Page 18 of Off Limits Mogul

Some things never change.

“I guess the suit is just part of the veneer of being a successful businessman,” I say.

“At first, wearing a suit every day wasn’t a natural thing for me like it was for Beckett. However, when you’re on top, the clothes make the man. It’s all about playing the part.”

And what a man you’ve become…

“The first years we started SCORE, I felt like I was playing dress-up. I was trying to hide my insecurities behind expensive bespoke suits. In my head, I was still a has-been rapper, desperate for significance. Beckett confessed he was in the same boat, unsure we’d be able to pull it off. He was as concerned as I was about falling flat on his face.”

“But you didn’t. You thrived.”

“We surprised everyone… even ourselves,” he says with a smile.

“From musicians to moguls.”

“More like artists to moguls,” he says.

“Yeah, but you lose that cool play of words.” I grin.

He laughs. “Speaking of playing the part… your hair… it usedto be so long and full. What happened? Was it a requirement?”

My curtain of hair was my pride and joy.

Our eyes lock, and the words tumble out. “The purpose of living in a Nepalese monastery for a long period of time is to atone for sins. For others, it’s time to ponder and reflect. We’re required to respect a certain way of life.” I advert my gaze. “Nuns shave their heads. The rest of us aren’t held to those standards. A month into my journey, I decided to rid myself of all traces of my former life.” I pause. “I cried so much when they shaved my hair off, even though I requested it. It was so scary.”

I glance at Rhys.

He glances back.

“That was a bold move,” he says.

“Michaela swears I gave her the courage to follow in my footsteps. Her hair is even shorter than mine. Her stepmother is going to have a shit fit when she sees her.”

“What’s that all about?”

“It’s too long to explain, suffice to say, it involves a lot of drama.”

“Got it.” He nods. “It seems Michaela and you were looking for the same thing. Sometimes, you need a blank slate to spring forward.”

“One of the nuns kept telling me that. Even though I stopped shaving my head three months ago, it’s still really short.” I run my fingers through my hair. “Some days I’m okay with the length, others I struggle. Some days I recognize the girl in the mirror, some days I don’t. It’s amazing how attached I was to my hair and how it was linked to my identity. Crazy, right?”

Rhys shoots me a side gaze. “Short or long hair… you’re fucking perfect to me.”

I close my eyes, feeling the words vibrate through me like a meteorite just smashed into the ground.

“On the plus side, the short hair showcases your beautiful features a lot more.”

Something pinches in my chest.

“Did you call me beautiful?”

“Like you don’t know what you look like?”

The warmth of his compliment runs through me. I blush as a smile creeps up on my lips.

“Another bonus, you can’t hide your dimples anymore, Cocoa Puffs.”

“Will you always call me by that nickname?”