Damage Control

“Right,” I say, intentional condemnation in my voice. “The board meeting. Unbelievable. That’s what matters when your father is dying.” It’s not even a question.

His lips quirk. “Righteous like my brother. No wonder he’s fucking you.”

“Apparently being an asshole runs in your family,” I say, trying to step around him, but he grabs my arm, his grip a little too tight, his touch uncomfortable in about a million ways. But I don’t pull away. I don’t give him that satisfaction of rattling me.

“Are you referring to my brother or my father?”

“Both,” I say, because it’s part of me playing the used and abused lover. “You know. You and Shane are brothers. I don’t understand the hate between you. Siblings have a bond that is supposed to last a lifetime.”

“I wasn’t aware you had a sibling to make that assessment.”

“I don’t,” I say, not missing a beat. “But I wish I did. I wish there would have been that kind of bond to fall back on when my parents died.”

“That’s right,” he says, and then proving he’s already been looking into my background, he adds, “They died in a plane crash, didn’t they?”

There is something about the narrowing of his eyes, the sharpness to his tone, that tells me he is suspicious of my story. Or maybe I’m paranoid, but then I have reason to be, but I don’t get time to find out.

“Let go of her,” I hear Shane say from just behind me.

There is a beat that turns into three and suddenly my arm is free. I whirl around to find Shane facing off with Derek. Neither man is looking at me. I am frozen.

Suddenly Shane is standing beside me. “Go upstairs, Emily.”

I inhale and force myself to calm down before I do exactly what I’m told. I walk when I want to run. Slow. Steady. I reach the elevator and I punch the button to call the car, thankful it opens immediately. From there I barely remember entering or exiting to the main elevators, but once I’m on the ride up, my heart is racing, my knees rubbery. I said nothing wrong, but I didn’t have to. Derek has been checking into me, but I tell myself that he still can’t know who I am. He still can’t trigger the Geminis’ attention because they aren’t looking for me. Unless my brother hasn’t told me something. I flash back once again to the night of my stepfather’s death and the moment my brother had said What the hell are you doing here? and for the first time I remember the look in his eyes. There was no fear or remorse for what he’d done. No regret. There was anger, at me.

SHANE

I stand toe-to-toe with my brother, and the fact that I haven’t shoved him against the wall like the last time we stood in almost this same spot is a testament to my willpower.

“Protecting your woman?” Derek asks.

“You’re just pissed I fucked her first, but then, I hear random fucks are off the table for you, since you’re basically engaged to Adrian Martina’s sister.”

“What can I say? She’s a good fuck.”

“You don’t just fuck the daughter of a kingpin, or the sister of the heir to their dynasty. Because when you stop, you end up dead.”

“Adrian Martina cares about money, not me fucking his sister.”

“Is that why he came to see me today? About money?”

“Because you’re standing between him and his money.”

“So you knew he was coming?”

“He wanted to know what was holding up further expansion of our relationship. You are the holdup.”

“What part of ‘he will take our company away from us’ do you not understand?”

“Not if I’m in control, which is how this ends.”

“This ends with you in a grave because he finds out you’re fucking his sister to get close to him.”

His lips quirk, as if I’ve amused him. “I guess we’ll see, now won’t we?” he says, stepping around me, and walking away.

I let the bastard go, but my suspicion that he threw me to the proverbial wolves with Adrian is now confirmed. He’s willing to do more than lie and cheat to win the company. He’s willing to shed blood, and that changes the rules. I walk to the elevator, my journey back to the Brandon Enterprise offices focused on two things: Emily and my plan to cage Derek.

Entering the lobby, I start toward my father’s office, and Emily’s desk, when the receptionist says, “She went toward your office.”

I give her a nod, and stride down the hallway, cutting left to bring Jessica into view. “In your office,” she says, motioning to the door.

I open the door to find Emily standing just inside the room, and I shut us inside. “He’s been looking into my background,” she blurts out. “He made a reference to my parents dying and it was sarcastic. He knows my file doesn’t add up.”

“Easy, sweetheart,” I say, my hands settling on her arms. “Most likely he’s looking at your company interview notes, but even if he has looked closer, a few holes do not lead him to your past.”

“I know. In theory, I know, but he’s turning over stones. He could find the right one. I hate this. I hate that I can’t control what is happening. I hate that for the rest of my life, I will have to worry about the monster around the corner.”

“I’m not going to let that happen. You will be hidden. Well hidden and safe.” My hands go to her face. “I’ll call Seth and make sure your records are done tonight, as he promised.”