My Boss Made Me Sext Her Billionaire Fiancé Chapter 03
The Shrimp and the Bunny
Behind me, Nina finally finishes her call and clicks over on her heels.
“What are you two doing standing in the doorway?”
Xander’s face resets in a blink. Cool. Charming. He reaches past me and takes Nina’s hand as if nothing happened.
“Waiting for you, obviously.”
Smooth. Real smooth.
Nina eats it up. Giggles like a schoolgirl.
Within ten minutes, she’s air-kissing every socialite in the room, laughing too loud, tossing her hair. She’s good. I’ll give her that.
I sit at the far end of the booth. Nobody looks at me. I nurse my glass of ice water and try to disappear into the wallpaper.
Then the food comes.
Big platters. Lobster. Oysters. And a mountain of shrimp.
Nina, feeling herself, peels a giant shrimp with her manicured nails and holds it up to Xander’s lips.
“Open up, honey.”
The whole booth goes dead quiet.
My stomach drops.
She didn’t read the file. She didn’t read the damn file.
Xander’s jaw tightens. His eyes flick down to the shrimp, then to Nina. Slow. Careful.
I lean forward and whisper, fast, under my breath:
“He’s allergic. Shellfish.”
Nina’s smile doesn’t even crack. She spins the shrimp back to herself, pops it in her own mouth, and winks at him.
“Kidding! I know you can’t eat these. Just wanted you to smell how good it is.”
Xander stares at her for one long beat.
Then he laughs. Actually laughs. Low and warm.
“You’re something else.”
The room breathes again. Everyone laughs along, like the tension never happened.
I sag back in my seat. My hands are shaking under the table.
One bullet dodged. How many more before this dinner is over?
After dinner, someone pulls out a bottle of whiskey and suggests a game. Truth or Dare. Adult edition. Great.
Halfway through the third round, Nina announces she needs to touch up her lipstick.
“Xander, baby, pass me my clutch?”
Her purse is on the couch next to mine. Xander leans over, grabs Nina’s, and his elbow clips my bag on the way back.
My bag hits the floor. Everything spills out.
Wallet. Keys. Lip gloss.
And a small white bunny plushie. Limited edition tag still on it.
Time stops.
The whole room sees it. Every eye in the booth locks onto that stupid bunny on the floor.
I lunge to grab it. Too late.
Xander’s voice, low and strange:
“That bunny. Why do you have it?”
My brain scrambles for a lie. Any lie.
I’m holding it for Nina. It’s a lookalike. I bought one just like it.
Every excuse tastes like garbage on my tongue.
Truth is — I love bunnies. Always have.
When Nina threw it at me that morning, I sat on my bed and held it for a full ten minutes before I could put it away. This morning I was so rushed, I forgot to leave it home.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Before I can say a single word, Nina jumps up.
Her voice cracks, loud and shaking:
“Lindsey! How could you steal from me?!”
Her eyes fill up with tears — real ones, somehow. God, she should get an Oscar.
“I’ve been so good to you! You knew how much that gift meant to me — how could you take it—”
Every head in the room whips toward me. Whispers start immediately.
“That’s Nina’s assistant?”
“The nerve. Stealing Xander Shaw’s gift?”
“Who knows what else she’s swiped. Check your purses, ladies.”
I open my mouth to defend myself.
Nina leans in and hisses right into my ear, quiet as a snake:
“Say one word and you’re done. Play along, and I’ll wire you fifty grand tonight.”
My throat locks up.
Fifty grand.
Grandma’s medication for six months. Her surgery deposit. My rent through Christmas.
I dig my nails into my palm so hard I feel skin break.
Then I hear my own voice, thin and cracked, echoing across the room:
“…I’m sorry. I took it.”
—