Layers by TL Alexander Read Free Book Online Page A

in.
    Jules shuts the door. “I heard sucks and balls. What did I miss?”
    “Jules, you have super hearing when someone mentions body parts,” I say and shake my head.
    “Hearing about them is fine but I’m a touchy feely kind of girl.”
    Jaxson coughs and slides closer to me.
    Lane smirks. “Lane, you remember my friend Jules?” I say with a nod toward her.
    “Could never forget. Hey Jules,” he says and gives her his cute- as-hell dimpled smile.
    “Hey, Lane, you’re not so forgettable yourself” she says and raises her brows a couple of times.
    “Do you come on to every man in Manhattan?” Jaxson grumbles.
    “No. I have never come on to you,” she replies and gives him the once over.
    I roll my eyes.
    Jaxson scoots closer to me and Lane laughs as he pulls into traffic.
    “Jules, Jules, Jules,” Lane sing-says. “You are somethin’.”

    “Yeah, somethin’ all right,” Jaxson mumbles.
    Lane snickers.
    “Just do your job and drive, asshat.”
    “Yessum, boss-man” he says as we make our way through Manhattan traffic.
    I look out the window and take in all that is The Big Apple.
    Jaxson puts a hand on my knee. “There are things we need to go over.”

    “Okay.”
    “The voting partners met last night.”
    “And judging by your solemn look it’s not good news?”
    “More like unexpected. We went over the evidence again. Then we took a vote. Seven of the ten partners voted to turn the case over to the DA.”
    “Did you inform them about Will Harris?”
    “That was my original plan but something was off. I suspect that Will has been communicating with some of the partners.”
    “What do you think he’s been saying?”
    “I don’t know. I suspect he’s disclosed that he discovered your embezzlement. He might be saying that he has information that’s not in the report. Whatever he’s saying, he seems to have gained influence.”
    “So what are we going to do?”
    “This morning I held a private meeting with four of my most trusted friends and advisors. John Green, Ryan VP—whom you know, two of the partners and my personal lawyer. I told them about Will. The setup, the outside audits and my suspicion that he is communicating and influencing some of the partners.” They advised me to keep this information confidential and conduct a private investigation. They believe that if we reveal our suspicion without evidence it will only make things worse.”
    “I don’t know if it can get any worse. It looks like we were wrong about the partners wanting to settle this privately.”
    “Alexia, I won’t let them turn you over to the DA. The partners are meetingagain tomorrow and I have a plan.”

 
TWO UPON A MATTRESS
     
    Three weeks later Jules and I are mattress shopping.
    “I can’t believe that you’ve had your loft cleaned, repaired and furnished in three weeks.”
    “The power of the Internet, baby,” I declare proudly. “All I need is a mattress and I’ll be sleepin’ in my own bed, in my own room tonight.”
    “What about this one?” Jules asks as her ass, then body molds into foam.
    I lie down next to her and close my eyes. “Oh yeah, this feels great. These memory foam mattresses kick ass.”
I stretch out and close my eyes.
    Jules clears her throat. “Did you replace all your clothes and shoes?”
    I open my eyes and give her a sideward glance. “You know I haven’t. I dropped three grand at the Nike store. And another grand on high-tops—I’m good.”
    Jules groans.
    “What? It’s not like I need clothes for a job or anything.”
    She huffs. “You might not be working but you’ll need clothes, shoes and stuff to go out.”
    “I’ll just wear my yoga pants and a tee.”
    
“Yeah, if you’re going out for a Big Mac.”
    “You know how much I hate to shop. If I need anything, I’ll order it online.”
    “You can’t do that!” She gasps. “What if it doesn’t fit?”
    
“Then I’ll return it.”

    “Have you ever thought about hiring a