Billion Dollar Beast - Olivia Hayle Page 0,6

up on my shoulder and make my face impassive. She’s going to say no—what excuse she’ll use to Cole, I don’t know. But if there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that Blair Porter has never hated anyone more than she hates me.

3

Blair

“Do you never lock the front door?”

“Not when you have a front gate.” My brother leans against the kitchen island, still in his dirty gym clothes, a protein shake in hand.

“Have you abandoned showering?”

He shoots me a don’t-start look. “I just got back from playing with Nick.”

I ignore that. “Is Skye around?”

“No, she’s out with Timmy and her sister tonight.”

“Oh.”

“Try not to look so unhappy about that, will you?” Cole rolls his eyes. “I’m the one who’s technically flesh and blood.”

I aim a kick at his shins as I walk past. We might be older now, but he’ll always have it coming. “I’m unfortunately aware of that, yes.”

I hop up on one of the barstools and reach for a muffin from the center basket. Ever since Cole married Skye, there’s always good food in the house. It’s one of the many, many positive changes she’s wrought on my brother.

“Skye texted me about the skiing weekend,” I say, “three weeks from now. I’m guessing you closed on the place in Whistler?”

Cole reaches for a muffin of his own. “Yes. It was the third link I sent you.”

“You know,” I say good-naturedly, “a lot of billionaires will buy their own islands in the Caribbean. You couldn’t be that kind of billionaire, could you?”

My brother gives me an amused glare. “No. That’s for egomaniacs and James Bond villains.”

“But an eight-room chalet nestled deep in the snowy mountains isn’t?”

He flicks his muffin liner over to my side. “One more word and you’re uninvited.”

“You wouldn’t dare. Skye would have your head.”

“Unfortunately very true.” He reaches for yet another muffin. “How’s work going?”

“Good,” I say. “I’m cautiously optimistic.”

The glare he shoots me this time is tired. “You have to stop being cautious at some point, Blair. You’re never cautious in any other area of your life.”

There’s truth to his words but I ignore them, spinning around on the barstool instead. Ever since my fashion brand spectacularly crashed and burned—so spectacularly that it was still used as an example in the media of what not to do—talking about my career dreams hurt. Better to work in silence than let people see me fail a second time.

“You’re probably right,” I admit.

“Probably?”

“It’s the best I can give you,” I tell him. “Remember, I’m programmed to oppose you at every turn. That’s what a little sister does.”

“Yes, and don’t I know it,” Cole says. “But put that on hold for just five minutes, okay? I’ve had an idea.” There’s a warning in his voice. “And before you bite my head off, let me just say that I genuinely think this might be good.”

“What did you do now?”

“I didn’t do anything, but I… well, I suggested something to Nick and he agreed.”

I look up at him. “To Nick?”

“Yes. He’s just bought a clothing giant. It’s a pretty massive deal, actually. He needs to hire a consultant to advise with the retail and fashion side. You could be that consultant. You know the industry.”

I put my purse down on the kitchen island with a bang. “Work for Nick?”

“For Nick’s company, yes.” Cole glances over at me. “Unless you find it too distasteful. He’s probably slashing jobs right this moment to ensure they’re profitable enough for as long as he needs them to be.”

My fingers dance over the hem of my skirt. “You said Nick agreed?”

“Yes, he did. It was practically his idea.”

My raised eyebrow must have been question enough, because my big brother rolls his eyes. “All right, so it wasn’t. But I know you’d be great at this, Blair. What do you have to lose?”

Ah.

What he really means is what do I have left to lose. After my failed attempt at a fashion line, of course I’d jump at this chance.

“And you’re certain Nick agreed,” I say slowly. It makes no sense to me. Why would he entertain the idea for more than a second? The man has zero belief in my abilities.

“Yes, he did.”

That’s when it dawns on me—Nick doesn’t think I can do it. He agreed because he bet on me being the one to turn it down.

I put on the brightest smile possible. If nothing else, accepting will annoy the hell out of him. “Of course I’ll do it. I’ll give him a call right away.”

Cole’s