Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
He looked at her, simply looked at her, and it galled her to realize that he was telling her without words that she was starting to bore him.
"Get to the point, Camelia."
How was it that the ruder this man was, the more she wanted him?
"I can persuade a friend to invest the amount you need, but I want a percentage of the profits when your company goes public."
"Is your friend someone I know?"
"Does it matter if you do or don't?"
He didn't answer her right away, and that made her nervous. She had obviously misjudged him. Wild cards like him usually didn't mind bending the rules, but Valerian Rossfield had scruples, apparently, and that could completely ruin her plans.
It was Camelia's turn to catch him off guard as she reached for him, and she didn't bother looking around as she heard more than one man react to the sight of her hand curving around the huge, hard bulge under Valerian's pants.
"Just say yes, darling," she purred throatily, "so we can get the ball rolling."
Valerian's nostrils flared when she gave his huge, hard cock a little squeeze, and wetness pooled between her thighs.
"You hate having your time wasted, don't you? So why don't you just say yes? The money's yours if you want it. And so am I...if your proposed business is as good as you say it is."
Chapter One
PRESENT TIME
Joy paced the length of her office in a panic. She prided herself on managing the top salon in San Antonio, but she was now in danger of losing her hard-earned reputation, and all because one of her senior stylists had apparently lost her mind.
Debbie knew how important it was to keep their VIP clients happy, and in exchange for an insanely high hourly rate, the woman had also been more than happy to sign a contract that obliged her to be at their client's beck and call.
So why was that idiot bailing on them now?
The door to her office suddenly flew open as her assistant manager Giovanni came barreling in. "Bad news, Joy. I heard it straight from the horse's bestie's mouth—-" Giovanni, seeing his employer's confusion, hurriedly explained, "I'm talking about Carrie—-"
"Our receptionist?"
"She's also best friends with Debbie, and she didn't want to say anything at first," Giovanni reported with a sniff, "but when I told her that Mr. Rossfield could ruin us with just one word..."
Joy could only listen with growing horror as Giovanni relayed Debbie's failed attempt to seduce their client in their last session, and how this was the idiot's way of getting back at the billionaire for turning her down.
"I always knew she was stupid," Joy groaned, "but I didn't know she could be that stupid!"
Giovanni started biting his nails when he realized they only had less than an hour left to assign a stylist for their billionaire client. "What do we do now?"
Joy resumed pacing as she went through their current roster of stylists. Kevin was still working on Mrs. Vanderbilt's perm. Alicia was on an assignment to do the hair for a celebrity at an undisclosed location. Melanie was on maternity leave, but even if the woman were willing to come in, she would never make it in time.
"Please tell me you've got a plan," Giovanni said nervously.
"I think I do..." It was Joy's turn to start biting her nails. "But I need to make a choice." Did she risk asking the billionaire if she could reschedule...or should she take a gamble on her most promising junior stylist?
HEATHER WENT STRAIGHT to business as soon as Valerian answered her video call.
"Your schedule today is as follows: 5:00 AM, skydiving. 6:30 AM, breakfast at the Catskills with Ezio Marchetti. 8AM, a meeting with your bank manager aboard your private jet en route to San Antonio. 1PM, a video call with your girlfriend. 2PM, golf meeting with your lawyer. 3PM, a haircut while aboard the Black Eagle en route to Austin. 4PM, drifting session, and we've reserved the stadium for your exclusive use. 6PM, dinner at the Spring Harvest Ball, where you'll also be their keynote speaker."
"And that's it? You've got nothing after 6PM?"
Heather crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Valerian in the eye before saying firmly, "Yes, that's it." Most would have rightfully assumed the billionaire was being sarcastic. But he wasn't. Since Valerian was a workaholic with an insatiable appetite for adrenaline-pumping activities, Heather's biggest challenge was keeping the younger man from killing himself.
"How about—-"
"I thought you should also know that Salon Joyeux is sending another stylist for your 3PM session—-"
"Fuck."
"—-just as I predicted."
"Fuck."
"No need to worry about taking time out on my account," Heather said airily. "I've already taken the liberty of treating myself using the company card."
"How wonderfully efficient of you."
Heather clucked her tongue at the billionaire's less-than-gracious response. "I told you from the start you'd lose this bet. You're always too harsh—-"