Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
She crosses her arms in a huff, amplifying her cleavage in her low-cut blouse. “You are no fun, Sawyer.”
“No, I’m not, Jilly Bean.” I growl and stand there until she stomps her way back up the stoop and into her house.
“I don’t know who is more stubborn—you, or her?” I turn my head and see my twin standing beside me with a smirk on his face.
“She’s a pain in the ass,” I mutter, staring up at her window.
He claps his hand on my shoulder. “I’m betting she’s a pain in a lot of places. Man, she’s sure grown up, hasn’t she?” I whip my head toward him.
My hands end up on his lapels, and I’m shaking my brother and best friend. “You keep your motherfucking eyes and everything else off her.”
He tugs at my hands. “Calm down, Sawyer. That was a quick turnaround. Or was it? I get it. You know I don’t have a thing for the sweet little Jill. I can’t say she doesn’t have a thing for me. After all, we’re twins, so there’s no guarantee she doesn’t want the both of us, but I’m not interested.”
“She doesn’t want you, and I don’t have a thing for her. I’m just protecting her.” I refuse to believe it. We’ve had a bond over the past eight years that has transformed from a strange, caring bond to a feeling that I can’t explain and refuse to acknowledge. She’s still a child, and I’m not even established. There is no way I’ll ever be my parents.
Shaking off the tension, I march back to my vehicle while my brother follows, and then we drive off to the office so I can work off the frustration of life and make my fortune.
When we get to the office, we’re hit with an enormous blow. Our lawyer and our public relations guy are waiting for us.
They hand us the newspaper headlines.
Nox Sawyer Investment owners’ father killed mother in murder-suicide.
I pace around my office while Nox slams his fist through his laptop keyboard, making us look worse.
“Okay—that’s not the face you two can show the public. You’re both young, and investors are already wary of that. The fact that you’re smart and skilled has served you well. This will blow over, but we have to ask a few questions.”
“Okay. Go on,” I say, taking a seat behind my desk.
“Sorry, gentlemen. The hardest part of the business is appearances. Keeping things clean and yourselves above reproach will make this company a success. Are there any other skeletons that need to be buried?”
“No, why?”
“Mistresses, bastard children?” our lawyer asks without taking a breath. “Underage lovers?” My mind goes to Jilly Bean. No. I push thoughts of her from my head because that’s not even an option.
“No,” Nox answers for us. “Now get the fuck out of our office before you’re all fired.”
They leave us and I sit at my desk, tossing my pen on my blotter in anger.
“Don’t do something stupid, Sawyer.”
“I won’t.”
Our stocks take an enormous tank in the afternoon, and I know I have to do something to change our fortunes.
Chapter One
Jillian
I haven’t seen Sawyer in four years. God, it aches in every part of my body how much I miss him. The stupid asshole.
We haven’t heard from them as often as we used to before. It’s all my fault, and I know it. I let my emotions get the better of me, and I slipped up. Sawyer’s a grown man and whoever he dates shouldn’t have been any of my business, but I couldn’t help my broken heart. He was bound to have lovers. Sawyer’s tall, gorgeous, rich, strong, and a gentleman who looks out for people. Who wouldn’t fall for a man like him?
Still, I made that dumb mistake that haunts me till this day, and it cost me Sawyer. It was during my first year of college and the only frat party I attended when I almost kissed Lennox Masterson, thinking it was Sawyer. For years I could always tell them apart, but that night…that night I want to forget. The last time I saw either brother.
“What’s wrong, Jill?” my college friend asks in the middle of class.
“Oh, nothing, Andi. I was only thinking about home.”
“We’re so close to graduating college. Don’t start getting the senior fever.”
“Oh, no. I was talking about after graduation.” It’s less than a month away. Then, I’m going to have to grow up and get a job, and then maybe I’ll finally get over my obsession with Sawyer. Then again, maybe not. If I haven’t gotten over him yet, I may never get over him. Those beautiful, deep eyes, intensified by his powerful glare and strong jaw, his hands on me as he scolded me with such promise. My body heats up in class as that night comes to mind again.