I Do The Boss: Billionaire Romance (Managing the Bosses Book 5)

by Lexy Timms

  "Hey." Mark's voice was deadpan, and his complexion washed out.

  Panic raced through the center of Jamie as she stood. "What's wrong? Is Alex okay?"

  "Yeah. It's nothing like that." He lifted the paper as he walked toward her desk. "It's this. I swear people have no sense of moral decency."

  "Oh, good. You scared me." She picked up the paper and walked around to the small round table that sat in the middle of her office. Not having Paul and Mark in her office was great for getting more done, but truth be told it was a little lonely at times.

  "Yeah, well, you haven't read it. Thank goodness it's just the National Enquirer, but still." He sat down in the chair beside her as she fingered through the various pages.

  "What am I looking for?" Nothing seemed of interest. A cat with fifteen toes. A woman back from the dead. A super horny slut to marry a... "No fucking way."

  "Right? Who is this Stephen guy, and what does he have against you?" Mark pulled out the chair beside him, and Jamie dropped down into it as she pulled the page up to her face. Sickness pulsed through her, and throwing up sounded like her next best move.

  "Favored billionaire bachelor Alex Reid has once again proven himself a charitable, giving man to our great city. Only this time he's taking one for himself." She glanced up as sweat lined her forehead. "Is this shit for real?"

  "I hate to say it, but keep going." Mark shook his head.

  "It's a modern-day Pretty Woman story for the world to see. The woman who's captured his heart is not only his office maid, but just happens to be a sex-starved, uneducated, lady of the night." Jamie set the paper down and stood up as dizziness rolled over her.

  "Jamie?" Mark stood up. "It's just the Enquirer. You know they do these facetious stories."

  "I'm going to be sick. Who would write this, and why?" Her eyes filled with tears.

  "It says that someone named Stephen Deming tells all in an interview. Was he an ex-boyfriend?" Mark reached out and touched her shoulder as she pressed her hands to the table in front of her.

  This was supposed to be a great day. What the fuck happened?

  "He's my brother-in-law."

  "Christine's husband? Holy shit. Really?" Mark's voice rose before he turned and walked to the door, closing it. "This is way worse than I thought."

  "No joke." Jamie glanced up and took a shaky breath. "What else does it say? I don't want to hear anything about me or Alex, but anything else about Stephen?"

  She pushed the paper over toward him and sat back down, not trusting her legs to hold her up. Being made to feel like Cinderella was one thing, but a sex-starved slutty maid? Way worse.

  "Just that he was with you before realizing the kind of woman you are. He calls you a mastermind of lust." Mark snorted. "This guy’s an idiot. He says you're a gold-digger and that you were once after his money. Alex was just next in line. He feels sorry for Alex, but the billionaire won't listen. He doesn't have time for the little people now that he's risen to the top of the world on false humility and other people's money."

  "That bastard." Anger replaced illness inside of Jamie. She grabbed the paper and scanned the rest. "A sex tape? He does not have a sex tape."

  "On you?" Mark snatched the paper back. "Why would he have a sex tape? Did he put up a camera in Alex's place?"

  "Not of me and Alex." She got back up and walked over to her desk, pressing her hands to it and staring down at the small waste basket.

  "Of who?" Mark turned his attention to her.

  "Of me and him." She reached for the basket and released her breakfast into the small can.

  Mark's hands rested on her shoulder as his voice softened significantly. "Hey. It's okay. Get it all out. I'm here. Alex is here. This guy’s a fucking idiot. We'll clean up the shit in this paper, okay?"

  Jamie set the trash can on her desk and pressed her hands to her face as a sob left her.

  Mark forced her to turn and wrapped his arms around her as she wept for a few minutes. Why things couldn't stay progressively positive was a mystery. Did the wealthy of the world always have someone on their trail trying to dismantle their success, their fame? It would seem so.

  "Let me get Alex." Mark brushed the back of her head and released her.

  Jamie walked over to the bookshelf by her window and grabbed a few Kleenex. "I need to get out of here for a while." There were more interviews, but she was bailing out. No way. She was done with the press. They were all monsters.

  "We'll go to an early lunch. There's a park a few miles from here that I found the other day. We'll grab sandwiches and go hang out. It's a beautiful day." Mark tapped on the door between Jamie and Alex's office, getting nothing in return. He opened it and stuck his head in. "He's not in there."

  "It's okay. I don't want to bother him with this right now. He's got enough to deal with." She blotted her eyes and picked up the trashcan. "I'm going to clean this up. I'll meet you out front."

  "Okay. You want me to do it?" He tried to catch her attention as he stopped by the window.

  "No, but that you would be willing to means a lot." She turned and walked out of the office, ready for the day to be over. It was turning into one of those days that belonged next to the worst she'd had. Funny how many more of those days she'd experienced after meeting Alex.

  Luckily enough, the best days of her life were due to meeting him too.

  *

  "He doesn't have a sex tape. I would never let someone tape me." Jamie glanced over at Mark before taking a small bite of her sandwich. "He's making that up to get more attention."

  "Do you think your sister knows about Stephen's interview and allegations?" Mark lifted his bag of chips in the air and tilted his head back to empty the contents into his mouth.

  "I don't know, honestly. She's always been a thorn in my side, but over Christmas she was different. Remember how sweet she was?" Jamie set her sandwich down and picked up her Diet Coke, taking a quick sip and closing her eyes to enjoy the warmth of the sun on her skin. "Must have been because she and Stephen were fighting so much."

  "Or because it was the holidays. Everyone is nicer around that time, or at least most people are." Mark got up, and Jamie opened her eyes to watch him stretch. He was good-looking and had a nice body. He was no Alex, but he didn't realize how many women did a double take when he walked by.

  "I need to call Christine and see if she's aware of this shit." Jamie pulled out her phone. "Or maybe not. I mean, really, what good would it do?"

  "Hey. No more tears." He reached down and pulled her up by her arms, cradling her in a warm hug. She sank into his hold, enjoying the feeling that she wasn't only gaining a lover in Alex, but a big brother in Mark.

  The soft clicking of a camera caught her attention, and she jerked around to find three different reporters in the park with them.

  "Really?" She called out to them. "Get a life and stop trying to ruin other people's."

  "Don't pay them any attention." Mark sat back down and picked up her unopened bag of chips. "You gonna eat these?"

  His calm, laid-back persona forced her to relax, and she was once against grateful for him.

  "No, but you know chips make you feel bloated." She smirked, trying to force herself back into a good mood. Why the press would want pictures of her and Mark was silly. That would only solidify the rightness of her relationship with Alex. That she was in good with his family was a positive thing, right?

  "So what do we do about Stephen? I think we need to at least figure out if he does have a tape. That's important, and Alex needs to know what's up too." Mark opened her chips and ate them in large handfuls.

  "Yeah. I'll talk to him when we get back today." She leaned back and breathed in deeply. "I'll call my sister when we get back to the office too, or just go visit her. I'm not surprised by Stephen doing something like his. He's an asshole all the way, but he and my sister are struggling financially. They're living with my parents right now."

  "That's no excuse for what he's done. You know
that, right?" Mark glanced over at her, giving her a stern look.

  "Oh, I know. I'm just trying to figure out why the asshole would want to destroy whatever good I have in my life." She picked up her sandwich and took another bite before offering it to Mark.

  He took it and finished it before wiping his mouth and shaking his head. "He's jealous. If you were with him before, then obviously he's jealous. It's almost funny that he called you sex-starved. You don't seem like that kind of girl at all."

  "I'm not." She picked up her purse and stood, not wanting to look him in the face. The article was filled with malicious lies, but the bits about her being horny and slutty were a little too close to home to dissect. There was nothing she enjoyed more than a good fuck, but it was a private matter. To have it splashed across the pages of a magazine, even one that people expected to be filled with ridiculousness, was painful. Embarrassing.

  "We ready to head back?" Mark stood up and stretched.

  "Yeah, now that you've eaten my lunch and yours." She poked at his stomach and smiled. Another camera flashed.

  "Get the fuck out of here. What’re you guys doing?" Mark turned toward the reporters and started their way. They took off in various directions, still clicking their cameras behind them as they ran.

  "Wow. How weird are you guys?" Jamie muttered to herself and dropped the rest of their trash in a trashcan by the sidewalk. Mark joined her moments later, his face red and contorted with anger.

  "Why do we put up with that shit? I swear they only exist to ruin lives." He glanced over his shoulder as they walked back to the office.

  "Ignore it; probably just trying to get more pictures of me being a sex-starved, loose woman." She shook her head and tried to let it all go. Having to talk with her sister shortly was going to take the day from bad to worse.

  "I'm guessing it's a no-go with Kristen." Mark chuckled and pointed across the street. "She and Paul seem to be enjoying each other more than friends would."

  Jamie followed his finger to see Paul and Kristen at an outdoor restaurant, laughing and sitting a little closer than work associates would.

  "Do you like her?" Jamie pressed the button for them to cross the street.

  "Yeah. I mean, she's beautiful. I've known her most of my life. Not as well as Alex did, but she was a bit of a crush for all of us boys back then." He shrugged. "Whatever."

  "Not whatever. If you like her, then tell her, Mark. Fight for her. Maybe she's just waiting for you to step up." Jamie nodded for them to cross the street. "Women want to hear that they matter. You guys don't say it enough. How about showing it?" She felt like she was trying to prod him. Just a couple hours earlier, she was saying that Kristen wasn’t the one for him.

  "Maybe you're right." He held the door open to the building. "Go call you sister and see what she knows. I'm going to join Paul and Kristen."

  "What? Really?" Jamie paused. "I just meant—"

  "I know, but it's all good. See you soon." He turned and jogged toward them as Jamie swallowed her concern and walked back into the building.

  At least one good thing had come of the day. Mark was going to fight for someone he wanted in his life. Jamie had no doubt that he would win Kristen back without much effort. He was too good a guy to ignore.

  Chapter 4

  She got too busy with returning calls and working through a few documents that Alex had e-mailed her to worry much more about her family or their involvement in the recent interview in the paper. After a long day at the office, she drove home in stony silence and let out a long sigh after getting into the house and locking the door behind her.

  A long swim would do her good. She changed into her suit and grabbed a towel before feeding her dog, Jake, and then spent a few minutes playing ball with him. Alex’s texts said that he wouldn't be home before midnight, and where she would usually have gotten upset about having another night to herself, this one was more than needed.

  The water was warm in the pool, which was almost soothing. She would have to figure out what to say to her family, but maybe just playing around the edges of the conversation would have them opening up to her instead. After a thirty-minute swim, she dried off, made herself a sandwich, and snuggled up on the couch.

  Christine answered on the first ring.

  "Jamie?"

  "Sorry to bother you so late. I just wanted to—"

  "Did you really let Stephen videotape you guys fucking? I've been sick about it all day." Her sister's voice was laden with tears.

  "What? Of course not." Jamie sat up, her body going rigid. "Why would I do something like that?"

  "Because I know how you are about sex. Stephen's a god in the bedroom. Why wouldn't you let him tape you? I'm honestly confused about all of this. It's disgusting and such a sad plea for attention. You should be ashamed of yourself." Christine sniffled several times as anger burned through the center of Jamie.

  "Are you fucking kidding me? Your piece of shit husband gives a nasty, slanderous interview to a national magazine about me, and you're upset with me? Is this a joke? Am I being punked?" Jamie shot up off the couch as the room dimmed just a little around her.

  "It's always about you, isn't it? You haven't even stopped to think about how embarrassing your actions might be to me. To Alex! I thought you cared about him, but you don't. You care only about yourself, just like you always have." Her sister was yelling by this point, which was beyond absurd.

  "I cannot believe we're having this conversation." Jamie let out a sharp laugh before pacing the floor in front of the couch. "So let me get this straight... you knew that Stephen spoke with the magazine about me? Do Mom and Dad know what you two have done?"

  "Us two? Oh, hell no. You're not pulling me into the middle of this."

  "I hope you choke on something or trip and bust your fucking teeth out." Jamie hung up and tossed the phone down on the couch before letting out a painful yell. How dare her sister turn the finger back on her? What was she thinking? Christine hadn't a logical bone in her body. That she would marry someone Jamie had been dating for a damn year was the first clue that something was off.

  She screamed and stomped her foot. "Idiots!"

  She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of cookies, not caring how many was in a serving, or how shitty she would feel later. She'd just shoved two in her mouth as the sound of the front door stopped her.

  "Jamie?" Alex's voice reached her and should have offered comfort, but he wasn't happy by the sound of it.

  She tugged her robe tighter, suddenly feeling like the overweight maid caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "In here." She finished what was in her mouth and turned to see him standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

  He looked delicious in his suit and tie, but the grimace on his face said that he was less than thrilled. Was he judging her for eating cookies at ten at night? For looking like hell after her swim?

  Every insecurity she had came rushing back to wrap around her, and she felt alone. Tired. Used up.

  "What the hell is this?" He lifted the paper and dropped it on the counter beside him. "You let Stephen film you guys fucking? Really? Who does that?"

  "What?" She wrapped her arms around herself. Was this day really happening? "Do you think I'm the kind of girl who would let Stephen film me having sex with him?"

  Fucking sounded so crass all of a sudden. Something dirty to be ashamed of.

  He ran his hands through his hair and tugged. "No. Yes. Fuck, I don't know. This day has been horrible, and now this."

  "Now this?" Jamie pressed her fingers to her lips as tears burned her eyes. "Now what? My ex-boyfriend, who is also your ex-friend, splashes my name all over the place as a worn down, sex-starved slut, and you're upset? I'm no longer Cinderella, with a pretty rags to riches story, but now pretty woman with a horrid past and loose morals?"

  "Jamie." He walked toward her, but she held up her hand and pressed it in the middle of his chest, keeping him at a distance.

  "No. To hell with you. A
ll of you. I've been kicked a million times today. Get another punching bag, or maid, as it were." She moved past him, feeling his grasp on the back of her arm.

  "Baby. I'm sorry. I didn't—"

  She whipped around. "No, that’s right... you didn't. You were too busy worrying about your own public image to consider me."

  "Jamie." He walked after her, following her into the bedroom, and grabbed her firmly.

  She was too tired to fight him, and the inside of her chest felt raw from holding back her need to break down all damn day. She sunk into his hold and let out a soft sob. "I know I'm not good enough. I'm fine with that. I just don't want to be reminded of it." She cried as he rubbed her back of her head and pressed kisses to the side of her face.

  "You're far better than me, baby. You know that. These people skew the truth. Stephen won't get away with this. I'll call my attorneys tomorrow. He threw lies into that interview, Jamie. None of that is true." He cupped her face and lifted it toward his, leaning down and kissing her softly. "I love you with all my heart. You're everything to me. Stop focusing on everyone else."

  "You're focusing on them too." She pressed her hands to his chest. "I'm heartbroken over everything that happened today, but I'm devastated by the things Stephen said."

  "He's a liar and he's jealous. You know this." Alex slid his hands over her neck and pushed her robe from her shoulders, leaving her bare.

  "I'm not sex-starved. I just enjoy it more than I should. I'll try and schedule something with a therapist." She covered her chest and glanced down, feeling more embarrassed than she should have.

  "Don't you dare. I love you the way you are. You enjoying sex is something I adore." He touched the bottom of her chin and lifted her face. "Don't degrade yourself for another minute. Stephen means nothing, right? I'm your man, and you're soon to be my wife. The rest of these bastards can rot."