The Billionaire's Baby Arrangement (Bad Boys and Babies 2)

“Of course, Mr. Weathers,” she replied. “Give my best to Emma.”

He was going to give Mrs. Bales a raise. That’s how good of a day it was. He was going to give the whole damn company a raise if things continued this well. Sales were finally coming back up. W&W BabyCo no longer had to catch up to the Innocence Company.

Jessica Balboa and her company could shove it. W&W BabyCo was here to stay. He walked across the company courtyard to get to the parking garage. After the air conditioned inside, the sun felt good. He reached for the heavy parking garage door, eager for the cool shadows and his expensive car.

“You know it’s bad form for the CEO to leave work early,” a snide voice remarked from the shadows.

Jackson turned to see Max Singleton leaning against the building. The man wore his button down shirt open to the summer evening, but still wore a suit jacket. Max Singleton had to look the part, even if it was roasting outside. Yet, somehow the man didn’t seem to be sweating.

It was probably because Max came from the bowels of hell. To him, this summer evening probably felt cold.

“Max, what an unpleasant surprise,” Jackson replied. He didn’t slow down. He just kept on walking into the garage. He hoped that the door closing in Max’s face would deter him, but it didn’t. The man continued to follow him.

He wasn’t sure how Max had gotten past security, but he was going to be having a very serious discussion with them tomorrow. He didn’t appreciate being ambushed like this. He kept walking, but Max simply followed along.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here. I was seeing a friend of mine in the building,” Max said, as if they were having a conversation. “I’d heard rumors that the great Jackson Weathers was leaving the office early these days, but I simply dismissed them as nonsense. Now I see I was mistaken.”

“Do you want something?” Jackson asked, turning and stopping.

“I know it’s fake,” Max said. “Anyone with eyes can see it.”

Jackson didn’t even bother to respond. He simply rolled his eyes and kept walking.

“It’s fake and I can prove it,” Max shouted. The words echoed through the empty garage, bouncing off employee cars.

Jackson paused, even though he knew he shouldn’t. He shouldn’t let Max press his buttons. Today was a good day. The only reason Max was here was because sales were back up. He was taking customers away from the Innocence Company and Max didn’t like it.

He didn’t have to dignify this conversation. Jackson knew Max didn’t have a thing on him. He couldn’t. There was nothing Max could have.

Yet, still, he paused. Anger pulsed through him.

“Fuck you,” he said, not bothering to turn around. The words came out harsh and guttural. He turned and looked at Max. “Fuck you.”

“Oh, I think I touched a nerve.” Max grinned like a Cheshire cat, his teeth gleaming in the parking garage gloom.

“You don’t have shit,” Jackson announced. “Because there isn’t shit to have. Make up all the stories you want, Max. You are wrong this time.”

“I am?” Max chuckled. “Katy might say differently.”

“Katy?”

“The girl from the restaurant. I knew you slept around, but I thought you at least remembered your favorite’s names,” Max chided.

Jackson laughed. It was a full belly laugh. The sound boomed through the garage. “That’s your fucking proof? I didn’t know you were so terrible at your job, Max.”

Max’s confident posture didn’t change. “Katy says different. She says you took her up to your usual room, but at least you had the grace to call out Emma’s name.”

“I didn’t know you were practicing for a stand-up comedian job,” Jackson replied. “Because that’s funny right there.”

“You saying it isn’t true?” Max grinned like he was winning.

“I’m saying that the hotel tapes will say it isn’t true. I’m saying that my security camera in the elevator to my apartment will say it isn’t true. I’m saying that my fiancée, who gave me the best damn blow job of my life that night, will say it isn’t true.”

“Except, Katy already told people,” Max said with a shrug. “The first story is usually the one believed.”

Jackson laughed again. “Seriously, you should book a time slot at a comedy club, because you are hilarious!” Jackson slapped his knee, like this was the funniest thing he’d heard all week.

“You think it won’t damage you?” Max asked, still confident.