Boy in the Club a boy & billionaire novel - Rachel Kane Page 0,93
a great time together apparently; I’ve seen the pictures. She made me promise I’d bring Colby by to visit, to come see the baby. But eventually she’s going to come back, and then there will be this odd question…do I still work here?
Will Colby and I still be together then?
I mean, it’s great, everything feels so fantastic when we’re together…but is this a commitment? Is wanting the same as a commitment?
I just don’t know. It’s almost like we’re avoiding the topic.
“I think it’s fine for now,” I tell Polly.
“So…you’ll have the rent?”
I laugh. “Is that all you’re worried about?”
“Data entry doesn’t pay much!”
Reaching out, I ruffle his hair. “Yeah, in fact, I need to get you some money, don’t I? My share of the bills?”
“Nobody’s doing dishes anymore since you’ve gotten this job. Nobody knows how to buy food. I miss you, Finn. You take care of us.”
It’s one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said.
I never thought of myself as a caretaker, but isn’t that one of the things I’m doing here, as well?
I enjoy taking care of Colby. He works so hard, and has to be reminded to eat, to sleep, to enjoy himself.
But I can’t neglect my friends. “I can’t promise I’ll do the dishes, but I’ll make sure to get you the rent. In cash.”
He looks around the office one more time. “Can I ask a dumb question?”
“Sure.”
“Roan has this crazy theory that you’re not just working here. Like, when you didn’t come home last night… Are you and your boss…? I mean, I don’t know how to ask that.”
It’s not like I can lie to him. If anything, I’ve been dying to tell someone. We’re keeping things quiet, super quiet, for all the obvious reasons.
“Oh my god,” I say, and I rush to close the office door. “Polly. You won’t believe it.”
“You’re sleeping with him.”
“It is so great. I’ve wanted to say something, but I wasn’t sure how, and we’re keeping it really quiet—”
“I bet you’re keeping it quiet!” he says, and there’s an edge to his voice I didn’t expect. “Dude, you can’t fuck your boss!”
I’m taken aback. I thought he would think this was good news.
“It’s not just sex,” I say.
“Oh god. Oh, Finn, come on. Maybe it’s not just sex for you… But look at this place. He’s a goddamn billionaire. He’s in a whole different world than you. Come on, no, don’t look like that, you know I’m not saying anything bad about you. You’re like my brother or something. It’s not that. I’m just scared for you. These guys, they use people up and throw them away. Right? Isn’t that why he was at the club?”
No, he’s back at the club to make sure I’m free…but I can’t tell him that. There’s all this stuff I can’t quite say.
“He’s not like that.” My voice is quiet but insistent.
“They’re all like that.”
“What do you know about it?” I say, not liking the defensiveness in my voice, but he’s touched a nerve, a sore spot. “You’ve never been out with anyone like Colby. Neither have I. He’s different. He… He likes me. For me.”
“For you. So you’ve told him about the accident?”
It’s always cool in Colby’s office. He keeps the thermostat low, which he says helps him concentrate.
But right now the room feels twenty degrees below zero.
“Polly…”
“Finn, if you haven’t told him what happened that night, then don’t tell me how close you are to him, how different he is. You don’t trust him. Right? That’s not me telling you not to trust him, that’s you telling me that you don’t. Because otherwise you would’ve filled him in on it.”
I shake my head. “I can’t.”
“Because he’d leave you if he found out?”
“No! I just…we’re not there yet, okay?”
“You’re spending every second of every hour with him, day and night, and you’re not there yet? Man, don’t you see? Deep down, you know something’s wrong here. I’m not saying you don’t deserve a great guy. You do. If anyone does, it’s you. But…but you worry me, man. You don’t trust anyone—”
“Then I take big risks with them. Yes, I remember you saying that.”
I dare not tell him about that night we barebacked on the kitchen counter, without even discussing getting tested first.
He shrugs. “Be careful. Please?”
I wrap him in a big hug, and even though it might look like I’m trying to comfort him, really it’s me who needs the comfort.
I’m so scared. Scared of what’ll happen with Colby’s meeting with Jimi.