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“Isn’t 158 for self-help books?” Jace pressed her.
Kimmy walked up to him, a big smile on her face. “Yes, it is. Bronte told me about a book for healing self-worth. You know, because we’re both workaholics whose worth hinges on our productivity.”
Oh god.What was Kimmy yammering about? Jace was going to think her assistant was insane. And that Bronte was insane. Maybe they both were insane. But guys didn’t like crazy women, and that would work in her favor. Jace would run as soon as he deemed everything safe in Bronte’s world. Right?
“Actually, I totally understand the productivity and self-worth question,” he breezed out.
Was he actually launching into a conversation about this? With Kimmy? Now?
Bronte waved a hand to the bookshelf. “I have a lot to do before I come into the office, Kimmy. If you don’t mind grabbing that book and heading out to the phone store, I’dreallyappreciate it.”
“Oh. Sure.” She hurried to the bookshelf and selected the book from the section Bronte specified. As she moved to the door, she threw Jace a cutesy little wave.
He waved back.
Before Kimmy walked out, she spun to Bronte. “I almost forgot! I was going through your emails and found one about the upcoming show.”
“Okay, what was it?” Bronte waited.
“Someone called The Broker would like to talk to you about a potential deal.”
ChapterFive
Jace jumped in front of Bronte, shoving her behind him in one swift sweep of his arm.
His instinct was to pin her between the wall and his body. Then he realized her assistant wasn’t causing the alarms going off inside his brain.
The Broker was the real threat.
Bronte dodged around him to speak to Kimmy. “Tell The Broker I’m not talking deals until after the show.”
“Actually, can you set up a meeting with The Broker for this afternoon?” Jace interjected in a strained voice.
“Sure thing. I’ll see you at the office, Bronte.” Kimmy threw him a backward glance as she left the condo.
Bronte slammed the door behind her assistant and whirled on Jace, her features twisted in anger and daggers shooting from her velvety brown eyes.
He stepped forward and did the only thing he knew how to do—he rubbed her arms, sliding his hands down her shoulders to her elbows and then up again.
“Why are you doing that?” she snapped.
“It’s a tactic to calm a person down.”
“It won’t work on me! Not after all the highhanded things you’ve done since we met!”
He gave her arms another little rub before releasing her. Jesus, what next? They had a hell of a lot more problems if she was getting messages from The Broker.
He yanked his phone out of his pocket and strode several steps away from his outraged ward. He had bigger problems to worry about.
Clapping the phone to his ear, he barked out an order. “Judd. I need you to put me on speakerphone with everyone in the office right now.”
From the corner of his eye, he spotted Bronte and turned his attention on her. “Get dressed. We’re leaving for the office after I make this call.”
Those daggers she’d been shooting his way morphed into missiles that left no doubt they were aimed directly at him.
In a huff, she spun and hurried down the hallway. Her bedroom door slammed, and Jace returned to his call, relieved that she wasn’t listening to what he was about to say to his team.
His brother’s sharp tone projected into his ear. “What the hell’s going on, Jace?”
