Page 51 of Attraction (Mobsters + Billionaires 3)
Mr. Hirsch grins. “Will do, young man.”
Dylan smiles to himself as Mr. Hirsch leaves the office.
“Shut up,” he says, suddenly uber invested in his phone.
I throw up my hands. “I didn’t say anything!”
“You’re thinking that it’s cute. It’s not cute.”
“It is alittlecute,” I mutter under my breath.
He turns his phone toward me, showing Dahlia Hirsch’s Instagram page. “She has her MBA and runs a small business group for people with ASD. And she likes body doubling, which is my favorite.”
“Is that like cloning?” I ask, teasing him.
“No,” he says, sitting down in a huff. “It’s like working on different tasks together in the same room but not touching. It’s perfect.”
“Hey,” I say, getting his attention. “I’m not making fun of you. It’s cool, and I hope you enjoy meeting her.”
His private little smile returns. “I will. And it’s time for your chess game with Mr. Sterling.”
“Fine. Hey, before I go—did you see the bullshit with Bitcoin in this morning’s news?”
He spares me a withering glare, with eye contact and everything. “I’ve already adjusted for it in everyone’s portfolios. You’re welcome.”
“Thank you. Enjoy your evening, and let me know how the emailing goes.”
“I will not.”
Chuckling, I make my way out of the offices and meet Kej in the reception area.
“Are we visiting with Mr. Sterling?” he asks, joining me in the elevator.
“Yes, sir. I’m going to beat him today. I can feel it,” I say, rubbing my hands together.
We park at my brownstone and make the walk to Washington Park. The temperatures are getting chilly, but the sun is out, and I’ve been cooped up inside for too long.
Anthony wanted to put more people on me, but he knew what he was doing when he hired Kej. He’s ex-military, well-trained, and I only ever go places with him anyway. Also, this is Mads’ favorite park, and he’s the one who pointed out that it’s fun to hang out with the college students and pick up chess games.
Mr. Sterling, an older gentleman, is one of my favorite people to play against. He’s a retiree who’s been in Manhattan forever. He’s seen the buildings go up, come down, and go up again, and he has the best stories. Even though it’s barely chilly, he’s bundled in full winter gear, and I can barely see his eyes.
Gotta love the man’s dedication.
We’re well into our second game when my text notification goes off. Mr. Sterling leans back in his seat and gestures for me to go ahead.
“Alright, then. Answer your fancy phone. I know you’re a big important guy,” he jokes, gently ribbing me.
Grinning, I check the screen and smile even wider when I see Luca’s name.
Luca:How’s your day going?
Me:I helped a small plumbing company with their retirement plans and am rewarding my good work with a game of chess in the park.
Luca:Ah. How is Mr. Sterling these days?
“My friend Luca wants to know how you’re doing,” I say, smiling at my chess nemesis.
“Tell him I’m beating your ass.”
