Boss Me (Private Listing #3)

Who the fuck is Robert?

“What about your neighbor?” Blake asks.

Ah, the reclusive neighbor. Not another fuckboy like that guy she banged at Taylor’s.

“He came and gave me my bracelet back. He found it in the hall. But he said a woman tried to get into my apartment a few times. Brown hair, but that’s all he caught.” She straightens. “When Robert found the bracelet in the hallway, it was after Blake and I had been there.”

“So is Robert back on the suspect list?” Blake asks, clearly not pleased with this turn.

“I don’t know.” Madison shakes her head. “I mean, you guys said he wasn’t one because he didn’t leave his apartment when I was trapped in the file room. But the bracelet. And while he didn’t have access to my apartment, he has been inside it.”

“He was in your apartment?” Blake’s expression clouds with anger.

“He always talked to me when I got home, and one time he followed me in.” Her eyes lock with Blake’s. “That’s it. It took me a while to get him out of the apartment, but otherwise, he was never welcome.”

“Is it possible Valerie would have let him in when you weren’t there?” Blake asks.

Madison leans back and looks up at the ceiling like she’s looking for the answers. “Valerie didn’t really like Robert, and he steered clear of her. But when she was strung out, who knows what she’d do? It’s possible.”

“I think we need fresh brains for this.” Seth pushes to stand, and everyone closes their laptops or tablets. “Come here, princess.”

She moves into his open arms and he hugs her to him, kissing the top of her head. I get it. Someone is trying to take Madison away from us. Someone else is trying to take down what we’ve worked to build. Even if the stalker wants Madison, he’s going after what’s ours. And we won’t let that stand.

As she steps out of Seth’s arms, Blake draws her into his. Each of us has lost a piece of ourselves to this woman. Maybe not lost, but given. Freely. Because she gave us something we didn’t know we needed.

When Blake finishes, Noah engulfs her in an embrace that shouldn’t make me jealous. I love Noah like my brother. I want him to be happy. He makes her happy, which makes me happy, but they have something I’m not sure I can ever give her.

My heart is cold and hard and not worthy of someone like Madison. But Noah’s is, and that’s what I’m jealous about. I can keep her in luxury above and beyond what all my friends can, but I can’t give her the one thing she needs.

As she pulls away from Noah, she turns to me. She doesn’t hesitate to step into my body and put her arms around me, leaning her ear over my pounding heart. I close my arms around her and shut my eyes as I rest my chin on her soft hair.

For a moment, I can pretend. Pretend I deserve her. I’m not willing to give her up, though, so even if I don’t deserve her, I’ll still keep her and try to be what she needs. Something the others can’t give her. What that is, I’m not sure yet.

Chapter 117

Corporate Imagination

Madison

It’s weird walking into Coop’s room without him. He keeps it immaculately clean, almost like a fresh hotel suite. On his neatly made bed is a silver package wrapped in a red ribbon with an envelope on top.

I sit down on the edge of the bed next to it. The envelope is made of thick, crisp white paper. Opening it carefully, I pull out a white card with Cooper Graham in a gold scrolling font at the top. In bold black handwriting is simply:

You’re failing sex ed and need to convince your professor (me) to help you pass.

I scrunch up my face. I’ve never failed a class in my life. Pulling the ribbon on the box free, I lift the lid and find a barely there pleated, plaid skirt and a white button-down shirt. The fabric is nice, not at all like a costume for Halloween.

Beneath the outfit is a pair of knee-high socks and black Mary Janes. And the most innocent set of silky white panties and a push-up bra. My eyebrows rise. How long has he had this fantasy?

Okay, so failing sex ed because what? I’m a virgin and I’m supposed to prove to my professor I deserve an A by seducing him? It’s up to me what my backstory is. I could play it innocent or I could go the other way… I’ve skipped class because I’m already well-versed in sexual education and willing to prove it to him?

Shaking my head, I stand and take off all my clothes. This won’t go well. I’ll probably get through two minutes before I laugh with either scenario. But I’m willing to try for Coop. The clothes fit me well, but the skirt barely covers my ass. I walk into his bathroom and brush my hair into two low pigtails.

I untuck and unbutton the bottom of my shirt and tie it into a knot, revealing my midriff, and unbutton the top until the lace from my bra just shows. The choices of lip color are between a soft pink and a dark red. If I try to play the seductress, I will laugh. It’s unavoidable. But I might get him to lead more if I play the virgin.

Grabbing the pink lipstick, I put it on. Some light eye makeup completes the look.

The full-length mirror almost makes me laugh. I’m a few years too old for a schoolgirl’s uniform, but it’s quite sexy. I can see why Coop would go for this. Does that mean he’ll be dressed as my professor?