Mr. Big Jerk: A Forbidden Second Chance Romance (Kinda Cocky Series Book 3), стр. 13
So many of my clients had come to view Roxy as an integral part of my entire company, and the last thing I needed was to lose that.
Maybe she knows why some girls were eager to get my attention…
I chuckled as I reached for the tequila between my legs. As the television rolled in the background, I tipped the bottle up to my lips again. A few months ago, I’d come across a rumor that made me chuckle every time I thought about it. And that was the fact that the few women I did employ whispered and giggled behind my back about something. I’d never asked why, of course. It didn’t seem fitting for a man of my stature at my own company to ask such a question. But, that didn’t mean my curiosity wasn’t there.
“Maybe Roxy would answer if I asked,” I murmured.
I set my tequila bottle off to the side and stared at the television. I didn’t know what the hell I was watching, but the explosions on the screen made my eye twitch. My hand started shaking as I reached for the remote, and I fumbled around with it so much that I started to sweat. I slid the remote into my lap as my quaking fingers reached for the power button, ready to turn the damn thing off.
Then, a loud blast pulled me from my seat and forced me to the floor.
“Riley! Matthew! Take cover! We’re taking fire!” I exclaimed.
I covered my head and rooted around for my gun. I needed to get out of here. I needed to get away from this war zone. I scrambled behind the recliner and saw the remote control on the floor before a massive thud sounded directly below me. I blinked a few times before I slammed my fist against the remote control. The television turned off, and I sighed, trying to pick myself up off the floor.
But, my head slammed against the underside of the table.
And I listened as that entire bottle of tequila fell to the floor.
“Fucking--are you kidding me!?”
Everything around me was foggy as memories kept flipping between Roxy and work, war, and Bryce. Roxy, work, war, Bryce. Roxy, work, war, Bryce.
“I need to get out of here,” I breathed.
I picked myself up off the floor and scrambled to get to my bed. And just when I sat on the edge of it, my phone started vibrating against my leg. I jammed my hand into my pocket and pulled it out, ready to ignore Zane’s phone call.
Then again, he might need help with something down at the casino.
So, I answered it.
“This is Clint.”
He paused. “You okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah, why’s that?”
“You sound like you were on the run.”
I smirked. “Just doing some in-home exercises. Can’t sleep.”
“Well, if you can’t sleep, you could come back to the party.”
I shook my head. “I think I’m in for the night. Another time, though.”
“Clint, you don’t have a choice in the matter.”
“Yeah, pretty sure I do.”
“You need to come out. You need to talk to people. You need to do something other than work.”
My eyebrows rose. “That’s rich, coming from you.”
“Look, Brenden and I are exact role models of what you shouldn't do. And when we decided to focus on other things but work--.”
“I’m not going to sit here and listen to you insinuate that I might find some love of my whatever simply because I come out tonight. It’s not going to work.”
“All I’m saying is that you can’t expect to live life to the fullest if you’re constantly telling yourself why you shouldn't go out and do something. Just come to the damn party. It’s been such a bullshit waste up until this point, and you might be just what we need to salvage it.”
I chuckled. “And the real reason comes out.”
“Just think about it, will you? Yeah?”
“So, now we’ve gone from demanding me to letting me think about it? How long do you guys plan on partying tonight?”
He sighed. “As long as it takes for Roxy to smile again.”
Worry filled my gut. “Why? What’s happened?”
“Look, it’s nothing. But, Roxy and the girls got into a bit of a spat, and now they aren’t talking with one another.”
“Sounds like a smidge more than a ‘bit’ of a spat.”
“Will you stop analyzing shit and just get down here? Please?”
I looked down at my clothes. “I need to change first.”
“I thought you already changed?”
“Yeah, into sweatpants and a t-shirt. I wasn’t planning on coming back out.”
“Fine. Wear whatever. Just get over here? Please, Clint?”
I snickered. “No need to get on your knees, Zane. I’m getting changed now.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you! I owe you huge.”
“Are you sure Roxy wants me there, though? She wasn’t too friendly when we first ran into one another.”
“Because you told her you were working when you weren’t assigned to work. Maybe just come and tell her you want to celebrate her birthday. Try the truth.”
I drew in a deep breath. “Fine, okay. But, if Roxy is weird about my being there, I’m dipping out. Got it?”
“All I’m asking is that you come and try. That’s it.”
“All right. Give me thirty, and I’ll be there. But, don’t be shocked if I’m the killjoy of the evening.”
“See you soon. And you won’t be a killjoy.”
I walked over to my closet. “It’ll be like Dad showing up to this thing.”
Zane chuckled. “Dad’s horrible at telling jokes. At least you’ve got great jokes