The Bad Boy s Secret Spills

When the grumpy assistant to whatever rich jerk owns this crazy house called me to help with an expensive masquerade ball, I really thought about turning it down. But when I saw all the zeroes on the big check Samantha said I'd get at the end, I quickly changed my mind. And that was on top of the party budget they had already set. Overall, I was having a great time, which helps me deal with Samantha's rude behavior a little better.

For the simple reason that she's awful. The woman is the stereotypical snobby blonde jerk. Her hair is very straight, and she always has a sneer on her face. I'm not going to let her touch me, though. I'm past that time in my life, even if she makes me think of all the mean girls in high school. I only need to think about the check I'll be stealing from her well-kept hands by the end of the night, and I'll be fine.

Standing at the mansion's entrance, I tilt my head to study the building, trying to see the place as the masked guests will see it. The doorway is a huge circular area with a giant, glittering chandelier hanging in the center of the ceiling, and across from the entrance is a long hallway finished in dark woods and antiques my grandmother would drool over. I can nearly see the multimillion-dollar price tag on everything lining the walls. I can't even imagine what having this much money would be like. I would no longer have to miss out on the guacamole at Chipotle.

But the vintage feel of the mansion is actually great for a masquerade ball. When I found out the party was being held by a rich tech guy with a big wallet and an even bigger reputation, I was a little worried about what I'd have to work with. I've put together parties for tech guys before, so I'm familiar with their lives. It's either completely lavish with over-the-top crazy gadgets and top-of-the-line everything, or totally spare and Spartan. You're lucky if you have chairs sometimes. I've seen guys living with a mattress on the floor and one chair, despite being worth billions.

So during my first tour of this place a couple weeks ago, I wasn't sure what to expect. Fortunately, seeing the real building took my breath away and eased my worries. The outside walls were ivy-covered and imposing, with actual turrets reaching into the sky. A sweeping road circled the front of the house, a perfect setting for the Bentleys and Porsches that were sure to pull up.