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“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It has to do with…the person you suspected of the leak. I had to come into the office first thing because I forgot my key and, well, I think you’ll want to hear about this. Can we talk?”
“Why don’t you come up to my office now.” I’ll probably regret this, but I know for a fact that my brothers wouldn’t leave even if I asked them to. They might as well meet the girl I’m besotted with. Since I’m determined to have her in my life, there’s no way around it. And if she has some information about Rylee—something concrete that might actually help solve this whole mess—then they’re going to want to hear about that too.
“Okay. I’ll come now. See you soon, Ace.” She ends the call.
I wait for it and Noah doesn’t disappoint. “Tex?”
Fuck it. “Yes. Tex. We met in Hawaii. She left my hotel room in Waikiki without giving me her name or number. I searched for her but couldn’t find her because she lied to me about being from Dallas. Then, on Friday, she turns up here as our new junior analyst. Obviously it’s a bad idea to get involved with an employee and, trust me, I would avoid her if I could. But this started months ago and I’m...I think I’m—no, I fucking know. I’m falling for her.” I run a hand through my hair agitatedly as my brothers watch me with the identical shocked look on their faces. “I’m not just falling, I already fell. Hook, line and fucking sinker.”
“Dusty Rose?” Noah asks. “That’s who you spent the weekend with? Dusty Rose is Tex?”
“Yes. Dusty Rose is Tex.” My Tex. Mine.
“You dirty devil, you.” Colton ruffles my hair but I shove his hand away. “Dude, you know how badly it ended last time you dated an employee. I mean, I do it all the time but you don’t have the charm I have to pull it off.”
“Fuck off, Colton.”
He laughs. At least my confession has lightened one brother’s mood.
But then my intercom buzzes and Hayley’s voice announces, “Dusty Rose is here to see you.”
All three of my brothers straighten up.
“Send her in.”
29
When I walk into Ace’s office I’m surprised to find Noah there, and Colton. And another man who could only be their older brother. He’s gorgeous, like they all are, but in a more corporate, serious-minded way. His suit probably costs more than my entire year’s salary.
They all stand up when I walk in. All six-foot-something of the four Maddox brothers. Billionaires and the four most “eligible” bachelors in Manhattan, according to some article I read online. They all exude power, wealth and testosterone like they’ve been dipped in it. It’s a little intimidating.
“Dusty Rose,” Ace says, and it sounds strange hearing him say my actual name, “you’ve met Noah and Colton. And this is my other brother, Alexander. Alex, meet Dusty.”
“Hey, Tex,” Alexander says, grinning at Ace’s feral glare at the mention of his nickname for me, but not before taking in the look of me, slowly, from head to toe. “Now I get it.”
“I have to say,” Colton adds, “if we weren’t so worried about your effect on our brother, this would all be highly entertaining. The poor boy can’t even see straight.”
So they know about…us. “Oh,” is all I can manage.
Ace walks toward me but I take a step back. I don’t want him touching me right now because the two of us are so combustible. I can’t predict how I’ll react to him. It’s best to keep some distance.
“You want coffee, Dusty?” Colton smirks, totally reading the charged chemistry between me and Ace.
“I’d love one, thanks.”
I give Ace a subtle you-told-them? look. At least I hope it’s subtle.
“I had to, baby.” Baby? I bite my lip but apparently he’s letting all our cats out of their bags. “If I can’t stand to let you out of my sight for more than five minutes, they need to know how insanely fucking crazy I am for you.”
Wow.
Colton doesn’t hold back. “It’s glaringly obvious he’s totally lost his marbles, Dusty. And the sparks between the two of you are practically visible. We would have figured it out.”
I mean, it’s not ideal, but I guess Colton has a point. And since I’m here to tell them about Rylee, once they confront her with the accusation, they’ll find out anyway. Because she’ll tell them.
Noah motions toward the couch. “Take a seat, Dusty. Cash said you had some information you wanted to share with us.”
