Free Betting On Love by Cheris Hodges Page B

in front of them, and Jade picked hers up, holding it tightly in her hand. “No, I haven’t, and if you were the last man on earth, I wouldn’t touch you with a ten-foot pole and a vibrating sex toy.”
    Christopher smiled. “I don’t have to approve this loan.”
    â€œThen don’t. Because if you think I’m going to hop into bed with you for money, you’re a damned fool. That’s not how I do business.”
    He ran his index finger down her arm. “You’d love it. I know how to make a woman scream.”
    Without giving it a second thought, Jade tossed her drink in his lecherous face. “You bastard! You can take this loan and stick it up your flabby ass.”
    â€œIs there a problem over here?” a voice asked from behind Jade. She turned around and was happy to see James standing there.
    â€œNo,” Christopher said, rising to his feet. Though he tried to stand toe-to-toe with James, he was about three inches shorter than James.
    â€œWell, it looks as if the lady doesn’t want to be bothered,” James said gruffly.
    â€œWhat business is it of yours?” Christopher demanded hotly as he wiped his dripping face with his hand.
    â€œLeave her alone, or you’re going to give the word swimsuit a new meaning,” James said.
    Jade smiled as she watched the scene unfold. She hadn’t even known James was at the pool, but she was happy that he was there.
    â€œAre you threatening me? Do you know who I am?” Christopher said, his voice rising with indignation.
    â€œDo I look like I give a damn who you are?” James snapped as he took a step closer to the man. Jade grabbed James’s arm.
    â€œHe’s not even worth it,” she said.
    Christopher grabbed the loan papers and ripped them in half. “Good luck finding the funding you need now, you bitch.”
    Without hesitation or a second thought, James balled his fist and punched Christopher, knocking him to the ground. “Didn’t your mother teach you that it’s not polite to call a woman out of her name?” Turning to Jade, James asked her if she was all right.
    Sighing, thinking that she’d been so close to having the money that she needed to finally give Stephen what he deserved, she said, “Can we get out of here?”
    The few people who were at the bar, munching on breakfast and sipping mimosas, were watching intently. James nodded. “Let’s go.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and didn’t even look back to see if Christopher had gotten up. Once they were inside the hotel and on the elevator, James asked, “Who was that guy?”
    â€œA banker,” she replied. “Serena found him, and we should’ve left when his assistant pulled out loan papers instead of an investment agreement.”
    â€œI hope I didn’t overstep my boundaries, but when I saw you toss your drink in his face, I had no idea how he would react, and I didn’t want to see him put his hands on you.”
    Jade hugged James tightly. “You know, I’m really glad you were there. He was a total sleaze. Sometimes I have to wonder where Serena finds these people.”
    James held his tongue. He hadn’t told Jade about the visit her friends had paid him. At least he knew that Jade wouldn’t do anything for money. That made him smile.
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    Jade was silent as she and James entered his suite. Her hopes of getting her money back from Stephen were dwindling like a campfire in a typhoon. The only thing she could do now was pray that the realty company Kandace had contacted would start a bidding war for the property that Stephen wanted. One way or another, Jade wanted him to pay for what he had done to her. But was it worth it?
    She was tired of meeting with shady investors and of sleepless nights because her mind was filled with schemes to bring Stephen down. But being with James for the past few days had really set her mind