Without Warning: A Billionaire Romance (Playboys of New York Book 5) by JA Low (the best novels to read .TXT) 📕

grins, bringing out a couple of glasses of champagne and scotch for the boys. We all say “cheers” and fall into an easy everyday conversation.

A little while later, Elise, Anderson’s sister, arrives with takeout for us. I haven’t seen her since Vegas, but what I wasn’t expecting was to see a hot, dirty blond guy trailing behind her.

Anderson and Emma rush to greet their guests, then I come over and hug Elise, who’s looking amazing since the car crash, the same one that scarred Emma and broke Stella’s leg. It broke Elise’s, too, and she was laid up in bed just like Stella.

“Guys, this is Jackson Connolly.”

Rhys and I turn to each other, a little surprised, as we thought we were having a meeting with him and his team tomorrow.

“He’s my boyfriend.” Elise grins.

Jackson shakes his head, but I can see the way he’s looking at Elise it’s with love.

“It’s a social visit tonight.” Jackson shakes Rhys and my hands. “But I do want to chat about some things if that’s okay?” Jackson asks Rhys.

“Of course. Anything,” Rhys replies.

Jackson nods and takes the bag of Mexican food that’s in his hand and places it on the kitchen table.

Emma fusses around getting plates, and then we help ourselves.

The night continues just like any other with my friends, with loads of jokes and way too much champagne.

“Do you mind if I grab the guys for a moment?” Jackson asks.

Emma and Elise wave him away, and I nod my head in agreement.

Rhys places a kiss on the top of my head and joins the other two guys downstairs in the den.

“He’s cute.” Elise raises her glass in my direction.

“Thank you. You did good, too.”

“The man is a savage.” Elise giggles.

“Anderson hired him to babysit his sister. Instead, he fucked her brains out.” Emma snorts.

“Damn right he did. I mean, I was stuck in bed for ages. There was nothing else to do. I also needed to keep my cardio up, and that was the easiest way I could do it.” Elise chuckles.

I forgot these two together are insane.

“As if I could keep my hands off of that man.” Elise points her thumb behind her which makes us all laugh, or maybe it’s too much champagne that causes the reaction. “Sounds like a prickly situation with his ex.” Elise changes the subject, her voice lowering to almost a whisper.

I nod my head in agreement.

“Tell me you’ve googled the shit out of him?”

This makes me smile. “I have. And what he’s told me all checks out regarding his ex cheating on him with his best friend,” I explain to Elise. “But what wasn’t on the internet is the fact that his ex had been fucking his brother.” Elise gasps. “And another ex of hers as well as his best friend.”

“What the ever-loving slut,” Elise states.

“Apparently, she’s a sexaholic,” I add sarcastically. Not that I’m knocking people with sex addiction, just that it might be a convenient excuse for her being a shitty person.

“Who has time for all that?” Emma adds.

I would have to agree. How did she have time to be with all these men.

“She’s a phenomenal multitasker, that’s for sure,” Elise jokes.

“I want this all over and done with, so Rhys and I can have a shot,” I confess to my friends.

“Don’t you worry, Jackson is a whiz at finding bad guys.” Elise smiles. “He’s going to do everything in his power to find out who’s trying to take your man down.”

I sure hope he can and soon.

25

Rhys

Anderson ushers us to his den, which is downstairs, then he pours us all another scotch as we take a seat in the bachelor pad style man cave.

“Now we are alone. Let’s talk about what the hell is happening with your ex?” Jackson asks.

His words make me chuckle even though it’s nothing to laugh at. It’s a fucked-up situation, that’s for sure.

“Anderson’s given me the basics of what’s happened. I’ve also googled, but I haven’t pushed any further due to us not having a meeting,” Jackson explains.

“I never realized how fucked-up this entire situation was,” I explain before taking a sip of my scotch. Appreciating the delicious burn of the amber liquid sliding down my throat, then continue, “I thought it was an open and shut case of a marrying a gold digger. Now, I’m finding out it’s so much more than that.”

“Do you have any enemies?” Jackson asks the million-dollar question.

“I never thought I did… until this.”

Jackson nods his head in understanding, taking in my words.

“Your sister did say on the weekend that your father isn’t happy with you,” Anderson adds.

Jackson turns and looks at me.

“That’s because I bought a building he wanted for personal reasons, but that’s years after my wedding and many years after meeting Madison.”

Thinking my father is behind this is ludicrous.

“And you think that’s the only reason?” Jackson pushes.

“I sided with my mother in the divorce, and I refused to take over his company.” I explain the many reasons why my father and I don’t get on, but in the end, that’s just petty family bullshit.

“And your brother fucked your wife,” Anderson adds.

Jackson’s head turns, and his eyes widen over that little tidbit of information.

“Yeah, he did. As did my best friend.” Taking an angry sip of scotch, thinking about the fact that my brother did that to me, I may no longer be in love with Madison, but it still fucking hurts that he hates me that much he’d do something like that. And he took immense pleasure in it too. Shady motherfucker. “She was also sleeping with her ex, who happened to work at the law firm who was handling our divorce.”

With each incident I explain, I feel more and more like a damn schmuck.

How did I not see the writing on the wall?

“And he’s the one who didn’t file the paperwork correctly,” Jackson asks. I nod my head in agreement. “And has anyone spoken to him?” Jackson looks over at me.

“He’s missing.” My stomach sinks as I