“Every time I walk into our office space and I see those lights I want to scream. They give me a headache. They are so unattractive and now Vivian is having a hard time getting Justin to return our calls. He’s so clueless. I’m getting my lawyers to draw up a few papers and they’ll be served to him along with his final payment where we’ve removed the price of these hideous lamps. We’re also removing all charges related to the installation. You wouldn’t believe how much these monstrosities cost.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I reply, amused by his disgust.
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault if the guy is small-minded. In any case, I now have all this extra money to spend and I thought I’d hire your sister to finish the work.”
“What?” I nearly choke because I so didn’t see that coming.
“Your sister! Remember when we went to eat at Betony, you revealed to the waiter that your sister was one of the top lighting designers in the country and she had designed the lighting at the restaurant? Well, I figured if I’m shagging her sister, I might as well get her expert touch for my office.” He punctuates his sentence with a wink.
My heart jumps into my throat and the room goes dark. Unfortunately, we’re having dinner at a restaurant right now and I have to compose myself. I know Bryce loves me, but Ciara has a way with men even when she’s not trying. I feel like I put my foot in my mouth when I praised her work and talent.
What if Bryce falls for Ciara like so many other guys I’ve dated?
“Are you hesitating because she’s fully booked with clients?” he asks, trying to read my expression.
“No. Well, I’m not sure. I was simply thinking that we haven’t been in touch in so long and I miss her,” I lie.
“How fast can you arrange for a meeting? Let’s keep it casual at first and have lunch or dinner so I can get to know her. Then I’ll get Vivian to book a formal meeting where Ciara can see the office and present her vision of the space.” He smiles as he put his hand over mine. “The subject of your sister troubles you a lot. This makes me even more curious to meet her,” he says as he holds my gaze.
I’m not going to lose Bryce because of my insecurities in regards to Ciara. I defiantly grab my phone and ring her right in front of him.
“Hey, sis. How are you?”
His blue eyes are peering into mine as he waits for an answer like a kid waiting to open a brand new toy on Christmas.
“Listen, we so need to catch up. I haven’t seen you in so long. I don’t want to take up too much of your time because I’m sure you’re creating another masterpiece, but do you remember that client of mine who was moving his office to New York? Well, he’s here and he has a major lighting catastrophe and needs your expert touch. Do you have time in the coming week to meet with him for lunch or dinner?”
“This sounds like quite the client. I’ll always make time for my big sister. Does your big shot client want to meet me for lunch or would he rather have drinks? I prefer if we meet at the end of the day so I’m not too rushed.”
I ask him if lunch or drinks are better.
“Yeah, I agree, let’s have drinks at the end of the day, it’s way more casual. Look at your schedule and text me and I’ll confirm with him. All right, I’ve got to go. I love you, sis.”
I look at him and smile, although I’m dying inside because I already dread this meeting between Ciara and Bryce.
“Excellent, so your sister is accepting new clients. I’m looking forward to meeting her and working with her.”
Oh, God, what have I done?
***
I spend most of the night listening to his breath, unable to sleep as I count the hours until the meeting between Bryce and Ciara.
I’m so nervous that I can’t eat a bite all day. I pretty much live off of coffee as I try to forget about the impending meeting. Finally, at five o’clock in the afternoon, my body can’t take anymore and I stuff an egg sandwich down my throat to settle my stomach. I’m so grateful Bryce is coming to the restaurant from his office and I won’t have to ride with him and pretend I’m looking forward to this evening.
I spend two hours preparing myself. I try at least twelve different outfits before settling on a sheer black short-sleeved top paired with a bronze skirt and a pair of black patent-leather peep-toe Louboutin shoes. I select these shoes because they have a high platform front and since they are at least five inches high, I’ll have the illusion I’m nearly as tall as Ciara.
I’m the first one to arrive at Employees Only, one of New York’s best cocktail bars. I know I only have a few minutes to calm myself down before Ciara makes her grand entrance by arriving fashionably late. She’s a clever one. She is never more than ten minutes late, but it’s enough to capture everyone’s attention when she walks in a room.
Bryce arrives a few minutes after me because the traffic at seven o’clock in New York is insane even when you’re sitting at the back of a chauffeured luxury vehicle. He kisses my forehead when he arrives while stroking my hair. “How was your day?” he asks, as he settles in his seat.
“Good,” I lie.
“Your sister is late?”
“You know, New York traffic,” I lie again.
“You look beautiful, by the way.”
“Thank you.” I blush.
“This is such a cool place. I’ve never been here,” he announces, excited by the new experience.
“I’ve never been here either, but when I looked it up on the Internet it seemed pretty cool and I love this vintage 1920’s feel.”
Employees Only is one of those gems you only find in New York city. The bar has a vintage inspired décor that really sets the tone for a relaxing evening—dimed lights, dark mahogany wooded panels on the walls and rugged leather banquets. This is a classy little hideaway in the Big Apple.
The leather seats look very cozy, but I feel a table and chairs would allow for more distance between Bryce and Ciara.
“It’s a great concept. Should we order a drink while we wait for your sister? I’ve had another brutal day of meetings and I could use a drink or two.”
He grabs a cocktail menu on the table to look at the selection, but his body freezes and his eyes widen as his mouth drops open. I don’t even have to turn around to know Ciara has just arrived. When Bryce won’t stop staring, I finally turn around to assess the damage and to understand how hellish this evening is going to be for me.
She sashays her way into the restaurant as if she’s working the catwalk during New York Fashion Week.
Crap, there goes two hours wasted trying to outshine her.
Ciara is wearing a pair of dark silver sparkle jeans and a white blouse. She’s rolled up the sleeves to make it look chic and effortless. She’s paired her look-at-me outfit with light silver sequined Louboutin high-heeled shoes that make her legs look like they never end. Her makeup is flawless and she’s painted her lips a beautiful coral color that make her eyes sparkle. In true Ciara fashion, she gives free rein to her massive head of hair by wearing her gorgeous curly mane out. Her black locks cascade over her face and fall to the middle of her back. There are no two ways about it, she is a gorgeous woman and every time I see her, I’m always shocked by how two sisters can look so different from each other.
Fuck, she looks hot—again! I cannot win with her, no matter how much effort I put in. She’ll always be taller, prettier, sexier, and funnier…and she’ll always be my little sister.
Bryce follows her with his eyes until she leans down to kiss me on both cheeks.
“Hey, big sis! How are you?” she asks as she turns her attention towards Bryce. “You must be Bryce?” She circles the table to hug him. Bryce extends his hand, but Ciara ignores it and prefers to slam her body against his.
When she extracts herself from him, he takes in every inch of her as she stands there smiling at both of us. He glances at me and lifts his eyebrows as if to say, Wow.
My sister is incredibly beautiful. She has the height of a supermodel, the wild cu
rly mane of an exotic beauty and the strength of an athlete, but her sexiest trait is her unshakable self-confidence. I don’t know who she gets it from. Neither of my parents have a shred of the confidence that dictates Ciara’s life. I guess her self-assurance attracts men who have illusions of being able to conquer her. No one conquers Ciara. She’d never allow a man to get that close.
“Sofia has told me a lot about you. I’m sure you must be very busy and I’m happy you could make it tonight,” he says, trying to remain detached.
“I’m lucky to love what I do, Bryce, so this never feels like work for me. Sofia explained what Justin has done and I’m happy to help repair his sins,” Ciara declares.
“Yeah, he’s a bit too arrogant for his own good. He refuses to accept the obvious fact—I’m the one paying the bill and the fixtures he put in our office aren’t the ones we had agreed on. I was willing to try them out and see if I could live with them, but they are butt-ugly.”
My God, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look so radiant. Her blouse is incredible. I wonder where she bought it. Oh my God, is she not wearing a bra underneath it?
“Our grandmother would rise from the dead and smack me if I were walking around without a bra in public wearing a white blouse,” she says, as she meets my eyes.
It’s as if she’s read my mind. I’m so embarrassed and I’ve given Bryce another reason to devour her with his eyes.
This is going to be a very long evening.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You don’t have to. I can feel your eyes burning through my blouse to find out if I’m wearing a bra or not.” She looks at me defiantly.
I lower my eyes, realizing I’ve made a big mistake. My insecurities are getting the better part of me and I’m unwillingly screwing things up for myself.
“Both of you look absolutely gorgeous. I’m a lucky guy to be sitting with two of the most beautiful women in the room.” Bryce tries to appease us.
“Bryce, my sister has been so secretive about this, but what kind of work has she been doing for you?”
The question catches both of us off guard, but Bryce is quick on his feet and confirms that I’m doing translation work for him because his French is terrible. “We started on a contractual basis, but I think we both quickly realized there was more than the initial arrangement I had hired her for and it’s far more than a work relationship now.” He places his hands over mine and looks at me with reassuring eyes.
“She’s a cheeky one. I’m her sister and she hasn’t even announced to me she’s seeing someone.”
“I was going to tell you, Ciara, but I just got back a few weeks ago and it’s been crazy helping Bryce get settled in New York.”
I’m stumbling over my words. I really don’t want Ciara to find out the truth—I met Bryce by being an escort at one of the top agencies in the city. She’d most likely never speak to me again and the news would kill both of my parents.
“I’m dying for a drink,” she blurts out, breaking the mood of this tense conversation.
“I agree,” he chimes in.
“I could use a drink myself,” I confess.
The conversation becomes lighter once our drinks and appetizers arrive. Ciara shares the tale of her latest conquest. If she stays with a guy for longer than four months, it’s a huge achievement. Neither my dad nor I have been able to understand why she feels the need to discard men like she does. I know she won’t admit it, but I’m certain she’s never been in love...well, not for a long time anyways. Oh, many men have passionately loved her, but I don’t think she’s ever allowed herself to truly fall in love with a man. My mother is quick to defend Ciara’s cavalier ways every time I broach the subject.
“Ciara, I’m hoping that later this week you could meet Vivian, my assistant, at my office and give her your expert opinion on these hideous light fixtures. If you’re as good as I saw at Betony’s and if you’re nearly as talented as Sofia suggests, I have offices in Silicon Valley, London, Dubai, Hong Kong and Peterborough. Most of the other offices are smaller satellite offices except for London and Dubai, but I’d love to create a better working environment for my employees with your help. I’m also well connected. I have no doubt you have your fair share of clients, but I know some pretty big players who would surely want to meet you.”
Oh, God, this is going from bad to worse. At this rate, she’ll be glued to his side for the next three years as she redecorates all of his offices.
“It’s a tempting proposition, Bryce, but I’m only willing to take on this work here in New York as a favor to my sister. I’m booked solid for the next twelve months. Since I’m travelling frequently to Germany for this new client, I’d have to see if I could get an extra team on board to work with more clients. Since we design most of our light fixtures before sending them off to Italy to get them produced, we can’t move faster than we already are. People who hire us want unique and a one of a kind creation. They don’t want Chinese mass-produced crap and right now, I’m pretty maxed out.”
They both lock eyes and I see how impressed he is at Ciara’s boldness. She has turned him down in such a suave way that even I am taken aback by her audaciousness. He has met his match.
Yeah, that’s how most men feel about her.
“I understand, and thanks for being upfront with me. So why don’t we start with my office? When would be a good time to meet my assistant?”
“I got a cancellation from a client right before leaving my office to meet the two of you. He has to deal with a few personal things and can’t make our eight-thirty tomorrow. Why don’t I buy you breakfast tomorrow morning at seven-thirty? I can have an early meeting with your assistant so I can be back at my office early in the day to start sketching designs for you.”
“Perfect. I don’t have meetings until nine o’clock so I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow,” he says before turning his attention to me. “Thanks, baby. From what I gather, I think Ciara will be able to surpass my expectations.”
“No problem, Bryce. She always does. She’s the best at what she does.”
“Oh, sis. I aim to please.”
I detect the playfulness in her voice as her eyes shift from me to Bryce and my blood freezes.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
Chapter 3
The cab ride back to my home is excruciating. Bryce can’t stop thanking me for introducing me to Ciara. He’s talking about how excited he is to be able to sort this situation around his light fixtures. Why is the president of a multi-billion-dollar company concerning himself with lights? It doesn’t make sense. Bryce is simply curious and he wants to spend more time getting to know Ciara.
The minute I close the door to my place, he pounces on me like a tiger ready to rip my clothes off. I’m confused by the desire I read in his eyes and I wonder how much of it has to do with Ciara. For the first time since meeting Bryce I gently push him away.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“I have bad stomach cramps. I think it’s that time of the month,” I lie.
“I’m not afraid of a little blood and we can do it in the shower,” he counterattacks.
“It’s not so much the blood. I have a brutal headache, my back is aching and my stomach is killing me. I’m not feeling well at all.”
“Hey, no problem, baby. I didn’t realize you weren’t doing well. You didn’t seem in pain at the restaurant.”
“I didn’t want to rush the meeting, but I’ve been feeling this way for hours.”
“Let’s go to bed and I’ll hold you to make you feel better.”
Having him by my side is the best gift I could have asked for, but it’s unfortunately another sleepless night for me as I count the hours until Ciara has Bryce all to herself.
***
When he gets up, I look at the clock. It’s six in the morning. I must have dozed off at around four fifteen or so, but I spent most of the night worrying and listening to him sleep.
I keep my eyes closed to avoid get
ting into a conversation about his meeting with my sister. His lips brush my forehead and soon after, the door closes behind him. I can almost count his steps as he makes his way to his chauffeured Benz.
I pull the covers away and slide out of bed, totally drained. I grab a quick breakfast, jump into my gym clothes and decide to forget about my worries by sweating it on a spin bike.
Ninety minutes later, I realize this was exactly what I needed. My worries have faded away and I’m able to believe that Bryce loves me and that love can withstand Ciara’s charms.
After a quick shower and a second breakfast, I spend time looking at a few of the contacts Bryce gave me to help replace my former generous income as an escort. He’s pulled some strings to get me some incredible opportunities and I figure why not get start moving in a new direction now that we’re officially together?
As I’m doing a few online searches to get a better understanding of some of the companies Bryce has suggested, my phone rings. I check the number and quickly pick up.
“My breakfast with your sister was worth my time. She’s one smart woman. I’m not surprised she’s booked for the next twelve months, but it seems her meeting with my assistant went well and she agreed to take on the contract. Ciara has already appointed a member of her staff who will work closely with one of our office managers to transform the office into something presentable. She’s so sharp. She had her assistant meet Robin, our office manager, and the work starts next week.”
“I’m happy Ciara will be able to help you out. She doesn’t waste people’s time and she’s so precise in her thinking. She sees a room and knows instantly what needs to be done,” I say, relieved to hear Ciara won’t have as much contact as I feared with Bryce.
“How’s your morning so far?”
“Good. I got back from the gym a few hours ago and I’m looking at some of the options you’re suggesting to replace the work I was doing for Todd.”
Unbearable Passion - Total Abandonment: Billionaire Erotica Romance (Unbearable Passion series Book 4) Page 2