Alex Reid (Rich & Single #1)
Page 1
Alex Reid
Book 1
R&S
Rich and Single Series
By
Lexy Timms
Copyright 2016 by Lexy Timms
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to an actual person, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
All rights reserved.
Copyright 2016 by Lexy Timms
Rich & Single Series
Alex Reid
Book 1
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Parker
Book 2
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Sebastian
Book 3
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Zane
Book 4
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DESCRIPTION:
Hot n' Handsome, Rich & Single... how far are you willing to go?
Meet Alex Reid, CEO of Reid Enterprise. Billionaire extra ordinaire, chiseled to perfection, panty-melter and currently single.
Learn about Alex Reid before he began Managing the Bosses. Alex Reid sits down for an interview with R&S.
His life style is like his handsome looks: hard, fast, breath-taking and out to play ball. He's risky, charming and determined.
How close to the edge is Alex willing to go? Will he stop at nothing to get what he wants?
Alex Reid is book 1 in the R&S Rich and Single Series. Fall in love with these hot and steamy men; all single, successful, and searching for love.
Contents
Rich & Single Series
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DESCRIPTION:
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Photoshoot Images of Alex Reid
Managing the Bosses Book 1 FREE
The Boss Description:
The Boss Chapter 1
The Boss Chapter 2
The Boss Chapter 3
The Boss Chapter 4
The Boss Chapter 5
The Boss Chapter 6
The Boss Chapter 7
The Boss Chapter 8
The Boss Chapter 9
The Boss Chapter 10
The Boss Chapter 11
The Boss Chapter 12
The Boss Chapter 13
The Boss Chapter 14
Managing the Bosses Series
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Prologue
Interview with Alex Reid
Ask the average pedestrian on the street who Alex Reid is, and most of them will give you a blank look. One or two might venture a guess. Most would get that guess wrong. Ask anyone in business, however, and their answer will be laced with admiration, maybe spiced with a little bit of well-hidden jealousy.
Featured on the covers of both Business Mind and CEO Magazine in the last two years, the 27-year-old head of Reid Enterprises is a man worth every ounce of that respect. He’s one of the world’s wealthiest young entrepreneurs, and the sole runner of a company that last year alone brought in nearly $1.3 billion in revenue.
When I arrive at Reid Enterprises for an interview one sunny day in July, I am mildly surprised at the décor – a study in casual elegance. Certainly, the building with its black and white marble floors and collection of undoubtedly expensive art is a throwback to older times. It is a far cry from the sleek, modern décor of Silicone Valley’s lucrative tech enterprises, but it seems to work for Mr. Reid. I am ushered into his office, and given a firm handshake by the man himself. His photographs don’t do him justice.
As blessed in looks as he is in wealth, Alex Reid is a textbook example of tall, dark, and handsome. Those attributes are only accentuated by the impeccable cut of his custom-tailored suit. Any single woman – and maybe a few married ones – would cast this very eligible bachelor a second or even a third look. It may not be entirely professional to admit, but I jumped at the chance to interview him.
After shaking my hand he takes a seat, obviously comfortable here in his domain. Following suit and settling into one of the comfortable leather chairs across from him, I retrieve my tape recorder and settle down to the business of finding out what makes this young and powerful man tick.
So, Mr. Reid, let’s get right to the point. Could you tell the readers a little more about what your company does?
“Of course.”
Mr. Reid’s voice is low and rich, his enunciation deliberate. His has the kind of voice that keeps people listening and coming back for more. Little wonder that he has risen so quickly to the top. The man is mesmerizing.
“We’re an investment firm. At its basis, that means we’re being given people’s money–or even money belonging to other companies–and we’re doing something useful with it. Something that will turn a profit for Reid Enterprises and for everyone else involved. Before you start to chide the evil, money-grabbing investor, though, know that our business isn’t cutthroat. You need a strong backbone and a clear head to be successful in this line of work, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a heart.”
When have you been most satisfied in your life?
“Honestly there are a few answers to that, but of course they’re all related to the company.” He taps one finger against his knee, then settles his palm flat down against it again. “The day I invested my first capital was immensely satisfying. That day, I knew I was on the right track. When I made my first million, that was just confirmation. When we broke ground for this building I thought nothing could ever top that satisfaction, but moving in was even better. And, of course, my first billion, which I just hit, felt pretty good. But it’s definitely not the top of the ladder.”
It sounds like you’re always looking for the next step. Do you think you’ll ever have a moment that you could describe, by itself, as your most satisfying?
“I think that’s the secret to it, actually,” he says, his smile as confident as the set of his shoulders. “Never being satisfied. Always looking onward to the next big thing. The next set of hurdles to jump. One day, when I’m lying on my deathbed, maybe then I’ll be able to pick a moment, but-” he laughs, “maybe I’ll just be thinking of that one more thing I could have done.”
Are you more of a hunter or a gatherer?
“A hunter. No question.”
Do you care to elaborate on that?
“The reasons should be obvious, I think.” His cool smile has sharpened a little around the edges. “
I’m a ‘go for it’ kind of guy. I see what I want, and I take it.”
So a very driven person. What three words would you say best describe you?
“I would agree with ‘driven,’ absolutely.” He leans forward in his seat, a pair of blue eyes that have undoubtedly left a few female hearts beating a little faster meeting my gaze directly. “I don’t believe in waiting around for something to happen. If what I want is accessible, I access it. If it isn’t, I make it accessible, or I create it myself. I don’t settle.
And the other two?
“‘Independent’… although I suppose some might call it something else. But I built this company from the ground up, and I always have a hand in everything it does. I don’t like to lean too much on other people. They do their part but if the business plan is in your head, you’re the best person to execute it. You know the saying: ‘If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.’”
He settles back again, crossing one leg over the other, and grins at me.
“That makes the last word, or phrase, ‘In control.’ I like knowing what’s going on. Eventually, every chain of command reports back to me.”
That sounds like a lot of work.
Alex Reid laughs. “I handle it.”
And what about your family? You have a father, and a brother a bit younger than you. They’re not involved with Reid Enterprises at all. Why is that?
“They have their own lives to tend to. This is my business. They handle theirs.”
Would you say they had any influence on your desire to start your company, or on the way you run it?
“Certainly there are people who have influenced me in my goals. Men like Michael Bloomberg, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs. They all knew what they wanted, and they got it. Like me they started low, and look at them now.”
Is that what made you start Reid Enterprises?
“I’ve never really been cut out for cubicle work, as I’m sure you can imagine. Rank and file jobs just don’t do it for me. I wanted to create something valuable. Something that would last. I think I’ve done pretty well at that.”
You’re a billionaire and not even thirty. I think ‘pretty well’ is an understatement. What do you do with all that money?
“What does anyone do with that much money? I keep a nice house. I enjoy a few luxuries. The rest of it is invested or locked up in high-interest accounts. Just because you have a lot of money that you should never have to worry about it again doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be careful what you do with it. You never know what might happen. Markets crash. Economies go under. I don’t rest on my laurels; I plan for the future.”
Sage advice for someone so young. Do you have any other tips for our readers?
“It’s been said before, but if you want something you have to go for it. No one is going to just hand it to you. Decide where you’re going and the steps you need to take to get there, and then take them. If you don’t, you’re just going to sit where you are forever. And the more you can do yourself, the better. At the very least, know what everyone under you is doing. Know what their standards are. Your company is only as good as the people who work there.”
We’ll all have to keep those things in mind. And, finally, Mr. Reid, the question all of our readers are waiting for. Are you still single?
He chuckles, and levels that blue gaze on me again. My own heart, I admit, beats a little faster. “Oh,” he says slowly, “very. In fact, Miss Lloyd, are you doing anything tonight?”
**For More Images from the R&S Photoshoot, please go to the back of the book (end of the story) ** approx. page 137 **
Chapter 1
“Ms. Campbell, have the delivery brought up to my office.”
“Yes, Mr. Reid,” his secretary replied with her usual promptness, and Alex hit the button to shut off the intercom, sinking back into his seat with a sigh.
The days seemed to be getting longer lately, the list of things that he had to complete in each one stretching past his endurance. But that was the price of power. He had worked to get where he wanted in life; he wasn’t going to shy away from working to keep it. Alex straightened his shoulders and glanced down at his watch. 4:30. One hour, then, and he still had to go over the report on last quarter’s budget and pick up his dry cleaning before the date with Dahlia Lloyd.
Honestly, he didn’t know why he bothered. These dates and things always seemed like a good idea at the time, and then when they actually got around to happening it was always in the middle of a problem that couldn’t wait, or such a disappointment he wished he hadn’t made the offer in the first place. Appearances. Maybe he should stop working for rich, eligible bachelor and start cultivating a reputation as an incurable workaholic. He was already halfway there. Wealthy bachelor didn’t sound like such a terrible life choice at the moment.
Someone who was almost certainly Gina Campbell, his secretary, knocked lightly on his door, and Alex straightened up in his chair, reaching for the tablet he’d set to one side. He expected his employees to be busy at all times; it wouldn’t do to be seen being less than busy himself.
“Come in.”
The heavy door inched open and his secretary slipped inside, laying a rather stuffed-looking manila envelope on his desk.
“The papers from Ritter Corp, Mr. Reid,” she said.
“Excellent, Ms. Campbell. Thank you.”
“Oh, and Mr. Reid?”
“Yes, Ms. Campbell?”
“I wanted to remind you that you have that charity gala for the Feed the Hungry Society coming up at the end of the month. The ‘upcoming event’ notification in my calendar just popped up about it, so I thought I’d mention it to make sure it didn’t get overlooked.”
The charity gala. Alex had completely forgotten about it. He’d agreed to attend nearly three months ago and promptly stopped thinking about it. He supposed it was lucky that Ms. Campbell had reminded him of its existence. It didn’t take a great deal to prepare for one of those events, but he always preferred knowing that one was coming up so he could ready himself mentally for it.
“Thank you, Ms. Campbell. I appreciate the reminder.”
She slipped back out to her desk without another word and he opened the budget report again, scrolling through the spreadsheet and highlighting as he went.
* *
An hour later Alex stood, groaning softly under his breath as he stretched the kinks of sitting for too long in one position out of his muscles. For a moment he simply stood next to the chair, rubbing the balls of his thumbs into the worst of the knots, but there was only so much you could do yourself for tension like that. What he needed, he’d been told, was a massage, but he’d never gotten around to trying one. Maybe he would take a girl out to a spa one of these days and they would both get massages. A reasonable excuse, surely.
Speaking of girls, he still needed to go home and dress for his date with Miss Lloyd. His work suit would no doubt be adequate—certainly up to the standards of the restaurant where he intended to take her—but it was not strictly dinner attire.
“Ms. Campbell,” he said as he stepped out into the main office. “I’m heading home for the night. Please see that everything’s locked up as usual.”
“Of course, Mr. Reid.”
He nodded to her and went on toward the elevator.
As it sank toward the ground floor, he pulled his phone from his pocket. One more missed call. It was Mark, again. Alex sighed and put the phone away. He would have to call his brother back eventually, but not tonight. Tonight belonged to the lovely Miss Lloyd.
On his way home, he detoured to pick up the dry cleaning and half a dozen roses. Dressing in front of the walk-in-closet’s large mirror was taken care of in a matter of minutes. He ran a hand through the slightly tousled mess of his dark hair, and double-checked his appearance before taking the spiral staircase back down to the ground floor of the large house. He headed out to where his car sat behind the fountain that filled the center space of the circular drive
. As he left the property, the gates swung shut behind him.
He met Miss Lloyd at the door of her well-appointed apartment downtown.
“Alex!” she said when she opened the door. “How good to see you again.”
“And you, Miss Lloyd.”
She laughed, and he found himself appreciating the light, carefree sound of it. “Please. Call me Dahlia.”
“Dahlia, then,” Alex said, dipping his head in a nod of acknowledgement. “I hope you like roses.”
“I love them, actually,” she said, taking the small bouquet from him and waving him to follow her in as she led the way to a kitchen full of stainless steel and dark marble. She smiled at him over her shoulder. “Everyone always shows up for dates with a bouquet of dahlias, like I’ll think it’s so clever that they found the flower I’m named after in a shop somewhere. Roses are a refreshing change.”
“I find the things most people think are clever are usually quite commonplace, in context. But maybe that’s vain of me to say.”
She laughed. “I don’t know, Mr. Reid. You stand a little above the rest of the world. I think looking down on us poor mortals from your superior vantage point is only to be expected.”
Flowers safely ensconced in a vase full of water, Dahlia turned, moving back toward him, and leaned one hip against the edge of the kitchen island. They were close enough that he could almost feel the warmth coming off her skin. The tight little dress she wore outlined every curve of her body, and it was certainly a sight worth showing off.
“You make that dress look good,” Alex said, letting his voice come out a little lower. A little rougher. “Very good, in fact.”
Her cheeks flushed, the pink a lovely contrast to the cream of her skin. “Thank you.”
He smiled, and the color deepened, but he didn’t say anything else about her clothes, just offered her his arm. “Shall we? I believe we have dinner reservations in twenty minutes.”