Tease Me (Private Listing #4)

“He always did like a pretty face.” She sips her wine. “I’m sure she’s eager to please everyone too, like a little puppy.”

My jaw clenches but I smirk. “She doesn’t know what it takes to please someone like me.”

“I’m not surprised.” She sets her hands on the bar. “Courtney says she’s naive. You need someone who will be cunning and cutthroat.”

“And you’re that woman?” I tip my glass, watching the fluid shift, waiting for her to give me what I want.

“I’m the best you’ve ever had. As a lover. As an assistant. As a partner.” She leans back and slides her foot against my calf. “I could run circles around that little girl.”

“Hmm, I don’t know if I’ll be able to get out of the contract.” I give her an assessing look. “We agreed to exclusivity this time around.”

“I don’t think she’ll be a problem for long.” She smiles.

“What makes you say that?”

“I’ve heard she’s got someone who will do anything to make her his.” She slides her hand over mine. “Which means you’ll be free to choose whoever you want.”

“Do you know who it is? If anyone could figure out the mystery, it would be you.” I turn my hand over to hold hers and raise her knuckles to press a kiss on the back of them. I meet her heated eyes. She thinks she’s got me. Fuck this bitch.

“I wish. He didn’t seem in a hurry to get her away from you guys.” She shrugs delicately and rubs my hand with her thumb. “I got a little too eager.”

“How so?” My skin crawls from her touch.

Her eyes narrow on me and I give her a cocky grin.

“You’ll be mad.” She blows out a breath and pouts. “It’ll be just like before. You’ll choose those guys over me.”

“Maybe I’m done being second best. Maybe I’m ready to go out on my own so I can be with the best I ever had.” This is almost too easy.

“I was pretty angry at the way you guys treated me.” She meets my eyes.

“We had to make a statement, especially when you tried to blackmail us.” When her hand tenses in mine, I run my thumb over hers. “We couldn’t let you sell our story.”

“I tired of waiting for you to figure out I was the one.” She sighs. “You didn’t seem to want to be away from your friends, even though they just weigh you down.”

I nod like I agree with her. “So you helped Courtney try to ruin our reputation so you’d force me to go out on my own.”

Her eyes widen briefly before she nods.

“Only because I knew that’s what would be best for you. I started collecting your clients, knowing you’d want to help me make my company the best. I just need you to make it complete. The only problem in our way was the girl, but that guy is definitely taking care of her.” Her smile is wicked. “We’ll be able to be together.”

I have to stop myself from squeezing her hand. From forcing her to tell me what the fuck that’s supposed to mean. My heart pounds, and the need to check on Madison rides me hard, but she’s safe in the building with the others. “What do you mean he’s ‘taking care of her’?”

“He’s taking her now.” She smiles and bats her eyes at me. “So you’ll be free to come to me. And we can tell all the clients I liberated that they’ll have the best of the best, because it will just be me and you.”

He’s taking her now. Fuck.

“Who is he?”

“Who cares?” Andrea runs her hand down my tie. “You and I have a lot of making up to do, but I forgive you for being cruel to me.”

“How do you know about him?”

She straightens at my tone a little. I need to calm the fuck down and get what I need from her.

“I’m just amazed you know. It’s not common knowledge that she has a stalker.” I lift my other hand to push her hair behind her ear. “You always kept me guessing.”

She smiles. “Yvonne. She told Courtney. She’s been helping us a little with our plans, too, since she knows your schedule.”