Cocky Billionaires: A Contemporary Romance Box Set

by J. P. Comeau

  “This city’s too loud,” I murmured.

  I looked back over at the mantle and sighed. I’d never been prone to missing people, but damn it, I missed my best friend. I turned away from the picture and snatched the empty beer bottle up from the couch as Bryce’s voice sounded in my mind.

  You better recycle that thing, Stone.

  I chuckled as I tossed the glass bottle into my green recycling bin. Bryce had always been earth-conscious. For him, it was his way of atoning for the sins we carried out as orders from our superiors. And it made me wonder if his contributions were enough to keep him from burning.

  Like I thought we all would for some of the shit we’d done.

  I heard my phone ding from my bedroom, and I never thought I’d be so happy to hear that sound. I charged out of my living room and headed straight into my bedroom, where I snatched my phone up from my bedside table. My bed frame creaked with anguish as I sat on the edge of my mattress. But, when I saw I had a text from Zane, every part of me went on alert.

  Until I opened the message and saw what it really was about.

  Zane: You’re missing a great birthday party, man. We’re still here if you want to come down.

  I chuckled and shook my head before I closed out the message. I knew Roxy’s birthday was today, but I wasn’t sure if I was welcome at the party. I mean, I was her boss, for crying out loud. And they were at a casino. With drinks, and flashing lights, and anything else to mesmerize people into doing shit they didn’t normally do. I couldn't take that kind of chance with my first-ever full-time employee. I had to keep some boundaries with her.

  But, when the deafening silence of my place swallowed me whole, I started undressing.

  “Couldn’t hurt to stop by for a bit,” I murmured.

  After exchanging one suit for another, I looked around my apartment. There were no pictures on the wall—no decorations in the corners. No flowers were sitting on my non-existent kitchen table. All I had were my clothes, which were still in bags; some dishes, which were still in boxes; and my television, which was still missing my video game console and my soundbar.

  Yeah. I need to get out.

  I gathered my things and headed out the door with anticipation filling my bones. I didn’t have to stay long, either. Just long enough to see how things were unfolding and make sure everyone was having a good--but safe--evening. After all, if Roxy didn’t want me there? If she got mad at my presence? I could always tell her I was working for the night. It was a holiday weekend for everyone else, but not for me.

  So, with that in mind, I drove my bored ass to the casino.

  I wasn’t far away from it, though. The studio apartment I had was downtown, less than a block away from The Strip. I could’ve walked there, had I chosen a different outfit. But, I didn’t want to sweat through my damn suit before I got there. That wasn’t a very appealing look, no matter what a man looked like. Besides, if I sweated through my suit, I wouldn't have a chance to use the ‘I’m working’ excuse of Roxy gave me any sort of guff for being there.

  I parked in the very full parking lot and made my way inside. And while the waitresses tried shoving food and alcohol menus in my face, I simply waved them off. I wasn’t here to eat, or party, or drink. I was here to mingle, to see Roxy, and to try and get out a bit.

  All I had been doing since I moved back here was work.

  It didn’t take me long to spot her since her voice constantly rose above the crowd. Roxy had a big mouth on her, or so I was coming to find out. But, for me? That only added to how beautiful she was on a regular basis. She wasn’t a push-over, like most women. She stood up for what she wanted, even if she was a bit of a spoiled brat. I admired that in her. Her go-getter-take-no-shit attitude was exactly why I hired her to be my front desk secretary, and the first face people saw when they walked into my building.

  But, it didn’t take long for her to throw back way too much to drink.

  I watched her like a hawk as I slowly walked around the room. She jumped from roulette tables to blackjack to slot machines and back again. She had a wad of cash I knew wasn’t hers, but the real question was who the hell gave her that kind of money?

  Did another man give her that?

  The idea made me grind my teeth together.

  I saw her leaning very close to a slot machine, and it almost made me rush over to her. It looked like she was about to fall out of her seat until the lights started flashing on top of the damn thing. My eyebrows rose as Roxy threw her fists into the air. She pumped them and hopped up, rejoicing and hopping around.

  She was touting the fact that she’d just one five hundred big ones.

  The sight made me grin. Though, I also wondered where everyone else was. I hadn’t spotted Brenden, or Zane, or their girls since I walked into this damn place over an hour ago. That made me angry. This was Roxy’s birthday, and she was rejoicing her win alone?

  You’re not alone, Roxy. I’m here.

  I watched her rip her winning ticket stub away from the machine before she pushed through the crowd of random onlookers. She stumbled on her feet as she made a beeline for the bar, and I knew she couldn't drink anymore. She had to slow down. She needed water, not another vodka tonic, or whatever the hell she’d been sucking down.

  But, as I tried to approach her, she swayed in my direction.

  Before running smack dab into my body.

  Shit!

  I watched her arms flail backward as her body started falling to the floor. And that sure as hell wasn’t happening. On reflex, I reached out, gripping her waist with my hands. I pulled her close to me, helping her to steady herself on her feet when I felt something wet bleeding through my shirt. I gazed down at the wet spot before I saw Roxy’s empty glass in her hand. But, the grip she had on my arm pulled me from my trance quickly. I liked how she clung to me, how her delicate hands gripped my muscles.

  “My my, I didn’t realize where I was rushing off to. I’m so sorry, Mister…?”

  I blinked. “You good, Roxy?”

  The second my voice sounded, she pulled away from me. I watched her carefully as her back fell against a pole that stood behind her as her eyes slowly worked their way up to my face. Even in her drunken state, she was a very pretty girl. The outfit she donned for the evening made my fingertips tingle. I wondered what her shirt might look like on my bedroom floor, and the second that thought rolled through my mind, I knew I’d made a mistake coming here.

  She’s your employee, and you’re here working—nothing else.

  “Holy shit, I’m so sorry,” Roxy said breathlessly.

  I looked down at the wet spot on my shirt. “Oh. That.”

  She started looking around. “I didn’t even know I had picked up that new drink. I’m so sorry, Clint. I’ll pay for the dry-cleaning, and--.”

  “It’s fine, Roxy. I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”

  She turned around with napkins in her hand. “Aha! Here. Let me just--.”

  I sighed. “Roxy.”

  She reached out for my suit. “This will get some of it off, at least.”

  I wrapped my hand around her wrist. “Look at me when I’m speaking with you.”

  She’s not on the clock right now, cool your jets.

  She pulled away from me. “You’re only my boss on workdays, and while I’m clocked in. You don’t get to address me like that during off time. Got it?”

  I shrugged. “Well, it’s not off-time for me.”

  “It is for me, Clint. So, why don’t you try that statement again.”

  I didn’t know what to say to come back from this awkward encounter. So, I simply stared down into her frustrated gaze.

  “I don’t even know why you’re here anyway,” she said. “If you don’t want to be here, you can leave. You have the birthday girl’s permission.”

  I blinked. “Did you not hear me tell you that it’s not off-time for me?”

  She slipped around me. “You’re never on off-time. You’re a
workaholic, just like the rest of your family.”

  Why did you press that button? “Hey!”

  She whipped around. “I don’t give a shit what you think you’re doing here. And I don’t know where you get off jumping in front of me like that. I didn’t need your help, or your intervention, or your expertise. So, why don’t you just keep patrolling around here like the security man you are and leave me the hell alone, yeah?”

  My stomach sank. “Happy birthday, Roxy.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. I would’ve rather stayed home with a pizza.”

  Then, she turned on her heels and headed back for the bar.

  Her words hung heavily in my mind, though, because she had a point. Not once had I seen Kelly or Karina since I came to the casino, and they beat me here by an entire hour. And if they weren’t keeping an eye on Roxy, then who the hell was? I turned around, looking out over the sea of heads that bobbed as people wasted their money on pointless machines. I tried to spot Brenden or Zane. I tried to see where the hell those four had gotten off to.

  I didn’t see them, though, either.

  “Just go, all right!?” Roxy yelled.

  I didn’t even bother turning around to face her.

  “Sure thing,” I said.

  I made my way for the front doors and headed back out into the parking lot. I don’t know what kind of time Zane was having, but it sure as hell wasn’t the kind of time Roxy was having. And if she didn’t want me here, then I certainly wouldn’t rain on her parade anymore than it had been rained on. Part of me felt bad for her, though.

  It was her birthday, and her friends weren’t even at her side.

  At least I can tell Zane I got out…

  5

  _____

  ROXY

  “May I have your attention, please? Will Roxy Crown, the birthday girl, please report to the dining hall? I repeat, will Roxy Crown--the birthday girl--please report to the dining hall.”

  I snickered. “Great.”

  I threw back drink number, oh I don’t know before I found my way into the dining hall. I saw Kelly snuggling up to Brenden with his arm draped around her. I saw Karina, with her head lying effortlessly on Zane’s shoulder. And when I entered the room, they didn’t even stand to greet me. Brenden waved at me, and Zane smiled at me. But, my two ‘best friends’ didn’t even budge.

  So, I sat down at the head of the table and got right to it.

  “I want to know who invited my boss?”

  That got everyone’s attention. And soon, they were all looking at me.

  “Wait. What?” Karina asked.

  “Clint was here?” Kelly asked.

  I nodded. “If you guys were spending any time with me at all, you’d know I just ran into him. Literally. Spilled my drink all over him before he spouted off some lie about working security for the night.”

  Zane blinked. “He did? You mean, he came?”

  “I take it you’re the one that invited him?”

  He shrugged. “I mean, I sent him a text telling him that he was missing out on a good time.”

  “Well, it looks like you were the first liar of the night.”

  Brenden sighed. “Roxy, we were just setting up your birthday dinner. That’s all.”

  Kelly reached out for me. “Oh, don’t be mad at us. Not when you see the spread of food and the beautiful cake. The cupcake was just a tease.”

  Karina nodded. “You’re going to love it, I promise. And for the rest of the night, we’re going to be right here.”

  Yeah, well, I won’t. “Thanks.”

  I fluffed my napkin and laid it out in my lap, but I was still royally pissed off at them. They abandoned me on my birthday, and then Zane invites my damn boss to my birthday party? Who the hell thinks it’s fun to have their boss anywhere? Much less out on the town for a night that’s supposed to be about me? I was too upset to have fun. All I wanted to do was eat and get home. I mean, I’d already blown through my money, including the five hundred bucks I won.

  The poker tables told me I needed to go home.

  So, that’s what I intended to do after I stuffed my face.

  “Did you say you ran into him?” Brenden asked.

  I picked up my glass of water. “Yep. He stepped out in front of me as I was headed to the bar after my big win.”

  Karina gasped. “You won!? How much?”

  I spared her a look. “You’d know if you were out there.”

  Kelly shook her head. “Oh, come on, Roxy. Cut us some slack. We planned this all for you.”

  “Well, I would’ve much preferred a night in with pizza and you guys to laugh with than this extravagant nonsense I’ve had to enjoy by myself. But, thanks, I guess.”

  Zane stood. “I need to go call Clint. Figure out where he went.”

  “Of course, you do.”

  Karina glared at me. “That’s his brother, Roxy. He’s worried.”

  “And I’m the birthday girl, but you don’t see me complaining about shit that’s gone wrong tonight.”

  “Until now,” Kelly murmured.

  I rose to my feet. “Say that again to my face.”

  She stood with me. “Until now, Roxy. You’re acting like a spoiled brat.”

  “Just for one night, all I wanted was to feel like I was still part of this group. You know, still part of this family. But, no. You couldn’t even give me that. Now, my best friends are nothing but housewives who work sometimes and mothers who have completely cut me out because I’m single and have no one.”

  Kelly raised her voice. “Or, maybe you’re just jealous because you want what we have, and you’re too much of a jerk to admit it!”

  I gasped. “You take that back.”

  Brenden stood. “Okay, okay. Why don’t we all settle down and have a drink.”

  Karina snickered. “I think Roxy’s had enough to drink.”

  I threw my napkin onto the table. “That’s it. I’m going home.”

  “Roxy!” Karina exclaimed.

  I glared at her. “Never in a million years did I think my sister and my own best friend would do this to me. Never did I think we wouldn’t be a family. But, you guys enjoy cutting me out of stuff now, don’t you?”

  Karina shook her head. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “The spa trip you and Kelly took without inviting me?”

  Brenden paused. “Wait, you didn’t go on that spa trip?”

  I shook my head. “Nope. And what about the shopping trip you two took a couple of weeks ago? Hmmm?”

  Kelly sighed. “Roxy, those are just one-off times.”

  I giggled bitterly. “Yeah? Well, how about the day trip to the beach you guys took last Saturday? Huh? Or, the lunch dates you guys apparently do every Wednesday with one another now, yeah? What, do you think I don’t look at social media posts? Do you think I don’t see what you guys are doing without so much as asking me if your other best friend wants to come along?”

  Kelly sighed. “It’s just--sometimes, I don’t want to hang out with someone who’s single, Roxy. Sometimes, I want to hang out with someone who understands where my life is headed. And Karina gets that.”

  I nodded slowly. “Well, at least you’re being honest with me now. Thanks for completely blocking me out of your life.”

  Karina scoffed. “Oh, come on. Now you’re just being dramatic.”

  I pointed at her. “No, Clint’s dramatic. Waltzing up into my birthday party trying to act like he gives a damn about me before slinging around lies about working. Why the fuck was he invited anyway?”

  Brenden butted in. “Because we thought he could use a nice time to unwind, too.”

  “Oh, so it’s certainly not to celebrate my birthday, right?”

  Zane walked back into the room. “Good news, he got home all right. He had to get out of his booze-smelling suit. Though, I don’t know if he’s coming back.”

  I threw my hands into the air. “Praise God. He’s okay! Now, if you’ll excuse me, this po
intless birthday girl is going home.”

  Brenden called after me. “Roxy!”

  I whipped around. “If I hear one more person yell my name like I’m some toddler to be called out, I’ll smack the person that dares to talk to me like that. I’m a grown woman being shoved out onto the curb by her own friends, and it hurts. It hurts to hear you guys admit that and then justify it as if my feelings don’t matter. Well, you know what? They do matter. At least on this one day, they do.”

  He sighed. “Do you know why Clint is always so standoffish? Why we always try to get him out of that stupid little apartment he’s renting?”

  Zane murmured. “Brenden, don’t.”

  I paused. “Why?”

  Brenden licked his lips. “Because he lost his best friend on patrol in Iraq. And that’s when he decided he wasn’t going to re-enlist.”

  The entire table fell silent as my heart fell to my toes.

  “That’s horrible,” Karina said.

  Zane nodded. “Bryce died right there next to him trying to save a couple of guys who had been ejected from the vehicle because of the I.E.D. blast. Clint hasn’t been the same since.”

  Brenden held out his hands. “We’ve been trying to get him out, and maybe your birthday night wasn’t the best time to try and do that. We’re really sorry.”

  “Yes. I’m sorry for inviting him, Roxy. It was insensitive, and I completely forgot about the fact that he’s your boss now,” Zane said.

  I looked between the girls. “You guys got anything to say? Maybe an apology, too?”

  But, when they didn’t say anything, I picked up my purse.

  “Come on, Roxy. Don’t do this,” Kelly said.

  I shrugged. “I’m not doing it. You guys have already been doing it for weeks. And I’m done chasing after people who don’t care about me anymore.”

  Karina scoffed. “Look around you, Roxy. Of course, we care about you!”

  “If you can’t honestly see where I’m coming from, then you never will. While you guys have been off canoodling and setting this shit up that I could’ve set up myself in an hour or two, your so-called best friend and sister was out there alone. I am playing alone, gambling, alone, and winning alone. I’m even drinking alone! I’m sitting in my apartment alone while you two shop! I’m sitting home alone while you two go on spa retreats! I’m sitting at home alone, hoping and praying you guys will call to ask me to do something while you fuckers are off taking a damn day trip to the beach!”