Fuck, this is getting hot fast. I’ve had sex with nameless women who don’t turn me on half as much as merely kissing Sloan. Our chemistry is insane, torquing up every nerve in my body until I’m aware of only her.

  I need more.

  “Baby,” I murmur, fitting my hand under her top and gliding my fingertip up her abdomen, over her ribs, up, up, until I’m reaching for her breast. “Let me make you feel so good.”

  Sloan wraps firm fingers around my wrist and stops me before I cup the full weight of her in my hand. “Even if I let you tonight, where would that leave us tomorrow? I won’t surrender anything to you, not my drive, not my will, not my body. And definitely not my heart,” she vows, eyes burning. “And don’t call me baby, especially not when it’s obvious your allegiance will always be to Evan Cook.”

  April 18

  After a long, restless night on Sloan’s sofa, I wake to a warm spring day, turned suddenly chillier by the fact she’s barely speaking to me.

  Is she mad that I kissed her last night? The way she’s avoiding my gaze, no. If I had to guess, she’s mad at herself for liking it. For almost giving in to me.

  By the time we reach the office, I’m even more convinced my plan is the right one. I’m impatient as hell to finish putting it in place. So close…

  As soon as we’re settled in the rented suite with coffee brewed and laptops on, she turns to me. “What’s left to analyze before you can give me your assessment? We have to start making positive changes now.”

  She needs something to do. She wants to be an active part of what she hopes will be Reservoir’s recovery. But I think she also wants to make the heroic moves so that her father might finally acknowledge her contribution—and maybe even her.

  I’m not ready to tell her that saving Reservoir is almost hopeless without a cash influx.

  “Well, my first recommendation is to—”

  Her phone rings, interrupting me. She picks it up, then visibly stiffens. “Shane is calling me.”

  Her expression tells me that’s not a normal occurrence.

  “I told you he’s coming for you.”

  She looks tense as she rises, crosses the room, and answers. “Sloan O’Neill.”

  I can’t hear the other end of the conversation, but the whole thing lasts under thirty seconds. She’s visibly pale when she finally murmurs, “Of course.”

  “What did he want?” I ask once she hangs up.

  “To see me in his office in ten minutes.”

  My gut tightens. I have a bad feeling about this. “I’ll go with you.”

  “You can’t; someone might recognize you. Besides, you don’t have any power at Reservoir.” She shakes her head, grabbing her purse and fishing out her car keys. “I need to handle this alone. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

  “Baby…” I stand and approach her. “You’re strong. And you’re better than him.”

  A worried furrow appears between her brows. Anxiousness pours off her. “With Shane, that actually works against me.”

  Then she’s gone. I swear under my breath, mostly because she’s right, and watch through the window overlooking the parking lot as she climbs into her car and drives off.

  Now I’m alone. I can finally call Evan and privately work out the financial details to finalize my plan.

  But I hesitate. Once I do this, I won’t simply be putting everything into motion, I’ll most likely be putting the final nail in Reservoir’s coffin.

  And Sloan might genuinely hate me.

  It’s obvious your allegiance will always be to Evan Cook.

  Her accusation spools through my head, a refrain on repeat. She’s right. And that won’t change.

  So why am I hesitating?

  Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe there’s another way to work this situation to everyone’s advantage. Maybe…

  But there’s not. I’ve known for a while that I could prevent the competition from winning Wynam’s business or woo the girl. I can’t have both. I’m always going to have to choose. And no matter my feelings for Sloan or the fact they’re growing every day, I have to choose my boss. He’s my best friend. And I owe him.

  Still, I drag my feet, brewing another coffee while grabbing a bite of my protein bar, all while trying to analyze why I’m not simply picking up the phone to gleefully finish this thing off.

  Then I realize why. Not only will Sloan hate me…but I don’t know what will happen to her professionally.

  That’s not your responsibility.

  Isn’t it?

  I wrestle with that, turning it over in my head, before finally snarling out a curse and reaching for my phone. Evan answers on the first ring, breathing heavily. Given the hour, he’s likely spending quality time with the StairMaster. “Bas, missing me kicking your ass in the gym?”

  “You wish.” I snort. “Hey, I’m about ready to pull the trigger on our backdoor takeover of Reservoir. But I need something first.”

  “Shoot.”

  I take a deep breath. Here goes nothing… “Protection for Sloan. She can’t be out of her job.”

  In fact, I think she deserves a giant-ass promotion…but I’ll let Evan digest the rest of my plan before I bring that up.

  “What? Buddy, this girl is the enemy. You’re falling for her, and I get that you want to protect her. It’s natural. But business and pleasure don’t mix.”

  “That didn’t stop you from claiming Nia.” The words are out before I can think twice.

  “She was always on our team.” I hear the warning in Evan’s voice.

  “I can get Sloan on ours.” At least I hope I can.

  She’s stubborn. She knows her own mind. She won’t be easily swayed. And deep down, she has that little-girl need for her daddy’s love she never got as a kid. That’s going to be tough to break through. Tougher still to switch her allegiance.

  But not impossible.

  Evan sighs. “I’m listening. What are you thinking?”

  “If I take Shane’s place, that will make reorganizing in whatever way we want easier. All the VPs are compromised and must be replaced immediately.”

  “Are you sure? Shane can’t influence them if he’s no longer CEO.”

  “Sure, he can. All he has to do is threaten their reputations and families. Sloan’s VP would seemingly do anything to prevent his wife from finding out that he fucked a stripper while she was home with their newborn.”

  “He sounds like a douche, too. I get your point. Trashing him can only help our cause.”

  “Sloan could do his job. Easily. In her sleep. With one hand tied behind her back, metaphorically speaking.”

  Evan hesitates. “She has no executive experience.”

  “Not on paper, but she’s been running most of that organization—without the power or the pay—for nearly two years.”

  “I’m concerned you’re confusing her business acumen with her skills in bed.”

  “We’re not sleeping together.” Yet.

  I intend to rectify that. I’ve got a plan for that, too.

  “Seriously? I assumed—”

  “Nope. Since I’ve been here, we’ve been all business.” Well, until last night.

  “So she’s not sleeping her way up the ladder. That’s hardly a glowing recommendation.”

  I understand his skepticism, but it’s making me grit my teeth. “Give her a month. If her job performance doesn’t blow you away, then you can let her go with the rest of the Reservoir staff you shit-can. But if you’re half as impressed as I think you’re going to be, let her stay. Or better yet, make her an offer to work for Stratus.” One I hope she won’t refuse.

  But I’m not ready to divulge how I’m going to make all this come together. Evan will think I’ve gone crazy.

  “All right. One month. She better be amazing.”

  “She is.”

  “Are we ready to propose terms, then? How much money do you need? What are the parameters?”

  I cover the basics. We negotiate most everything in less than three minutes.

  “Sounds good,” he says finally. “Get it done before close of business on Friday.”

  “It might take another week.” It will probably take me at least that long to convince Sloan to agree to my plan.

  “By your own admission, they don’t have more time. Apply whatever pressure you need to get this done by the end of the week. Then—” He pauses. “Hey, I gotta go. Nia is calling.”

  “Sure. Talk to you soon.”

  Then he’s gone. I set my phone aside with a sigh.

  I should be happy. I got everything I asked for. The timetable is aggressive, but I can make that work…except Sloan. She’s going to fight me tooth and nail.

  Maybe if I sit her down and explain the situation. She’s been wanting that. I’ll finally give it to her, show her in black and white that her illustrious half brother has nearly destroyed her father’s legacy in a short handful of months. Now, only she can save it…with my help.

  It sounds reasonable—in my head. But I doubt she’ll see it the same way.

  Less than ten minutes later, I hear tires screech in the parking lot and glance out to see Sloan sling her car into an available parking spot, then stomp out of the vehicle, slamming the door behind her.

  Even from here, I can tell she’s furious.

  I think through my interaction with Shane last night. Did I say or do something I forgot to tell her about? Something that would make her this fucking angry?

  When Sloan says something clipped in response to the receptionist’s greeting, I stand, watching through the glass double doors as she thunders up the stairs, her face a flushed glower.

  She shoves the door open, sending it banging against the opposite wall. “Pack up and call a taxi.”

  Oh, shit. Did she somehow guess my plan already? “Where am I going?”

  “To see Shane.” She marches away, then bangs her laptop shut, sticking her computer, her notes, and everything she brought here—down to the last pencil—into her briefcase.

  “And where are you going?”

  Finally, I see a crack in her facade. Pain settles into a crease between her brows. Her chin trembles like she’s using every ounce of her will not to cry. “Home. I’ve been fired.”

  “What?” I knew Shane would punch back, but I didn’t think he’d KO her in one swipe.

  “Somehow, someway, Shane discovered your identity, and it’s now apparently my fault that I hired the enemy.”

  Son of a bitch. “I’ll set him straight.”

  “How? Not that it matters. I’ve had all the contact with you. I brought you in to look at our financials. According to him, if I didn’t know you were Sebastian Shaw, I should have and I should be fired for dereliction of duty.”

  Which means he’s going to call me in for the pleasure of shit-canning me, too, simultaneously getting rid of the only two people actively working to save Reservoir.

  I will not give that fucking asswipe the satisfaction.

  “You better go.” She sniffles. “He’s not patient today.”

  “Fuck Shane. I don’t care if he wants to see me. I don’t owe him a goddamn thing. Come here, baby.” As I approach, she looks up at me with wary, wounded eyes and backs away.

  Her expression stabs me in the heart. No, I didn’t put it on her face, but everything inside me compels me to wipe it away and replace it with a smile. Something real. Something filled with joy.

  “It doesn’t work that way.”

  “It does if I want it to. I don’t give a shit about Shane. I care about you.”

  Sloan closes her eyes and looks away, lips pressed together like she’s holding on to her composure by a thread.

  God, it fucking hurts me to see her so close to falling apart.

  When she looks my way again, she laughs bitterly. “This is so fucked up. The people who should care about me most—my own flesh and blood—would be a lot happier if I fucked right off. Or if I never even existed. But you, the person who has every reason to stomp me into the ground and crush me with your very expensive loafers? You’re the one who claims to care.”

  “I do.” I risk stepping closer.

  This time she doesn’t back away. And when I enfold her in my arms, she comes willingly, throwing herself against me with a sob.

  “Shh.” I soothe a gentle hand down her back, relieved she lets me comfort her. “Baby…”

  “Why do I let that asshole get to me?”

  Because with her mother gone, she’s alone in the world. No wonder she keeps trying to win even scraps of affection from the people with whom she shares blood. She’s desperate for family and acceptance. I can give her that…if she’ll let me. It may not be perfect. It may not be what she hoped for. But she will have people always in her corner.

  What about love?

  I don’t know. Am I in love with Sloan?

  I can’t say unequivocally that I’m not…

  When another trio of businesspeople trek down the hall and gawk at us across the atrium, I glare through the floor-to-ceiling glass until they have the good grace to look away before disappearing into their suite.

  Then I kiss the top of Sloan’s head and lift her face from my chest. She resists. I know she doesn’t want me to see her cry. But I don’t take no for an answer. “You’re upset. I know. But this isn’t the place to unload.”

  She sniffles and wipes her eyes dry, putting on a brave face. “You’re right.”

  “Let’s get out of here so I can take care of you.”

  “No. I’m fine. I need to stop bawling, get my résumé together, and start applying for a new job. My apartment may be small, but it’s expensive enough that I’ll be living under a freeway overpass by the start of summer if I don’t keep income rolling in. You should probably call the airline and see if you can move up your return flight to Maui and—”

  “You don’t want to give up this fight, and I’m not going to let you. You blackmailed me into helping you save Reservoir. Let me do it.”

  Sloan looks at me like I’m crazy. “How?”

  “Tell me how to get in touch with Bruce Rawson.”

  Her eyes go even wider. “I’m not letting you fight my battles for me.”

  “Do you want Shane to succeed in destroying this company?”

  She sighs. “Fine. I’ll talk to Mr. Rawson. Maybe I haven’t tried hard enough to make him understand that Shane—”

  “If he hasn’t pulled his head out of his ass for you yet, he’s not going to.” In fact, my guess is that his oldest son has already called and poisoned the well against Sloan. I’m not sure anything she says will change the old man’s mind.

  But I have a video that might. And right now, it’s a bargaining chip burning a hole in my pocket.

  “I need to try.”

  “By all means…” I gesture her way.

  Sloan reaches for her phone, then eyes the people in the suite across the floor. “It would be better if I did this from home.”

  In case her deadbeat father says something to upset her.

  “Good call. Let’s go.”

  We pack up and leave the suite as bare as the day Sloan rented it. I won’t be sad to leave this place. The desk is a bit too low for my tall frame, so between hunching over to see my computer and the shitty, unsupportive chair, my back is killing me. But the truth is, we can’t rule the throne from exile. We need to storm the castle first.

  After we shove everything in the back of her car, she’s still visibly upset, so I take her shoulders in hand. “Why don’t you let me drive, baby?”

  “I can do it.”

  I swipe my thumb across her tear-stained cheek. “I know you can, but I’m trying to lighten your load. Why don’t you let me?”

  “I can’t rely on you.”

  Damn this stubborn woman. “Because you still think I’m the enemy?”

  She takes so long to answer, I’m almost convinced she’s not going to. “No. Because I have to stand on my own two feet.”

  “You don’t.”

  “You won’t be here soon, and this will be my battle to fight alone.”

  “It doesn’t have to be.”

  Her face hardens. “Get in the car.”

  The ride back to her apartment is silent and tense. Wordlessly, we unload everything, then she disappears into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

  Fuck this day. And fuck Shane. He isn’t smart…but he’s not as stupid as I thought.

  I need to see Bruce Rawson. If I can’t, my plan is going nowhere, and Reservoir will be defunct in less than two weeks. The good news is, that means less competition for Wynam’s business. The bad news? Their demise will give more legs to some of the up-and-coming players in the data storage game. If Stratus can stay on top and either absorb or control Reservoir, all the Davids out there will find it damn near impossible to catch up to our Goliath. But the biggest reason to make this work is Sloan herself.

  Suddenly, the phone in my pocket buzzes. The number on my display isn’t one I recognize. “Sebastian Shaw.”

  “You meddling motherfucker,” says an unfamiliar voice that cracks and sounds slightly wizened with age.

  “Mr. Rawson?” How did Bruce get my number?

  “You think you’re pretty clever, don’t you?”

  The old man wants to chew me a new asshole, and I’m not going to make it easier by admitting anything. “Excuse me?”

  “Pretending to be the contractor I hired so you could have an open-book view of Reservoir’s financials. You must be quite the player, too. Sloan seems too smart to fall for your BS. Unless you fucked all the sense out of her.”

  “That’s your daughter you’re talking about.”

  “Shut your mouth.”

  “I won’t. I’m not sleeping with Sloan—and not for lack of trying. She’s a smart, tough businesswoman, and you’ve undervalued her—to your own detriment. I can prove that. Just like I can prove Reservoir is about to go under.”

  “Bullshit,” he growls.

  “It’s not. Give me ten minutes of your time. I’ll prove it.”

  He rattles off an address. “Be there at five o’clock sharp. If you can’t prove what you’re saying, I’ll trash Jeremy McBride’s reputation, call the police to have you arrested for fraud, and make sure Sloan never finds another job in Texas.”