No way could Levi go home after what happened in Emily’s office—and nearly on her desk. Jumping in the lake wasn’t enough. He texted his brothers. He even included Hunt in the message, he was that desperate.

They’d agreed to meet up at Blue Casino, ironically, given the problems Blue was causing Club Tahoe. Blue was hosting a big event, and Adam and Hayden were still working despite the late hour, so Adam had asked everyone to meet in the nightclub.

Levi didn’t bother changing. He walked into the casino’s nightclub and spotted Adam and the rest of his brothers in the lounge area. The volume inside was deafening, the place crowded and packed for the event—which look liked some kind of disco theme—but Adam had secured them a reserved table in the corner.

Adam stared as Levi approached. “What’s up? Why the emergency drinks?”

Levi took the seat that faced the room. Watching drunken people in seventies wear seemed as good a way to get his mind off Emily as anything. “I didn’t say there was an emergency.”

Bran absently pushed his fingers through his blond hair, receiving an admiring look from the woman who sat at the table next to them. “No, you said in the text message, ‘Meet up ASAP,’ which we took to mean emergency, but not of the life-threatening variety.”

Levi drummed his fingers on the table. So he’d been desperate for his brothers’ support. Which he was second-guessing by the minute. They’d give him a hard time, and he couldn’t talk about what was actually bothering him.

Adam sipped what looked like a girly blue cocktail. “Spill it, already.”

“Nothing to spill.” Levi eyed the drink in Adam’s hand. “Aren’t you a little old for Smurf drinks?”

Adam frowned. “Do you want our help or not? Because Hayden’s upstairs and I wouldn’t mind pulling her in the office supply room for a quick break. And for the record, this is Blue’s signature martini. You should try one.”

Levi stared out at the bodies. “There’s a…situation, but I can’t talk about it.”

“Fuck, Levi,” Wes said. “Quit being coy. We don’t have all night.” He lifted his chin toward Bran. “Flash your pretty eyes at the waitress. I need another beer, and my smolder isn’t working. God knows why. Must be too busy in here.”

Bran shook his head. “And you think I’ll have better luck?”

They all responded at once, “Yes.”

“Just smile at her,” Wes said. “And hurry up. I’m getting parched. If Levi dragged us here just to sit there silently brooding, I’ll need a few more drinks before I go in for the kill on that foursome of women in the corner.”

Hunt had remained silent since Levi sat down, but he chimed in at Wes’s comment. “I’ll join you, brother.”

Wes slid him a look. “I’m not Levi. I don’t plan on sharing the women.”

Levi glared. “I don’t share.” His tone was dark. He was a hairsbreadth from injuring one of them. This had been a bad idea.

Bran shook his head and frowned. “You know, Wes, Levi was right the other day. You and Hunt are out of control.”

Ignoring him, Wes glanced to the side and tipped his head. “There she is. Get her attention.”

Bran huffed out a breath, but he looked at the waitress and shot her a smile.

She spun in their direction, an extra sway in her hips.

Wes chuckled. “Told ya.”

“Fuck you, asshole. That was lucky.”

Both Wes and Hunt groaned. “Dude,” Hunt said, “if I had those baby blues, I would be getting laid so much more often than I already am.”

“You’re with a different woman every night,” Bran said.

“More like every other night. Your point?”

Bran looked to Levi.

“Don’t look at me. I’m out of answers.”

Everyone turned to him.

“What?” Levi said, right as the waitress arrived.

Bran stared. “You’re never at a loss for words when it comes to bossing us around.”

“I’m not that bad,” Levi grumbled.

They placed their orders and the waitress left. But not before she touched Bran’s shoulder no less than three times. That got a rise out of his brothers and set a pissed-off look on Bran’s face.

Adam pulled off his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. He was still technically on duty, hence the designer duds. “Levi, what’s this visit really about? Or do I already know?”

Levi glanced away, not meeting his brother’s gaze. With the help of his astute girlfriend, Adam had become too perceptive.

“Is this really about Emily?” Adam asked.

Levi groaned. Never should have let Adam in the other morning.

“Emily? Your new assistant?” Wes said. “You really like those Wright women.”

If the words had come from Hunt, Levi would have leapt across the table and punched him in the nose, but Wes was only stating the obvious. And Wes hadn’t betrayed Levi.

He did have a thing for one Wright woman. Any romantic feelings he’d had for Lisa died a long time ago. “Maybe.”

“Whoa,” Hunt said, entering the conversation. Levi shot him a glare, and he mimicked zipping his mouth. “I’m not commenting, just…whoa.”

“I like her,” Wes said. “You’re not good enough for her, but I like her. She’s got spunk.”

“Of course I’m not good enough for her.” Levi took a gulp of his beer. “That’s beside the point. The feelings are there and I can’t do anything about it.”

“Why not?” Adam asked.

Levi glanced at him. “Isn’t it obvious? She works for me. And there’s too much past screwing things up. It would never work.”

Wes shrugged. “Eh, it could work. The question is if you want it to.”

Before Levi could answer, a flash of short red hair caught his eye. Short red hair atop a man with a weaselly face and glasses. “What the hell is Samuel doing here?”

Adam glanced over. “Who, Samuel Miller? He owns stock in our new parent company. Likes to check out how Blue’s doing from time to time. Speaking of Blue getting bought out, did I mention Hayden and I made bank on the acquisition? Be prepared for the wedding of the season this spring. No holds barred. You jackasses better not have forgotten about our engagement party tomorrow night, either. Hayden and Emily have been working on it for weeks. Seven o’clock in the club ballroom. Don’t be late.”

Levi set down his beer. “Back up. Samuel Miller owns stock in your company? You realize he was hired by Dad as one of our advisors, right?”

Adam’s eyes widened. He shook his head slowly. “I didn’t know that.”

Bran scratched the side of his head. “That doesn’t sound legit.”

“If he works for us,” Wes said, “what’s to prevent him from spilling secrets to Blue Casino about what we’re up to? We know we can trust Adam. He has as much at stake in the club’s success as the rest of us.”

“Gee, thanks,” Adam said. “Glad that’s the only reason you can trust me. Couldn’t be because I’m your brother.”

Levi rolled his neck, hearing it pop. He was itching to pop something—a weaselly lawyer would do. “We lost three of our major accounts to Blue Casino since Dad died.”

Adam glanced at the man in question. “You think Miller had something to do with it?”

“I’d bet my life on it.”

* * *

Levi made it home around one a.m. and fell into bed. This business with the lawyer was infuriating, but that wasn’t what kept him awake. He’d done the right thing by telling Emily the truth earlier. So why did he feel like such shit?

He couldn’t imagine a future with Emily, given his messed-up past with her sister. Trying like hell to present a put-together front for Club Tahoe was all he could handle right now. What he should do is say fuck it, roll over, and slake his lust with a different woman tomorrow night. One who didn’t mind keeping things casual. There’d been plenty of attractive females at Blue’s club this evening. It wouldn’t be hard.

Except he’d barely noticed other women. Because the only woman on his mind was Emily.