I Do The Boss (Managing the Bosses 5)

"Maybe." He walked out as his voice softened, leaving Jamie to analyze his true feelings over the matter. If there were someone she knew that she could set him up with, she'd not hesitate to do it, but she really didn't have many friends.

Gina was about it, and the woman had sworn off men after the debacle with Nicholas. The asshole deserved to rot in jail for all he'd done. Not only for his attacks against Alex, but for breaking Gina's heart. To see hope die in the older woman was almost too much. Her new job wasn't what she'd hoped it would be, but there was no way around her willingness to commit fraud and steal from Alex.

Jamie had no doubt that her guy wanted to hire his long-term secretary back and get things back to the way they used to be, but it wasn't a possibility. Trust was broken, and in business there were no real second chances.

After plowing through her e-mail, Jamie picked up the phone to listen to her messages, finally finding a groove to settle in for the day. Sex with Alex was a great way to start the day, but having the press unnerve her and remind her of her unworthiness of his attention had worked to diminish any glow she might have felt before coming into the office.

"Hey." Mark's voice was deadpan, and his complexion washed out.

Panic raced through the center of Jamie as she stood. "What's wrong? Is Alex okay?"

"Yeah. It's nothing like that." He lifted the paper as he walked toward her desk. "It's this. I swear people have no sense of moral decency."

"Oh, good. You scared me." She picked up the paper and walked around to the small round table that sat in the middle of her office. Not having Paul and Mark in her office was great for getting more done, but truth be told it was a little lonely at times.

"Yeah, well, you haven't read it. Thank goodness it's just the National Enquirer, but still." He sat down in the chair beside her as she fingered through the various pages.

"What am I looking for?" Nothing seemed of interest. A cat with fifteen toes. A woman back from the dead. A super horny slut to marry a... "No fucking way."

"Right? Who is this Stephen guy, and what does he have against you?" Mark pulled out the chair beside him, and Jamie dropped down into it as she pulled the page up to her face. Sickness pulsed through her, and throwing up sounded like her next best move.

"Favored billionaire bachelor Alex Reid has once again proven himself a charitable, giving man to our great city. Only this time he's taking one for himself." She glanced up as sweat lined her forehead. "Is this shit for real?"

"I hate to say it, but keep going." Mark shook his head.

"It's a modern-day Pretty Woman story for the world to see. The woman who's captured his heart is not only his office maid, but just happens to be a sex-starved, uneducated, lady of the night." Jamie set the paper down and stood up as dizziness rolled over her.

"Jamie?" Mark stood up. "It's just the Enquirer. You know they do these facetious stories."

"I'm going to be sick. Who would write this, and why?" Her eyes filled with tears.

"It says that someone named Stephen Deming tells all in an interview. Was he an ex-boyfriend?" Mark reached out and touched her shoulder as she pressed her hands to the table in front of her.

This was supposed to be a great day. What the fuck happened?

"He's my brother-in-law."

"Christine's husband? Holy shit. Really?" Mark's voice rose before he turned and walked to the door, closing it. "This is way worse than I thought."

"No joke." Jamie glanced up and took a shaky breath. "What else does it say? I don't want to hear anything about me or Alex, but anything else about Stephen?"

She pushed the paper over toward him and sat back down, not trusting her legs to hold her up. Being made to feel like Cinderella was one thing, but a sex-starved slutty maid? Way worse.

"Just that he was with you before realizing the kind of woman you are. He calls you a mastermind of lust." Mark snorted. "This guy’s an idiot. He says you're a gold-digger and that you were once after his money. Alex was just next in line. He feels sorry for Alex, but the billionaire won't listen. He doesn't have time for the little people now that he's risen to the top of the world on false humility and other people's money."

"That bastard." Anger replaced illness inside of Jamie. She grabbed the paper and scanned the rest. "A sex tape? He does not have a sex tape."

"On you?" Mark snatched the paper back. "Why would he have a sex tape? Did he put up a camera in Alex's place?"

"Not of me and Alex." She got back up and walked over to her desk, pressing her hands to it and staring down at the small waste basket.

"Of who?" Mark turned his attention to her.

"Of me and him." She reached for the basket and released her breakfast into the small can.

Mark's hands rested on her shoulder as his voice softened significantly. "Hey. It's okay. Get it all out. I'm here. Alex is here. This guy’s a fucking idiot. We'll clean up the shit in this paper, okay?"

Jamie set the trash can on her desk and pressed her hands to her face as a sob left her.