Sex and the Billionaire Crime Boss - Season 2

Ch. 1: Moment of Truth

I leave work early, since I'm not able to concentrate. All I can think about is what's going to happen when I see Max tonight. I keep hoping I'm wrong about the "mugging," but the sick feeling in my stomach tells me I'm not.

Max had to have ordered the beating Ramon took. There's no way it's a coincidence that his injuries are so similar to the ones he inflicted on his now ex-girlfriend. And I can't help but wonder if that's one of those extra jobs Gabe does for Max in addition to security.

Just the thought of it is horrifying. It's one thing to be involved in less than legal enterprises, to cross the line into things like money-laundering for people like Gino and Joey D. But the idea that Max could sit behind his desk like some kind of movie godfather giving orders to hurt people or maybe even worse, is making me feel ill.

Martina assumes I'm still upset about the incident with the man who followed me and tried to get me into a car, and says she'll text me if there's anything at the office I have to deal with. There's no harm in letting her think that's what's bothering me. I don't want to tell her the more serious reason I'm upset - as if almost getting kidnapped wasn't bad enough. Especially not my suspicion that the guy she's sleeping with probably beat up our client and put him in the hospital, on orders from the guy I'm sleeping with.

The person I need to talk to about my suspicions is Max himself.

So I go home, which was probably a mistake because I have nothing to do with myself but just wait. I don't even change out of my work suit, other than to discard the jacket and kick off my shoes. I probably should have just stayed at the office and tried to distract myself with some work.

By the time Max gets to my condo at seven I'm pacing back and forth. My nerves are raw, and I just want to get this over with.

Max, however, has other ideas.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he asks me as soon as he's through the door.

"What do you mean?" His accusation and his tone catch me completely off-guard. I'm the one who is upset about what I finally figured out today. So why is Max the one who's angry?

And he's definitely angry.

He must have had important meetings today, because he's dressed in a suit, much like he was the first time I met him on the plane from Philadelphia. It might even be the same Armani suit, although I'm sure he has dozens of them. No jacket, but he probably left that in the car.

There are diamond cuff links at his wrists, and his white button-down shirt looks as fresh and crisp as it must have been when he put it on this morning. He looks like any other wealthy and successful businessman who runs perfectly legal businesses, supports local charitable foundations, negotiates deals and sits at the head of a board room table.

Then the glint of his signet ring catches my eye, and it's a reminder of who and what he really is.

He puts both hands on my shoulders, holding me facing him.

"Don't play games with me, Hadley. You know exactly what I mean. You suspected someone was following you on multiple occasions and you never said a word about it. And as a result of ignoring the danger, you almost got yourself shoved into a car today." His expression hardens.

"If you'd told me what was going on I'd have taken precautions."

"Precautions?" The word bursts out of me. Max's eyes are dark with anger, but my own temper, fueled by how miserable I've been feeling ever since my meeting with Ramon this afternoon, isn't that far from flashpoint as well.