Touching the Billionaire - Holly Jaymes Page 0,67
up the phone but didn’t check for her message. I’d do it tomorrow.
I thought about getting something to eat to help soak up all this booze I was about to drink, when my phone rang again. This time it was my brother’s ringtone. Again, I considered not answering it, but if there was ever a time I needed my older brother, now was probably it.
“Oliver, how are you?”
“Well, to be honest, I think I’m totally fucked.” his strained voice announced over the line.
“Jesus, what’s up?”
“Let’s just say that you are able to become the golden child in the family.”
I couldn’t imagine that there was anything Oliver could do to dim the bright star my parents saw around him. But if he felt like he had done something wrong, it had to be pretty big.
“What’s going on?”
“Remember that woman I told you that I was seeing?”
I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn’t see me. “Oliver, you’re always seeing someone. I’m not sure if I remember the specific one, but I know that you were seeing someone.”
“She was my boss’s daughter.”
I tried not to laugh because he really did sound like he was in some serious shit. “You know you’re not supposed to date the boss’s daughter, right?” Of course, I was one to talk. Madeline worked for me and I was fucking her. That was just as bad, except I loved her.
“Well, it was less about dating and more like fucking, but yes, I know you’re right. But Jesus, you should see her, Theo.”
“You know, Oliver, there’s more to women than tits and ass, right?” I realized that my questions were more about razzing him than helping him.
“Now you tell me,” he said with a laugh. But then he let out a sigh that I could tell meant he was feeling the weight of the pressure of something. “It gets worse.”
“So it’s not just that the boss found out and fired you?”
“Well, that of course has happened. But it’s worse. Turns out she filmed us.”
I frowned. “Filmed you doing what?”
“Dammit, Theo, you know, fucking.”
This time, a snicker did get free but I reined it in quickly. “I can’t believe you filmed yourselves in bed.”
Oliver was an adventurous guy, but a sex tape felt beyond what he’d do.
“I didn’t. She did without my knowing. Now she’s using it against me.”
I found myself wondering why a woman would use a sex tape against a man. Usually, women didn’t want that sort of thing getting out.
“What does she want?”
“She wants me to marry her. She tried to tell me she was pregnant but I was able to call her on it. So then she came out with this. At first, I thought she was joking but then she showed me a clip. Fuck, I can’t have my dick on some porno site. She says if I don’t marry her, she’s going to tell everybody about this tape.”
“Holy shit, she’s crazy.”
“Yes, I know. I’m calling you because I’ve lined up a few job interviews at clinics in Manhattan and I need a place to stay. Can I stay with you?”
It wasn’t like Madeline was going to be coming over anymore. “Yeah, I’ve got an extra room for you here. Do you really think running away to New York is going to keep her from releasing the tape?”
“How the fuck do I know? I just need to get away. I’m the one who told her father about our affair and then resigned, so I’m hoping he’ll make sure she doesn’t do it. After all, it won’t just hurt me, it’ll hurt her and him too."
“How can it hurt you, besides just embarrassing you?”
“I’m a plastic surgeon to people who want discretion. They’re not going to go to a doctor who’s scandalized with a sex tape.”
“You don’t think that kind of publicity will follow you here?” I asked Oliver. In the digital world, it didn’t seem possible to escape something like a sex tape.
“I don’t know. I just have to hope that her dad keeps her in line and my being out of sight will help.”
“Well, I suppose if it doesn’t work out, you could sell it. I hear porn is big these days.” Perhaps it was wrong of me to joke with him, but it was nice to have a moment of levity.
“You're the actor in the family, not me. Speaking of filming sex, how is your love life going?” he asked me. “Mom said you were in the tabloids again with your leading lady.