It was around lunchtime when a man knocked on the open door of the office.
“Oh,” he said when he saw me. “I’m sorry, I’m looking for Colt.”
“I’m not sure where he is,” I said. “I can try to find him if you want.” I started to get up, but the man motioned for me to stay seated.
“That’s okay,” he said, wandering into the office and plopping down in one of the chairs sitting in front of the desk. “I can talk to him later.”
He was about thirty, attractive, with dark blonde hair and a perfectly cut suit.
“Oh,” I said. “Um, okay.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Olivia,” I said. “I’m Colt’s secretary.”
He grinned. “Secretary, eh? Is that what Colt’s calling them these days?”
Before I could figure out a response, Colt appeared in the doorway. He took in the scene, his eyes darkening into a black storm.
“Joseph,” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“I brought you an offer,” Joseph said, making no move to get up from his chair.
“Not interested,” Colt said, not even bothering to try and hide his annoyance. “Is there anything else?”
Joseph rolled his eyes and then winked at me. “This guy,” he said, pointing at Colt. “Olivia, can you let him know that selling this place could be a cash windfall?”
I frowned and looked at Colt. “You’re thinking of selling the club?” “No,” Colt said at the same time Joseph said, “He should be.”
Joseph shook his head, then pulled out a briefcase and popped it open. He pulled out a crisp sheet of paper and set it down on the desk.
I couldn’t help but notice the number on the front of the page.
Three million dollars.
Holy shit.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?” Colt asked, his tone making it clear he didn’t want to do anything else for Joseph and definitely wouldn’t even if Joseph were to ask. “Mr. Personality this guy, huh, Olivia?” Joseph asked me.
I laughed. “Tell me about it.”
I saw the annoyance flash on Colt’s face.
Joseph stood up and grabbed his briefcase. “Let me know if you change your mind, Colt.”
“I won’t change my mind.”
“It was nice to meet you, Olivia,” Joseph said. “I hope to see you again.”
“Yeah, you too,” I said, giving him a smile.
As soon as he was gone, Colt turned to me. “I don’t want you talking to him.” “What?”
“You heard me. I don’t want you talking to him.”
“I don’t even know him.”
“I don’t care. If he comes back, call me immediately.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because he’s a dick.”
“What did he do?”
“Did he try to hit on you?”
“No, he didn’t try to hit on me,” I said. “I hardly even know the guy, he came in and asked for you. He was only here for like two minutes before you got here. He seems nice.”
“Yeah, well, he’s not.”
“Oh my God,” I said, swiveling around in my chair so I could face him straight-on. “Are you… are you jealous?”
“I don’t get jealous,” he said.
“You seem jealous.”
“I’m not,” he growled. “If I want something, I take it.” He crossed the room and picked up the piece of paper Joseph had left sitting on the desk.
“Three million dollars is a lot of money,” I said. “How much is still left on the mortgage?”
“It’s paid off.”
“Wow.” I shook my head and stood up, made my way to the mini-fridge in the corner of the room and pulled out a can of Diet Coke. I cracked open the can and took a sip. “If you sold, you’d be a millionaire.”
“I’m already a millionaire.”
He said it so cavalier, so casual that it made my heart ache. What would that be like, I wondered, to have the money to be able to do whatever you wanted, to be able to create whatever life you desired?
“Yeah, but this way you could do whatever you wanted,” I pressed.
“I already do whatever I want.”
“Oh, really?” I pressed him. “This is what you want? To be working in some strip club?”
He laughed, tipping his head back. “That’s what you think I do? That I just work in some strip club?” He slammed his fist down on the desk again, the way I’d seen him do yesterday after he’d been in here with his uncle. “You have no idea what goes on here, Olivia. You have no idea what it takes to run this place.”
Anger poured into my veins. How dare he talk to me like that? “I know that I saw some girl here yesterday, with her face black and blue and her hair cut. I know that your uncle said something to you that made you so angry you punched the desk. I know that last night some guys almost assaulted me. So if the last twenty-four hours are any indication, then yeah, Colt, I think I have a pretty good indication of what goes on here.”
“So what? After just one day, you think you know me? You think you know anything about me?”
“I know you’re better than this,” I said quietly.