By the time we made it to the foyer Charlie was standing at the front door.

I opened the door and she blinked at me.

“What happened to you?”

I ran my fingers through my paint-colored hair. I tried to laugh. “I got a little carried away with a canvas.”

“I can see that.” She walked inside.

Dylan had already grabbed a beer from the fridge. He leaned on the counter, acting as if he had always belonged in that spot. He looked calm and comfortable. And with bits of paint splattered on his hands and cheeks, he looked sexier than I’d ever seen.

“Hi.” He tipped the beer toward Charlie.

“I didn’t know he was here.” She twirled toward me. “You paint too, Dylan?”

He laughed. “Only if it’s with Vanessa.”

My insides were twisting like a roller coaster. It was one thing to have Charlie working through problems on my behalf—trying to save the team’s reputation. It was another, trying to hide my life from her. Trying to cover up my own scandal. I felt like I should just go ahead and confess, but there was no way I could admit I was in a relationship with two men.

It wasn’t a one-time deal. Wasn’t that what three-ways were supposed to be? A one-time sexual experience that people experimented with? A way to explore something new? Something you could blame on a wild drunken impulse.

It had gone way beyond that for me. For them. We were in something that didn’t have a name. There was no way to define wanting both of them in my bed all the time. Needing them in my day and night. I doubted Charlie Maine was the kind of woman who would understand it.

“Can I get you a beer Charlie?” Dylan asked.

“No thank you. I have plans with Linc. I just stopped by to pick up something from Vanessa.”

The safe was sitting in the hallway coat closet. I had hauled it in after our meeting.

I realized with Dylan in the kitchen, discussing its contents wasn’t going to be easy.

Charlie was waiting.

There was a small study off the foyer I never used. It might become my home office.

“Dylan, I’ll be right back.”

“Sure. Take your time, darlin’. Good to see you, Charlie.” He winked at her.

Charlie shook her head. “You too, James.”

She followed me to the coat closet. I lugged it out from under my spring jackets and wheeled it into the study.

“You two look awfully serious,” she commented.

I didn’t know how to answer her. “It’s good,” I replied.

The glass door was the only thing between Dylan and us. I wanted to keep this as confidential as possible. The secrets were mounting around me. What if the guys found out about the safe? They already hated my grandfather. Realizing he kept dirt on them would only make that hatred grow.

“How you got Dylan James to agree to this, I don’t know. I’ve convinced a lot of athletes to do things they didn’t want to over the years, but it was for the sake of their careers. I was their last chance for redemption. How did Steve get him to sign on for this? Blackmail?”

“Oh God no.” I glared at her. “He wouldn’t do that.”

“Really?” She cocked her head to the side.

“Dylan wanted to do it. He volunteered.”

Charlie laughed. “Come on. I know these guys. He’s a playboy. A notorious partier. He’s doing an excellent job of playing fiancé, I’ll give him that. I wouldn’t have known that was possible, he’s convincing. But, really? Why did he give up that up for this arrangement? What did you and Steve promise him? I need to know what the pay off was so I can prepare for it if that comes out somehow.”

I shook my head. “I don’t think all those details matter.”

“Before I open that safe and start learning about every dirty filthy thing those guys have done, I have to know what someone has collected on you. Because somewhere someone is doing the same thing your grandfather is. Only instead of at the top of the tab it says Vanessa McCade.”

My mouth dropped in horror. “No. Why would that happen?”

“Vanessa, I get it. This wasn’t your world. But it is now. The sooner you realize people are nothing but corrupt sons of bitches who want to take what’s yours, the quicker you’ll start covering your ass.”

I wanted to run out of the study. I wanted to find Dylan’s arms. I wanted Isaac to shield me from the ugliness of her words.

“What were the stakes for Dylan? Did Steve have something on him?”

“No.” I shook my head. “He won me.”

“Excuse me?”

I couldn’t look her in the eye. Charlie was powerful confident woman. The kind that bulldozed the toughest athletes. I must have looked weak and pathetic to her.

“Steve thought it would be fun to have an auction for a chance to be engaged to me for the season. The single guys bid on me. I had no idea. I never would have allowed it. But…”

“Fuck,” she whispered. “Who knows?”

“He made them sign an NDA. I don’t know how many players exactly. Single guys.”

“So Dylan got caught up in a cock war over who was going to claim you for the season?” She shook her head. “That sounds more like him.”

“He’s not really like that. I mean, he was. I know he was, but he’s been nothing but great.”

“You’re sleeping with him. You don’t qualify as unbiased.”

“How did you know?” My eyes flashed to hers. Were all my secrets written on my forehead?

“The paint for one.” She huffed. “But it’s Dylan James. He wanted you. He got you. It’s a simple equation.”

I closed my eyes. She made it sound so dirty. As if I didn’t matter to him. I knew that wasn’t true. We had shared something together that defied traditional boxes and labels.

“This fake engagement works for us, ok?” I tried to muster some sort of defense. “I need your help, Charlie. Please don’t judge what mistakes I may have made before now. I’ve done the best I could.” I straightened my shoulders.

She sighed. “You’re right. What’s done is done. But before I even go anywhere near these files, I need to lock down this auction story. I’m going to need the names of every player who was there. If it gets out there that your engagement isn’t real and that the Warriors participated in auctioning a woman? Can you imagine? Every woman who has ever worked for the organization is going to start suing for sexual harassment. You’ll never escape the image of being a piece of property. And damn it, you own that team, Vanessa.” She slammed her palm on the writing desk.

I nodded. “I think Dylan can help you with that. He was there.”

“Good. And I will see Steve first thing in the morning. He is such an asshole for this. A fucking auction?” She rolled her eyes.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say any more. I’ve got this now. I’m going to talk to Dylan. I’ll take the safe with me.”

I nodded. “Please.”

I sat at the desk while Charlie strolled confidently to find Dylan. I watched through the glass door as she talked to him about the auction. He nodded from time to time. It was like watching something unfold on TV. But it was in my kitchen. This was my life now.