Page 96 of Declan

I felt my lips hitch up into a smile and I asked, “Macho shit?”

“There’s more testosterone running through you than ten regular men. Add in every other man walking around this place, and it’s macho overload. I’m surprised you all don’t wear bear pelts, go shirtless, and carry clubs. Though, just saying, if y’all decide to try that one day don’t forget to invite me.”

The bear pelt comment was cute, the wanting an invite to see my brothers shirtless, not so much.

“You gonna tell me this secret before the doors open?”

“Only if you take back wanting to see my team half-naked.”

“Oh, I see, we’ve digressed to take-backs like in middle school.”

I didn’t have the first clue what she was talking about. By the time I was in middle school, I was an asshole who had detention most days.

“The Omni case? That came straight out of Zane’s pocket. Zero billable hours. The President asked for a personal favor and Zane set us on the task.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep.”

Autumn’s intelligent eyes held mine and I hoped like fuck the doors opened before she drew the conclusion I knew she was close to puzzling together.

“And let me guess, knowing Zane wasn’t billing meant the rest of you worked off the books.”

And there you had it. Too smart.

The doors slid open and I ushered her out of the elevator, pleased as fuck to find Max waiting on us.

“Slippin’, Crenshaw, you’re the last one here.”

That was a change. I was normally the one giving the guys shit about taking for-freaking-ever to get to the office when Zane called a meeting.

And now I understood why.

Before I could come up with a smartass comeback, I heard Zane bellow, “Get your asses in here!”

“You heard His Royal Highness.” I jerked my head in the direction of the conference room.

“There’s something different about you,” Max mumbled.

“I heard that, fucker, so unless you wanna see what my crown feels like up your ass, double-time it.”

“Someone’s in a mood,” I called back.

“A man gets in a mood when he’s up all night dealing with a pain in his ass instead of in bed with his wife.”

Whatever. Zane was full of shit—he was always in a mood, sleeping next to his wife made no difference.

The three of us made our way into the room. Brooks, Thad, and Kyle were seated, Zane was pacing.

His eyes came to mine and they narrowed.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Me? Nothing. What’s wrong with you?”

Zane continued to stare at me. Then he smiled, full-on-dimples-out smile. I groaned, Autumn giggled, and I froze. My gaze sliced to hers, and thankfully, I didn’t miss the accompanying beam of happiness rolling off of her.

Good Lord, I was not a man prone to fanciful thoughts, I didn’t wax poetic about sun rays and flying unicorns, but I swear to God, Autumn’s face was lit so bright, looked so open, so free, that it took my breath.