“We’ve got this,” I promise. “Now kiss me. If you can’t muster more, a peck will do.”

  She blinks down at me. “I’m so sorry. This isn’t just about me. It affects you, too. You’re a professional. You have to maintain a reputation in the financial community—”

  “Shh. I’ve always had one, princess. Anyone whose money I manage didn’t choose me for my good behavior. Kiss me.”

  Slowly, she leans in and skims a gossamer brush over my lips, bitter with fear. I give her back reassurance.

  Riley’s glare is all over me; I feel it. But fuck him. I’m ignoring the bastard until I’m ready.

  When she pulls away, I cup her face and settle my mouth at her ear. “Good, princess. All we have to do is make a splashy exit, but if we don’t brazen this out, then everything we’ve done tonight is for nothing.”

  Her smile says she’s trying desperately to be brave. “You’re right. We did what we had to. If the crowd got what they were after, all the better.”

  I dish up a sly grin. “And maybe it felt good?”

  Her cheeks turn rosier. “More than a little bit, but I’m not feeding your oversized ego.”

  That makes me laugh. “I’ll just have to make you beg later.”

  “There you go, corrupting me some more,” she banters back. “Now how do we get out of here?”

  I’d prefer to put her on her feet and walk out, head held high. My gut tells me that with Riley Stephens here, that’s impossible. If she sees him, the likelihood that her embarrassment makes another unscheduled appearance is high. And if she’s still in love with the douche, guilt will probably turn up as a sidekick.

  We can’t afford that. The cameras the crowd wields would capture her reaction. Parker knows his sister, and that would only encourage his shit-stirring.

  I’m going to have to get creative.

  “Put your face in my neck.”

  She blinks at me. “Why?”

  “Do you really want to see the crowd?”

  “They’re still staring?”

  “Yeah.”

  She wrinkles her nose. “People are so nosy.”

  But she settles her cheek on my shoulder. I feel her hot exhalation at my throat.

  It’s now or never.

  Moving with my still-stiff cock demanding attention is a bitch. But the greedy fucker is going to have to wait.

  I slide around the semicircular booth with her still straddling my lap, then stand, her legs around my waist. We approach the crowd. It parts for us again, like butter yielding to a hot knife. More cameras roll. I shield Corinne’s face with one hand and head for the exit with my best I-don’t-give-a-fuck swagger.

  Riley stands at the edge of the crowd, watching with another furious glare.

  “Can we stop at the bathroom?” she whispers.

  “It can’t wait?”

  “I’m a mess.”

  Her makeup or her panties? I destroyed her lipstick, for sure. But the thought of her being that wet makes me happy.

  “There’s a bathroom in the lobby.” Hopefully, the gawkers don’t follow us.

  As we approach the door to the club, I swerve through the open entrance that leads deeper into the hotel. It’s a well-lit, open-air space with traditional lines and Pacific-inspired influences. Thankfully, the ladies’ room is a handful of steps away.

  I set Corinne on her feet. Not going to lie, I’m a little proud of myself when her legs wobble.

  Steadying her with a hand at her elbow, I study her face. How is it possible that her makeup is smudged and her dress askew and she looks even more beautiful to me?

  I’ve got it bad.

  “You okay?”

  She nods. “Thanks.”

  “For what?”

  “Everything. You put yourself out there for me when you didn’t have to.”

  I shrug. “Making out with you wasn’t exactly a hardship.”

  A little smile tugs at her mouth. “And I know it got you a little closer to your revenge, but you could have made me walk out of there and face all those strangers who just saw one of the most intimate moments of my life. I appreciate that you didn’t. You protected me. I’m beginning to think you’re a much nicer guy than you let on.”

  “Don’t be fooled,” I quip since I never learned to take compliments well.

  “You keep saying that. I’m not sure I believe you anymore,” she tosses over her shoulder as she disappears into the restroom.

  Seconds later, heels click behind me. They aren’t a woman’s stilettos, but a man’s loafers bearing down on me with fire and wrath. Before I even turn around, I know who’s coming.

  “Why the fuck are you here?” I say to Riley, blocking the path between him and Corinne. I need to get him the fuck out of here before she emerges.

  I’m not sure I want to see how she’ll react to knowing the man she once loved watched her orgasm for me.

  “Everything I heard suggested you’re a son of a bitch, but my sources understated your egotism. What you did to her in there—”

  “Made her shudder with pleasure?” I raise a brow. “Something you never did.”

  He bristles. “She’s a lady.”

  Does this moron think I don’t know that? “She’s also a woman.”

  He glares at me with thunderous dark eyes. “And you treated her like a whore.”

  My fists clench. I lunge in his face. “If you ever say anything like that about her again, I will destroy you.”

  “Hit me. I dare you.”

  I send him a nasty smile. “And give you the satisfaction? No. I have other ways.”

  “You don’t intimidate me.”

  He’s lying. If he’s done his homework at all, he’s aware I know people and I have resources. And if I can prove my suspicions, he has no leg to stand on with Corinne. “Why are you sniffing around my fiancée? You let her go. She’s mine. Get lost.”

  “It’s none of your business.”

  He wants her back. “She is my business.”

  “We’ll see about that.” He slants me one last glare, then pivots away, disappearing into the club again.

  Midnight has come and gone. In the passenger’s seat, Corinne clutches her purse but thankfully refrains from digging inside to find her phone and scan social media.

  The quiet is a temporary reprieve. I have to fucking tell her that Riley was at the club and that he saw everything. She deserves honesty. She’ll find out eventually, anyway. But my gut is in knots. Would she have been so rattled during their lunch if she felt nothing for him? And she’s too forgiving to insist they could never merely be friends without good reason. Whatever she says will probably prove she’s not over her ex and it’s going to suck.

  You think it’s better not to know so you can delude yourself?

  “You’re quiet,” she observes.

  “Thinking.”

  About when to tell her. How to tell her. The car isn’t the place. If she needs comfort, I’m busy holding the wheel.

  But it’s an excuse. I’m not ready to open my mouth so she can break my heart.

  “Same. I should look on the bright side. Not only will my brother know I’m serious about leading my own life, it will probably mean even more new orders. I don’t know how I’ll fulfill them all, but…”

  “You will. You’re smart, resourceful, and dedicated. My family will keep pitching in as they can. You’ve got all the space you need here to work and—”

  “It’s fantastic. I appreciate the help more than you know. This setup is way better than my studio apartment back in LA…but I can’t impose indefinitely.”

  Is she hinting that she wants to leave? Already? Despite our insane sexual chemistry? No, I didn’t think Corinne would fall wildly in love in a handful of days. I’m the only one crazy enough to do that. Still, I thought she’d be content to stay until she pries her inheritance from Parker. But after seeing the five-foot-ten blast from her past, is she looking to bolt?

  I bite back a curse. “You’ve been with me less than a week. You did realize convincing someone as stubborn as Parker would take a while, right?”

  “In theory, yes. But I hoped…” She gives me a self-deprecating shrug. “I should have banked on him not making this easy. I’m not sure what it says about my brother and me that I have to go to these lengths to wrest independence from him. Does that make him a tyrant or me a weakling?”

  “In my book, the former. You tried not to go to war with him, and he stomped all over your consideration.”

  “But don’t I bear some responsibility? I must have contributed to this mess somehow…”

  It’s so like her to shoulder blame. It’s a quality that makes me like her even more as a human being, probably because it’s one I don’t possess. “Should you have pushed back sooner? Probably. But did he truly give you a reason until he withheld your inheritance?”

  “Not really, so his refusal shocked me. Until then, I always thought we were fairly close. He wasn’t my father, obviously, but the most paternal figure in my life since my grandfather was distant. As an adult, I get that the man probably didn’t know what to do with an eight-year-old who constantly cried for her parents. But as a child, his indifference hurt, so I leaned on my brother. Now…he won’t let me stand on my own.”

  There’s that small voice again, the one that says she’s been shuffled to the side and marginalized by people whose role was to love her.

  I reach across the car and squeeze her hand. “I’m sorry.”

  She squeezes back. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I know you got a juicy morsel of revenge tonight, but you helped my cause so much. You don’t need my boo-hoo problems. Your childhood wasn’t a picnic, either.”

  Compared to hers? “It wasn’t all bad. Mom and I were tight, and at least she lived long enough to see me become an adult. My biological father? No loss there.”

  “Even though you never met Barclay Reed, he must be a huge shadow in your life.”

  Sometimes, Corinne’s understanding amazes me. “Yeah. Apparently, I’m a lot like him. Ruthless, cutthroat, and fixated on making money. I even have his eyes.”

  “Most of your siblings do, but you’re nothing like that man. You’re not malicious. You don’t swindle people. And you’re fiercely loyal to those you love.”

  The way she defends me nearly chokes me up. “Be careful or I’ll accuse you of actually liking me.”

  “Maybe a little. But don’t let it go to your head. You’ll do something to change my mind soon, anyway,” she teases, as if she needs to lighten the mood.

  I scowl because she’s right. “Probably.”

  “So what happens next? Parker won’t take this lying down.”

  He won’t. “Your brother will come after me.”

  So will Riley. Her ex will do his damnedest to pursue Corinne out from under me, and since she’s not disinterested… I don’t know what tactic to take. Everything feels fucked-up. I need to convince her Riley isn’t in her best interest.

  She rears back. “Why? I’m the one who had an orgasm in the club.”

  “All by yourself? No, I gave you that orgasm. He’ll hold me accountable.”

  The way she bites her lip tells me she didn’t consider that. “What else can he do to you?”

  “He has options, some I probably haven’t even considered.” I need to focus on something besides Corinne and figure out what those might be. “The things he can impact most—and where my money is tied up—are the ventures I’m entering into with my family. That’s the reason I don’t have the cash to lend your business. Bethany and Clint are letting me buy in as a full partner in our financial services enterprise. Maxon, Griff, and I are also starting a new company to combine market investors with tangible wealth. That’s requiring all my liquid capital.”

  “That’s fabulous!” Her eyes light up. “I know you’ll make a killing with both.”

  “Going into business with them is something I’ve wanted for years.” I hesitate. Corinne might not care, but I want her to understand. “When I lost Mom, I was barely nineteen. Not long after she passed, I thought about ending it all.”

  She looks horrified as she takes my hand. “Xavian, no. There’s too much life in you. You’re so—”

  I hold up a hand to stop her. I can’t hear her compliments, even if they’re platitudes. I don’t deserve them. After all, I’m selfishly choosing my business over hers. “Obviously I didn’t do it. You know what stopped me? Knowing she’d be pissed off. Friends like Hayes and Echo helped get me through. Even your brother. He probably saved my life that first Christmas without her by inviting me to your place. No matter what he does today, I’ll be forever grateful for that.” I sigh, hearing my loss and regret in that sound. “But I spent years feeling like an orphan, adrift. Then came the Reeds. I never expected to have family, much less a big, loud, loving one who embraced me so totally. We’ve all come from different places with different baggage yet melded into something really close and almost functional.”

  She smiles, seemingly both at my halfhearted attempt at a joke and with fondness. “I’m so happy for you.”

  “These deals? They’ll cement my place in the family I never dreamed I’d have—at least that’s how I feel. That’s why it’s so important to me.” In fact, I want it so badly I can taste it.

  “When I asked you for a loan, I had no idea. I would never want to take that from you.” Then her expression turns contrite. “Oh, but you’ve put off all that because I dragged you into my mess, haven’t you? I’m so sorry.”

  “I could have said no.”

  She shakes her head. “Parker was determined to be a thorn in your side. I’m sure it made sense to deal with the problem before taking your next step.”

  Doesn’t she grasp that it’s not about “the problem” anymore? It’s about her. Or does she not want to see that?

  I should have known something was wrong when Hadley wanted my ring more than my heart. Am I falling into the same black hole again?

  The rest of our ride home is silent. I have time to stew about the shit that’s going to hit the fan once I drop the Riley bomb.

  Back at my place, I help her into the house and follow her to my bedroom. Since I have to be at the office in seven hours, I should go to bed. But I can’t procrastinate anymore. How do I say this?

  In the shadows, she turns to me, looking anxious. “It’s late. You should probably sleep.”

  Her voice says she wishes I wouldn’t. “What do you need?”

  After I listen, I’ll tell her what has to be said and let the chips fall…

  She looks down at her wringing hands, then back up at me. “I-I want to touch you. Are you too tired?”

  My pulse and my hope leap. She wants me. That means something, right?

  Yeah, she likes orgasms.

  “For sex? Princess, I’d have to be dead not to want you.”

  “No. You made me a promise earlier.”

  “I did?” What the fuck am I forgetting? “Oh, to make you scream. Come here. I’m always happy to do that.”

  Then I’ll tell her. Maybe another wrenching orgasm will soften her…

  “No. I mean the something else you promised me.” She drops to her knees at my feet, looking up at me with beseeching eyes. Then she reaches for my fly. “You said anytime I want. Anywhere I want.”

  Holy. Shit. Fire ignites my blood and razes through my veins. I swallow down need. There is nothing I want more than her mouth on my cock.

  And until I give her the truth, there’s nothing I deserve less.

  I grab her wrists before she lowers my zipper and I lose the will to be honest. “We should talk first.”

  She scrambles to her feet, straightening her skirt as if smoothing down her incredibly short hem a half inch will somehow shield her from my rejection. “It’s fine. Never mind.”

  “If you think for one second that I’d rather talk before you blow me, you’re wrong.”

  “Then why did you stop me?”

  I fucking wish I didn’t have to say this. I’d prefer a goddamn enema. “Tonight, at the club, Riley was in the crowd. I didn’t see him until you were seconds from climax.”

  Her dark eyes flare wide. “And he watched me…”

  Come? “Yeah. It was too late to stop.”

  Panicked, she presses a hand to her chest like it will prevent her from hyperventilating. “He saw everything? You’re sure?”

  I nod. “It’s why I carried you out. I worried if you caught a glimpse of him—”

  “I couldn’t have held it together.”

  Because she still has feelings for him—exactly as I fucking feared. But I shove down my frustration and spit out the rest. “He followed us out. After you disappeared into the ladies’ room, he and I exchanged words.”

  She looks even more horrified. “What did he say?”

  I draw the line at admitting he wants her back. My responsibility is conveying that he was a witness. I won’t be his messenger. “He wasn’t happy I treated you like, in his words, a whore.” I grit my teeth. “Don’t worry. I corrected him.”

  She pales. “He said that?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh, my gosh.” Her eyes fill with tears before she bolts.

  “Corinne…” I lunge, managing to catch her arm in my grasp.

  “Don’t! I-I can’t. It’s humiliating.” She twists free, running to my bathroom and slamming the door before locking it behind her.

  Her first sob is a stab to my heart.

  I growl out a curse and tear off my tie, flinging it across the room. Next, I toe off my shoes and kick them to a dark corner.

  Of course she still has feelings for the bastard. I should have fucking known someone like her would go for the “nice” guy who behaves like a gentleman, who hasn’t slept with the entire cheerleading team his senior year merely to see if he could, and who would never get her off in public to give her brother a metaphorical middle finger.

  Yanking my shirt from my pants, I tear through the buttons and toss it away. After I shove my phone on the charger and bang my wallet on my dresser, everything else I’m wearing hits the floor.

  Why did I ever think she’d want me for me? Women don’t. They never have. When I was younger, they came to me because I was a bad boy rumored to be good in bed. Lately, women I bang see nothing but cock and dollar signs. Hadley fooled me. She wanted upward mobility, which I understood. I made the mistake of trusting she wouldn’t fuck me over to get it.