Chapter 15

Owen

Armed with Mira’s dress and still ripe with her perfume, I decide to take a visit at the Wilder Lingerie office to personally deliver it. Like I said, it’s what a gentleman would do.

Of course, I could have easily sent one of my drivers to do it, but fuck that; I just want to see her hot body one last time. Besides, I just rubbed one out, so I think I can behave myself accordingly in her presence without exploding. Hell, it’s an office, so it’s not like anything crazy can happen.

Although, if she has a private office…

As I step into the suite, the first thing I see is a white wall with nails sticking out of it and a sad-looking table with nothing but a phone on top.

Uh, am I in the right place?

I step out of the office into the hallway and check the door again.

Suite #305. This is it.

Holy fuck. How can this be Wilder Lingerie? It looks like a battered rehearsal space a couple of stoners pay $50 a month to “jam” in.

What’s with the bare walls? No sign for the company? And where the hell is the receptionist?

As I stand by the sad table, which looks like it was found on a street corner, I can’t help but feel bad for Mira. Maybe the interior of the office space is nicer—I mean, I can’t imagine it looking any worse than this shit.

After waiting a few minutes or so, I realize the receptionist is definitely not showing up, if one even exists.

I walk out of the entry area and turn down a hallway. The drab white color continues, but at least the walls have been decorated with framed magazine covers and articles.

One of them includes a feature from Forbes about young CEOs.

Mira is pictured all dolled-up in professional hair and makeup while holding her hands on her hips. It’s kind of weird seeing this other side of her. She looks so…pure.

I then close my eyes and imagine her all dirty and naked in my kitchen. Now that’s the Mira I know.

As I walk away from the picture, I hear a loud crash behind me. I turn around and see a ceiling tile broken in pieces on the floor.

That almost fucking hit me! God, this office needs a warning label.

I enter the main workspace, and it just gets worse.

It’s like a start-up office designed by a sadist; all departments are crammed into one massive open-floor with co-workers layered on top of each other, sharing small desks. Everyone’s typing on ancient computers while looking up from their screens with a pathetic look in their eyes.

I feel like I’m in some war-torn country, and these people need my charity. Either that, or at least an office that won’t give them a concussion from falling ceiling tiles.

This place is a fucking disaster. Mira’s clearly getting screwed over by these investors. If this is the best their money can buy, then they’re clearly not doing enough.

As I continue my depressing tour of the office, I hear a familiar voice. It can only be one person, one obnoxious asshole of a person.

“You went home with him?!” the muffled voice carries from somewhere in the back of the office. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you stupid? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!”

I look around at the co-workers who are all trying really hard to ignore the commotion coming from a closed office in the corner.

“I’m sorry, I…” an inaudible woman’s voice echoes behind the yelling, followed by loud sobs.

Shit, is that Mira?

I follow the sound, weaving my way through the office then thrusting open the door. Inside, I find Mira and the asshole I so gratefully get to call my brother, Carl. I knew it was that fucker; you can’t mistake that weaselly voice.

Both of them swirl around quickly when they see me, their eyes wide with shock. I’m probably not making this situation any better, but there’s no way I’m going to stand back and let Mira get grilled by this pompous dick.

“You!” Carl storms over to me. “Why, if it isn’t the man of the hour. And you’re just in time, too. We were just talking about you.”

“Oh, you were talking about how charming and handsome I am?” I love getting under his skin. “How thoughtful of you.”

Carl isn’t amused. He snatches Mira’s dress out of my hand and crumbles it in his fist.

“So, it is true!” Carl throws the dress against the wall.

He’s being completely overdramatic.

“I fucking knew it!” He then points furiously at Mira. “You lying little bitch!”

“Carl, calm down…” I put my palms up and wedge myself between Carl and Mira, hoping to redirect his attention my way. “Is that any way to talk to your step-daughter?”

Carl looks at me as if he wants to laugh. “Who gives a shit about the family? You two clearly don’t.”

He stalks behind me, peering out into the drab office where all the co-workers watch us like we’re some goddamn Shakespeare play.

“Christ, does everyone need to know our business?” Carl slams the door and pulls a folded-up article out of his pocket. “Did you see this, hmm?”

He waves the article in my face, and I snap it out of his hands.

I open the paper and read the headline. Fucking Lis Langley again. Is this what people call journalism these days?

“You let photographers catch your step-niece leaving your house?” Carl’s voice is loud and irate. He storms around the office like someone’s angry dad who just caught his kid fucking.

“Do you know how big of a fucking scandal this will be once people find out?”

“They won’t.” I shrug as I fold up the article and place it in my pocket.

I look over at Mira’s who’s wiping her tears with her low-cut shirt. I hate to see her like this, but she still looks fucking amazing. She looks up at me and grins automatically but freezes once Carl looks back at her.

“And what makes you so fucking certain of that, Mr. Hotshot?” Carl places his hands on his hips, looking at me like some angry, bespectacled rooster. It’s quite a sight, and I try not to laugh at how ridiculous he looks.

“The Capitalist Chronicle already knows you left with a fucking blonde at the party, and now another mysterious blonde is leaving your house the next morning? It doesn’t take a complete idiot to figure out this fucked-up mystery.”

I already know what he’s saying is true. I realized that when I walked away from her the second time, but I won’t get him the satisfaction in knowing he’s right. Fuck that.

“It’s not what you think.” Mira approaches Carl with her hands clasped. “I went over to Owen’s place because I was too drunk to take myself home. Nothing happened, I swear! The reason Owen covered me with his jacket when I left his place is because we both knew people would jump to conclusions.”

“Like you’re doing right now, Carl,” I chime in, wanting to help her.

Carl buries his face in his hands. This guy looks like he’s about to have an aneurysm.

“You expect me to believe that?” Carl’s face is beet red. “You two were fucking around at the reception. You expect me to believe you two then went to his place just to sleep? You must think I’m a complete moron!”

I snort with laughter. He isn’t lying. But as Carl and Mira snap their heads towards me, I quickly try to cover it up with a cough.

“Sorry, allergies,” I say as I touch my throat. “An investor of yours should really consider updating the air ventilation in here.” I glare at Carl.

Why not add another jab in there while I can? He fucking deserves it.

Carl walks towards to Mira and stands over her, intentionally trying to intimidate her.

“You know, I expect this kind of whorish behavior from my galvanizing half-brother, but not from my step-daughter,” he says, breathing in her face. “You’re a smart, accomplished young woman who I thought would be an asset to my family. Not some fucking slut.”

I see red. Watching and hearing him talk to her like that enrages me, and I can’t hold it in any longer.

I run up and shove Carl away. “Watch your fucking mouth.”

“I don’t have to listen to you,” Carl snarls at me like some fucking predator. “You’re just a dirty fucking uncle who can’t keep his dick in his pants and fucks his niece in desperation.”

“Stop.” I clench my jaw, and my muscles tense; he isn’t worth it. “I don’t care what you call me or accuse me of but leave Mira out of this.”

“Why? She’s the dumb slut who’s willing to throw her whole life away and ruin the reputation of her company just because she wanted to fuck her uncle.”

“Stop, please!” Mira cries. “Nothing happened!”

“It’s okay,” I say, trying to reassure her, even though I’m not sure if it is. I turn to Carl. “Okay, first of all, I’m her step-uncle—big distinction there.”

“Who cares!” Carl explodes, waving his arms frantically. “Family is family!”

Mira and I both slink back, not knowing what to say. I guess I just really felt like fucking her and She’s really fucking hot wouldn’t be considered good enough excuses.

“But hey, if we’re all just fucking each other,” Carl grabs Mira’s wrists suddenly and pulls her into him. “Why not fuck your new daddy, too? Isn’t that what you like, you little slut?”

Mira grimaces as she tries to pull away from him. I see his hand move down toward her breasts, and I fucking lose it.

I run up to him and grab him by his shoulders. I lift him up off the ground, and his disgusting face contorts in fear and anger.

I hear Mira scream, “No, don’t do it!”

But it’s too late for that.