Page 11 of The Damaged Billionaire's Obsession

As if that weren’t enough on his plate, Jordan also happens to be a very talented artist, and he frequently creates art for Sabrina’s gallery.

Mike, Jordan, and I started Acercraft, but we don’t have to stick to the three-managing partner model.

I’m silent for a bit.

“You know, the Three Musketeers don’t have to—“ I begin.

“Don’t fucking say it, dweeb.”

“You’re like an ostrich, Jordan. Burying your head in the sand doesn’t change the cold, hard facts. You’re slipping. Massively.”

He sighs. “I know. I’m just caught between the two—“

“You’ve always had a problem knowing when to let go.”

“It’s a Farrington thing, I’m afraid. But I’m sorting something out, okay? It’s just that we work so well together. It’s crazy how freaking efficient things are here at Acercraft. Apex Energy is like riding a hundred-year-old mammoth, while Acercraft is a sleek, new Ferrari. It’s a bit depressing to let go of.”

“Acercraft is your breath of fresh air.”

“Exactly.”

He wants to be here, but he’s duty-bound to Apex Energy.

“Well, pal, if we don’t do something, and soon, you’ll be dragging us into your prehistoric age. Even your assistant looks like he’s fading away, juggling two workloads.”

“Do something like what, Ethan?” he asks, but he already knows what I’ll say.

“Let’s hire someone, train them, and delegate directly to them. Actually, we might need two people. Or five, given that you’ll be a father in the next few months.”

“What are we looking for? A replacement?”

It’s at the tip of my tongue to say yes, but it’ll just spook him more.

“Not a replacement per se, like we could ever find anyone to replace you man. Let’s get a few assistants, not entry-level, mind you. They should have enough experience to function at the level of an associate, possibly even higher,” I respond.

At Acercraft, employees enter either as interns or staff trainee level, then after some time get promoted into associates and then on to junior partners.

Senior partners handle launching and negotiations, and the managing partners oversee everything else.

“Fine, I’ll tell Saj to put the word out to our recruiting agents.”

“Great. Let’s start interviewing in a few weeks, shall we? In the meantime, your report is still due. We can’t delay more than two weeks on this, Jordan.”

“Yes, boss,” he shoots back.

I scoff and click off the screen, picking up my pace again on the treadmill.

Chapter 3

Bonnie

I step into theswanky interior of the Empire nightclub on Fifth Avenue and immediately appreciate the beauty and ambiance of the place.

I took a cab tonight because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of parking, and the valet would not be as eager to park my motorbike as they would with their other customers with tidy Bentleys and Lamborghinis.

I take a deep breath, stemming the small ripple of discomfort that settles in my gut. It’s not that I don’t like nice things or money.

Actually, I love them, which is where the problem lies.