[After the Party]
The penthouse finally quieted down after the last stragglers cleared out. A chill R&B playlist still hummed softly from the hidden speakers. Half-empty martini glasses and abandoned champagne flutes littered the marble countertops-the only proof that a massive crowd had been shoulder-to-shoulder in here just twenty minutes ago.
Sitting at the corner bar, Alex swirled a glass of ice water. He'd cut himself off from the tequila an hour ago, already calculating whether Rachel would still be up when he finally made it home.
Jennifer was at the door, hugging her publicist goodbye, while Angela gathered a few stray glasses from the coffee table.
Alex checked his watch and pushed his stool back. "Alright, ladies, I should probably head out before my family files a missing person report."
He barely had one foot on the floor when Jen and Angela walked over, side by side, blocking his exit.
Alex froze.
Jen had her hands on her hips, radiating that signature Bronx-boss energy, but there was a tightness around her eyes. Angela, meanwhile, crossed her arms, uncrossed them, and finally just leaned against the counter, shooting Jen a 'you-go-first' look.
Alex slowly sat back down. He knew that look. Jen got it right before a massive live set, and Angela had the exact same expression on their first real date when the conversation shifted from business to personal.
Tonight, he was getting a double dose.
He leaned on the bar and smirked. "Okay. You two look like you're about to stage an intervention or negotiate a hostage trade. What's going on?"
Jen let out a breath and took the stool next to him. "See, this is why I didn't want to overthink it. You always read the room too fast."
Angela dropped into the seat on his other side, giving an exasperated laugh. "I literally spent the last twenty minutes in the bathroom hyping her up, and now you're making it weird."
"Take your time," Alex chuckled, looking between them. "Nobody has to hit high notes or hit their marks for me tonight."
Jen smiled, her shoulders dropping a little. She wrapped her manicured fingers around her glass but didn't drink. "Look, Alex... we've been talking. About you. And before you get that smug look on your face, yes, we know how that sounds."
"I didn't say a word," Alex said, holding his hands up in mock surrender.
"You didn't have to," Jen fired back, though her eyes were warm. "We've talked about the whole package. You, the family, the kids, the paparazzi circus, and the fact that your life is basically a full-time logistical puzzle."
Angela leaned in. "We also did some recon. Neither of us wanted to base our opinions on TMZ articles or industry gossip, so we went straight to the source."
Alex nodded slowly. "Angelina mentioned you reached out."
Jen's eyebrows shot up. "She told you?"
"She didn't tell me what you asked," Alex clarified. "She respects girl code. She just said you were asking how the dynamic actually works."
"And Scarlett didn't sugarcoat shit," Angela chimed in, her Australian accent clipping her words sharply. "She basically told me that if I'm looking for some flawless rom-com fantasy where nobody ever gets jealous or tired, I'm in the wrong place."
Alex had to laugh. That was Scarlett to a tee.
"But," Angela continued, her voice softening, "she also said that everyone has their own unique thing with you. It's not a competition. Nobody has to fight to be the 'main character' in the house."
Jen met his eyes, totally sincere now. "That meant a lot to me. I've spent my entire life in the spotlight, having people tell me exactly what a relationship is supposed to look like. The media, the public, my exes... I'm so used to managing the narrative. But with you? I don't have to manage anything."
She reached out, slipping her hand over his.
"I didn't plan this," Jen admitted, her voice dropping to a husky whisper. "At first, it was just fun. Then I started looking forward to your calls. Then I started noticing when you didn't call. I've got real feelings for you, Alex. I don't want to play it cool anymore. I want to see where this actually goes."
Alex turned his hand over, lacing his fingers through hers. He didn't want to give a canned response, so he just held her gaze for a second, letting her know he felt it too.
Beside him, Angela let out a dramatic groan. "Mate, how am I supposed to follow J.Lo pouring her heart out? That is completely unfair."
Jen laughed, squeezing Alex's hand. "We agreed we were doing this together, Ange."
Alex extended his free hand toward Angela. She eyed it for a second before sliding her palm against his.
"You don't need a monologue." Alex smiled.
"Good, because I'm better off the cuff anyway," Angela said, her sharp wit returning. She looked down at their hands. "Look, when we first met, I'm pretty sure half my attraction was built around the fact that you were Alex Wilson. You were this impossible guy everybody in Titan talked about, and I spent years watching you walk through the modeling floor. But then you started taking me to dinner and actually asking me real questions, and it became a massive inconvenience."
"My apologies."
"You should be sorry," she smirked. "I had a perfectly safe celebrity crush. But I built my own career, Alex. I direct my own life. I don't need a guy to validate me or fund me. I'm sitting here because I actually like you."
The room fell quiet again, save for the faint bass of the music.
Alex looked at the two incredible, powerful women sitting beside him. He'd been wondering if they'd ever reach this tipping point. He cared for both of them, but his life wasn't a playground. Bringing someone into his inner circle meant bringing them into his family.
He squeezed their hands gently. "I have feelings for both of you, too."
Jen's posture completely relaxed, and Angela let out a long exhale.
"I wouldn't be sitting here if this was just a fling," Alex continued, his tone turning serious. "But you both need to understand something. If we do this, it's real. You aren't just joining a roster. You'll have your own distinct relationship with me, and you'll have to figure out your dynamics with the rest of the family. There will be jealousy. There will be scheduling nightmares. Sometimes three people will book me on the same night and get mad at me because I haven't mastered bending time yet."
"I'm honestly shocked your R&D department hasn't figured that out yet," Angela quipped.
"Give them time," Alex joked. "My point is, the next step is meeting everyone in a normal setting. Not a red carpet. I'm talking Sunday breakfast, where Max is probably threatening someone with a spatula."
Jen laughed. "That sounds terrifying."
"Just wait until Caroline corners you," Alex warned. "She'll ask you innocent questions about your shoes, and five minutes later you'll realize you just confessed your deepest childhood traumas."
"Scarlett warned me about her, too," Angela grinned.
"She loves doing that." Alex leaned back, letting go of their hands so he could rest his arms on the bar. "I also don't want you guys making a massive life choice right now just because the party's over and we're in a mood."
Jen leaned closer, resting her hands lightly on his knees. "I'm a businesswoman, Alex. I don't make deals when I'm drunk. We know what we want."
"Same here," Angela agreed without hesitation. "Except I'm a top model. I don't own a business... yet."
Alex looked between them, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Alright. Then I'm all in."
Jen's face lit up. She slid off her stool, stepping right between his knees, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Good," she murmured, right before pulling him into a slow, deep kiss.
Alex caught her waist, kissing her back. She tasted like expensive champagne and tasted like she finally felt at home.
When Jen pulled back, she was beaming.
Angela watched them, an amused smirk playing on her lips. "Well. Glad we finally ripped that band-aid off."
Alex turned his head toward her. "Didn't you tell Jen you didn't want to throw yourself at me?"
Angela shot a glare at Jen. "You snitched?"
"I plead the fifth!" Jen laughed, holding her hands up.
Angela shook her head, stepping up to Alex's other side and pushing Jen slightly out of the way. "Move over, Lopez."
She rested a hand flat against Alex's chest, her eyes locking onto his. Then she leaned in and kissed him. It started a little hesitant, but the moment Alex's hand found the small of her back, she melted against him, deepening the kiss.
When she finally stepped back, she looked slightly flushed but triumphant. "Yeah. That beats twenty minutes of stressing at the bar."
"I told you," Jen teased.
Alex stood up, shaking his head at both of them. "I can already tell you two are going to be a lethal combination."
"We're a package deal tonight," Angela smirked. "And whatever happens next is legally your responsibility."
Alex froze, narrowing his eyes at her. "Wow. You sound exactly like Trixie right now."
Jen tilted her head. "Who?"
"Trixie," Alex sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Long story. It involves a military-grade flamethrower, an elephant-shaped hedge named Gerald, and arguably the worst Tuesday of my life."
Jen stared at him, her jaw practically on the floor. "I'm sorry, what?"
Angela immediately grabbed Alex's arm and shoved him backward until he hit the barstool again. "Sit. Down."
"Girls, Rachel is literally going to kill me..."
"Tell her you got held up because you had to explain why a child was given heavy artillery," Jen ordered, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms.
"That is literally the opposite of a good excuse!"
"Talk," Angela demanded, pouring a fresh glass of water and sliding it toward him.
Alex looked at the two of them... two of the most famous, driven women in the world, currently teaming up to interrogate him about a flaming topiary.
He wasn't going home anytime soon. And honestly? He didn't mind at all.
--
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[5 advance chs] [All chs available for all tiers]