Wicked Bad Boys by Bella Love-Wins Read Free Book Online Page A

barely touched me. He’s dangerous. He’s addictive.
    “I’ll pick you up at eight tonight,” he says.
    “Sorry, I—”
    Kara and Solomon return before I can answer. I couldn’t be any more relieved. Kara informs us that she has to get to other clients. We leave, and I let out a thankful breath when we’re back in the limousine, headed back to Manhattan. She looks at me intently. She’s studying my face, my clothes and all my body language.
    “Did I not tell you to keep your hands off that man, Rebecca?”
    I hesitate, and that’s all Kara needs, to know something happened.
    “What’s the matter with you? What happened back there?”
    “Nothing,” I reply. “I didn’t think—I mean, I—it didn’t hit me that he was Jonathan Sloan.”
    “You mean you know him? Jesus, Becky. You swore that you didn’t.”
    “I don’t—I mean I do, but not that way you think.”
    “Pull yourself together and tell me how you know him. If I see you this frazzled again, you may want to start looking for another place of employment.”
    I take a deep breath, and explain what happened this morning at the coffee shop. She nods. She looks out the window and doesn’t say anything for a few minutes.
    “Okay, so you don’t know him. That’s what I’m hearing and that’s how I’m expecting it to stay. Keep it professional. Understood?”
    “Yes. You have my word, Kara.”
    “Good. So let me finish some details about Sloan Sports and Entertainment. This is the part that’s the most relevant to what we just spoke about. Sloan has experienced exponential growth. The entertainment arm is now in over one hundred countries around the world, including most of South America, the Caribbean, much of Europe, and happily blazing trails through Africa, Russia, and China. That’s all great, but what most people don’t realize is the real estate arm has grown even more. Their assets include sports arenas, private college sports facilities, professional practice facilities, and a major share in over one hundred resort developments in the Caribbean and Dubai.
    “Six months ago, our firm took the company on as a client, to carry out the acquisition of Warrior Revolution Sports. It’s Sloan’s biggest competitor. The deal is worth half a billion dollars, and when it goes through, it will make Sloan Sports and Entertainment a multi-billion dollar entity. We’re about four months away from wrapping up this deal. It’s got big stakes for everyone involved, and is playing out in the public eye. Do you know what this means?”
    “I would speculate that Sloan can’t afford to have anything negative happen in the public domain for a while?”
    “Correct, but it’s not just Sloan. Warrior Revolution is also at risk, not to mention our firm. This is why I need you to find out as much as you can from Jonathan.”
    “Sorry, what? Kara, you just said—”
    “I know what I told you. I said to keep it professional. As far as I’m concerned, you’re the best person to get to know him, gain his trust, and find out how bad this really is.”
    “Kara…you’re asking me to spy on him? Couldn’t that call my professional conduct into question?”
    “All we’re asking you to do is limit our firm’s exposure, Rebecca. We will protect you. The best thing that can happen is for this to go away. The next best thing is if Jonathan is holding the proverbial smoking gun. It allows Solomon to distance himself and the company from the pain that Rushton is guaranteed to bring to the table. Even our firm can do our part to wash our hands of it, by simply referring Jonathan’s criminal defense to another lawyer. No matter what direction we decide on, just make sure you don’t let this assignment get personal.”
    A call comes in on her phone. She resumes her speakerphone negotiations and her usual tirade. I lean back into the seat and exhale, but inside, I’m reeling. I straighten out my suit jacket with both hands, trying to pull myself