Long and Hard: A Bad Boy Box Set

by Lulu Pratt

  Here we go again. Of course, you found lipstick on his collar. You would probably find lipstick on all his collars if he brought you around more often.

  “I’m sure it’s not that,” I say, trying to soften the blow. “He wouldn’t take away the only home Jacob has ever known. He was probably just upset and saying things out of anger.”

  Magdalene wails into the phone, becoming incoherent again.

  “You don’t understand,” she says. “I think this is it. I think he’s looking for a way to end things with me. I can’t lose Heath, he’s all I have left, and I can’t make it without him. Jade, what am I going to do?”

  I am the wrong person to ask about this kind of thing, but how can I tell my boss I’m useless?

  “Um,” I consider instead. “Well, first things first, I think you should calm down. Next, you should talk to Heath and try to get some clarification about what happened. If I don’t know anything else, I know Heath loves Jacob and wouldn’t have him in an unstable situation.”

  Magdalene sniffles for a few seconds before responding. “You’re right. I’m going to get dressed and go over there.”

  That is NOT what I said.

  “Okay, well, we’re still at the zoo, but we’ll be home shortly,” I say.

  “That sounds fine,” she says. “Give Jacob my love.”

  We end the call and I’m left staring at my phone in disbelief. Watching Magdalene go through hell is what makes me regularly second guess my relationship with Asher. I feel bad for her. Actually, I feel bad that her self-esteem is so low that she thinks she deserves to be treated this way. I’m confident she’s not all that concerned about losing the relationship, and is instead more upset at the possibility of losing her lifestyle.

  Heath’s money offers a level of comfort that most men won’t be able to match, but maybe she’ll finally be able to find somebody who truly likes her. I know that Heath usually means what he says, and he probably will end up taking the condo away if she’s not careful.

  I’m going to end up on the streets and without a job all because those two are completely dysfunctional. I wouldn’t be surprised if Heath gives her an eviction notice and sends over a moving truck.

  If he does put Magdalene out and ends up firing me, I’ll just use this as the push I need to go to culinary school. I guess that’s the upside to all the madness.

  Jacob coos loudly, banging on the tray in front him. He’s the real victim in this whole situation. Stuck in the middle of two parents and the chaos that comes along with them. He’s an innocent baby held hostage by their immaturity.

  “Poor kid,” I whisper to myself.

  I sigh and begin walking to the exit trying to mentally prepare myself for whatever the ultimate outcome is. I stretch my arms wide, loosening my muscles before taking another deep breath. Magdalene popping up on Heath, especially when he didn’t send for her, never ends well. In fact, that may be what tips him over the edge enough to make good on his threat.

  Working for these people is stressing me out.

  What I need is a good release, and nothing does that better than an evening with Asher. Hopefully we can get together soon, because I need to vent, and then afterwards he can work his magic and take my mind off things.

  I pull out my phone so I can call the driver to return us home.

  Magdalene is going to get her heart smashed into tiny pieces and I’ll be there to soothe her with grilled sandwiches, chocolate and lots and lots of wine.

  Maybe I should dust off my resume… just in case.

  Chapter 20

  ASHER

  STANDING IN front of the large window in my high-rise office, I stare out at the city, focusing on nothing in particular. There are a million things I should be doing right now, taking calls, reading emails or reviewing the proposals sitting on my desk. In all honesty, I can’t bring myself to focus on anything. Jade is dominating my thoughts, rendering me useless as far as making sound business decisions is concerned.

  I’ve been brainstorming different ways to gently reveal a secret I’ve been keeping from her, but there’s no good way to tell her. Maybe I’ll finally be able to breathe again once I get this off my chest.

  Will she hate me? What if she never wants to speak to me again?

  I should have told her the truth the day she confronted me in the park. I’ve never cared so much about a woman’s feelings before, and now here I am agonizing over the best way to ensure I don’t hurt her too badly. Damn it, I should have told her that same day. Telling her now makes me look guilty and I don’t want her jumping to the wrong conclusions.

  I’m the idiot who said we should start fresh, but then proceeded to continue seeing Jade knowing I wasn’t being completely honest. Honesty is key, but I’m nervous that too much honesty will ruin this relationship.

  I should be the one to tell her everything before she hears it elsewhere, because if somebody else breaks it to her she’ll likely hate me forever.

  “Knock, knock,” says Amelia. “I have a few things that need your attention. Are you busy right now?”

  I turn around to face her and see she holds yet another stack of papers in her hands.

  “No,” I say heading back to my desk. “Have a seat.”

  As she walks over to sit down, I notice her previously tight skirt is hanging on to her hips with a hope and a prayer.

  “Are you still using the fitness tips I gave you?” I ask.

  She plops down in the chair and drops the stack of papers on my desk.

  “Absolutely, with my anniversary coming up, I want to be ready for all the time I plan to spend in my bikini on the beach,” she says.

  “I almost forgot about your vacation. Believe me when I say it is well-deserved, but I don’t know how we’re going to make it without you. You’re really the glue that holds this place together,” I say.

  “I know,” she says, “but if you’ll just listen to reason and let me take my work phone and laptop, I’m sure I’ll be able to help keep this place going.”

  “Absolutely not. I want this office completely forgotten. Focus on keeping sand out of your suitcase and which lobster to have for dinner,” I say.

  Amelia’s dedication to her job is one of the many reasons we work so well together, but I refuse to ruin her vacation.

  “Fine,” she says. “I’m going to keep working you down until I change your mind, though. In the meantime, let’s jump right into the schedule changes we need to go over for today. Oh, and I have these documents that need your signature immediately. I have to get them sent back before the end of business today.”

  I take out a notepad and get comfortable, knowing from experience this is going to take a while. Usually Amelia just sends the schedule changes to my phone, but she gives me a personal visit when the changes are overly important. Major money deals require my immediate attention and an in-person meeting to approve the financial transfers. I prefer doing things this way so the buck stops with me, and if anything detrimental happens, the fault is completely mine. The last thing I need is a loophole or slip-up that will cost me millions of dollars happening without my knowledge.

  “Mr. Tanaka is waiting for you to sign those documents he sent over yesterday. Please, let’s do this right now because his incessant phone calls are getting on my nerves,” she says before handing me several papers with neon labeled tags where I need to sign.

  “Gillian Hallows needs these back signed and notarized today, and I also need your authorization to release the two hundred and fifty million to her.”

  I nod, take notes, sign several documents and then nod some more. I’m so zoned out and focused on the task at hand that I don’t notice the long break of silence.

  Amelia loudly clears her throat. “Are you okay, boss?” she asks.

  I look up from my notepad and study her for a moment. A motherly look of concern with a furrowed brow is plastered all over her face. I struggle to keep my own face neutral as I answer her question.

  “
Yes, of course. Why do you ask?”

  She folds her arms across her chest and leans forward. “For starters, you come in here some days practically skipping around the office. I get nervous you’ll eventually burst out into song and dance or something, but then other days you seem so distant and spaced out. Those days are when I worry about you, and today is no exception. It’s like you’re here, and then suddenly you’re not. I’ve never seen you like this before, not even during your wild Asher Jordan party days.”

  I smile, leaning back in my chair. Leave it to Amelia to notice everything and have zero reservations about bringing it to my attention.

  “It’s true, I’ve had a lot on my mind lately,” I say. “You know how that goes.”

  She lifts one pencil-thin eyebrow and twists her lips to the side. “You always have something on your mind. You’re the king of multitasking, so that can’t be it. What else is going on?”

  Maybe getting a woman’s opinion will help me figure out the best way to handle my Jade situation.

  “I’m dealing with some issues involving a woman in my personal life and I’m not exactly sure what to do about it. If Evan was keeping a secret from you—”

  Amelia closes her eyes and holds up her hands. “I don’t need to hear the rest,” she says with certainty. “If my husband is keeping anything from me he better be diligent about keeping it away from me forever, which I know he’s not capable of, or he better be smart enough to go ahead and tell me, because in the end there will be hell to pay if I find out on my own or through another person. Honestly, that’s one of the worst kinds of betrayals. Nobody wants to hear sensitive information from an outside source.”

  I drop my head and sigh. “I figured you would say that.”

  “Well, I hate to break it to you, but I’m right, and you know it,” she says. “Take it from me, whatever it is, go ahead and tell her now rather than later. You don’t want to sit on whatever it is for too long, because sometimes these things have a habit of slipping away from us, and you do not want that to happen.”

  She gets to her feet and gathers the mountain of papers I’ve just signed. “Before I forget, a pair of tickets to that art exhibit downtown was left at my desk for you. I know you don’t usually want to go to things like that, but I figured I would still ask before I hand them off to someone else.”

  “Actually…” I say, “I do want them. They may help break the news I’ve been hiding.”

  Amelia shakes her head as she walks out the door. “Good luck with that, boss. I’ll leave the tickets on my desk for you.”

  As soon as she leaves I cross the room and close the door before calling Jade to tell her about the tickets. The phone barely rings once before her sweet voice comes through the line.

  “Hello beautiful, did I catch you at a bad time?”

  “No, Jacob is down for his nap and I’m taking out a few things for dinner. How are you today?”

  “I’m perfect now that I’ve heard your voice,” I say. “These little breaks help get me through the day.”

  “Aww,” she says. “I feel the same way. Every time the phone rings, I hope it’s you on the other end. Are you working late again tonight?”

  I walk back over to the window and lean against it. “Yes, I’m working late tonight to clear my schedule for tomorrow. I have two tickets for an art exhibit that’s in town and I’m hoping you can get free. I know it’s not your regular day off, but I’m wishing on a star right now.”

  “You just might be in luck. Ever since her huge fight with Heath, Magdalene’s been spending a lot more time at home so she may be willing to let me switch my off days if I ask nicely. I’ll double check with her to make sure it’s okay and let you know.”

  “That sounds perfect,” I say.

  “Do you know what kind of art exhibit it is?”

  “There are different kinds?” I ask. “I figured we’d go to the gallery, see some paintings, a few sculptures.”

  Jade laughs and I imagine how her lips look when the corners turn up slightly.

  “I’m no art expert, but yes, I’m pretty sure there are different kinds, and usually there’s a theme or something involved. I think LACMA recently had an entire exhibit dedicated to cats.”

  “Cats? A romantic evening looking at cats doesn’t sound all that appealing, but we’ll give it a shot. Amelia didn’t mention a specific theme, but I’ll check with her and let you know.”

  “All right, Mr. Jordan, I hate to let you go, but I have to get dinner started before Jacob wakes from his nap.”

  I walk back over to my desk and sit down. “You’re such a tease,” I say. “You call me Mr. Jordan and then rush off the phone. You’re going to be in trouble when I see you.”

  “What are you going to do? Spank me?” she breathes.

  “Yes, I think that’s exactly what you need. A good spanking,” I say.

  “I’m going to hold you to that. Now, I really should go, so have a good day, and I’ll text you later.”

  “All right, beautiful. Bye.”

  I end the call and again try to focus on work, but my mind remains distracted. Every moment we share brings us closer together, and I don’t want it to unravel any time soon.

  Amelia’s right, I need to tell Jade before she learns my secret on her own.

  Chapter 21

  JADE

  I FEEL BAD switching my days off at the last minute, but luckily Magdalene seems to understand. In fact, she was nice enough to let me keep my original day off in addition to going to the art exhibit. To make up for all the time I’d be missing, I worked hard earlier in the day to make sure I had dinner taken care of before I left, since that’s one of the major tasks on my to-do list.

  Dinner is quick and super easy so I can hurry and get ready for my date. Instead of taking the entire day to cook something elaborate, I decide to stick with the basics and whip up a baked chicken and asparagus dish. The whole day is practically a blur and I don’t want to risk getting too distracted and possibly ruining dinner because my mind is on getting to Asher and spending some much-needed time with him.

  “Jade, don’t worry about giving Jacob his bath, I’ll take care of that part tonight. Go ahead and get ready for your date,” says Magdalene. “You’ve been on pins and needles all day and I know you want to start getting dressed.”

  “Am I that obvious?” I ask, handing Jacob to her. “Thank you so much for being understanding about my schedule. I’m so excited for tonight because I’ve never been to an art exhibit before and it’s on my bucket list.”

  Magdalene smiles and places Jacob on a blanket littered with his favorite toys. Her usually perfectly coiffed hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail, and her face is bare, wiped clean of all make-up. No point in applying make-up to spend the entire day crying it off. I’ve washed her sheets several times already, and I’m having a hell of a time cleaning the smudges of mascara from her pillowcase. I notice the small bags under her eyes and I’m pretty sure she’s worn those same pajamas all day. This is definitely not her norm.

  I guess smoothing things over with Heath is taking longer than I thought.

  “I love going to art exhibits,” says Magdalene. “Heath and I used to go all the time, but then he got so busy doing other things. We stopped going out and doing anything fun, really. It’s funny how things change so fast. You’ll have to come home and give me all the details of your date to help me relive my glory days.”

  Magdalene’s laugh is empty, filled with regretful realization as she contemplates where her relationship with Heath now lies. There’s an uncomfortable silence before I finally respond.

  “Of course I will,” I say, moving to the stairs before this conversation gets too awkward. “I’m going to get ready, but please let me know if you need my help with anything.”

  Magdalene nods and plops down on the floor next to Jacob. I shake my head at the sad disheveled woman and head upstairs to my room.

  I wish Heath could see how badly he’s hurtin
g Magdalene and least be kind enough to cut her some slack.

  I try to shake the thoughts of the depressing scene unfolding downstairs and focus on my date. My outfit is already sprawled across the bed, so I walk into the bathroom and start the shower. After taking my time washing away the dirt and grime from the day, I grab the large Egyptian towel from the counter and dry off.

  Still wrapped in my towel, I head over to my small make-up vanity and apply a few of my staple items — a light shimmer eyeshadow, heavy mascara and lastly my fire-engine red lipstick.

  My dress for the evening is black and form fitting with spaghetti straps. I decide to style my hair in loose waves falling over my shoulders, with a simple black pump. I stand in front of the full-length mirror in my room to admire my handiwork, and I must admit, I look good. Damn good.

  I hope Asher likes it too.

  I check to see how much time I have left and realize I need to hurry up and get to the lobby, so I grab my purse and my phone and head downstairs.

  “Oh my,” says Magdalene. “Look Jacob, look at how pretty your nanny is. Jade, you look amazing. You need to tell that mystery man to take you out more often so you can doll up.”

  I blush and smooth my hand over the dress. “Thanks! You don’t think the dress is too tight, do you?”

  “Of course not,” says Magdalene. “There’s no such thing as a dress being too tight, especially with a body like yours. Besides, you want to be the one looking at the art, and you want him busy watching you. I think you nailed it, but let’s switch out that purse to something a little more fitting for the evening.”

  I glance down at the simple black clutch purse. It’s plain, but the only one I thought was appropriate.

  Magdalene steps forward with one of her more designer bags. “Here, take one of mine. Tonight is special and you deserve that extra pop to really set off your look.”

  I stand there for a moment in shock looking at the Chanel purse dangling in front of me. I know for a fact the handbag is more than my month’s salary, and I’m not so sure I should take it.