A rare moment, a thump of emotion, shocks my heart. He’s a good brother. “Then let’s take the new garnet to headquarters and see what we can do.” Nobody is as good with the interface as am I, but he’s getting there, and just in case, I need to bring him up to speed. “I’ve already changed the language of the charter and the ownership percentages.”
His shoulders go back. “I’m fine with my twenty percent.”
“Too bad. Now you own thirty.” If he has to take over with the garnet, I’ll give him all of it. If not, it’s still time to award him his due. “You’re my only brother, and the only person in this world I trust, even if you do knock on my door before entering my home.”
My computer dings again as the Aquarius techs no doubt find my plant. My connection shuts off abruptly. “I still have to head the Irish mafia, but you should take more of a role just in case the garnet kills me. I want you firmly in place so there’s no challenge.” The mafias make good foot soldiers for the four families. For mine, anyway. “Be ready to go in an hour.”
“Copy that.” He strides out of the room, his phone already at his ear as he barks orders.
I look at the frozen image on my screen and Alana’s soft eyes before bringing up a feed from the video cameras in my library this week. She spent a lot of time in there. More than I realized. She’s adorable when she reads. I zoom in and note that during her time with me, she read books in English, Gaelic, Latin, Chinese, Russian, French, and Spanish. And I’d thought her not a rocket scientist. She’s smarter than all of the rocket scientists on my payroll right now. The woman must’ve taught herself multiple languages just so she could read more books.
The urge to jerk off takes me, and I shove it away. The only hand I want on my dick is hers.
I lift my phone to my ear and order it to place a call.
“Hey, Grumpy.” Alana surprises me by answering, her voice a light sugary treat that zips through the phone line and into my mouth.
My blood heats. “Nice romantic swill you posted online earlier. Stop it, now.” It’s only fair to give her warning.
She snickers, and swear to the saints, my balls draw up tight. “Why? Which of your precious commandments have I broken?”
“All three of them.” I settle back in my chair, my temper simmering. “You lied, because I’m no hero, and while here, you hid the fact that you speak and comprehend Gaelic.” Which is both impressive and irritating as hell. “With your current video teases going on, you’re obviously playing the rebel and thus defying me.”
She sighs, and honey fills my mouth. “So that would be rules number one and three. Guess I missed the second one, huh?”
“Oh no, beautiful. Number two is to keep yourself out of danger. Pissing me off and challenging me is waltzing right into the cyclone’s path. You’re in danger, now.”
I don’t expect her to heed my warning.
She doesn’t. “I suppose I’ll be safe enough soon. Considering we’re such good friends now that you’re helping Aquarius Social by being the focus of my swoon-worthy emotional videos, I guess you should be included in my social events. Where would you like me to send your invitation to my upcoming nuptials?”
TWENTY
Alana
I end the phone call more than happy with my performance and quite pleased to have poked the beast with all that marriage talk. He deserves it. I have a big heart, and he tossed it out the door. A little voice in the back of my head bellows that I’d go right back to him if he called.
No, I wouldn’t.
My phone dings and my heart leaps into my throat. “Hello?”
“Hi! Are you okay?” Rosalie yells.
Wincing, I hold the phone away from my ear. “I texted you already.” Unfortunately, the aquamarines required charging at the Aquarius Social servers, so that took up most of my morning. “I promise I’m fine and we’ll catch up tonight after the board meeting.”
“Oh no, you don’t!” she shouts. “I want details right now about Thorn!”
Just the mention of his name makes my nipples sharpen. Damn it. “I’ll give you full details when I see you.” I maintain a calm tone of voice. While my phone has excellent security, no tech is absolute, and caution is my friend. “But you might want to get online. I’m about to dish publicly.” I end the call as she’s still sputtering.
Then I sit on the sofa in the lovely ladies’ lounge at Aquarius Social, move aside Thorn’s books on crystals that I’ve been devouring, double-check the lighting, and hold the phone up to my face. “I’m back. Thank you so much for all of the exploding stars. I guess you want to hear more.” I look around and lower my voice to a whisper as if nosy ears are everywhere. “All right. So these three guys charged me with guns and I ran. Out of the shadows, Thorn Beathach scoops me up like a heroine in a romance novel and rushes through the rain to his SUV.” I fan myself as if the memory is combustible. “He saved me. I have so much to tell you about him, but I have an Aquarius Board meeting on my agenda. Detonate all of the stars if you’re craving more details.” I end the video.
Guilt trips through me about that dead waiter. I need to find out his name and at least send my condolences to his family. It’s my fault he’s dead.
Yeah, I know Thorn will be pissed about my videos and I’m just getting started. When I stand, my knees wobble. Not that I’m frightened of him, because I’m not. I remind myself twice that I’m not. Shoving the phone in my pink, sparkly purse, I walk out of the ladies’ lounge and stride through the top floor of the skyscraper, pausing outside the boardroom.
Margery Lips, my father’s personal secretary, looks up from her desk. “These came for you.”
My gaze is already caught. From a shockingly wide crystal vase, at least fifty red roses bloom with one white rose unfurling in the middle. I reach for the card and read: To the one perfect rose. We’re nowhere near done. ~Thorn.
I can’t breathe.
“They’re waiting,” Margery hisses. She’s around ninety and looks like a crone, but she’s right.
I leave the flowers and stride to the boardroom. When I walk inside, I stop and look at the people gathered around the table. “This is interesting,” I murmur.
My father sits at the head with Nico to his left; to his right is the empty seat that I have come to consider mine. My distant cousins, Quinlan and Scarlett Winter, are seated by Nico. “Hello.” I look at my father.
“Have a seat, Alana,” he says, kicking out my chair.
My instincts hum. I gracefully walk inside and sit, wanting more than ever to get back to those books I borrowed from Thorn. Well, probably stole since I have no intention of returning them. Unless he wants to set up an exchange agreement, because there are many more books I want to get my hands on from his library.
“Hi, Alana,” Quinlan says, his eyes widening. A stamp from a bar is on his left hand—something with a C. He’d partied with my brother a lot, so it’s not a surprise. He works as a computer programmer for Aquarius and was good friends with Greg. I last saw him at the funeral. “I’m so pleased that you were found safely.”
Found and exchanged for a bunch of rocks like in the Stone Age. I make a mental note to find out exactly what those garnets are worth. A girl does like to know her value. I swallow the bitterness I feel at Thorn’s actions and force a smile. “Hi, Quinlan. This looks more of a family gathering than a board meeting,” I say, nodding at his sister, Scarlett. She’s a few years older than I am and has black hair and even darker eyes, having inherited her Chinese mother’s exquisite bone structure, while her brother looks more like his Italian father. Their parents died young, and if I remember right, they’ve been raised by their grandmother, a distant relative. I believe Scarlett works in Human Resources for the corporation and travels quite a bit.
“Close enough,” my father says. “After your kidnapping, I realized we need more family members involved in the business, especially those who have an affinity with aquamarines.” He straightens his tie. “Just in case we need to replace you.”
My mouth almost gapes open. Everybody thinks I’m expendable, apparently.
