Playboy Boss (Society Playboys Book 2)

by Roe Valentine

  Me: Fine.

  Fabian P: Excellent!

  Konrad already regretted it. He liked being social, but he just wanted to be himself. Be bummed. Be emotional. Be “off” for once.

  The loud buzz of his intercom jolted him to attention. He’d been lost in his thoughts.

  “Konrad?” Susan’s voice called through the speaker.

  “Yes?” He glanced back at his email. The contract for the EaDo property sale to the Ortho-Sync company popped up.

  “Mr. Halman is here to see you.”

  Konrad skimmed over the email. “Send him back.”

  He sat back, thinking about the EaDo sale. For some reason, he thought of what Scottie had said about the Bayou Sling. If the opportunity for something good comes along, you should take it.

  A knock on the door grabbed his attention. Dallas waited at the door, coming in when Konrad waved him in.

  “Hey.” Dallas walked over to the desk, taking Konrad’s hand in their usual greeting handshake and pat on the back. He sat. “Happy birthday, old man.”

  “Piss off!” Konrad chuckled, as did Dallas. “And thank you.”

  “How you holding up?”

  “How do I look like I’m holding up?” Konrad knew he’d seen better days. He was actually wearing a plain white t-shirt and ripped jeans today, much more casual than normal. A suit had felt too constricting, too daunting to wear.

  Dallas looked Konrad over. “Well, you’ve looked prettier.”

  Konrad laughed. “I feel like absolute ass.”

  “Yeah … you look like it too. Sorry to break it to you.”

  Konrad laughed again, pitifully. He was silent, getting his thoughts together. “Thanks for taking my call last night, mate. I thought I was going mad. I’ve never felt like that before. I can’t say I like it much.” He’d seen other men grovel. Heard of it. Never had done it himself. But, the thing was, he’d do it again for the right reason. The right person.

  “Ah, no problem, Kon. That’s what bros are for.”

  “Indeed.”

  Dallas had had his head on straight last night. At least one of them had. Konrad had been fit to be tied, as Dallas would say.

  “So, what are you gonna do?”

  Konrad sighed, leaning back in his chair. There was only one thing to do. “Get her back. I don’t know how, but I have to. It’s the only thing I know for sure.”

  “I kinda feel like it’s my fault, really. I mean, I was the one who made you write that list.” Dallas creased his forehead.

  Konrad shook his head. “It’s not about the list. It’s the fact that I had a list to write in the first place.”

  “Are you gonna tell the guys? About Scottie?”

  “Not until she’s mine again.”

  Dallas breathed in, scratching the stubble on his chin. “Did she come in today?”

  “No. The agency called me and said she’d taken a permanent job somewhere. A new temp is starting on Monday.”

  Dallas laughed. “Ah, hell, you better not get any ideas with this one.”

  Konrad stared Dallas square in the eyes. “I’ll get Scottie back. And when I do, I’ll never let her go.”

  ****

  Konrad made himself get dressed for his low-key birthday drink with the guys. He’d replaced the t-shirt with a chambray button-up, sleeves rolled to his elbows, and a proper pair of jeans. Not ripped. He’d also replaced his sneakers with a pair of Prada loafers. Outside, he was Konrad again. Inside, he was forever changed.

  Fabian had told him to arrive at eight thirty, which he had. Actually, he was right on the dot. Not unusual for him. Konrad was usually punctual. The front desk let him up to the penthouse easily, unlocking the private lift for him. He sighed as it took him to the top of the high-rise. I don’t want to be here. He still wanted to be facedown on his bed.

  He rang the doorbell, listening for footsteps. None came. He frowned, knocking hard instead. Perhaps the doorbell wasn’t working. Three knocks later, he heard heavy steps against the floor. The door opened, nothing but darkness inside. A rush of dread came over him. He knew what this was.

  And out of the darkness came a unanimous cry. “Surprise!” The lights came on, and nearly every person he knew in Houston beamed at him, holding drinks in the air.

  Fuck. It was a surprise birthday party.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me this was Konrad’s surprise birthday party!” Scottie felt the anxiety turn her stomach. “Are you kidding me, Tara! After last night?” Scottie could kill Tara. She could shove her in the oven with those damn salmon puffs.

  Tara’s eyes were wide in panic. She’d been dressing a frisée and watermelon salad. “I’m sorry. I really needed someone. I didn’t know—”

  “That’s really fucked up. Tara!” Scottie wanted to walk out on her friend. For real. She’d felt betrayed yet again.

  “I’m sorry. I just thought you still needed extra cash.”

  She dropped her face in her hands. “I don’t need to make extra money to buy back the brooch anymore.” Scottie really hated her life at the moment. Especially since she still had feelings for Konrad. She hated that last night had happened. Hated more that she couldn’t be walking into the party on his arm.

  Tara lifted her tongs from the salad. “Wait. What do you mean you don’t need to buy the brooch back?”

  A minor detail she’d left out from her meltdown after Konrad had left. She sighed. “He bought the brooch for me last night, but I couldn’t accept it.”

  “Are you serious?” Tara was in disbelief. “That’s your grandmother’s brooch. You cherish that thing. And you didn’t accept it from Konrad? Why?”

  Scottie stared at her friend. Did Tara really think she was the crazy one? The look in her eyes made it seem that way. “Because he buys everything and everyone. I can’t be bought.”

  Tara stood, stunned. “Wow. I’m not sure who I feel sorrier for.”

  Scottie felt like she was punched in the stomach. “I can’t believe you said that. And you’re still the wrong one here. You used me.” She untied her apron. “I’m out of here.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I need you, Scottie.” Tara’s voice was weak. Desperate. “I don’t have anyone else.”

  Scottie closed her eyes, all the memories of their long friendship coming forth. God. She could not abandon her friend. There were at least fifty people to serve. Tara couldn’t do it alone. But could Scottie swallow her pride? Could she see Konrad, the man who had broken her heart, and serve him and his friends salmon puffs and frisée salad?

  Under her breath, she said, “I’m going to regret this.” To Tara, she didn’t say anything, only retrieved the apron and tied it around her waist again.

  “I love you,” Tara said, going back to her salad.

  “If this isn’t love, I don’t know what is.” Scottie turned to the oven and removed a pan of salmon puffs to plate and serve. Maybe she could put a paper bag over her face. Or maybe she could just be an adult and know sometimes things don’t go as planned.

  With tray in hand and her heart in her throat, Scottie walked out into the packed penthouse. Through the dining area, the lounging area, and the main living, she hadn’t seen Konrad, though she knew he was there. The cheers of his arrival had made her stomach drop to the floor, her anxiety rushing through her like vomit the morning after a binge.

  The party was lively. Chatter. Glasses clanking. Laughter. Carefree. It made her both angry and sad. Her stomach flopped again the farther she moved through the maze of beautiful, wealthy people. I don’t want to be here. Damn her loyalty and love for Tara.

  “Salmon puff?” she asked random people, practically thrusting the tray in their faces. She didn’t want to see anyone. She was lucky most took one without any conversation, and she slowly grew to hate them and what they represented: her failed attempt at a relationship. Her failed attempt to let someone in.

  “Salmon puff?” She raised her gaze to Dallas. Her m
uscles tensed, her skin burning. Asshole. He wasn’t, though. Konrad was the asshole. She didn’t want to acknowledge the part of her that disagreed with that conclusion. It was all too fresh to take a different perspective.

  “Sure, Scottie. I’ll take one.” He accepted the cocktail napkin she handed him and slid a puff off the tray. He didn’t eat it though. Instead, he stared with his brown eyes intense on her, as if he had something to say.

  What could he possibly have to say? Scottie knew Dallas had known about them, which meant he most certainly knew about last night.

  Unnerved, she asked, “Is something wrong with your salmon puff?”

  Just walk away, Scottie. She didn’t need to hear anything Dallas had to say. And, frankly, she had nothing to say to Dallas. Or to any of Konrad’s friends for that matter. She caught gazes with Pilar, who walked a few feet behind Dallas.

  Great. Could it get any worse? Scottie definitely had nothing to say to her, but she couldn’t help notice how perfect she looked traipsing across the room with her perfect dress and perfect body. Scottie couldn’t stop thinking how Konrad knew Pilar. Knew what she looked like naked, and what she sounded like. The thought made her sick. Oh God, was Pilar there with him? No. No. No. Scottie couldn’t continue the thought.

  “Are you all right?” Dallas asked, his voice startling her.

  “You better eat that before it gets too cold to enjoy.” Scottie pivoted, feeling icy cold inside.

  “Scottie?” Her name on his lips stopped her. “That list was my fault.”

  Her heart stopped. Turning, she faced him. “What?”

  “I was being an idiot. It was my idea, not his. Don’t blame Konrad. He didn’t want to do it.” Dallas shoved the salmon puff in his mouth.

  Breathing in deep, Scottie found her words. “You can’t make Konrad do anything.”

  Dallas gave her a pitiful look, though that could have been her imagination. “No, I can’t make him do anything. But you can.”

  He left her standing there, hanging on to the tray with white-knuckled force. What the hell did that mean? No, she couldn’t make Konrad do anything. She was stunned and completely paralyzed. Was she wrong about this?

  No, she couldn’t be. The list. She’d have to remember the list. It was proof he would not give up anything for her, even after she’d given him every part of her—her loyalty, her vulnerability, her trust. She’d given him everything, despite the fear she had about falling. And he had given her nothing.

  “Scottine.” The voice was low and deep. And accented. She knew exactly who was attached to that voice.

  Don’t turn around. Don’t ruin Tara’s chance to ever get another catering job.

  If she turned and faced him, it would be over. All that was inside her would rush out, and she wouldn’t be able to stop it.

  “Scottie, can you look at me?”

  Her intention was to walk away, but she couldn’t. Just being near him made her stay. “No.”

  “Can we please talk?”

  “No.” She choked on that one word. That one tiny word that meant so much. It was so final. It hurt too much to say anything else, especially when she kept envisioning the list that embodied who Konrad was. Hot Yoga Instructor at gym. H Bar Bartendress. She grew angry. Fuming.

  “There you are, guapo!” The other accented voice Scottie knew came from behind her. Number five on his list.

  How could he parade his list in front of her? Scottie felt sick.

  “Oh, hey.” Konrad greeted Pilar with all the politeness that Scottie knew he had. He was too fucking polite. And when the smack of lips sounded in Scottie’s ear, she wanted to die.

  This was too much.

  She spun on her black Converse, shoving the tray into Konrad’s chest. “Salmon puff?”

  Pilar’s eyes grew wide. “Oh, mierda.”

  “You might want to wipe that lipstick off your face,” Scottie barked, feeling completely insane and much too self-aware.

  Enough.

  Scottie released the tray, letting it drop to the tiled floor. Storming away, she ignored his calls to her. Ignored that the only thing she wanted to do was go to him.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Konrad didn’t quite catch the tray. Salmon puffs went flying. God, she really was the worst server.

  “Dios mio, guapo. She’s really mad,” Pilar said, kicking a puff with her Louboutins. “What did you do?”

  “I’m quite tired of salmon puffs anyhow.” Konrad looked up from the mess. Antonia was in his face almost instantly. She’d seen the exchange.

  “What happened?” Antonia’s dark eyes were intense on him.

  “So sorry, Antonia. It was my fault. I accidentally knocked the tray out of Scottie’s hands.” He rubbed the back of his head. He couldn’t let Scottie get too far ahead. Or leave.

  Antonia’s gaze narrowed further. “You’ve become quite clumsy around her, Konrad.”

  The mimosa incident came to mind.

  “She’s not just your temp, is she?” Antonia waved her hand to someone, whom Konrad assumed was Mary, her housekeeper.

  Damn. He needed to come clean about Scottie. He needed to prove himself. He needed to show how far he would go.

  “Pardon me.” He went for Scottie, following the back of her head through the maze of people, and soon he was behind her. Close enough to smell her sweet perfume. “Scottine!” He called. Or yelled was more like it. She stopped. Everyone did. The reservoir of emotions he’d repressed had opened. Nothing could close it now. “You owe me.”

  Everything was in slow motion, his heartbeat, his breath.

  Scottie turned slowly, as if she pulled the wrath of hell with her. “Excuse me?”

  She dragged out those words, her teeth snarling. Still, she was so beautiful. His heart ached with how beautiful she was. How much he knew she could change his whole life with one decision.

  “What do I have to do?”

  “Konrad—”

  “No. You owe me a chance.” Throwing up his hands, he felt the weight of exasperation. The room filled with friends and acquaintances fell away. Scottie was the only one he saw. “You gave me none.”

  She gasped, shaking her head. Anger colored her cheeks red. Emotions were running high. But this was how he wanted to show her he was serious.

  “I said everything last night.” Her voice low and contained, she continued, “I have nothing else to say.”

  “There is a lot more to say.” He was quite frantic, completely out of his body. “Tell me what you want. I can give you anything you want.”

  Regret of the public display would have to come later. He glanced down at his wrist, the Richard Mille watch Pilar returned to him glaring at him. He took it off.

  “Here. I’ll give up my favorite watch.” He tossed it toward a champagne glass sitting on the edge of a nearby table. It missed, falling to the floor, along with the champagne.

  Scottie’s watery gaze moved over the mess and then met his. His heart skipped. She said nothing, made no indication that she understood what giving up his watch meant.

  “Fine. How about my Mercedes? I’ll give that up.” He dug his hand in his pocket, searching for his keys. Spotting a cringing Dallas through the haze of his madness, he tossed the keys at him. “Here, mate. It’s all yours.”

  “You don’t get it.” Scottie said, the extent of her pain coming forth with a few tears. “Those are things. I don’t want things.”

  He advanced to her, taking the window of opportunity to finally connect with her again. “Then what? What do you want?” He may as well have crawled to her.

  She stepped back from him. “Your loyalty.”

  The room was silent.

  “You have it.” He wanted to touch her, to wipe the tears from her face. And kiss her. God, he needed to kiss her.

  She wiped her face. “Loyalty is too big a price for you.”

  His heart slowed down. “What are you saying?”

  “What I said last night. It’s over.”
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  The room became clear. Everyone came into sharp focus again. He saw everything, everyone. And himself. He’d lost her. Tara pulled Scottie into her side, and Konrad watched his heart walk away.

  ****

  The party was over. Konrad shook his head. Worst birthday in history. It was over. Completely over. He was numb with the realization. Or maybe it was the half bottle of Mortlach he’d drunk as he sat in his office. He couldn’t go home or anywhere anyone would look for him.

  The events ran through his mind obsessively. Everything thing he said. Everything she said. Everything he wanted to say. Everything he wanted her to say. This should have put him off the desire to be committed to someone, but, it didn’t. It made him more determined to feel. To have the experience. Because he’d gotten a glimpse of how good it could be, and he wanted to try.

  If not Scottie, then who? He’d not think about that.

  He took another drink, feeling buzzed, but at least he’d stopped weeping. He’d only wept once in his life. He’d been sixteen then, and his mother had just died in a hospital. He’d learned about it because his father’s secretary had called him at boarding school.

  He touched his keyboard, and the computer lit up immediately. He’d not shut down his email, which was unusual. This whole day had been unusual.

  At the top of his flagged emails was the contract for the EaDo property. He’d not sent it over to Ortho-Sync as he intended to before the day was over.

  The day he’d taken Scottie there came back to him. They’d been strangers then, but he’d known instinctively she’d affect him in some way. And then he thought of what she’d said after the meeting with Ortho-Sync.

  He leaned back in his chair. Maybe he had it all wrong. Maybe some things weren’t meant to be profited from. He’d only understood profit from a young age and nothing more. Profit was all there was.

  He glanced back at the email and, for once, he understood there was something more.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Scottie stayed in bed all Saturday crying. Wailing, actually. Tara could have easily mistaken her for giving birth. Yeah, it was pretty pathetic, but her heart was broken. It had never been broken before, not like this. Not by a man she loved. The one man she’d loved without loyalty was her father, and that hadn’t fared well her whole life.