Free Billionaire Secrets of a Wanglorious Bastard by Alexei Auld Page A

can deal honestly with the choices you make.”
      I made a choice, all right. I sent Rhage flowers, candy, balloons, and a huge teddy bear with a beret and painter's easel.

35

    “FEELING BETTER?”
    I was. We were in Enos's office for a sushi lunch. Me, Tani, and Enos. “I don't know, Tani.”
    “How come?”
    “I was talking to this woman who worked here and—”
    “What girl is that?”
    “Sif Sanchez.”
    Enos said, “Sif Sanchez? As in Dead-end Sif?”
    I said, “Dead-end?”
    Tani said, “She was my hero.”
    “A hero for you?”
    “Or heroine.”
    “I prefer she-ro.”
    Enos nibbled at his volcano roll. “She embezzled funds from our clients.”
    “Embezzled?”
    Tani said, “That's not what I'd call it.”
    Enos nearly choked on a piece of sashimi. “She stole money from a client. Can you imagine? She's lucky she wasn't disbarred.”
    Tani said, “Even after all the things that came out about her. The things she did. Man.”
    I said, “Things like what?”
    Enos said, “Porking a partner's wife.”
    Say what?
    Enos guzzled plum wine. “That could've been someone else's spot. And to think of all the money they spent training her.”
    Tani clapped his hands. “Sweet.”
    Speaking of sweet, when I went home that night, the candy, balloons, and teddy bear lay outside my apartment door. I thought the delivery person must have left it.
    When I opened the door, I found out otherwise.

36

    “I'VE PUT UP with more than most people would, you know? You're a lawyer and you work tough hours, so what?”
    “I want to be with you, Rhage.”
    “Actions, not words, Rufus. That's what matters.”
    “What about that job I told you about?”
    “As a secretary?”
    “Paralegal, not secretarial. You know that.”
    “Yeah. I know they get treated like shit, too. So what?”
    “We could be together.”
    “And miserable.”
    I took her hand. “Come on, baby. We'd have late hours together. Alone. Just me and you.”
    She smirked. “Just me and you?”
    Got her. I grinned. “You don't know how freaky an office can be.”
    She pulled her hand away. “Isn't that against firm rules?”
    “What?”
    “Office romances.”
    “No. They happen all the time.”
    “Really?”
    “Yeah. I mean, people spend more time with their secretaries than with—”
    “Their girlfriends?”
    “You know that's not what I meant.”
    “No? Then what did you mean? For all I know, you could be fucking your secretary.”
    “You're tripping.”
    “Look, I can't take this anymore.” She got up to leave. “And I can't believe you.”
    “Rhage.”
    “I'm an artist, okay? My work depends on clarity of thought. Vision. I can't be bogged down with materialism, capitalism, or any other -ism which distracts me from my art.”
    “But—”
    “Your suggestions are offensive. You're the breadwinner, not me. You're the capitalist, I'm the artist. And if you can't deal, we are over.”

37

    “I CAN'T BELIEVE you slipped like that.”
    I wish Enos would slip on the wet bar floor. I fucked with the salt shaker.
    “Office romances? You never tell your girl about that.”
    I pulled out some napkins from a dispenser.
    “All firm relationships are doomed. So now you know and can focus on Rita.”
    “If you like her so much, Enos, why don't you hook up with her?”
    “It's against my principles.”
    “Principles? You?”
    “As a point guard, it's my job to set plays and distribute the rock to my teammates so they can score. I'll take a shot now and then, but I can't take 'em all.”
    “Whatever.”
    “You're a just another law firm romance casualty.”
    “Maybe I should've—”
    “Should've, would've, could've. What can you do? Romantic dinners on speakerphone? Her at home and you at work eating different meals at the same time, while music plays in the background?”
    “That does sound sweet.”
    “That's crap. It's fake.”
    “It shows thought. Something you'd never know, Enos.”
    He sucked his teeth.
    The bartender