Lucas Handler

I scoff as soon as Talia walks out of the restaurant. I can practically hear the mental insults she's hurling at me and the schemes she's cooking up. Would she go back to Colin and talk shit about me? I wouldn't put it past her. That's the Talia specialty.

"What's up, dude?" The sound of Kyle's voice interrupts my thoughts.

"What?" I blink a few times looking at my best friend and VP seated across from me. The other two people at my table are my cousin Noah and long-time friend Chance. Both turn to listen in on the conversation.

"Who's that chick?" Kyle asks with a hint of amusement in his voice and nods toward the entrance behind me.

"No one." I pause for a moment and shift in my seat. "Actually, a pain in the ass."

A full smile plants itself on Kyle's mouth and I brace myself for the interrogation. "Are you sure about that? I'm pretty sure I saw you staring at her ass."

I laugh as if it's the furthest thing from the truth. Okay, maybe I was looking in that general vicinity for a split millisecond, but I'm not about to admit that to anyone. "No, I wasn't."

"Dude." Chance leans in and grabs a fry on his plate. "You totally want to get with that."

I scrunch my face. "No, I don't."

"Who is she? Maybe I can woo her. She is very beautiful," Noah says.

"Woo? Noah, you need to stop talking like you're a seventy-year-old trying to find a wife." Chance turns to my cousin who's sitting across from him before looking back at me. "Okay but seriously, is she single? She's fuckin' hot."

For some reason, the thought of any of my friends dating Talia is giving me a migraine. This conversation needs to end soon. "Guys stop. That's Talia. The Talia I told you about before," I huff.

They look as if they're trying to recall who Talia is and then recognition lights up Kyle's features. "Ohhhh, that Talia?"

I nod and take a sip of my water to clear my throat.

"Okay, this is interesting." Kyle leans back in his seat and strokes a non-existent beard. "I mean, are you sure that was Talia? The Talia that was just here looked like an angel sent down from heaven to bless our eyes."

"Wait! Which Talia? I don't remember," Noah says before taking a bite of his sandwich.

A sigh escapes me before I jerk my head around, making sure no one is eavesdropping. "Can we please stop saying Talia?" I poke at my food, my appetite all of a sudden gone. "She's the girl I knew at Harvard who screwed me over on that one internship I got junior year."

"An internship a hundred years ago and you're still mad about it?" Chance says with a mouth full of food.

"That was just the start. For the past ten years, she's made it her mission to steal every client under the sun from me. And she just thinks she's the best and is smarter than me." I cross my arms and lean back in my seat.

"Dude, what if she is?" Kyle asks sincerely.

"What if she's what?"

"Smarter than you."

I laugh. He must be kidding. While I do think she's smart, there isn't a chance in hell that she could match me. I'm skilled at being the best and everyone knows it.

"I'm liking this development. I'm calling it now, you're going to somehow get with her." Kyle resumes eating his lunch as if he just finished announcing a formal decree.

"You couldn't be more wrong." I laugh again, somewhat forcefully.

"I'd go in on that. Twenty bucks?" Chance turns to Kyle with a nod.

"Okay, stop. We can't joke about this. If I 'got with her,'" I add with air quotes, "then that would mean the world was ending and we'd be the last two people on the planet."

"I'd go in on the bet too. I'd like to put in thirty dollars, please," Noah interjects.

"You guys are the worst. Well, look at the time." I glance at my wrist. "I have work to do unlike you three lazy asses."

"Did we hit a little nerve there, Lukey Wukey?" Chance turns to Kyle with raised brows. "Maybe that'll be what Talia starts calling him when they fuck." They laugh before Chance adds, "Also, who are you calling a lazy ass? Aren't you the one ditching work to play a round of golf?"

I stand up and glance at my watch again. If I time it right I can catch Colin on his way out. Before I can respond, Kyle pipes in, "Big guy right here gave us all the day off today. We hit our revenue numbers. And we wanted to play golf so there's that too."

"Wow, Lucas! Boss of the year alert! I wish my boss would give me the day off. I had to pretend I was coming here to meet a client," Chance says.

"I could never. I break out in hives anytime I say something dishonest," Noah responds.

"Oh, we know," Kyle adds.

Before I can endure any more jabbing from the guys, I leave them to go take back Ace Pharmaceuticals. It doesn't take long to find the heavy-set man whose protruding stomach is trying to break free from the belt that constrains it. Colin is walking back to the main reception area and about to head into the locker rooms. "Colin! Good to see you."

"Do we know each other?" The older man continues to make his way into the men's locker room and I trail behind him.

"Of course! I'm Lucas Handler. We spoke on the phone last week about you opening an account with us at Handler Finance."

Colin sighs heavily. "Look, I was, but things have changed. I'm staying with McAvoy." He places his things in one of the lockers and begins undressing.

I quickly follow suit, pretending I'm already going to use the facilities. "Oh? That's unfortunate to hear. Well, I hear McAvoy is great but I'm confident you'd have a better return on your investment with us. Are you using the sauna? I'll join you," I say after I finish stripping down and placing my things in one of the lockers.

Colin sighs again. "I can't do anything in peace anymore without you people hounding me."

"Col." I place a hand on the old man's bare back as if we're lifelong friends about to catch up. "Can I call you Col?"

Colin only humphs in response and grabs a towel before turning toward the room that looks like a wooden cabin. I grab a towel as well and swing it over my shoulder. "I only have your best interests in mind. I promise. That's why it's important to me, as president of Handler, to personally tell you why we're the better option."

As soon as Colin opens the door, billowy steam escapes. In the small room, two gray-haired sweaty men are lying around looking like they're posing for a sculptor.

"But anyways, let's chat after we get some steam," I add as I take a seat on one of the umber benches on the other side of the room. Persistence is key but if I come on too strong, I'd be at risk of losing the client. Friendship building and patience are crucial to success.

After a few moments of silence in the room, Colin leans back with a look of relief on his face. I close my eyes and let the steam do its work on my muscles.

"Do you think the rumors are true?" Colin asks with a relaxed voice, breaking through the white noise of the steam.

"Huh? What rumors?" I lift my eyelids and glance over at Colin.

"About Talia. I heard she fucks her clients, that's how she got to where she is."

I raise a brow. While I've heard the rumors, I'm not really sure what to believe. As much as I dislike her, the thought of her doing something like that to get ahead seems low even for her. But then again, would I put it past Lucifer's offspring? "I'm not sure," I respond.

"Is that who you were talking to at the restaurant?" One of the men seated hunched over on the upper bench turns to Colin. It doesn't seem like the men know each other, but at this country club, anything is possible.

"Yeah. The cute, perky tits one."

"Oh, I saw her." The stranger, with wrinkly ivory skin and a towel wrapped around his waist, nods. "I may be stroking one out tonight thinking about her. Do you think her tits are that full on their own or maybe she has one of those push-up contraptions?"

Laughter fills the space and comes from everyone but me. In fact, I'm nowhere near finding the conversation amusing. My lips curl as I look down.

"I guess maybe I'll find out someday." Colin laughs. "Actually, maybe I will leave McAvoy. Just to see if the rumors are true. She seemed desperate today and who knows what she'll do to get me back."

The men laugh again, and I'm feeling more nauseous by the second. I'm pretty sure Colin has a wife and kids. While I shouldn't care what these men say about Talia, if any woman is being talked about this way I'd likely have the same reaction.

Was this how the guys and I sounded over lunch? No, we're different. We're nothing like this.

I furrow my brows. What I'm hearing is nothing new. I've heard men talk about far worse things. Get it together, Lucas. Focus.

"She probably rides on top. She seems like someone who takes charge. But I'd show that tight pussy who was boss any day," the third man in the room chimes in.

I shudder. "Listen, I'm starting to get a little light-headed. We can catch up another time," I say, grabbing my towel and wrapping it around my waist.

"Can't handle the heat, Handler?"

"I guess not. Anyways, see you later." I leave the sauna rubbing at my nose, a sense of unease gnawing at me.

So, I didn't get the client back. But there are plenty others out there, right? Ace Pharmaceuticals isn't that lucrative anyway. While I get dressed, my mind races. Who else would be willing to jump ship in this economy?