Victoria The Billionaires Maid

Seth’s [POV]

Today was a different story. She walked into my office with her head held high and her assets swaying.

Visible swaying in her tight denim miniskirt and a top that barely covered her breasts. Not that I paid overmuch attention.

Sage was a cute girl and I imagined she had gotten more than her share of catcalls on her way over here in that outfit but my eyes were solely on Ally. Now and forever.

“What are you wearing?” Oliver demanded, shocking me almost as much as Sage, who had just noticed he also was in the room. She’d zeroed in on me at my desk like a laser pointer.

“Pretty sure they’re called clothes.”

She sniffed at Oliver and returned her attention to me.

“Ally hasn’t been to work for three days. She hasn’t been at your house so you can impregnate her, has she?” My eyebrows lifted.

So much for assuming Ally had employed discretion regarding our activities.

Thanks to Ally sharing with the diner patrons her comical observations about my prowess the day after we’d first had sex, I’d understood it was known that we were lovers.

But being lovers didn’t mean babymaking necessarily.

“What has she told you?”

“Are the private details besties confide in each other important?”

“I’m her best friend, and yes, they are.”

“No, you’re the best friend with a dick, which automatically slots you lower on account of the dick.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“She likes my dick, thank you very much.” Oliver stepped away.

“Awkward moment.”

“If she liked it so much, why did she run away? She never misses work. And she hasn’t slept in her bed. So whose bed is she sleeping in?” Sage stepped forward and impaled my chest with a flame-red nail.

“Huh?”

“Thanks for the vivid picture, but I can guarantee she’s probably sleeping alone and is perfectly safe.” I tried to ignore the icy jabs of panic pricking between my ribs.

“She’s extremely level-headed.” Sage made a noise in her throat.

“Until she hooked up with you.”

“Since when do you hate me?” I held out my arms.

“I always thought we were good.”

“You could hurt her, so I have you under a very watchful eye, buddy. If she’s with child, she doesn’t need additional stress from your inconsistency.”

“With child?” Oliver snorted.

“Welcome, Madonna. Oh, and I’ll have you know, Seth said they only kissed. The virgin birth, is it now?”

“I did not say that. I said when you saw us never mind.” As if I’d never spoken, Sage whirled on Oliver, swinging her hips in a way that made my brother’s eyes flare wide.

“Did I ask you? No. Why are you even here? Don’t you have shameless hussies to lie with?”

“Shameless hussies? The fifties ended a lot of time ago. Oh, and newsflash.” He dropped his gaze lewdly to her attire.

“Depending on point of view, you might fit into one of those categories you’re casting aspersions on.” I winced.

Now he was going to get it. And he deserved it too. Instead, Sage beamed.

“Really? Do you honestly think so?” She fluffed her hair.

“I’m going for a new look. Wholesome hasn’t been working for me.”

“Why?”

“I’m hoping to encounter no-strings sex,” she said matter-of-factly. Oliver smirked.

“Encounter it? Like sex is a living, breathing entity of its own?”

“In my world, it might as well be.” She glanced back at me.

“Anyway, that’s irrelevant right now. I’m worried about Ally.”

“I am too. But I’m sure she’s fine. You’ve tried calling her?” I dug out my phone. I hadn’t done anything but text her now and then, wanting to give her time and space. No more.

“Yes. She worked on Sunday, and mentioned to me she was taking a few days of personal time. But she didn’t book it with the boss, just keeps calling in sick. I don’t know what’s going on.”

“You think she went to check out a school?” Sage shrugged.

“Maybe. She didn’t say much about that either. Just that she had to start going after what she wanted and she was interested in Baruch in the city.” She tugged up her V-neck top.

“Maybe we should drive down there, scope out the situation?”

“Scope out what situation? And I think we need a bit more to go on than to just pay a visit to some random school.” Oliver glanced at me.

“I’m going to play a hunch, and if it pans out, I’ll get back to you.”

“Oh hell no,” Sage said.

“Any hunches get routed through me. She’s my best friend.” She pointed at me.

“Quiet, you. You’re the one who wouldn’t know how to give a girl the fairy tale if someone gave you a picture book with directions.” I stayed quiet.

I was still tangled up thinking about my supposed inconsistency. And handing out fairy tales what the fuck was that about?

Perhaps I was the cause of Ally being so wary to take the next step. Mainly because I’d never told her I wanted to. But she was my closest friend.

Surely she knew what I was thinking before I did. All of this had taken me by surprise.

I was still feeling my way. It’s not like I was some expert. I’d never fallen in love with my best friend before.

Never wanted to be with someone so much that everyone and everything else except my little girl paled in comparison.

So maybe I was screwing this up without even knowing it. By not coming clean. By not being clear and saying the words. By not giving her the goddamn fairy tale.

“I’m handling this on my own,” Oliver told Sage.

“I may be completely off-base. In any case, I have private business with Alison myself.” I pushed my phone back into my pocket and crossed my arms.

I was still working out the proper method of handling this, but the phone was not it. No fairy tales are granted there.

“What private business?” I demanded.

“Private,” Oliver repeated, already moving toward the door.

“If I find out anything, I’ll be in contact.” Sage chased after him.

“I’ll tail you in my car if you don’t tell me where you’re going.” His laughter drifted down the hall.

“Honey, you couldn’t keep up with me if you had a Ferrari. Stay here, pet.”

“Pet?” Sage spun around and propped her hands on her hips.

“He’s a complete jerk. How can you even stand him?” I jerked a shoulder.

“Probably comes from sharing a womb. It creates a bond.”

“Ugh.” Sage flopped in the chair opposite my desk.

“He’s going to find her and make everything worse. She needs the womanly touch, not an interfering male.”

“Ally knows her mind. She can handle Oliver.” I gazed at the folder on my desk. My fingers were itching with the need to trace the words she’d written.

Your Ally Cat. I pulled out my phone again, ignoring Sage’s curious stare. While Oliver did his reconnaissance, I was going to make some preparations of my own.

If she wasn’t mine yet, she would be. Before I could dial, a knock sounded at my door. The door opened.

“Seth, the Parsons are on their way in to sign the papers for the” My father broke off, his gaze alighting on Sage.

“Well, hello there, Sage. What a pleasure. I didn’t expect to see you here.” My father’s smile could have burned a hole through the glass.

“Hi, Mr. Hamilton. I’m sorry to interrupt business.” Sage was already jumping to her feet.

“No, no, you’re never an interruption. Stay, please.” He glanced between us, a disturbing glint coming into his eyes.

“I can talk to Seth later.” I frowned.

What the hell was his deal? He was always sweet as could be to Sage. He was kind to almost everyone in town except Ally, which royally pissed me off.

Of course, Sage’s parents had just landed one hell of a nice deal when they recently sold their B&B to a developer who had plans to make sleepy Crescent Cove “more cutting edge” and “more in line with the times.”

Whatever that meant. As much as I hated thinking my father was that shallow, this certainly wasn’t the first time I’d been confronted with the evidence that money was all that mattered to him. But it would be the first time I called him on it.

“No, we need to talk right now.”