Episode 2: Deadly Option
1116 Words
Rowan's POV
“Here, get the f**k out.”
I pick up her clothes from my side of the bed and hurl them at her.
Shocked, she looks up from her phone which she has her staring at for a long time.
"Up. Up. Leave."
I nod towards the door.
“What?” She laughs in disbelief.
“You heard me right.”
“Is that how you treat a lady?”
“Except you're not my lady.” I puff. "Oh, pardon me.” I draw out a stack of cash and add it to the pile.
“f**k you!”
Pissed off, she throws the dollar notes on me and climbs down the bed, stalk naked as she hurriedly gets into her clothes.
"I'd love to do that for the second time, but I don't eat a meal twice.”
Her cheeks are flushed with embarrassment. She retrieves the last of her belongings, running around to be sure she isn't leaving anything behind.
“Go to hell and burn!”
I chuckle, licking the bottom of my lips. She is damn gorgeous, and sizzling hot when butt naked. Frankly, I'd love to have her for the second and third and fourth time.
Oddly, I hear the door open, causing me to sit upright, the bed sheet settling on my waist and leaving my chest bare.
It's Lucas. He is not just our company’s manager and my best friend. I bet he knows that my father wishes we switched birth.
A thousand and one times, my father would take a hardworking and gentle man, over his Casanova and dumbass of a son. Most times, Lucas saves my terrible ass by making the pitch.
“Rowan,” he pauses his lips. “Who's she?”
"Who?" I play dumb.
“I saw a lady grunting down the hallway, I bet she mistook the devil for a gentleman.”
He heaps himself on a seat, demanding answers with an awkward smirk on his face.
“You said it yourself, I'm not a gentleman.” I shrug. "Just to answer your question, she is no one important ...”
"She's pretty and...”
“Like I said, it's no one important.” I sigh. "How did it go?” I try to distract him.
His expression darkens a bit, with crow's feet appearing at the edge of his eyes.
“Lucas?”
Anxiety eats me deeply, causing me to panic. My father has finally stepped back for me to fill in his shoes while he tests my capability, and all I manage to do every week is flop in my proposals, even existing clients are contemplating withdrawing from our company.
The only thing my silly self is good at is sticking my c**k in everything under skirts. Crap!
“How bad is it?”
“Very bad... Terrible.” Lucas says bluntly.
“I made sure to go over the pitch a million times and send it to competent hands for final editing...”
"Relax, Rowan..."
“Don’t tell me to relax.” I exhale sharply, raking my hand through my hair. "You’re not the one about to lose your inheritance because your father thinks that you are incompetent.”
“I'm not saying you're incompetent...”
“When everyone says the same thing, you, my best friend, is the liar.”
He laughs.
“It's not funny.” I groan.
“Well, it is, because Mr. Gary doesn't see anything wrong with your presentation, matter of fact, he loves it.”
"For real?” My eyebrows furrow.
Lucas nods.
“If he doesn't have an issue with the pitch, then what is the problem?”
“The presenter.”
The presenter? Me?
I pause to get what he means. When we had the brief meeting yesterday, I pulled up in my best, so?
“He seems to have some reservations for bachelors... eligible bachelors.”
“Wait... What?!” I laugh, finding his words funny. "This is a joke, right?”
"Sadly, no."
Confused and angry, I adjust to the edge of the bed, now facing him directly.
“Come on, you should convince him that my status doesn't affect my ability.” I pause to catch my breath. "It's the freaking twenty-first century!”
"He might have had a change of mind if only you didn't bang his secretary.”
Shoot! Did she go crying to her boss that I threw her out? It's so annoying when they see that coming from the start and still want to have a taste of me.
“Are you joking?”
“He saw her leave your office several minutes after the meeting.” Lucas clarifies.
"It's consensual...”
“And unethical.” He calls my bluff.
Damn it!
We've been on this deal for almost a month now, and I even came down to New Jersey for this deal. Suddenly, he has a problem with my status. I bet my rivals must be flashing Mr. Gary a juicier offer and he is being greedy.
Frustrated, I get off the bed and head to the bar, pouring myself a glass of whiskey, and also another for Lucas.
“Here,” I hand him one, almost emptying my glass with a gulp.
Clenching my teeth to contain the alcohol, I grimace.
“Easy,”
“What's the way out?” I ignore his concern.
"Easy, get married." He slurps on his glass.
I'm doomed.
Downing the last of my liquor, I pour another.
“Except that I don't have a girlfriend, nor a bride.”
“Then find one out of the pile of your exes...”
“No ex, I don't keep a stable relationship.”
"You’re f****d up, man.” He sighs.
“I know. Anything else?” I ask, desperate.
“Then get one of your admirers, any lady at all...”
“I cannot do that with a stranger.”
“Even better,” he teases. "It has to be someone who understands boundaries. Your close friends may be clingy, wealthy attracts.”
The blurred images of a million and one ladies I've met in New Jersey play through my head. I can't seem to find anyone worthy.
They all wanted the princess treatment when every single one of them literally got in my bed at the snap of my fingers. Some are so crazy that they become stalkers once they find out my father is Martins Douglas. Most times, I blame my father’s affluence for my misfortune, because they all want something, well, I should also get something in return.
Jeez!
"I'll draft the contract, all you have to do is provide the bride.”
- Writer
