by Tiana Cole
“No, no,” I laughed. “It's just that…I don't know. I love spending time with him, but you're right—I need girl time.”
“Which is where I come in handy,” Jeannie perked up. “But it should just be us because I want to know everything,” she grinned. “Seriously, though, things have been a lot more laid back and more productive around here since Mr. Fiancé loosened his grip on that iron club,” she continued. I smiled, glad that Bastian seemed to be keeping up his end of the deal.
When we’d walked through reception moments earlier, one of the paralegals had even flashed him a sincere smile in greeting. “I bet you used sex to bribe him into being nice, didn't you? Come on, you can tell me,” Jeannie prodded jokingly, and I laughed yet again. Her sense of humor had helped keep me sane over the last two months, and I appreciated her greatly for that.
“No, he finally just realized what a douchebag he's been,” I told her bluntly. “I think it took me standing up to him in that meeting for him to actually get it.”
“Well, I think it's romantic,” she remarked with a dreamy sigh. “You setting the boss straight, and him falling for you completely because of it. It's like you made him face his demons, and he became a better man as a result.”
I chuckled just as Bastian was passing by on his way to his office. He winked at us and flashed his perfect smile.
“Ladies,” he nodded, then disappeared into his private lair.
“He's sexier when he's nice, you know,” Jeannie whispered with a grin before heading back to her workstation.
I was about to address some documents on my desk when Nick poked his head out of his office and called my name. I glanced up, and he excitedly waved me over.
“Morning!” he greeted as I met him by his door, and I smiled at his chipper expression. “Guess what today brings?” he asked eagerly while ushering me into his office. I had no clue, but tried to appear as if I did.
“Um…case work?” I asked, evoking a burst of laughter from him. Bastian joined us with a handful of documents and shut the door behind him.
“No, Jessica, we're making you partner today,” Bastian informed me, his face beaming as he awaited my reaction.
“Um, wow, I wasn't expecting that so soon,” I replied in genuine bewilderment. I'd anticipated the partnership to happen after the wedding, and stood with my jaw agape from this unexpected news.
“Oh, we need a witness,” Bastian muttered as he studied one of the printouts he was holding.
“On it,” Nick nodded, and without hesitation left to retrieve another pair of eyes.
“There’s one more thing,” Bastian spoke lowly after closing the door Nick had left open. “Your bank account's a bit bigger than the last time you checked. I had accounting wire the five million into your account a few minutes ago. You'll get the other half when I get my citizenship.”
My knees went weak, and I had to brace myself against Nick's desk as the reality of the entire situation hit home. Up until now, the whole arrangement seemed like some silly game. A part of me never expected him to pay me the ridiculously large sum of money. Given the guy's reputation of being a dick, I assumed he'd lower the amount or screw me over entirely when his needs were met. If what he just told me was true, I was now a millionaire and that's something I thought I'd have to work my entire life to even have a chance of achieving.
“You're telling me I have five million dollars in my bank account right now?” I asked in disbelief, my head spinning and heart racing.
“Yes,” he nodded with a look of amusement. “Well, it may take a few hours to clear, but it'll definitely be there by the end of the day,” he went on, seemingly entertained by my reaction.
“Won't immigration find that a bit suspicious?” I asked as my senses began to return. “I mean, all the sudden I have this giant sum of money in my account?”
“I doubt they'll look at your finances,” he shrugged, “but if they do, we'll just tell them that I gave you a little spending money since you're my girl now.”
“A little spending money?” I scoffed.
“I'm worth roughly two billion dollars,” he divulged with a smirk. “In the grand scheme, five million isn't that much.”
“I guess…” I trailed off as another realization struck me. “What's to stop me from taking that five million and disappearing on you?”
“You could do that,” he replied as he moved in close to me. “But you won't,” he said in a tone that was both threatening and somehow arousing.
He was right about that. I was a woman of my word, and I wouldn't break it for any amount of money. I was also growing more enamored by him every day, and feared I may have fallen for him completely. The look in his eyes also reminded me how powerful he was, which I'd found myself forgetting over the last week. Even if I did take the money and run…he'd find me. When he did, there was no telling what he, or a hired gun, would do to me.
Nick interrupted my thoughts by returning to the office with the firm's notary, a portly, redheaded woman, trailing behind him.
“Let's get this signed, shall we?” he smiled as he made his way to his desk.
The four of us spent about thirty minutes in Nick's office while the two men explained my new duties as a partner. The notary listened quietly as they discussed everything from my shares to what office I'd be taking, and when the time came I signed the form with the notary's signature and stamp. I returned to my workstation feeling a bit overwhelmed, and moments later Bastian and Nick gathered everyone in the conference room to announce the news.
“It's time we let you all in on something Bastian and I have been considering for quite some time now,” Nick began as the entire staff listened on. “Jessica Lincoln, soon to be Jessica Kosta, is now a partner here at Kosta and Travellis. Before the rumor mill starts churning, no—it had nothing to do with her recent engagement to Mr. Kosta here,” he paused briefly to point his thumb at Bastian who stood by his side. “As I said, this has been in the works for a while now, and is the result of her impressive intelligence, diligence, and attention to detail. She's a valuable asset to this firm, and you can look forward to working under her lead on cases soon.”
There were a few seconds of uncomfortable silence as the news sank in, followed by a short round of polite applause. The entire moment felt awkward and forced somehow. I knew people would gossip about me sleeping my way to the top, and I couldn't help but wish Bastian and Nick had waited a few months, possibly even a year, before making me a partner. The promotion had come too soon, and I worried it would destroy the respect I'd worked so hard to gain throughout the firm.
Only time would tell.
Chapter 6
Bastian
Jessica rose to her new position as Senior Partner better than Nick or I could have foreseen. It had only been six days, yet she fit in as though she'd been a partner for years. She was just as smart and resourceful as ever while we closed the Landon Corporation case and got started drafting a contract for Tall Tale and Radco.
Nick assigned her a small case to handle on her own, and she wasted little time gathering a team to assist her. She needed the help, as she'd been under a tremendous amount of stress knowing her brother would be arriving in town the following day.
My lunch break had arrived, and I spotted Jessica staring at the workers who'd been hired to deliver and arrange her office furniture. She stood with her arms crossed, overseeing the setup, and a look of irritation flashed across her face when I sidled up next to her.
“You okay?” I asked. She shot me an icy glare, and shook her head with a furrowed brow. “What's wrong?” I prodded. “Is it the Scott case Nick gave you?” She gave no reply, instead turning her angry gaze back to the workers. “I know you're stressed with your brother coming tomorrow. The Scott case can wait a few days…” I trailed off as she shook her head again in growing agitation.
“No, Bastian, that's not it,” she snapped. She turned to retrieve her tablet from its seat atop a pile of boxes, and opened the we
b browser to a tabloid website featuring several pictures of us locked in a kiss. They had been taken as we were leaving Nick's party to head back to her apartment, and the caption above them read, 'How Billionaire Mogul's New Girlfriend Rose to Top.'
“Oh, that…” I muttered, feeling my face turn red.
“How did these pictures get taken?” she hissed. “How'd they get out, huh?” she questioned angrily. I had a reputation as a brilliant lawyer who could talk his way in and out of any situation, yet in this moment I found myself speechless. “Bastian, don't look at me like that,” she growled in response to my dumbfounded face. “You had to have known about these.”
I exhaled heavily in defeat and motioned for her to follow me to my office. She trailed behind me, and once there I shut and locked the door.
“Look, Jessica…I had the pictures taken,” I confessed quietly. “I'm the one who had them leaked because—”
“You what?!” Jessica exploded before I could finish explaining myself. “Jesus, Bastian, do you have any idea how this makes me look? You just made me Senior Partner in your law firm, and this bullshit makes it look like I'm some slut who slept her way to the top!”
“Keep your voice down,” I replied in a panic, worried somebody may overhear even though most employees had left for lunch. She ignored my request, and continued with her tirade at full volume.
“Don't you realize that everyone in this office is already accusing me of making partner because we're together? I've had to deal with the rumors all week, and now these pictures come out and prove what everyone already thinks of me. Fuck, Bastian, I really thought you were smarter than this. What were you thinking?” she finished in a huff.
“Jessica, I'm sorry, okay? But the bottom line is…we do have something to prove. We have to prove that we're really together, and these pictures do a damn good job of that,” I defended. “I'm sorry for what you're going through here, but you had to have seen this coming in the first place. Let them think what they want, okay? The rumors will die down in time and, until then, if anyone says anything to you directly…just fire them. You're a partner now. You have that right, you know.”
“I didn't agree to this scam to make my work life hell and put my professional reputation in jeopardy, you know,” she fired back.
“Unless you blew it already, you have five million dollars in your bank account,” I argued, the lawyer in me now creeping out. “You don't have to work if you don't want to.”
“That's just it, Bastian,” she shook her head in frustration. “I want to work. The law is my passion. I can't just sit home all day drinking cocktails in the sun. This is my life.”
“Then you better keep your voice down,” I warned, “because if we get busted you'll definitely be disbarred and thrown in jail. You'll still be in law…just on the wrong side of it.”
I could tell my words hurt, and she was opening her mouth to retaliate when a knock on the door interrupted her. I barked at whomever it was to come in, and Alexandra, a paralegal with the firm, poked her head in nervously. Her expression was unsure as she glanced back and forth between Jessica and I.
“Um, I'm sorry Mr. Kosta,” she swallowed hard. “I just wanted to thank you for the raise you gave me. I didn't realize it until I picked up my check at lunch,” she spoke timidly, and I calmed her with a welcoming smile. I glanced at Jessica who rolled her eyes, and I was thankful Alexandra didn't see her do it.
“Of course, Alex,” I nodded. “I appreciate your hard work and diligence. Keep it up! You have a bright future here,” I said before she flashed me a genuine smile and quietly left, closing the door behind her. I looked at Jessica whose jaw was ticking, and she groaned in annoyance. “See?” I smirked. “I'm keeping up my end of the deal. I know it's hard now, but please just keep up your end.”
She turned and stormed out of my office without another word, obviously still irate from the pictures and our argument. I was pretty sure I’d just screwed up badly, which meant I had a whole lot of groveling to do. I did feel terrible that I'd hurt her, but on the other hand…I didn't hear her complaining about her sizeable bank account.
The rest of the work day dragged as I kept worrying about Jessica. She wouldn't so much as look at me whenever I stepped out of my office, nor would she directly address me. By the end of the day I was wildly frustrated with her, and feeling the pressure I was under to make our sham of a relationship work. We left the office together and rode the elevator down to the lobby in silence. I'd driven us to work from her apartment that morning, but the ride home found me navigating us across the city to my penthouse.
“Why are we here?” she finally spoke as I parked the car.
“I thought we could use a change of scenery,” I shrugged. Jessica fell silent again, but the rolling of her eyes said it all as she got out of the car. “Are you going to be pissed at me for the next two years?” I asked as we made our way to the elevator with her hurrying a few steps ahead of me.
“Are you even a little bit remorseful about the picture situation?” Jessica grumbled, glancing over her shoulder at me.
“Of course I am. I don't like seeing you like this,” I replied apologetically. “If I could make everything at work better, I would. I thought promoting you was the right thing to do since our clients love you. The juniors are just jealous, that's all. Ignore them,” I pleaded.
“And still no 'I'm sorry,'” Jessica sighed as we waited for the elevator doors to part. I realized she was right, and that I hadn't actually said the words.
“I am sorry, you know,” I conceded with sincerity. “I was trying to do what was best for me and my citizenship, and didn't even think about how it would affect you. I feel awful.”
“Thank you,” she returned coldly. “It just hard, Bastian. I want to get married already and get this all over with,” she said, and my chest suddenly felt oddly tight.
“You're ready to get rid of me so soon?” I asked half-jokingly, my heart sinking from her apparent lack of affection for me. She looked at me for a moment before shaking her head.
“I'm just tired and…I'm worried about tomorrow,” she confessed, her shoulders slumping in exasperation. The elevator reached the top floor of the high-rise, and I slipped in my key card before punching in my code.
“Don't worry,” I assured her as the doors parted. “Any suspicions your brother might have…I'll erase them. He won't doubt us if you can just keep your cool.”
“I know, I know…” she muttered. Realizing she was done speaking, I took the opportunity to tell her that I'd called a wedding planner.
“I was thinking we should have the wedding when your brother's in town,” I began. “It's convenient, and the sooner we're married the better. You just said you want it to be over with…” Jessica arched an eyebrow at me, and I broke the news with a smile. “I called a wedding planner. I thought we could have the ceremony at my Hampton house on the beach. Keep it small…”
I was unsure how she'd react, and was pleasantly surprised when she enthusiastically perked up.
“I've always wanted a beach wedding!” she smiled. Her face, now lit with joy, immediately made me relax. I caught her around the waist and pulled her close to me.
“So am I forgiven, wife?” I growled seductively, and slid my hand down to squeeze her firm ass. She bit her lip as she debated whether or not to let me off the hook, and I suspected it was to hide another smile.
“I guess so…” she grinned, and I pressed my lips to hers softly.
“Does this mean we can have make up sex now?” I joked, and Jessica erupted in laughter. “I'll feed you chocolate. Even buy you some flowers and a necklace,” I said playfully, and she laughed again.
“You know what? I think just the sex will work in this situation,” she smirked. I didn't skip a beat, lifting her up and carrying her into the living room. I started to nibble along her neck as my hands slid beneath her blouse, and that's the moment her cell phone began to ring insistently.
“Why is your
ring tone so annoying?” I hissed as I straightened to let Jessica scramble for her phone that was still in the purse she'd dropped to the floor beside us. We were both stretched out on my imported Italian sofa, and she wiggled underneath me to grab the cell.
“Because you call me,” she quipped, then stuck her tongue out at me as she answered the phone. I gave her a rueful smile and unbuttoned her blouse to trail kisses down her sternum. Her voice became breathy as she spoke, and I didn't pay attention to her call until she pressed her hand against my shoulder.
“Of course I didn't forget about our dinner date,” she spoke into her cell. “I had to stop by Bastian's place to pick something up, but I'm headed back home now. I should be ready by seven…thirty,” she said, and I looked at her quizzically, wondering who she was talking to. She ended her call and I grabbed her arms, holding them above her head.
“Who were you talking to just then?” I asked sternly. Jessica looked at me in confusion before her expression cleared and she began to laugh. “Why are you laughing?” I scowled, and she grinned at me in amusement.
“Are you jealous?” she giggled. “Do I detect jealously in your voice right now?”
“Remember, I have your car keys and we're supposed to be getting married soon,” I said, rolling my eyes in irritation. “Now tell me…who are you going on a date with?”
“I promised to go out with Jeannie, and I can't stand her up,” she explained, and soothed my worries with a kiss. “She'll most likely be at our wedding, so we need some girl time.”
I let her up and she fixed her blouse while looking for her shoes underneath the couch.
“Oh…okay, then,” I replied, suddenly feeling foolish for my overreaction. I was still quite aroused, however, and didn't want her to go. “You’re really going to leave me here on the couch all hard for you?” I whined, fully aware of how desperate I sounded. In that moment, I couldn’t bring myself to care. She was unbelievably sexy, and I wanted her badly.