Carter
“Seriously, Carter. How long are you going to keep doing this?” the woman on the video call says, her eyes skeptical.
I actually roll my eyes this time. “Come on, Lola. You’re joking, right? I’m making you so much money right now that we’d all be insane to end it.”
What the fuck? First Chase, and now Lola—both telling me I can’t keep this up forever. I don’t get it. Head Hunter is the most watched show on any network and online. We’re all making bank.
I look over at Chase, who’s sitting next to me on the private jet we’re taking to New York City, and give him a scrutinizing look, my eyes narrowed.
Lola Anders is the network executive. She should absolutely be on board with keeping this up. Am I missing something? Glancing back at the screen on the wall in front of us, I give her a charming grin.
“What’s the matter? Have you decided you’re tired of watching these other women crawl all over me and want a piece for yourself?”
It’s Lola’s turn to roll her eyes. I can totally bullshit with her like this. I’m her money machine. I can say whatever the fuck I want. Plus, I’ve seen the way she looks at me. She does want me. I mean, hell, they all do. And she’s been watching me get my cock sucked for almost five years. I can’t say I blame her.
“Look, Carter,” she says, trying to be all business. “You’re twenty-six now. It’s just not right for someone as hot as you to remain a virgin.”
I laugh out loud. I knew it. She does want me.
“Let me guess. You want to be the lucky lady to end it all?” I lean forward and wink, my voice dropping into a gravelly growl that I know makes all the women wet. “Lola, baby, if you want some of this, all you’ve got to do is ask.”
Her eyes narrow, and I can tell I’m pushing her close to her limit, but I don’t fucking care. What's she going to do? Fire me. I don’t think so.
My grin widens. “But I have to tell you, Lola. After all these years I’ve been waiting, you might not be able to handle me.”
I glance over at Chase and see him hiding a smile. I’d give him a high five if it wouldn’t make me look like a total asshole in front of Lola. I mean, she does still sign the checks, even if I do get away with fucking with her more than I should.
Lola clears her throat. “No, Carter. I don’t want to be the one to take your virginity.” She averts her eyes. Lies. “But I do think you should consider letting one of the women in the last part of the season do it. Like I said, you’ve waited way too long for this. You deserve it.”
I let out a scoff, my eyes widening. “No fucking way, Lola.” This bitch has lost her mind. Playtime is over. I’m not in the mood to mess with her now. “Why would I do that?”
She purses her lips. “I just think it would be good for ratings. We can make it the finale. The Head Hunter finally gives in. Can you just imagine the money that would bring in for us?”
My lip curls up, and I look at Chase again. He’s not smiling anymore. “Hell no,” I practically snarl. “If I lose my virginity before the end of my contract, you know what that means.”
I’m certain she does. But I never expected her to stoop so low as to try to convince me to do this.
Part of my five-year contract stipulates that if I remain a virgin for the full five years then I get a two billion dollar bonus payout. I’d be an idiot not to do that. Especially when the end of that contract is right around the corner.
“Ten episodes,” I tell Lola, my gaze pinned on her image on the screen. “Ten weeks. That's nothing compared to the five years I’ve been doing this. You expect me to give it up in the next ten weeks when I’ve waited this long? For some ratings? You know we’ll get the ratings regardless.”
Lola grimaces, and then Chase leans forward, jumping in on this conversation. I’m sure he’ll have my back. He’s not just in charge of filming. He’s my network liaison, but he’s also my friend.
“Lola, I know what you’re playing at here. This isn’t about ratings.”
I look at Chase, wondering what he knows that I don’t.
“Carter, you know when they put that incentive in your contract they didn’t actually think they’d have to pay it out, right?”
My gaze flicks to Lola, who looks furious now, then back to Chase. Lola keeps talking.
“They had no idea the show would be such a hit. That’s why it was a one-season deal with the option to renew, the five-year clause tacked on just as a guarantee. Nobody—I mean nobody—thought you would actually go five years and still be a virgin. Hell, they thought it would be done in one season. If you even made it that long. I mean, who goes a whole year with the hottest women in the world begging to fuck them and still remains a virgin?”
Me. That’s fucking who.
“Okay. But I did. For five years. Now it’s time to pay up.” I sneer at Lola. “There’s nothing that could make me walk away from two billion dollars with only ten weeks to go.”
Chase grimaces. “That’s the problem. The network never had any idea this would happen. That it was even a possibility. That clause was just thrown in there to get you to sign. The truth is, they just don’t have that kind of money to pay up.”
I smirk. Too fucking bad. I earned that money and I’ll fucking get it. I look at Chase for another second, and then I turn back to Lola.
“Well, I guess I’m about to own myself a network then.”
And I push the button to end the call.