Dirty Boy (38 page)

Story followed Max into his office at the studio, wondering why they were there. She’d never been in the room before and tried not to gawk at the display of sex toys and oversized photos of Max in various sex positions with various women. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, even after all Max had taught her. More than that, she felt betrayed, and she hated that. But these photos summed up his life. He was Richard Head and that wouldn’t change.

“Hello, Story.”

She’d been so caught up in taking in every detail of the office, she hadn’t noticed Erin sitting in one of the seats. She looked fabulous in a pale pink pantsuit and silver stiletto sandals. In the other seat, Natalia sat cool and confident, her expression closed.

Max walked to his seat behind the desk, capturing their attention. Story wanted to rip Erin’s and Natalia’s eyes out at the lust on their faces as they looked at him, sexy in black trousers and a white button down that enhanced his gorgeous coloring.

“I didn’t think you’d commemorate our scenes with a framed twenty by twenty-four of the cover,” Erin offered with a smirk.

Max’s lips tightened and Natalia tittered.

“Okay, I’m out of here,” Story almost snarled, turning to the door. She didn’t need to look at a close-up photo of Erin’s pussy. Max’s head was thrown back, his fingers wrapped around her ankle as his cock was halfway inserted into her. “I’ll wait for you in the car.”

“Stop!”

Story gritted her teeth at Max’s hard command. She didn’t want a full-blown argument in front of these two women. She’d never once thought about Max’s type, but looking at Erin and Natalia indicated she wasn’t it. They were close to his age, well put together, and successful, sharing his arrogance.

“I brought you two here to help me assist Story,” Max said coldly. “Not to have her feel threatened. I thought this could be a win for everyone.”

“What are you talking about?” Story asked, turning to face Max and narrowing her eyes. “Better yet, what the hell are you on? They weren’t nice to me before, why do you think they’d be any different now?”

“Really? I know Natalia wasn’t but you told me you and Erin worked out your differences. Did you lie to me?” Max’s tone had taken on a deadly coolness.

“Does it make a difference?” Story hissed.

“As a matter of fact it does,” Max snapped. “Tell me what you meant.”

“Max, Story didn’t mean—”

His glare shut Erin up. “I’m not talking to you. I asked Story the question. If she tells me you mistreated her, you’ll be cut off so fast, you won’t know what hit you.”

Uneasiness spread across Erin’s features and she shifted in her seat, sharing a glance with Natalia.

“My work with the studio is done,” Story reminded him. “So may I leave?”

Steepling his fingers, Max leaned back in his chair, every inch the boss. “You may not.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” Story said. “I’m not filming with these two.”

“My filming days are over,” Erin said flatly.

“Your shop days will be over if you say another fucking thing,” Max said with the same authority he used on Story. He looked at Natalia. “Do you have anything to add?”

“No, Max,” she said quickly.

“I didn’t think so.” Max opened one of the desk drawers and pulled out a binder, holding it out to Story.

She was reluctant to take it, but Max was in one of his moods, so bad that he was snapping at his girlfriends. She snatched it from him. “What’s this?”

“A proposal,” Max explained. “I’m commissioning two of your designs. I don’t know much about the industry, but Natalia is willing to be your model. Erin will assist you in choosing materials and then will offer your clothes in her boutique. Meanwhile, I’ll be looking into getting you a spot during fashion week.”

Story gasped. Hand shaking, she sat the binder on the edge of the desk and opened it, looking over each page that outlined his proposal, the cost of the undertaking, including fees for Natalia and Erin, as well as papers to form a partnership between Max and Story for her clothesline he’d named Storytime. She’d own seventy percent of the company.

“What does this mean?” she whispered. Certainly, she couldn’t live in Dallas and run and L.A. based company.

“It means I want you to stay,” he said quietly.

Not caring at their captive audience, Story rushed to Max and vaulted into his lap, kissing his lips and face. His chair rolled back, but he caught her butt and held onto her.

“I love you so much!” she said, so overwhelmed tears rushed to her eyes. “We can share an office and—”

“Slow down, sweetheart,” he admonished. “There’ll be no need to share an office since I already have one. That’s part of the reason I enlisted Erin’s aid. Her shop is doing poorly. Working for you will be a way to add to her income. She knows if your business fails, her shop closes. That’s a clause in the contract. It’ll take her several years to turn a profit. I’ll fund her boutique as long as she steers you in the right direction. The moment you receive bad press, negative
anything
, my money stops.”

Story slid off his lap and stared at him. She’d heard everything, but honed in on one thing. “You’re going to work behind the scenes here?” she asked for clarity.

“Story—” Max began in warning, giving her the answer she needed.

“Oh my God, you’re still going to be Richard Head!” she cried, her heart sinking to her toes. If she’d been hurt and upset by the idea before, she felt it tenfold now.

“Of course,” he said without remorse. “You’ll have something to keep your mind occupied while I work.”

The thought to snatch the binder and bat Max upside his head crossed Story’s mind, but that would serve no purpose. “No.”

“Excuse me?” The sound of Erin’s voice pissed her off a little more. “This is a once in a lifetime deal, honey.”

“For you, maybe, but not for me,” Story said, the urge to cry hitting her hard. “Or maybe not, right, Erin? I mean, Max fronted you the money to open your shop and now he’d be giving you more money.”

“I earned that money on my back,” Erin reminded her.

“I’ve earned a few things on mine,” Story retorted. “But I refuse to be manipulated into this.”

“It’s your dream,” Max said.

“I don’t care. Another dream is you and me being together. You can give me that, too.”

“I will, just not now.”

“Then, I’m not staying. I don’t care what you’re offering me. This dream has been boxed away for years. I earned my tuition on my back, so I’ll use that.” She swiped at a tear that she couldn’t hold back. “I’m not sharing you, Max. Period. Even if I was staying, I wouldn’t subject myself to Erin’s and Natalia’s cattiness.”

Max squeezed the bridge of his nose, then looked at her. “This offer is only on the table for a limited time. If you refuse, then it goes away. I’ll assist Erin without involving you.”

God, she was turning into a jealous harridan. Before she spoke, she knew what she was about to say was wrong. She didn’t care, though. Max was letting his position be known, so she’d tell him hers. “Why assist her at all? It seems to me this entire offer is for her benefit, not mine.”

“You’re really questioning me?”

“What does it sound like to you, Max?” she snarled.

“It’s my fucking money. If I want to help every woman I’ve ever slept with, you have nothing to say. You should be kissing my ass in thanks, instead of telling me what to do. I can’t believe you’re still determined to walk away.”

Story wanted to scratch Erin and Natalia’s smirks off their faces. She didn’t want to continue the argument in front of them, but Max would never ask them to leave. He’d gotten them here before he and Story arrived, trusting them enough to sit in his office to wait, when he’d never let Story in.

No, she wasn’t doing this. She wasn’t picking apart and comparing everything he did with these two women to his actions with her. He had a history with them. He only wanted to control Story.

He scowled at her. “After all this, you’re still intending to return to Dallas?”

She wanted to say no. She wanted to give in to his emotional blackmail and accept this once-in-a-lifetime offer. But she already knew she’d be miserable, so she swiped at another tear and nodded. “Yes. I am.”

Max couldn’t believe Story’s stubbornness. He’d thought he’d found a way to bend her to his will, but she wouldn’t fucking budge. Losing his temper and telling her he’d still help Erin hadn’t helped, but Story frustrated him to no end. He’d never met a girl so focused and so determined, to be so young.

“Fuck, fine. If you don’t accept the deal, I’ll withdraw my help from Erin.”

Erin’s eyes widened at the announcement. The smug bitch deserved it, though. Her reaction had pissed Story off a little more and ruined his entire goal. He hadn’t intended to do anymore for Erin than he already had, until the idea came to him about finding Story. He’d thrown Natalia in because she, too, was having financial problems.

“You don’t get it, Max,” Story whispered in a hoarse tone. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable working with them. I’d always feel threatened.”

“They aren’t a threat to you,” he snapped. “I haven’t fucked Natalia since you’ve been here and it’s been years since I slept with Erin. I don’t want them. I want you.” He hated feeling so vulnerable, but he needed to reach Story. She hadn’t cared who heard her declaration. He’d give her no less. “They are beautiful women, but what I had with them can’t touch what you and I share, sweetheart. I love you.”

“You’re so unfair, Max,” Story sobbed. “Please, just give up Richard Head. I’ll work with them. We’ll make it work. We’re all grown, so we could overcome anything.” She gave him an open, honest look that arrowed straight to his heart. “I’m begging you. I don’t care who knows how much I’m pleading with you to go behind the scenes. There’s not enough money in the world for you to get me to stay while you do this. I’d turn into a bitter, paranoid, jealous shrew. I’d never, ever be happy, so what you’re offering me would be worthless. I don’t care about any of that, anyway.
You’re
who I need and what I want. I can’t be any plainer than that.”

“Indeed you can’t,” he said sharply, his temper rising because her words, as much as her look, was giving rise to something he refused to believe in. Money was tangible. Love wasn’t. But there was more to it than that. “If you love me, why can’t you accept me as I am? For who I am?”

“If you love me, why can’t you compromise for me?” she shot back. “I’m not asking you to change your essence—”

“The fuck you aren’t. Richard Head is a part of me.”

“Dirty Boys Studio is a part of you,” she argued. She nodded to the photos on the wall. “This…I can’t take this.”

“Then I’ll have them removed today.”

Three pairs of eyes widened, but he was serious. “I’ll give in to all your demands.”

“Except the most important one.” With one last look, filled with hurt and disappointment, Story turned and walked out.

Elbows on his desk, Max covered his face. A female voice cleared and he looked up to find Natalia next to him.

“Get the fuck away from me.”

“Max,” she sighed. “I…as much as I want to gloat over that girl’s distress, I have to say I understand her.”