There’s no chance that anything is deeply wrong between Isabella and me—not after yesterday’s getaway to my penthouse. Not a chance.

So why can’t I set aside the creeping doubt that grows a little stronger with every quiet moment? 

When she’s with me, I don’t see anything but her fire, her determination, her incredible wit. The way she looks at me with those big green eyes, begging for me to dominate her one minute and teasing me the next, is all I need for the rest of my life. At least, that’s what I think…until she’s gone, and my dad’s words start ricocheting through my brain. 

I’d advise you not to fall any deeper into this trap.

It’s not a trap. Isabella isn’t doing this to get the better of me.

Can you really be sure about that?

The nagging thought follows me while I throw myself into a workout at the gym, shower, and head in to the office. I have big plans for today. Mike and I are going to decide on at least one of the properties that he’s located in the past couple of weeks, and I’m going to swing by the three new buildings—including Hamilton Heights—so we can discuss how the preliminary plans are going to proceed. Mike always rolls his eyes at me when I insist on doing this for all the new properties—he thinks my time is better spent meeting with investors—but I do plenty of that in the evenings, at exclusive dinner events and parties.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting a little more detailed control when you’re taking over real estate one building at a time. The rest of the world is going to be like New York for me soon. I’ll have all the hottest properties, and with people like Mike on my team, I’ll be able to find them at rock-bottom prices and make a killing.

I sigh when the town car pulls up next to the curb.

These plans don’t have my heart racing like they used to. The only thing that does it for me now is Isabella.

That thought stops me dead in the middle of the sidewalk, between the car and the building.

I can’t let that happen.

Isabella can’t be the only thing to excite me, to make me want to get up in the morning. Pace, Inc. has been my life since I graduated college, and I’m not willing to give it up. So why the hell do I feel resigned to the work I have today instead of humming with bloodlust for the next deal?

It’s an off day. That’s all this is. I’m still as invested in Pace, Inc. as I was three weeks ago, before she ever came into my life.

When the elevator doors open, I step out with a smile on my face, ready to get on with this. Meetings. Plans. Expansion. The excitement will come later. I’m sure of it.

I greet everyone I see, as usual, and I’m a moment away from poking my head into Mike’s office to see if he’s ready to get started when he rushes out, head down, his mouth set in a line. He’s so focused on getting wherever he’s going that he doesn’t see me.

“Whoa. Where’s the fire?” I put both hands up to stop him, and he skids to a dead halt in the middle of the hallway.

“You’re in early.” His voice is terse, almost monotone. I raise my eyebrows, and he puts a hand to his forehead. “I’m sorry, Jasper. That was out of line.”

“I am here early, but not that early. What’s going on?”

He flicks his eyes around him like the walls have ears, then beckons for me to follow him back into his office. I shut the door behind us.

“I think we have a problem with your father.”

We? If there’s anyone who has a problem with him—at least at this moment, it’s me. What the hell could Mike have to do with that? “What kind of problem? Last I knew, he was starting to back off a bit, heading for retirement. Don’t spread that around. I’m not sure what—”

“He’s pushing the Hamilton Heights property, and the other two you signed on in March. Wait—” He opens the folder and shuffles through the papers in his hand. “No, not all three. Only the ones from Brilliance.” Mike looks up at me, his forehead wrinkled from the stress. “I’ve been looking into the guarantees he made, and the leases, and trying to figure out what the hell happened since you first brought it up. I didn’t even know he knew—” Mike shakes his head. “That’s not important. Last night when I was packing up to leave, he came in here and told me there was no more time to waste on these, and that he’d sent new notices to the tenants there. He wants them out by the end of the month, not by the end of August.”

“He can’t do that.”

“I know that. But the people who live in the Hamilton Heights building might not.”

Shit, shit, shit. What the hell is my father thinking? I don’t want to keep Hamilton Heights—it’s not worth the hassle with the tenants.

Or Isabella. 

No. Not Isabella. I can’t let her affect my decisions like this. Not at work. Not now.

“Did you ever get any information about the Spanish Harlem building? What about the tenants there?”

“I did. They’re still there, but all the leases end on the last day of May. It’s not as much of a problem.”

“It’s still a pretty big problem.”

“Yeah.” Mike nods, his expression grim. “I’m digging in today to make sure he has absolutely nothing to do with any of our past or prospective purchases.”

“Where are you going right now? You looked like you were in a pretty big hurry.”

Mike meets my eyes, but I can tell he’s uncomfortable as hell. “To your father’s office. He wanted to rush forward with starting renovations on the Hamilton Heights property even if the residents put up a fight—which they should, because they’re well within their rights.”

I take in a disbelieving breath. My father has no reason to get involved in this, other than to—I don’t know, teach me some lesson about women like Isabella Gabriel. It’s true that if he can force out the current tenants and flip the building, we’ll get payoff from it much sooner. 

There’s a sickening twist in my gut when the realization hits. I would have done the same thing, not too long ago. I might have even done the same thing now, if it weren’t for Isabella. She’s willing to do anything to help her mother—and by extension the rest of the people in the building. I haven’t even taken the time to find out what kind of community they’ve established, what they already offer the neighborhood…I was willing to bulldoze the entire thing to grow my empire.

I give Mike a nod. “Thanks for telling me. You should get over there. He’s probably got the architect waiting. Sit in on whatever this meeting is. Give him your two cents.” 

“Okay.” Mike turns to go, his shoulders sagging.

“Mike.”

“Yeah?”

“You did the right thing. I’ll figure out what the hell he’s up to.”

He smiles, his lips still pressed together, like he’s not quite convinced. Then he’s gone.