Brody Wolf is a billionaire! With a B! Brody has always had that bad boy sex appeal to him, but a bad boy with money is enough to rev the engine of just about any woman in Hollow Brook. I’ll have to fight them off with a stick—a gilded stick now that I’m officially—unofficially Brody’s plus one.

Brody called an emergency meeting down at The Sloppy Pelican and asked me to come along. I had to fight the urge to hold his hand on our way in, and even as we waited for everyone to congregate in the back, it was a struggle not to wrap my arms around his body—that body that I own nightly. Brody and I are all but leashed to one another at the house, so asserting some self-control when I’m around him requires more than a little effort.

“Hey”—Levi nods my way—“you meeting up with someone for lunch this afternoon?”

“Just you.” I plant myself in the seat next to Brody. “I came along with Brody for the meeting.”

My brother inches back a notch, the look on his face decidedly confused. “Raven, how do you have time for all of this? You’ve got to be inundated with job offers by now.”

Low rushes at me with her vanilla-scented perfume and offers me a hug before falling in the seat on the other side of me. “What’d I miss?” She rubs her hands together as Lex and Axel take their seats as well.

“Nothing,” I whisper to Low. “But keep your ears wide open. This gets good fast.”

My brother shoots me a look as if to say this conversation is far from over.

“All right.” Brody grinds his eyes shut with his hand. “There’s something that’s happened in my personal life that I wanted to share with you. It’s nothing that affects The Pelican or my time here. I want you to know I’m just as devoted to this place, if not more.”

Levi groans, “If you tell me you eloped with my sister, I might be moved to skewer your balls off and serve them to that girl who keeps hounding me about you in her next drink.”

I glance to Low, and she shakes her head vigorously as if to contest the fact she told him.

Holy hell, my brother has always been a mind reader, but this is downright frightening.

Brody looks to me with a sweeping glance and shakes his head at my brother. “Dude, would you just let me talk?”

Nice move, Wolf Man. Duck and evade just like when they were kids wrestling it out in the backyard.

Brody tips his head back, and I can tell he’s currently wrestling with himself over something, and a part of me fears it’s his sudden need to divulge our every last dirty detail. I give him a hard kick from under the table, and Levi lets out a yelp.

“What’d you do that for?” My brother glares at me a moment while doubling over, rubbing his ankle.

“Oh.” I jump in my seat. “For grilling poor Brody when you can see he’s having a tough time.”

Brody sheds an easy grin my way, and it feels so natural. “I’m ready to spill.” And he does. He tells everyone about his outings with his grandfather, about his death, his will. His billions.

“No way.” Axel rakes his fingers through his hair.

Levi shakes his head. “And your parents—are they pissed?”

“No.” He winces. “They’re hurt, but they understand that I was simply trying to obey his wishes. Colby”—he gives an exasperated glance to the ceiling—“now she’s pissed.”

A light round of laughter circles the table, and Brody takes a breath. “But I’m not changing. I’m still me. Some things might change.” He glances my way before looking back to Axel and Levi. “I think it’s safe to put all talks about expansion back on the table.”

Levi grins, but he’s shaking his head. “No. We’ll get loans.”

“And you’ll get them from me.” Brody flashes a quiet grin and melts the panties right off my body in the process. “Don’t worry, sweetie.” He winks at my brother. “I’ll give you a decent interest rate. So count your lucky stars. We’re prequalified for that franchise we’ve been planning.”

“This is great.” Axel shakes his head in disbelief. “I’ll get you connected with a good financial adviser. I’d hate to see you spending all your money at once.”

Lex lets out an oof as if someone socked her in the gut. “And the girls are going to come out of the woodwork.” She blinks my way. “And some girl is going to think she’s hit the jackpot, and she’ll never look for a job at that rate.”

My eyes grow wild. Swear to God, I’d kick her good if I could. And why is she so interested in my employment status, anyway? I scowl over at her for judging me. I’ll teach her. I’m the one who’s in charge of her surprise bachelorette party, lest she forget. No strippers, she says? I’ll make it twenty. Not out too late, she cried? We’re shutting the place down and coming home at sunrise. Lex is so uptight I’m sure she needs a night at the strip club just to loosen those joints. Not that Axel is lacking in the looks department, but she probably demands that the poor boy turns off the lights and leaves his shirt on while they get underneath the sheets. What a waste.

“I’m not worried about the girls.” Brody thumps over the table with his knuckles. “I’ve already got one on lockdown. We’ve been seeing each other for a while.”

GAH! Abort! Abort! Do not venture into big brother slaughterhouse territory.

I can’t help but shoot wild eyes his way, my lips pulled back in horror.

“Relax.” He knocks my elbow off the table with his own. “You’ll meet her soon enough.”

Axel and Lex congratulate him and take off for a meeting. Apparently, Lex’s new business venture, the Epicurean Elite, is really taking off.

And slowly I meet with my brother’s disdainful look.

He leans over and tousles my hair. “If you need help with your résumé, just say the word. You know I’d do anything to help you, kiddo.”

“Right.” I glance to Low and scowl because we both know he won’t help anyone when it comes time to embrace the fact Brody and I are together.

He leans toward Brody. “So, who’s this chick? Let me guess, the girl from the bar?”

“Yup. It’s the girl from the bar.” Brody brazenly winks my way, and I gasp. He has lost his ever-lovin’ billion-dollar mind. Brody might have dollar bills stacked to the moon, but they won’t do him any good if he’s lying in a casket. “I’ll introduce you soon enough.”

“Sounds good.” Levi slaps him over the back and takes off for the kitchen.

Low clears her throat, pulling me up. “Why don’t we head to the little girls’ room? I’m feeling a potty emergency coming on.” Low has always referenced the restroom with the panache of a three-year-old, and I don’t care what anyone says—I’m looking at you, Lex—I think it’s adorable.

Low trots me off and buries us deep in the aforementioned little girls’ room.

“Oh my God!” She bounces on her tiptoes.

“I know he’s rich! It’s my mother’s dream come true!”

“Not that.” She swats me. “I know you couldn’t care less if that boy had a nickel to his name. He almost outted you.”

“Speaking of outing.” I get nose-to-nose with the girl I’ve known for going on a decade. “How in the heck did my brother get an inch of the matrimonial truth?” I gift her a hard poke in the chest and accidently land on a boob. “God, your boobs are like pillows. My brother really is a lucky bastard.”

Low stabs her fist into her hips. That crooked smile she’s slow to give says she’s mildly pissed. “He’s not that lucky. His wife has chosen to keep vital information from him in order to please her bestie.”

“Who is also your sister-in-law.” I cringe. “I’m sorry. I hate that you’re keeping things from him. The last thing I want is for there to be a rift between you two. I promise I will find a way to end this—as soon as I come up with a way that doesn’t involve Brody losing his balls.”

“Levi is swift with the threats.”

We head out of the restroom, chortling over the fact.

“Brody Wolf would never know what hit him!” I caw just as I smack right into—Levi. “Gah!” I spin in a little spastic circle. “You scared the shit out of me!”

“Good thing you’re near the bathroom,” he teases while pulling Low in close.

“You’re disgusting,” I bleat.

“And you were talking about Brody.” He shakes his head, looking from Low to me. “Can you believe it? Man, the gold diggers are going to come out of the woodwork. And you would be the biggest.” He frowns my way. “Stay away.”

“Hey.” I stomp on his foot with my stiletto. “I might be, but that’s none of your business.” It’s true. I might have dated a stockbroker or two strictly based off his portfolio performance.

They laugh it off and head for the exit, and before I can move an inch, my knight in shiny gold-backed armor comes at me with a devilish grin on his face.

“I’m going to kiss you, Masterson.” Brody’s lips curve with the threat. “Right here in this restaurant you taunt me in night after night.”

I wrap my arms around his neck as he comes in for the kill, and Brody brazenly lands a wet one right over my lips. His mouth lingers over mine, and my soul melts as he makes me his right here in this most forbidden place of all.

“What in the hell?” a male voice seeps with disappointment, and I push Brody away as if I were a teenager just caught with a boy in her room.

Axel Collins looks markedly pissed at the both of us. “Never mind. Neither of you owes me anything. Just know when you have a huge life change the way you just did”—he glares at Brody—“you shouldn’t be quick to jump into anything.” He doesn’t say another word, simply disappears in the restroom.

“Kiss me again, hard and like you mean it,” I demand, and Brody sheds that lopsided grin that makes me melt on cue.

“Anything for you, my queen.”

My queen. I fall into him with an open-mouthed laugh. Brody grips me with those strong arms, and I want nothing more than to pull him into a dark corner and have my way with him—partially because my body is begging for it to be so and partially to give my brother the metaphorical finger.

Brody kisses me just the way I demanded.

Hard and like he means it.

I’m so in love with Brody Wolf. I just wish I had the lady balls to rip the lid off this covert relationship we’re keeping from the world. Baby steps. And something tells me kissing Brody right here at The Pelican is the biggest step of them all.

On Saturday night, the holiest of date nights, I insist that Low, Lex, and I ditch our very amply endowed and date-worthy men and head for downtown Jepson where there are plenty of amply endowed men for us to gawk at from afar. Sometimes you just need to cut loose a little and have a naughty night out with your girls. I’ve outfitted Lex with a tiny tiara with a wedding veil attached and slapped a banner over her chest that reads Bridezilla-to-be. Of course, she tried to quickly dislodge the festive accouterments, but I threatened her with a karaoke number at the reception so she’s complying.

“Gimme a round of Wallbangers!” I shout up over the rock music at the scantily clad waitress with her bare midriff, her bra nothing more than a glittery pasty.

I’ve scored us a table near the front—all the way to the left near the restrooms per Lex’s hygienic request. To her point, the women’s restroom here can fill up quickly, and imbibing usually leads to a hell of a lot of potty runs. Lex has graciously decided to break her zero tolerance for alcohol rule and is participating in the downing of libations. Low is already whooping and hollering with the best of them, and we’ve yet to enjoy a single round. It’s a safe bet to say this night is already a success.

“I hate you for this,” Lex gnarls at me from across the table.

“Yes, well, my hairless kitten hates you right back. You do realize that regrowth should have been flagrant by now, and I’m still as bald as a baby’s bottom.”

Low cringes. “When you get down to it, nobody likes a hairless cat. Hey, remember that time Lex flashed us her—”

I hold up a hand to stop the memory. It’s true. Lex wasn’t always so keen on keeping it neat and trim.

Lex leans in as we all pick up our glowing pink shot glasses. “You know what else I hate?”

“I’ll take a stab at it.” I wet my lips with the harsh concoction. Dear sweet Lord, this can peel the varnish right off the table. “Everything and everyone?” I bat my lashes at the queen of all things caustic. But as mean as she is, Lex is equally as beautiful. She’s the only person I know who can get away with fuchsia lipstick on the regular.

“The fact I lied to my soon-to-be husband.”

Low shrugs. “I may have told Levi we were probably heading to the movies.”

“And I lied to mine for sure.” I give a little wink, but I’m warmed from head to toe over the fact Brody and I are the real deal. “I told Brody we were headed to the Black Bear for dinner and drinks. I don’t think it’s really that far of a stretch. Have you seen those frat boys at the Black Bear? Trust me, there are at least six of them stripping as we speak. Speaking of which.” The music picks up, and the lights dim as the boys on stage do their thing, rocking and swaying and stripping off their shirts, gyrating their banana hammocks with impressive thrusts that look both lethal and promising. My next task will be to gift Brody a banana hammock of his own. Although, if we’re being honest, his banana hammock thrusting maneuvers caused my brand new love glove quite a bit of pain. I mean, I knew my body would have to adjust to his size, but the fire that boy invoked quite literally really threw me for a sexual loop. For a second there, I could see the appeal of being a nun.

“To love.” I hold up the Wallbanger and Low follows suit, but Lex is slow to meet her glass with ours. “May you and Axel share many, many years stripping and thrusting in the bedroom.”

“Cheers!” Low whoops so loud her voice pierces right over the music.

“I hate you both!” Lex tips her head back and laughs as the three of us down our drinks and let out a hard yelp in unison.

“Ladies down in front.” The lead stripper with the construction helmet and tool belt stomps our way.

“Oh no.” Lex shakes her head frantically.

“Oh, come on!” I give her a shove in his direction. “This night practically warrants this. You’ll be an old married woman soon and never see the inside walls of this place again.”

“I can only dream!” she shouts as the dirty yet impeccably endowed carpenter drags her up on stage, and Lex attempts to bat him off all the way. “Looks like I’ve got a little naughty vixen on my hands. Boys”—he looks over his shoulders at the police officer and the biker—“why don’t you round up those pretty little friends of hers? I have a feeling they all need to learn a little lesson.”

Low stomps her feet with glee, and who could blame her? That shirtless cop is about to arrest her. She holds her hands out and crosses her wrists. And I can’t help but laugh. Levi really is one lucky bastard. Low would never put up a fight when she knows what’s coming. And just the thought of my brother gifting Low anything on a sexual level makes me want to gag.

The sexy biker wraps his chains around my own wrists, and before I know it, Low and I are up on stage, the bright lights in our eyes, and each with a sexy steed to ride.

The music hits its porn crescendo as the boys—pardon me, men bend us over their knees and offer up a light bum tap that sends Low and me into a giggling tantrum and Lex into a conniption. I would give both my big toes if I could get my hands on footage from the chitty chitty bang bang action going on up here. Honest to God, my cheeks are going to be so rosy Brody will think I powdered them just for him. I close my eyes for a moment and envision Brody up here doing this exact thing to me, and it ratchets the excitement level up about ten dangerous climactic notches.

The crowd goes wild as if Mr. Banana Hammock himself just unleashed a serpent into the wild, but my lids remain sealed as thoughts of Brody bending me over his knee takes over. I’m so darn aroused that I’m going to explode all over him once I walk through that door tonight. In fact, I think I’ll honor Lex’s request and cut the melee short tonight. I’ve got someplace to be, and it isn’t here. I have a feeling once the girls and me are returned to our proper owners, a good time will be had by all.

A light tap lands on my shoulder, and I look up to find—

“Brody?” I eject myself from the oily biker and wrap myself around my dream man like a leash. I don’t know if it’s the alcohol or my sheer willpower to have him manifest before me, but my mouth seals over his and the inertia I put into that kiss sends him stumbling backward. He’s mumbling something, moaning, gripping me by the arms, and if I were a betting woman, I’d think he were trying to pry me off of him.

And just like that, a strong pair of arms do just that as I fly backward into Low while I watch in horror as Levi pulls back and decks Brody right over the jaw.

The crowd gasps, and Low and I scream in unison. It takes a second for me to see that Lex is safe in Axel’s arms. Hell. The boys must have gotten wind of this—I’m looking at you, Lexy—and now Levi and Brody are brawling on the floor like wild bears on fire.

“Stop!” I jump over Levi’s back, and as hard as he tries to fling me off, he can’t shake me. An entire team of security guards rush the stage, and the entire lot of us is bum-rushed out of the building.

“What the hell!” I scream in my brother’s face. “I was just having a little fun.”

“You were shoving your tongue down his throat,” Levi roars back. He glares at Brody and gives him a shove. “And you were letting her!”

Brody gives Levi a hard shove back. “So what?”

Levi stumbles a moment, dumbfounded. “I knew it.” He shakes his head, incredulous. “As soon as you said you hit the jackpot, I knew you’d be a different person. The old Brody Wolf would never take advantage of my sister that way.” He turns to me in a rage. “And you. Dammit, Raven. Sometimes I wonder if all you care about is money. I know that Mom has drilled that whole marry well routine into your head, but you don’t jump the first billionaire you see! This is Brody for God’s sake. Now stop acting like a fucking gold digger and get a grip on yourself. In fact, I don’t want you living with him anymore. I’m taking you to my place tonight. Low will help you pick up your things in the morning.”

My mouth falls open. I glance to Brody. “I’m not a gold digger, and Brody knows it. Brody and I are in love. In fact, we’re married. And yes—we’ve slept together. I hope you choke on the visual for thinking so little of me!” I give Brody a slight shove to the arm. “Tell him. Tell him we’re in love.”

Even the homeless guy on the corner leans in as if to hear the answer.

Brody looks at me as if he’s hearing all this for the very first time. “It’s true.” His shoulders sag as if he were disappointed in the answer. “Raven and I accidently got hitched a few months back.” He holds his hands up as if it weren’t his fault, and it technically wasn’t. “We were drunk and nothing happened.”

Levi bows his head a moment before rearing up with a newfound rage. “And now that you’ve struck it rich, something is happening.” He looks to me with those accusatory eyes, and I shake my head at him.

A horrible surge of emotions rises in me, and all of the negative energy is honed in on my very own blood. “I never thought I would say this, but I hate you, Levi. How dare you imply that I’m after his money.”

“I never said that. You did.” My brother glowers at me a moment. “Raven, I’m only calling you out on this because I want this to stop between you two. You told me yourself a couple weeks ago at that you thought someone like Brody was beneath you.”

My jaw goes slack, and I eat my own words. “No.” I shake my head. “That’s because I was hiding what we had.” All of those conversations I had with Lex, with Low about dating beneath me come back at me like a baseball to the face at a hundred miles an hour. I look to Brody. “I didn’t mean it.” My words come out lower than a whisper.

That pained look in his eyes lets me know he doesn’t quite believe me.

He picks up my hand and gives my finger a tug. “You said those exact words to me, too.”

“Brody,” I protest. “I love you,” I say, but tears glitter in his eyes as if he’s not sure if he still feels the same. I look to Low and Lex. “I need to leave.” I charge down the street to a waiting Uber and hop into the back. Both Lex and Low pile in with me as I scream for the driver to get the hell out of there.

I said those horrible things, but I never meant them, did I? A horrible weight coats me from the inside. I may have meant them once upon a time, but that was a different me, a different world where I didn’t get a chance to experience Brody’s kisses.

I don’t think Brody Wolf is beneath me.

I think in the end I simply don’t deserve him.

Nothing works out for me, and Brody is just another one of those things I wished for that I will never truly have.