A Billionaire's Mistake

18|Jett

Chapter Eighteen: Jett

Lincoln

Margo greets me with a roll of her eyes, following me directly into my office. I don't even have the time to sit down in my chair before she blurts, "You look like a sex wreck, Lincoln."

I barely allowed myself to change when I got back to my house, so I didn't think about looking at my hair. I reach up to try and tame the fly-away strands, sending Margo a half-smile. "Sorry. I'm here now. What did I miss?"

Margo, never looking out of place, slims out her pencil dress and sits in the chair opposite my desk. She crosses one leg over the other, a red heel dangling from her foot. "Who was it this time?" She taps a pen on top of a notepad seated on her lap. "A girl from the bar Archer likes to take you to? Why were you even fucking someone on a weekday, Linc? Should I be concerned?"

Telling Margo that I'm screwing the one woman she told me was out of my league is more than tempting, but I don't want anyone knowing about this just yet. Sienna seems to want to keep what we're doing on the down low, so I'll follow her lead. If she wants to tell people, then we will. Until then, the secret is safe with me.

"What did I miss?" I repeat, ignoring her question which only seems to bother her more.

Margo curls her upper lip and mutters something under her breath before she gets into my schedule for the week. I have a meeting with Sienna and Reed to go over the campaign they're putting together, which I'm not particularly looking forward to. Visions of that t-shirt she wore earlier float through my head. I wonder how many other things of his she's kept?

Is he the one that hurt her?

"Linc," Margo snaps, "are you even paying attention?"

"Yes. Sorry. Continue."

"Your brother Jett requested a meeting with Brock on Friday to go over the finances."

My eyes flare to meet hers. "He what?"

"It's no secret that this company is in trouble, Linc. It's in the news, the employees know it, and word travels fast. You know he's wanted to sell for a long time. He's probably coming to get a report to see how the company is doing."

"And what gives him the right? The last time I checked, my mother handed this company over to me to handle, not him. It's not any of his goddamn business."

Margo throws her hands up. "Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just letting you know that he called earlier."

Great. Not only do I have to deal with dinner with both Jett and my mother this weekend, but now I have to deal with him at the office, too. I should have known he'd try to stick his nose where it doesn't belong while he's in town.

"Sienna is our key to fixing this," Margo says calmly, and just at the mention of her name, she studies the reaction on my face, rolling her eyes. "You've got to be fucking kidding me, Linc. Sienna Stone? You got involved with the one person we need to save this company?" She stands up from the chair, slamming her hand on the desk. "Need I remind you that people's livelihoods are at stake here? If you lose this company, you'll have a nice inheritance to fall back on. Your employees, however, including me, will not. Put your dick back in your pants and start acting like a CEO."

When she leaves and slams the door behind her, I let out a loud breath and let my head fall into my hands. I'm starting to realize how much pressure my father was put under daily, and suddenly I'm not as confused about what happened. About why he chose to end his life. Right here in this very same office.

I run my fingertips along the glass edge of the desk, blinking away tears. I will not cry in front of my employees. I will not look weak. I refuse to.

Margo pops her head back in, eyes softening as she stares at me. "I love you, Linc, but you need to get your head out of your ass. This is serious."

***

I'm in my home gym five hours later, hitting my punching bag with as much force as I can. Sweating from head to toe, I try to block out my conversation with Margo, but I can't.

I know she's right. I know I shouldn't be starting this with Sienna, but Sienna isn't like anyone else I've met before. A woman that's smarter and more knowledgeable than me. A woman that keeps me on her toes with her sense of humor. A woman so insatiable and intoxicating in bed that I'm pretty sure I'm now addicted.

Hit

Hit

Hit

I feel the beads of sweat travel down my chest to the waistband of my shorts, kicking it up a notch when I picture Sienna's naked body sprawled on her sheets. How right it felt making breakfast with her. How I fucking sang from being so happy when I haven't felt like that in so long.

Left

Right

Left

Right

The door to my gym opens and I hit the punching bag harder when Jett strolls in wearing a pinstripe suit. Why the hell he feels the need to look like he works on Wall Street every day I'll never know.

I clench my jaw at his stupid blonde, slicked-back bun, looking just like the little weasel he is.

"You got in early," I seethe through gritted teeth, "who let you inside?"

He places his hand over his heart as if he's offended. "It's nice to see you too, little brother."

Hit

Hit

Hit

"You couldn't have waited to see me until this weekend at Mom's?"

He leans against the archway of the door, an arrogant smile on his face when he realizes how much he's pissing me off. "Why would I waste any more precious time when you're letting our family go bankrupt?"

"Bankrupt?" I scoff and chuck my boxing gloves on the matted floor. "Am I not remembering it correctly that we both got a very generous inheritance after Dad died?"

"That's not going to last forever," he says, "and you know it. The more we lose money, the more mom isn't going to be taken care of."

My mother has plenty of money to last her a lifetime, and Jett knows it, but he said it to twist the knife deeper into my chest. He knows she will always be my weakest spot.

"You need to sell," he reiterates. "I have a business plan I can go over with you. Not that it would matter since you couldn't give two fucks about running a business, anyways."

I narrow my eyes. "What the hell makes you say that? I've been busting my ass trying to run this company. Trying to fill dad's shoes to save what he worked so hard for."

"Is it worth driving it into the ground? You're fucking up, Linc, and you know it. Swallow your damn pride and sell before we lose everything and there's nothing left to remember Dad by."

Taking two steps closer toward him, I get directly into his face. "Get the fuck out of my house," I snarl, "and if I find out you end up meeting with Brock on Friday, I'll make sure security knows not to let your ass inside."

Jett chuckles, brushing his fingertips along his sculpted jawline. I hate that despite our different hair colors, we look extremely similar. Strong jawlines, slightly crooked noses, and cheekbones that could cut glass.

He chuckles and rolls his eyes. "Ah, Margo told you even after I asked her not to. Why am I not surprised?"

"She wants to keep her job. That's why."

"Who says I wouldn't keep her on?" Another arrogant smile. "She's got a nice ass. I'd love nothing more than to keep her around for my pleasure."

"She's gay, you dipshit. She told our entire family three years ago. You were there. Keep dreaming, though."

"I intend to," he says, and he must realize I'm at my breaking point because he steps through the threshold of the door and taps his knuckles on the archway. "We'll talk later at Mom's. She's going to come around eventually, Lincoln. It's just a matter of time before I convince her to sell, too."