by Kylie Parker
Eddie is probably about ready to kill me. There is not much I can do to make the drive any faster with the LA traffic. I can’t believe this happened. I swear Éclair must have done this on purpose. She knew all about this little PR stunt we’re doing with the new gym to promote our new line of supplements. She has never stayed over before, and she certainly has never made me any food after our… endeavors. She was just screwing with me to make me late.
Éclair and I have an unusual relationship. She is definitely a hit it and quit it type woman. Our relationship is purely sexual –not that we don’t enjoy an intellectual conversation from time to time. Honestly, we are probably made for each other, but we’re both way too stubborn. We use each other for sex for tension relief. Our jobs are pretty hectic –hers more so than mine, so casual sex with no strings attached is just what we need to unwind. We have a lot of fun together, but we’re both too big of assholes to ever make a real relationship work between us. We both have dominant personalities, as is proven by her constant insistence that I sell my company to her. Not going to happen.
I drive by a large billboard that I have seen a thousand times before. It always makes my junk bounce a bit from excitement. It’s a billboard for one of Éclair’s supplements; the model is the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen. I’m sure it’s mostly photoshopped, but I don’t really care. The woman has blonde hair, perky breasts, tan skin, is well toned, and is basically the ideal female specimen. There is not anything in any porn mag I’ve ever looked at that could even compare to this random model on a billboard for an energy supplement. Maybe we should start using models that look like that?
I shake the random distraction away. Ten minutes have already passed. Eddie is going to be fuming by the time I get there. How could I forget about this? I mean, seriously? Eddie and I do not exactly get along. I was the little brother, and our dad had left me pretty much everything – the company included. Eddie had been totally blindsided, and truthfully it had come as a shock to me as well. Turned out, Eddie was not biologically our father’s son. We had no idea. Dad had always treated Eddie well; if anything, I had always thought Eddie was his favorite. He left Eddie his summer home and a small fortune, but that was it apart from a rather cruel letter telling him he was the result of our mother’s infidelity and that he was only somewhat sorry for not telling him sooner. Eddie’s inheritance would be considered a lot to most people, but our old man had been positively loaded. I inherited a multi-billion dollar supplements corporation, two houses that I never use, multiple classic cars, his stupid ass horses, his yacht, a crummy baseball team I did not even know existed, any sort of family heirlooms, and a hell of a lot more. After Dad had died and Eddie had been blindsided by him, he had started heading down a dark road. I hired Eddie as my assistant PR guy as well as a head factory worker, but that was the most of my charity he would take.
Now Eddie takes his job very seriously –a lot more serious than I do, I’ll admit. He is probably fuming right now. I speed along the road as quickly as the traffic allows, hoping that I’m not going to be too terribly late –knowing good and well that that is probably a false hope.
Chapter Four
I am more than just a little late. I’m jumping out of my car as fast as I can, and I see Eddie bolting in my direction. “I ought to kick your ass.” He snarls and closes my door for me. The two of us begin to speed walk through the parking lot towards the front of the building where a group of impatient people are waiting to get inside. “Do you realize how long these people have been waiting? Seriously, James, you’re so irresponsible. I can’t believe you are a fucking hour late! An hour! All because you were boning Éclair again. You know that woman is our competition, right? Or have you forgotten that little fact? Well?”
“Would you just shut up? Seriously, man. I am sorry I’m late but damn!” I shove him, so he’s not walking so close to me.
“You’re the face of the company,” Eddie reminds me, “People are buying you. You can’t act like a selfish asshole when we put your face on everything. People are buying that stupid pretty face of yours.”
I laugh, “You think I’m pretty?”
“It’s not funny!” Eddie snaps, “I’m serious, James. You can’t keep blowing stuff off like this. We’ve sunk a lot of money into this gym. If the company is going to expand it’s Healthy Living line, we have got to make this work. This is just going to be the first of many if it works out, and I don’t know about you, but I rather not have this become a giant money pit. I can’t believe you just-”
“Okay, pause,” I say and stop walking. We wind up standing in the middle of the parking lot staring each other down. “I’m sorry. You need to take a breath, though. I’m here. People are still here. The reporters are still here. This is something we can settle easily. Got it? What’s done is done. I’m going to walk up to that little podium, give my speech, and cut the damn ribbon so people can go inside. Then you are going to shut your damn mouth. Got it?”
“Don’t fucking talk to me like that!” Eddie hisses.
“I’ll talk to you however I damn well please,” I say, feeling angrier than I probably should. I’m mostly angry at Éclair for screwing me over, but I guess I’m just going to take it out on Eddie, “I’m your boss. I own your ass, remember? Honestly, you’re lucky you even have a job.”
“Excuse me?” he looks like he wants to punch me, but I know he won’t.
I poke my finger in his chest, “I know you’re in debt. That’s why you’re freaking out over this shit. I’m not going to let the company take a fall, Eddie. You’re going to be fine.”
Eddie looks furious, “How did you know I was in debt?”
“Your skanky sister. That’s how.” I say, and he stiffens. Eddie’s biological father was apparently notorious for getting married women pregnant; he just found out about a few half-siblings about a year after our dad died. They’re all a bunch of losers who are always taking his money. Apparently of all the children, his biological father created, Eddie is the only one who turned out to be even half-descent. By the look on Eddie’s face, I can tell he had no idea I had spoken with any of them at all.
“Why are you even talking to them?” he snarls. “They’re not your family.”
“No, but you are.” I say, “And I’m not going to let you sink down any further, man. The company is fine. You just got to stop giving out loans to all of those idiots. You’re too prideful to take any money from me, but you’re more than happy to write a check to bail one of those morons out of jail. You got to cut back on your family charity, or you’re going to wind up losing your shares and everything else.”
He grumbles slightly, but the sad look on his face tells me that he is admitting defeat, “I don’t know what to do, James.”
I pat his shoulder, “You’ve looked after me pretty much my whole life. I got your back, Eddie. I know taking financial advice from your little brother is a low blow, but maybe try listening to me for once.”
“Fine.” He says under his breath.
“Good.” I say, “We’ll talk afterward about what we can do, all right?”
“Fine.” He says again, “Don’t forget, you’re meeting Tiffany after this.”
“Right,” I say, having completely forgotten he wanted to introduce me to his girlfriend today. He’s been dating this Tiffany chick for a couple of months now, and he seems to really like her as far as I can tell. I’m glad we got the whole debt thing out in the open; I’ve meant to talk to him about it for some time now.
Looks like it’s time to get the show on the road.
Chapter Five
“What can I say?” I laugh as I speak into the microphone at the podium, “Traffic.” I’m getting pretty agitated with the reporter in the front row with the purple stripe in her hair. She keeps asking some pretty obnoxious and kind of personal questions. I’m kind of a businessman-celebrity type, and she is clearly trying to pin me as a flake after being an hour late for my own event.
�
�Mr. Caldwin,” the same woman asks, “Would you care to comment on last week’s incident at El Ranchero Grill?”
Well, isn’t she just lovely? Last week I got into a bar fight, and it made the local news. She’s nailing me hard. “Tell you what, sweetheart, you and I can talk privately about that later. Let’s get this show on the road –how about it, everyone?”
The group of patrons who have been waiting to check out the gym cheer excitedly. I cut the ribbon and everyone heads inside. It’s a pretty impressive gym. Rock-climbing walls, pools, sauna’s, a smoothie joint, and a hell of a lot more make up the unique perks our memberships allow. People are going to really dig this place. There are fliers promoting our supplements all over the place. I smile somewhat vainly at one flier that is pretty much just a shot of my chest that reads Get Shattered.
“Prideful little asshole, aren’t you?” it’s the petite reporter with the purple stripe in her black hair.
She snuck up on me. I frown, “What can I say? I suppose you hit the nail on the head. Who are you, exactly?”
“Call me Tiff Lovely.” She says.
Lovely? Well, that’s an interesting last name. “Well, Ms. Lovely, tell me, who exactly do you work for?”
“I’m a blogger.” She says, and I laugh –loudly.
“You must be joking.” I say, “And here I thought you were a real reporter with the way you were grinding me.”
“Cute.” She says, clearly not at all pleased with the real reporter jab. “I make good money doing what I do, Mr. Caldwin.”
“What blog?” I ask curiously, “Maybe I heard of it.”
“LA Unbound.” She says, and I’m impressed. I have heard of it. I think Eddie reads it or something.
“That’s your blog?” I ask.
“That’s my blog.” She says, “You promised a private interview.”
“I suppose I did.” I say with a wink, “I suppose you want to grind me some more.”
“Are you coming with me?” she asks.
“Look who’s acting prideful now.” I say and then offer her my arm, “We can talk in my office upstairs.”
She nods, and we take an elevator to the second floor. I make a half-hearted joke about taking the rock climbing wall to the second floor, and she actually finds it funny. She’s like a little doll; she only comes up to the middle of my chest, but there is definitely an attractiveness about her. I like the subtle oriental look about her; my guess is she has some sort of Asian in her up the family tree. She dresses a lot younger than she looks; she has a sort of punk rocker look going on.
We head down a hall and enter into my secondary office; I have an office at all of my buildings –not just the factory. As soon as we close the door, I instantly put on the charm. I’ve always been excellent at flirtation, and I can tell I have her frazzled as she attempts to proceed with an interview. I can tell she wants to nab me with something for her blog, but I'm too charming for her. She stutters, and I laugh and tell her it’s cute which embarrasses her. I manage to get things turned around on her, and I take control of the conversation –asking her about her blog and various other things I could not possibly care less about. She’s swooning; I can tell.
Suddenly, Ms. Lovely becomes fully aware of her own behavior and decides it’s time for her to leave. She stands, and I stand as well to get the door for her. “It’s been a pleasure, Ms. Lovely,” I say as I just barely open the door, not opening it all the way just yet.
“Yes, a pleasure.” She says, and I can see her cheeks turning bright red. There is a hesitation as we both wait to see what the other is going to do, and I’m honestly surprised that she acts on her temptation. I thought I was just screwing with her, but she is apparently interested. She closes the door with her foot and then lunges for me.
She’s so small that I feel like I could crush her when I wrap my arms around her. There is a small love seat on one side of the room, and we are there in an instant. I sit down, and she sits in my lap facing me and pulls me out of my t-shirt with our new gym logo. She sees my chest, and I swear it takes her breath away. “Oh my…” she blushes. We kiss for several minutes before she starts to wiggle her skirt and fishnet stockings down; they don’t make it far down before I am turning her around. I pull my own pants down just enough so that she can sit on my cock, and I bounce her in my lap and slide myself in and out of her. Her feet come off the ground each time I press my hips up into her, and she cries out pleasurably.
I reach around front and work my hands under her shirt, pleased to discover she’s not wearing a bra. I rub her stomach and her breast she pulls her back as I slouch down into the love seat. I keep one hand under her shirt, and I work my other hand at her clit while my cock does the rest. “Still think I’m an asshole?” I ask, panting slightly.
She just groans. She leaned backward and reached around to touch my neck; with her other hand, she grips the arm of the chair. “Say my name,” she says erotically.
“Um…” Shit, I forgot.
“It’s Tiffany, stupid.” She says.
I freeze, “Wait, what?”
Chapter Six
“Your name’s Tiffany?” I ask just as the door opens, and I spot Eddie standing in the doorway.
“Shit.” The woman swears under her breath.
“Tiff?” Eddie’s eyes are wide as he lets the scene sink in. Tiffany jumps up out of my lap, and I stand up to stuff myself back into my pants. Eddie shields his eyes, obviously not wanting to look at my junk as I shimmy back into my clothes as fast as possible.
I just got busted banging my brother’s girl, but it’s not like I knew! Damn; this is bad. I had never met his girlfriend. I should really pay attention to Eddie when he talks; did he tell me she was a writer? I don’t remember. He always called her Tiffany –how the hell did I not make the connection between Tiff and Tiffany? Stupid! “Eddie, it’s not what you think-” I hear Tiffany say, and it is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. What the hell is it then? He saw it! There is no taking that crap back. He saw it, and she’s trying to convince him it didn’t happen.
Eddie won’t look at her. He stares past her at me, and I am just trying to hide the fact I’m still hard. He suddenly breaks his stare to look at her and say, “Get your stupid ass off my property before I have security drag you out, you stupid slut!”
“Eddie!” She pleads and tries to touch him, and he yanks his arm back.
“Get lost!” He snaps, “Or I swear I’ll beat the shit out of you.”
From the look in her eye, she knows she’s messed up big time. As far as she probably knows, Eddie is just as rich as me –I’m sure she thought she had found herself a true sugar daddy. Well, she screwed up this time. “Fine!” she snaps and then points a finger in his face, “He’s way better than you, by the way –at least he can find my g-spot!”
Shit. Well, thanks for that –as if he’s not already going to be pissed at me. She leaves, and Eddie just shoots me this eat shit look. “Man, I didn’t know-” I start to say, but he just turns around and heads out of the office.
There is no way I’m going to let him just walk off like that. He’s got so much going on with him right now. He’s broke, he’s got family problems, and now he’s suddenly single thanks to me. I hurry down the thankfully deserted hallways after him. “Eddie,” I catch up with him and put my hand on his shoulder.
He spins around suddenly and throws a fist into my face. He about knocks me off my feet, but I thankfully manage to stay on my feet. “Stay the hell away from me!”
My temper swells, and I grab him by his shirt collar, “What the hell, man? You punched me in my face!” He swings at me around, but I manage to block his swing with my shoulder. Eddie may be my older brother, but he’s nowhere near as strong as I am. I grab his arms and ram him into the wall, pinning him there, “Knock it off!” I shout.
“Get your hands off me!” He shouts, “Let go!”
“You need to chill!” I snap, “Listen, Eddie, I didn’t know that-” He head-b
utts me. He actually head-butts me right in the nose. I swear I see red. I grab him by his hair and grip one of his arms before throwing him to the ground and giving him a kick in the side.
I think I knocked the air out of him. He coughs, and he stays on the ground and holds up a hand to let me know he’s done. I would call this an over-reaction on my part, and I feel like shit. I go to help him stand, but he slaps my hand away, “Just leave me alone, James.” He stands up on his own and straightens his suit. He stretches his back and exhales loudly. “You’re not as sexy as you think you are.” He grumbles.
I know this is not going to help, but I can’t help myself. I laugh. “Oh really?”
“You know what? Forget you, man.” Eddie says, “It’s like you exist purely to screw with me. Every shitty thing that has ever happened to me has been because of you!”
“I’ve never done a thing to you-”
“You slept with my girlfriend!” He shouts.
“That’s on her.” I say, “I didn’t know she was your girlfriend.”
“I didn’t say you knew,” Eddie says, “And I don’t really care whether you did or not. You’re a horny son of a bitch who does things without thinking. You never stop and think that what you do affects people around you. You were late this morning. You gamble with our stocks. You’re fucking our competition on the side. You’re an irresponsible asshole!”
“This business is doing great. I’m not irresponsible. I’m just not a stiff.” I say, “You got to lighten up. You’ve always been like this. You always act like you have something you got to prove.”
“Why the hell do you think I’m like that?” Eddie questions, “Dad always treated you like the favorite. I always thought it was because you were better than me, but now I know he just didn’t give a shit about me because I wasn’t his kid. You’re not better than me. You’re just a lucky shit with a billion dollar inheritance.”