The Stepbrother (Red's Tavern 5)

“Don’t get me so damn hard before we have to go eat breakfast,” I protested as he dipped lower, kissing against the side of my neck.

“You know you don’t want me to stop.”

“Mmh,” I hummed. “I really don’t.”

The sound of sudden banging on the front door of my RV rattled through the air. Sam and I broke apart immediately, adrenaline surging through me. I was sure the front door was locked, but the prospect of getting caught like this was still paralyzing to think about.

“What’s up?” I called out, walking over toward the front.

“Breakfast is served! Get your lazy asses up, boys!” my dad called through the door.

“We’re up,” I shouted back through the door. “Sam is just slow.”

“Oh, shut up,” Sam said to me from the back of the RV. “Blaming it on me?”

I grinned. “Sorry.”

“No you’re not,” he said as he brushed past me, giving me a little squeeze on my hip as he went past. He exited the RV, walking out to greet the family.

I pulled in a deep breath, collecting myself. I went over to check my phone for the first time this morning.

I froze as I looked at the screen, seeing multiple messages and missed calls from Maxine, all from the last three hours.

“Not again,” I mumbled. I hadn’t communicated with her in days, though. I knew I owed her a phone call, no matter how much I didn’t want to think about the reality of my life right now.

I dialed her number as I opened up the sunshades in the RV, looking out to see Sam sitting down outside around a table with the family.

“Fox,” Maxine answered the phone, her voice clipped.

“Yes, hello, I know I’ve been missing in action.”

“I’m glad I got you now,” she said. “You need to come back. Now.”

I gave her a short laugh. “I’ll be back in a little over a week.”

“I’m not kidding. Be here tonight,” she said.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“You haven’t heard?” she said, angry. “You don’t read your texts, do you? Chamberlight just announced his goddamn retirement.”

“Very funny, Maxine.”

“Not a joke,” she said. “And the board and shareholders need you to be here for the meetings if they’re going to appoint you as the next CEO.”

I leaned back against the closet wall behind me. “Me?” I whispered. “Wait a minute. Slow the fuck down. There’s no way Ben’s retiring. Not yet.”

“It’s very true. He’s moving to Maine permanently to be with his new wife.”

“Holy shit,” I whispered, my voice a little hoarse.

I’d thought often about the idea of someday earning my way to being CEO of Chamberlight Investments. But I was sure I’d have to break my back working for another decade before I’d ever get there. Ben Chamberlight had seemed like the kind of guy who would never retire. He was only in his late forties, but he was already nearly a billionaire.

I swallowed hard. “And I have to be back now,” I said, realizing it wasn’t even a question at all.

This definitely couldn’t wait until next week. The moment Ben announced his retirement, I was certain that dozens of other execs had started breakneck campaigns to get on the board members’ good sides, hoping for the job.

If I wanted a chance, I had to be there now.

Yesterday, actually.

“Damn it,” I said under my breath. “The world always revolves around Ben, doesn’t it?”

“He thinks it does,” Maxine said. “And yeah, sometimes, the finance world does revolve around which company has the biggest void at any moment. And right now, there’s about to be a big void at Chamberlight, that everyone will want to fill.”

“Well, I can’t be back tonight,” I said, looking around. “I have an RV, Max—”

“Fuck the RV,” she said. “Fly back. Hire somebody to drive your RV back. Mariya Morozova is even flying in tonight, so that’s another reason you need to be here.”

“I’m not available to meet with her,” I said. “She’s going to be my direct competition, for God’s sake.”

“I know you want to meet Mariya,” she said. “You’ve been saying it for years. You’re a shoo-in for the CEO position if you just show the fuck up tonight. She won’t be a challenge.”

I’d been successful for years, but being CEO would be a whole new ballgame. My wealth would quintuple overnight, and after just a few years, I’d be well on my way to being a multimillionaire for life.

It had always been my dream.

With this, someday, I could be completely independent and never have to work again. Retired in my forties too, maybe, as a lifelong multimillionaire. It would free up all of my time and resources for things like starting a foundation, and of course for travel, whenever I wanted.

But for years before then, I’d have to work my ass off. Even more than I did already.