Stripped by Abby Niles Read Free Book Online

budget.”
    “Really?” He lifted a condescending eyebrow. “What are you? In your mid-twenties? What kind of budget do you really have, Miss Walker? Putting enough aside for your bar tab? Cover charges? Concerts? Girl weekends? Whatever wild oats you’re sowing right now?”
    At the unintentional insult, she lifted her chin in the air. She refused to let the remark get to her. He didn’t know anything about her life. At her age, what he’d described was exactly what she should be doing. But that wasn’t the life she’d been given. And though she’d wished things could be different, she wouldn’t change how it’d played out because she wouldn’t have her kids. No matter how tired or how broke she was, they were her everything.
    “You think life’s that simple? This coming from a man who has an endless supply of money. Who’s never had to worry about running out? Never worries about rent, or gas, or groceries, or hell, college tuition. You’ve had everything handed to you.”
    If the man’s face got any redder his head might actually explode. She shouldn’t be getting so much enjoyment out of his reaction, but she was. After everything he’d said to her, after every little superior dig, to finally get under his skin was a huge sense of victory and she was relishing every damn second of it.
    He shoved back his chair and rose. Placing both hands flat on the desk, he leaned forward, his nostrils flaring. “Put me on a budget, then, Miss Walker. I’ll prove you wrong. I’ve about had it with you judging me.”
    “Yeah? Same here, buddy.”
    Her comment seemed to hit home because the tension and anger eased from his frame and he sat back down. They stared at each other, neither breaking eye contact. She could almost hear the old western stand-off music play in the background.
    “You’re serious then?” she asked.
    “I’m dead serious. You set the rules of the challenge.” He paused, clearing his throat as he tugged on his tie. “Consider it my apology for costing you a well-paying job.”
    It took her a second to catch up to what he was saying. “Anything goes?”
    “Anything goes. Have the arrangement to me within the hour.” He looked at his computer, clicked on his mouse. “Now get back to work.”
    She didn’t have to be told twice. She hurried out to her cubicle then sat and stared at the dark screen on her computer.
    What the hell had just happened?
    In all honesty, she should be jobless right now. But she’d seen Mr. Sutherland’s entire demeanor change when she’d insinuated that he’d been judging her too. Now not only had she been able to keep her job, but she was going to put the arrogant ass on tight budget. She smiled, reaching for the phone.
    She knew exactly who could help her out.
    The phone rang three times before her neighbor answered with, “What’s up, Maddy?”
    “Would you be willing to loan your place out while you’re away so I can prove a point?”
    “I’m intrigued. What point are you trying to make?”
    Madison quickly filled Racheal in on the challenge her boss had agreed to and her friend’s responding cackle made a grin stretch her lips. “Oh. Maddy, that’s awesome. I just wish I was going to be here to watch it.”
    “So that’s a yes?”
    “Yes!”
    “Thank you, Racheal.”
    “No problem. Just promise you’re really going to make him suffer.”
    “Don’t worry. I plant to make Jaxon Sutherland the poorest he’s been in his entire life.”
    ***
    What the fuck had he done?
    Jaxon jiggled the key in the lock. When it failed to turn for the fifth time, he grabbed the knob and shook. How old were these doors? His condo had an electric lock. All he had to do was press his fingers to the pad then key in a code.
    He shoved his shoulder into the door and it finally popped open. He stepped inside the apartment. The living space couldn’t have been more than nine-hundred square feet. The kitchen was only big enough to fit two people comfortably and was