our bidding partner and—”
“Bidding partner?” I said, standing up. “Just what the hell is going on between you three?”
“It doesn’t matter, Ms. Stone,” Cameron winked at me while the woman with brilliant blue eyes and black hair offered me a glowing smile. “My future bride and I would like to place an offer ourselves.”
“What was it?” Alex smirked at the two, who must’ve been dragged into this game Alex was playing, and I had no idea what to do now. “Wait, let me guess. The two of you got nasty in the elevator on the ride up here, and that’s why you demanded I go up in the other set of elevators.”
“That certainly is the reason,” the woman smiled at Alex’s grin. “I don’t know, honey,” she patted Cameron’s stomach, “after fucking in the elevator, I’ve been thinking that we might want to start considering a nursery too.”
My eyes widened at the woman’s language, and I couldn’t help but love that my aunts nearly fainted when they heard what she’d said.
“Some women can be so—”
“Beautiful.” Cameron stared into his lady’s eyes. “Well, I’m thinking that making babies is going to be the best part of marrying you,” he said excitedly.
“That and the hospital sex too.”
“These two,” Alex rolled his eyes and licked his enticing lips. “They’re not even married, and I suddenly feel like we’re watching a sex video at their wedding.”
I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “Please don’t,” I mouthed when all eyes turned back to Alex, who was sporting a sharp three-piece suit.
“Please do,” Nat grinned but was having a difficult time with the two overly handsome gods who’d entered the room. “There’s nothing wrong with a good sex tape.”
They’re all going to be the death of me.
“This is stupid,” Max said, glaring at Alex. “How are your and Breanne’s wedding plans coming along? Is that why she’s selling the place?” He looked over at my aunt. “I’m sure you two know Mr. Grayson. This is the man who demanded Brian sell his business to Mitchell and Associates.”
“You’re the snake who conned my poor brother?” Charlize snapped.
Alex leveled her instantly with his supreme, dark-business glare. “Aside from what a disgruntled ex-fiancé would have you believe,” Alex slid his hands casually into his pockets, “Brian Stone approached Mr. Mitchell and me.”
“That’s nonsense,” Blaire said. “You’re one of the wealthiest men in Southern California. I knew your grandfather well.”
“Good.” Alex’s eyebrows shot up, and I could tell I was looking at the vice president of Mitchell and Associates now. “If you knew him well, then you’ll understand I was raised by the most skilled investor you’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. If I make an offer on this place myself, you will not be able to touch it.”
“You look like him.” Blaire seemed to calm somewhat, and if I wasn’t losing my mind, I could swear she was in awe of Alex. “I’m sorry to hear about your mother.”
“A lovely yet unnecessary sentiment, ma’am,” Alex stated firmly enough that it silenced the room. “What are your plans, Cameron?”
“Well, Juliet?” Cameron recovered his somber expression and looked at the woman, bringing her attention back to the handsome doctor. “Are we making babies here or not?”
“All we can afford is the asking price.”
I heard snickering coming from my aunts, and Alex stood there, lividly pissed off, watching everyone in the room. I couldn’t help but wonder what’d happened to his mother that my aunt knew about.
I looked around the room, seeing all of the people who were here to bid on the place, and my thoughts drifted to when my father and I first walked through this unit together.
“Breanne,” I heard my father’s voice inside my head as if he were standing in front of me again, “look at this. It’s our first completed vision. You and me, sweetheart. One day you’ll sell it, of course…”
“I’d never sell it. I can’t even afford to buy it,” I said.
“You know how proud I am of you. You’ve also proven that you’ve learned a lot from your hard work, volunteering your extraordinary talents at the company. I’m so proud that my girl focused hard and has graduated at the top of her class.”
“I had to bust my ass if I wanted to work for the great Brian Stone, you know?”
I remembered how my dad’s handsome face wrinkled in humor, and I missed him more than my heart could express. His beaming smile, white hair, and broad shoulders I loved finding refuge in when I hugged him. I wanted to burst into tears, thinking about that day and knowing that I was faced with the reality of letting this place go.
I didn’t know what to do, sell it or not? Maybe I should? I was so confused. The pain of losing my dad felt raw in my heart, and I wanted to collapse into tears.
Alex must’ve seen the look on my face because he was at my side in an instant.
“Breanne,” Nat said in a sympathetic tone as I clung to Alex’s side for comfort, “pull the listing. Please.”
I felt Alex’s lips on my cheek and looked up into his concerned eyes. “Pull it, or I’ll make the offer to put a pin in this once and for all.”
“What if I rent it out?” I proposed the question as I looked at him.
“And move in with me?” he smirked and kissed my forehead. “I’m down for that. I’ll offer you fifty million just to rid you of this nonsense.”
“Fifty million?” I heard my aunt scoff.
“Make it seventy,” Alex grinned. “Just because that woman annoys me.”
“Well, I guess the lovely bride-to-be and I are out,” I heard Cameron say, moving closer to where Alex and I sat on the couch.
“I’m pulling the listing.” I smiled at Nat, then nodded as professionally as I could at the others in the room. “I can’t let this place go, and I won’t. This was mine and my dad’s baby, the first place we designed together. I won’t lose that. Sorry to ruin all of your horrible lives.”
“You are an insufferable, spoiled brat. I can’t even imagine what your mother would think of you,” Charlize said.
“She’d say that her daughter was so beautiful and brilliant that even the harshest of men could be brought to their knees by her beautiful dimples,” Alex rubbed my cheek as his eyes searched my face, “and that her daughter rescued a doomed man.” He pulled me in tight and brought his lips to my ear. “And that’s the fucking truth.”
“The house is off the market, and you can all be on your way. Shelby, we’ll talk later,” Nat said as she moved everyone’s unsteady footsteps out of the apartment and closed the door.
“Holy fuck,” Nat said, waltzing back in. “Well, now that that shit is done and over with,” she looked at Cameron and his woman, “I would like to say that it pains me to stand in a room with two beautiful men who are taken by such lovely women.”
I heard a scratchy laugh come from Cameron’s girl, then watched as she hugged him. “We do make a good couple,” the woman laughed again. She looked at me. “Are you okay? I’m Avery, Jim Mitchell’s wife. He said he knows you and hoped this would all work out.”
My eyes widened as I looked at Alex’s shit-eating grin. “What?” I stood to shake her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Mitchell.”
“Call me Avery.” She ruffled the hair on Alex’s head. “And after witnessing this man do what he just did with you,” she clicked her tongue, “I can’t believe none of us believed you’d finally find the right woman.”
“You can tell Jim I was right about all of this,” Alex said, standing at my side. “And that I think you and Cam make a better couple.”
“Now, you’re asking for Jim to pummel my ass,” Cameron laughed, then looked at me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, thanks,” I said. “I just started thinking about my dad, and I’d had enough.”
“If your father is haunting this place,” Nat’s eyes widened, “I suggest selling it to the bitchiest aunt in the war.” She smiled at Cameron. “I’m Natalia. Please tell me you’re hungry for dinner later?”
Cameron grinned. “Unfortunately, I’m going to have to pass on dinner, and I’m already kicking myself for turning down your offer too.” He looked at Alex. “All right. Your ass owes me, and I’ll see you later.”
“I think the score is even, brother,” Alex said. “I saved your ass with the board, remember?”
The two men exchanged humored looks, and it was apparent that the good doctor, who seemed just as taken by Nat as she was him at the moment, had some hidden details.
“I’ll see you all at the next circus.” He waved and then hopped up and out of the room.
“Damn, so close too.” Nat smiled at the rest of the room. “Well, moving on past my rejection,” she looked at me as we all laughed, “call your broker and pull this place off the market. We’ll discuss where we’re going with all of this next over coffee.”
“He only turned you down because he knows you’ve met our friend, Mr. Monroe. Sexy Spence?” Alex poked, not letting the subject die.
“Oh, dammit. Mr. Cell phone fucked me over in more ways than one.” She shrugged. “Well, it’s their loss.”
Alex walked over to her. “Isn’t that the damn truth? Hey, thanks for involving us.” He looked at me after giving Nat a half-hug. “Your stubborn butt almost missed out on meeting Jim’s wife, seeing Cameron and me again, and of course, burying the bullshit as fast as it fired up.”
“I didn’t believe it would come to this,” I said. “If you two are down, Nat and I are going to get some coffee.”
Avery smiled. “We’d love to, but we’re visiting Collin, Elena, and baby Alex today. It took a phone call from your friend,” she smiled at Nat, “and a little convincing from Alex, and I was happy to come and play games with the jerks. God knows I’ve met my share of them and speak their language well.”
“It’s why she was the best for the role,” Alex said to Avery. “Though, I still like my idea of Cameron walking in with three women on his arms—all future, hot wives—and ensuring we threw those aunts into a rage.”
“You can be so ornery at times,” she laughed.
“Okay, then. That’s a wrap on drama for the day,” I said and reached for Alex’s face. “I hope you both came in one car because your AMG One is waiting for you.”
“After what you just went through?” Alex laughed. “You earned that car, baby.” He leaned down, kissed my lips. “Love you,” he softly said, and then he and Avery left, leaving me staring at the beautiful man in awe.
“Did that all just happen?” I questioned.
“I’m asking myself the same thing, and I’m not talking about his friend, either. Alex just said he loved you?” she held her heart. “What the hell happened in Malibu?”
I smiled and took her hand in mine. “You know I don’t kiss and tell.”
“You will,” she hugged me and sighed. “Goddammit, I want to know everything from the bruised neck and lips to the mother-fucking I love you.”
I wasn’t going to give in to Nat’s probing, but I couldn’t get past him rushing in and moving out the trash so quickly, and most of all, devising a plan with Cameron and Jim’s wife.
He was as fun as he was sexy, but I didn’t fail to see his expression when my bitch aunt brought up his mom. What did that woman know about Alex that I didn’t, and why did it change her tone?
