Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 65489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
“Miles, I’m a little bit busy right now.”
I heard the rustle of sheets as if he was getting out of bed, then a protesting murmur, but I couldn’t make myself care. “I need this dealt with.”
“Right this minute?”
I hated that he was always willing to call me out. “It’s very important.”
He sighed. “Life or death?”
“No.”
“Personal or business?”
“Both.”
“I’ll meet you tomorrow morning, though you do know it’s Sunday, right?”
“Be there at seven.”
“Nine,” he countered.
“Eight thirty.”
“Done.”
He ended the call. Why had I hired someone who was willing to hang up on me?
Because he’s a good friend. You know you can trust him, and he’s damn good at his job.
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I needed to go home and try to get some sleep.
13
MILES
When I let myself into my office at six twenty the next morning, not only was Carter already there, so were Ford and—more surprisingly—Worth. He must have not been to bed. I’d never heard of him getting up this early.
“Is this an intervention?”
Worth shook his head. “No.”
At the same time, Carter and Ford said, “Yes.”
“Just because I’m anxious to stop my company’s secrets from—”
“You know that’s not what this is about,” Carter said.
I glared at him. “That’s why I called you.”
“You called him because you want to prove Mr. Beautiful AF Assistant is innocent, but you crossed a line last night,” Ford said.
Carter nodded. “You went too far.”
“I’m sure Ben is fucking hot,” Worth said, “but as fun as it must have been, it’s going to be hell for your PR team to explain away you punching Medford.”
I scowled at them. “I don’t give a fuck about that. Medford had his hand around Ben’s arm after Ben told him no. He was trying to pull him into the garden. How can you—”
Carter held up a hand. “I’m not questioning the need to stop him, and to protect Ben, but Medford would’ve stepped back with nothing more than a word from you. He’s a whiny little bitch.”
“I needed more than words to make my point.”
“This isn’t fucking high school,” Ford said.
“Like that’s the last time you got in a fight.”
Ford snarled at me. He’d beat the shit out of a guy in law school for bullying an undergrad who was gay. The incident had almost gotten Ford kicked out, but his grandparents had come to his defense and old family money won the day.
“Can you honestly tell me you would’ve reacted the same way if it had been someone else?” Carter asked. “Someone you didn’t know.”
Worth interrupted. “What about somebody you didn’t like?”
“I would’ve saved anyone from Medford’s attentions. No one deserves to be treated like that. I’m shocked that any of you would question that.”
“We’re not questioning if you would’ve helped them,” Ford said. “Well maybe Worth is, but I don’t know what’s wrong with him.” Worth had the decency to look sheepish. “We are questioning whether you would’ve gotten violent when you didn’t have to. Whether, instead, you would have defused the situation and called security.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I think you do,” Ford said.
Of course I knew, but I didn’t have to admit it to them. “When I saw his hand on Ben, I lost it.”
“There has to be more going on here than you’re telling,” Worth said. “Are you fucking Ben?”
I glared at him. “Don’t.”
Worth’s eyes widened, and he held up his hands in surrender. “I was just joking.”
I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. “I like him.” Admitting that made my stomach flip-flop.
“Like him?” Carter asked. “It sounds like a hell of a lot more than liking him.”
“I’m not going to let anyone hurt him.”
“We still can’t be sure—”
“Yes, we can!” I yelled. The room went silent for several seconds. In a much quieter voice, I said, “I gave him an access code to a safe with fake formulas in it. None of those have been shared. He’s not involved.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s not connected. Or that he won’t become involved,” Ford reasoned.
“I won’t let him.”
“Oh shit,” Ford said. “You’ve fallen for him.”
I shook my head. No way. I’d sworn I wouldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t hurt someone one, fuck up their life, if I kept it casual. “It’s nothing that serious. I like him, and I owe him my protection.”
Ford raised his brows. “You punched a guy in the middle of a fundraiser over him.”
“I punched an assailant.”
“Medford’s a piece of shit,” Carter said. “I’m not saying he didn’t have it coming. I’m saying you lost control, and that’s dangerous.”
They weren’t wrong, but it didn’t change how I felt. If I thought he’d agree to it, I’d keep Ben at my penthouse and wouldn’t let him out of my sight. I wouldn’t let anyone else lay their hands on him. You’ve definitely fallen for him.
“Eudora Weeks adores him. She wants to invite him to a knitting circle.”