How to Avoid a Billionaire(2)

“Thanks, Hanson. I appreciate it.”

She turned to leave, but while she’d gotten what she wanted, somehow Hanson’s attitude didn’t feel genuine. Not that she suspected he wouldn’t pass her name along. She believed he would, especially after she had confronted him. He had to know she would go over his head or bug him until he acknowledged her. She had nothing to worry about.

When Melanie returned to her desk, she found Shana draped dramatically in a chair. Melanie laughed. “Was that a quickie or didn’t it go well?”

“He had an unexpected meeting.”

Melanie patted her friend’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’m sure you can seduce him another time.”

“Funny, Mel. So tell me how it went with Hanson? Did he admit to being a butthead?”

“Not so loud.” Melanie groaned. “No, he said he’d give me credit.”

“Wow, I’m impressed.” Shana twirled a lock of chestnut hair while she pondered what Melanie told her and then waved her hand. “Everyone is in meetings, which reminds me I think we should be there too.”

Melanie yelped in alarm. She dropped into her chair and spun to face the computer. Her schedule came up with the click of a button. “I don’t have a meeting until two. So not funny, Shana. Now get out of here. I have work.”

Shana stuck out her tongue and stood. “You’re no fun. Okay, I’ll see you later. Want to have lunch?”

“Not today. I have to prepare for that two o’clock. Tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

Melanie moved the pages aside she’d given to Hanson and pulled out the file on her latest client. She flipped through some of the drafts from the graphic designer and writer. They were very good and she wished she had come up with such powerful designs. Her role consisted of managing the project, tedious often and frustrating sometimes, to coordinate everyone involved. That’s why she spent her personal time coming up with new ideas for current clients. Finally, her talents and hard work had been recognized, and it looked like she was moving up.

The door to Ryder’s office burst open, and his cousin and right hand man barged in without knocking—as usual. “I got it,” Christian announced, grinning. He waved a sheet of paper in his hand as he approached Ryder’s desk.

Ryder frowned at him and leaned back from the pages he’d been studying. He folded his hands together, elbows on the arms of his chair. “Whatever it is had better be good.”

Unperturbed, Christian parked on the edge his of desk and tossed a photo in front of Ryder. “The ad exec for Johnson.”

“Ad exec? He’s not the designer who lost me several million.”

The smile never left his cousin’s face, and it began to piss Ryder off. “She,” Christian corrected, “and she did design it. She also manages the account. I’m thinking she’s a bit of a genius to have cost you that last deal.”

Now Ryder smiled and toyed with the edge of the photo. The page had landed face down, and he hadn’t decided to flip it over yet. He enjoyed going in for the kill to whoever had the foolish notion to cross him. He would never have gotten as far as he had if he let people who cost him money get away with it.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Christian asked. “I mean you could end Johnson with a snap of your fingers.”

“True, but then the Federal Trade Commission would be on my back. No, I’ll let Johnson stay around to keep from being declared a monopoly, but trust me, he will suffer. Now this woman…”

“Melanie Cai,” Christian said.

Ryder flipped the picture over. “Damn.”

“Yeah, no problems there. You’ll have her where you want her from day one.”

Ryder studied the picture of his target. Melanie Cai was beautiful in the nontraditional way with light caramel skin, full luscious lips, a stubby little nose, and slanted brown eyes. Her midnight black hair fluffed around her head in a style that made him suspect she had trouble taming it, but what caught his eye more was the fact that she was what some would call pleasingly plump.

Melanie was unlike the kind of woman he would normally take as a lover, but that mouth and those large breasts would give him pleasure while he worked to bring her down. He had no doubt she would fall hard by the time he was done with her.

“Tell me more about her,” he demanded and listened while his cousin gave the details. Mentally, he reviewed his social schedule and decided to drop the model he’d been seeing on the off chance Melanie took more time than he thought. He could handle several women at once, but his latest mistress had started to get clingy. A parting gift might make the process go smoother as it usually did. When Christian finished speaking, Ryder dismissed him. He stabbed the button to call his secretary, and she came on the line right away. “Jodie, I need you to get a gift for me.”