My Billionaire Stepbrother

by Cara Nelson

  “Great. I'm glad you're comparing me to a TV series that was known for its scandalous nature.”

  “Those people were the elite. You might as well get used to that—you're going to end up one of them.”

  “No, I'm not.”

  “Your new stepfather is a billionaire, Sasha. Even if they get divorced, there was no prenup. Your mother will be set for life.”

  “Well, I prefer to stay away from that kind of lifestyle.”

  “So . . . you're really not going to see Solomon again?”

  “Of course not. Even if I wanted to, which I don't, he was attached to another girl by the end of the reception.”

  “Well, do you blame the guy? You blew him off the whole time.”

  “Of course I did. Why are you acting like this was just some guy I met? He's my stepbrother. It’s beyond wrong.”

  “Sasha, get a grip. It's not like real siblings . . . obviously. It's just a complication, and that's all. So you got a little crazy in the bathroom—you guys didn't even know each other. It’s hardly the end of the world.”

  “Well, it feels like it is.”

  “Everyone has crazy families these days. Some are worse than others, but they're all mixed up.”

  “You’re actually suggesting that I start something up with him?”

  “Absolutely. He's hot. Insanely hot. I saw the pictures. And you obviously have some weird connection with him because the two of you went into the bathroom, and you participated in some very non-Sasha-like behavior. For all you know, he's the only guy who can bring that side of you alive.”

  “Whoa! Now you're going way too far with this. For one, it's not a great achievement to almost have sex in a public restroom, and two, I doubt he's the only guy I’ll have that kind of chemistry with.”

  “Sasha, you're both adults. I'm sure you can make something work if you really want to. I'm sure even your parents could be adults about it if they knew you were in love.”

  “Well thankfully, I'm not, so let's not worry about it.”

  Rose laughed. “I know you're not—but you could be if you gave it a shot.”

  “Sorry, Rose, I'm not buying this for a minute. It's too crazy, and I'm actually not looking for my family to get any more mixed up and crazy than it already is. In fact, I intend to avoid Solomon as much as possible. I didn't know he existed before the wedding, so it shouldn't be too hard to avoid him now.”

  I smiled at the waitress as she approached our table. She set down two plates of sushi, and my mouth started watering immediately.

  “Looks delicious, thank you.”

  “Let me know if you need anything else.” She turned and left us to our meal. I was ravenous, so I dug in, starting by adding soy sauce to my plate. I dipped one of my rolls and popped it into my mouth.

  “I think you’ll find it harder to avoid a man who seeks you out,” Rose said before eating one of her own rolls.

  “He's not seeking me out, Rose. I haven't heard a world from him since the wedding. I probably won't see him until Christmas—or whatever big family event is next. And that’s more than fine with me.”

  Rose snickered. “We'll see. I still think you should give it a shot. He might actually be good for you. It seems like he’s able to bring you out of your shell more than any of those other guys you dated.”

  “Let's not get into my exes—unless you want to talk about some of yours,” I said, laughing. “Besides, I'm not looking to get involved with someone. I’ve got a brand new job that I'm super excited about, and right now, I just want to get my life back on track.”

  “Yeah, of course, the new job. So tell me about it.”

  “Well, I don’t know a whole lot about it actually. I was just given an address and a manager's name. But as soon as I graduated, I applied to this temp agency, and after losing my last job two weeks ago, I really needed something fast. Luckily, they were able to place me with a great company, and I get to start right away. I couldn't have asked for better timing.”

  “So what exactly is the job?”

  “I’ll be the executive secretary and assistant for the CEO, whom I have yet to meet. Again, I only have the manager's name. But I'm pretty pumped. It’s definitely a step up from working as a secretary at a dealership, right?”

  “Of course. It’s awesome! I'm so excited for you! A position like that could really open a lot of doors.”

  “I know. I can't wait to start my new life.”

  “Speaking of Gossip Girl, though, why not just sit on your laurels and live the life of a socialite? You’re bound to be getting a trust fund just like Solomon has, so why go be someone's secretary when you can be having high tea with the Upper East Side?”

  I smiled while I dipped another roll. “It's not really my scene. Having that kind of money, that lifestyle, would be really hard to get used to, I think.”

  “It wouldn't be for me.”

  I laughed. “Well, that's because you're outgoing and adventurous. I'm neither of those things. I wouldn't fit in with people like that. I'm not from that world. I don’t get driven to work in a limousine, and we've never had a maid. I'm not sure how mother landed Roger, but she set her sights much higher than I ever would have. Besides, what would I have to talk about with people in those circles? ”

  “I'm sure you’d find it's easier than you think to get used to the good life.”

  “Maybe. But for now, I'm okay with making my own way and my own life. I don't need my mother doing it for me. I’d rather have high tea with you any day than any socialite out there.”

  “Right back at you, sister.”

  Chapter Five

  The hot shower that morning was exactly what I needed to get my head straight and ready for the day ahead of me. I shaved carefully and meticulously as I preferred a clean appearance at all times. When I returned to my bedroom, I dressed in a dark blue suit and fingered the few ties I owned. Some of my peers had hundreds of power ties. I had three. They were all I needed, and I wore only them. I picked out the silver striped one to go along with my suit.

  My butler was in the kitchen when I walked in. He handed me a cup of coffee, black, and said, “Your car is here, sir.”

  “Thank you, Curtis.” I took a sip of the coffee. “I like this blend. Be sure to pick up more.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  I headed out of the penthouse suite and down the elevator. I nodded at the doorman, and he swung the door open for me. My driver was waiting for me with the car door opened, the engine running, and the morning newspaper in his hand. He handed it to me as I bent down to get into the limousine.

  It was the same every morning, I never strayed from my routines. They maintained structure and allowed me to control at least some of the things in my life.

  I worked for my father, running one of the biggest companies under his belt. I was the CEO of Jacobson Empires, and the position had made me billions over a short period of time. I was under great and constant pressure to please my father.

  Opening the paper, I checked the headlines. I had just enough time each day to read the paper before I arrived at work. It was the perfect start to my day, drinking coffee and being abreast of what was going on in the city and the world at large.

  The car sidled up to the curb of Jacobson Empire, and I waited while the driver came around to open my door for me. I left the paper in the car when I exited, saying, “Thank you, Frank.”

  “Have a good day, sir.”

  I nodded to a few people as I made my way up to the top floor of the building. My right hand man Chuck was waiting for me when I got off the elevator.

  “We found you an assistant Mr. Jacobson, but I'm not sure you will be happy with her,” he said as we started walking towards my office.

  “Well, why would you hire her if you weren't sure I would want her?”

  “It's not that we don't think you’ll like her, it's just . . . well, it's your new stepsister.”

  I stopped walking. “Speak. I'm a little lost here.
”

  “The temp agency is sending her over as your new assistant. She came highly recommended. We were embarrassed, however, that a woman of her . . . station . . . would be working as an assistant, so we also didn't want to offend you by hiring her.”

  “I see. I have no issue with Sasha working for me. If she chooses to make a living for herself, that’s honorable, not embarrassing.”

  “Of course. I didn't mean to imply. We were all just surprised.”

  “It's her choice, I imagine, so it's fine with me. Please see her in when she arrives.”

  Chuck left to attend to his duties while I entered my office and closed the door behind me. Sasha was coming to work here? For me? How did that happen? What were the odds that she would just fall into my lap like that by accident? I wasn't really big on surprises. Was it just a game? Had she sought me out, found out about the job, and then applied for it?

  I partially agreed with Chuck—I couldn't imagine a young girl in her position wanting to work as someone's assistant. Especially for her stepbrother. It was just odd. Most socialites her age abhorred the idea of being an assistant. Most of them had assistants of their own. Was it possible Sasha had no idea who her new boss was? If that was the case, then she was going to hit the roof when she saw me. That sounded like an even better start to my day.

  ***

  When Sasha walked into his office with Chuck in tow, I almost laughed. Everyone—from the front desk clerk of the building to Chuck himself—had warned me that Sasha was going to be my assistant, and yet it still felt like a surprise when she walked in. I wasn’t sure what I expected when she walked through the door, but I was certainly pleasantly surprised.

  She was definitely hot. I was struck instantly by how beautiful she was. It had been almost a month since the wedding, and I had forgotten how attracted I was to her. I was reminded of it however the moment she stepped into my office. From top to bottom, the girl was incredible. It was like she’d walked right off the pages of a magazine. I couldn’t possibly hire a girl who looked like this and get away with it, right? My father would kill me. I could be breaking some cardinal rule of office etiquette by hiring someone who made my cock instantly hard. She was perfect, from her breasts to the curves that went all the way down her body. I chuckled to myself. Who would honestly be able to get any work done with Sasha around? She had milky skin that begged to be touched. I was afraid to look at her ass twice because I ached to spank her. Jesus, what the hell was wrong with me?

  “Hello Sasha, it’s nice to see you again. Please have a seat.”

  I watched as she sat down in front of me. “Solomon, I didn't realize that you were going to be my boss. This whole thing has taken me by surprise, I'm afraid.”

  “Are you uncomfortable with working for me?”

  “To be honest, I'm not sure.”

  I looked up at Chuck. “Can you excuse us, please? I’ll see you in the meeting in fifteen minutes.”

  He nodded, “Sure thing. Take your time. The meeting can wait.”

  After Chuck left, I said, “I understand why you might feel weird, especially with the things that happened at the wedding, but I assure you that I keep things in my office strictly professional. I wouldn't have it any other way. You come highly recommended, and I think you’re the best person for this job.”

  “Well, to be perfectly honest with you, I need this job. And I can see by the look on your face you don't understand why I don't sit on my trust fund and go have brunch with my friends.”

  I chuckled, she was a delight to talk to.

  “But I'm not used to that sort of lifestyle. Maybe one day I’ll blend in just like everyone else, but for now, it's just not me—and I want something that’s just mine. I also lost my job two weeks ago, and if I don't get another quick, I'm not going to be able to make the payment on my car.”

  My eyes widened. I’d never known a life in which I had to worry about whether or not I could pay for a car, and I knew she didn't even have a nice one. There was something vulnerable and real about her that I didn’t see in the females I’d had experience with in my life, and I found it endearing and extremely appealing. I couldn’t imagine what was going on in her life or what it was like to have financial worries. I had experienced bad days, but my bad days were never life-changing, and it seemed like just getting a new job would change everything for her. It was an odd feeling to have to begin to wonder how the other half lived.

  “I’m so sorry, Solomon, am I saying too much? I'm going to be honest with you—I do wish it wasn't you who was going to be my boss, for obvious reasons. But I want this job so badly. I know I’m qualified, and I would work very, very hard. So if you can deal with me being around, than I can deal with being around you, too. I’ve had a rough time, and I just need a break.”

  I was speechless—I couldn’t even begin to respond. Her honesty was baffling. I wasn't sure I’d ever been that honest in my entire life, but there she was, putting it out there for me and just praying to God I didn't just laugh her out of the office. I imagined the conversation I’d be having with my father about this. He would frown upon it, of course, and would say she needed to go home and read or throw a party or something. The women in my father's life never worked. They belonged at home, he always said. Not that he was chauvinistic—he treated his women like queens. He just believed that spoiling meant sending them on shopping trips and vacations instead of letting them have a life of their own.

  So I did what anyone in my position would do. I hired her on the spot. “You want the job? You got it. But don't tell me you have any regrets after.”

  She smiled nervously. “Oh, you're that bad are you?”

  “Well, let's just say that I like things my way—and only my way.”

  “Fair enough. Where do we start?”

  ***

  The first few weeks with Sasha were brilliant. She was a quick study, and I really didn’t have to worry at all when she was left to work alone. I couldn’t be happier about her work, which was a significant relief because my initial hiring of her terrified me. I had never hired someone that I had such strong chemistry with—it was too risky for a guy like me—and I didn't need to get involved in anything that would have my father on my back.

  Her work was exquisite, but that was because she was a professional. We had a few issues, however, and I probably had only myself to blame for them due to our bathroom seduction scene. Although she was a great worker, we didn't get along very well. Whether or not she was testing her boundaries with me, she was argumentative and sarcastic at almost every turn. When I showed the smallest sign of irritation, she smiled sweetly at me, and it was if all had been forgotten on my end. Women were very good at making men feel foolish at the drop of a hat, and although I could sense Sasha was not as experienced, she had the same tricks up her sleeve as the best of them.

  I think the only things that saved our working relationship were our abilities on the job and the fact that we shared a mutual respect for one another where that was concerned. Sasha was easily one of the best assistants I’d ever had, and her brainstorming abilities were unmatched. She could solve a problem before I even realized I had one. And I think she was starting to realize that although I was young and rich, I also knew how to run a company, and I was damn good at it.

  Sasha was true to her word—she worked incredibly hard and always arrived early and stayed late when I needed her. When she walked into the room, I sighed with relief because she wasn’t the problem I had worried she would be. She was amazing, actually, and I was grateful for her help.

  I looked up from my computer screen when Sasha entered my office. She was wearing a fitted knee-length skirt with a blue blouse buttoned all the way to the top—a completely conservative outfit, and yet she still managed to look smoking hot and cause me to do a double take. She carried in coffee and set it down on my desk. I caught the scent of her perfume, and I had a hard time looking away from her. I willed myself to break contact and picked up my coffee cup a
s a distraction. Black as night is how I liked my coffee. Just like me, it was tough and strong. I didn’t have a need for extra sweeteners.

  “Thank you, Sasha. How are things going for you today?”

  “Umm . . . I love my job.” She giggled. I rarely heard her giggle, and sometimes it even seemed like she might hate me.

  “Really? You’re not stressed out at all?”

  “No, of course not. I thrive on a challenge, and working for you is like a dream come true is that respect. But please don't let that go to your head or anything.

  “Oh, well, I’m glad to hear that.”

  “You don’t need to worry about me being stressed. I’ve had far worse jobs than this and, believe me, they were the stressful ones. Yes, your environment is high pressure, but it's exactly what I want. I just love it.”

  “You look quite nice today Sasha, I do like that . . . skirt you’re wearing.” I couldn’t help but give her another once over.

  She blushed. “Thanks. But when the checks start rolling in, I plan on doing some big time clothes shopping. But this will do for now.”

  I nodded, unsure of what to say to her. Her life, again, was something I didn't understand. She had a trust fund—I knew she did—and yet she refused to use it. It was baffling.

  A call came in to my office, and I excused myself to take it.

  “What do you mean you don't have it? I’m sure I had it sent over today.”

  I glanced briefly at Sasha, and she shifted nervously in her seat

  “Let me get back to you.”

  I hung up the phone and looked at Sasha. “Did you hand in the Donahan report like I asked you to?”

  “Yeah . . . about that. It was a mess, and I wanted to straighten it out before sending it. But then I got a little backed up with your other requests and forgot about it. I’ll send it right away.”