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Ike glared as Beau and Myra swept past. Thankfully, no one could see him out here. Beau’s large hand possessively covered her lower back. The idiot swept her hair off her shoulder with his left hand, then bent and kissed Myra’s bare shoulder.
That was it. Ike would cut in. This was a job and Myra was a professional. She did not need to be manhandled and kissed by Beau Alexander for any reason. Charli and Fitz would agree.
The problem was … Myra had agreed to this job, she was a professional, Beau was simply acting like himself, and she could get away from Beau any moment she wanted to.
Ike gripped the phone and didn’t move. He was proud of himself for his self-control and annoyed at himself for not taking action.
“Ike?” His brother’s voice cut through the haze, obviously wondering why he’d called.
They both tried to keep in touch, but they were busy and they were men. It was rare either of them called to simply chat.
“I need advice,” Ike admitted.
“Really? I like it. About a job? Investments? A new weapon purchase? Hand to hand combat tips? I know! You’re finally ready to come work for me but need advice on how to let Charli and Fitz down.” There was a smile in Aiden’s voice, but Ike’s little brother was an expert on all those things and more. Ike’s money was in some of Aiden’s real estate investments. He didn’t think about it much. Or at all.
“Sadly, no. It’s about a …” Ike cleared his throat. “A woman.”
Silence on the line. The silence was his answer. His brother thought he was an idiot.
“It’s not like …” Ike started and then stopped. It was exactly like Aiden thought it was. He kept studying the dancers and checking for threats as he admitted, “I didn’t mean to get invested, okay? But we’re on a job together. She’s an impressive op for Charli and Fitz. You may have heard of the Warrior Woman.”
“I have,” Aiden said, his voice subdued.
“Myra is … perfect for me in every way. She can fight, she has these dark eyes that just capture me, she can tease with me and make me laugh, and when she touches me …” He had to stop there or his brother would come find him and pummel some sense back into him. Aiden could do it, too. Maybe he should ask him to.
“Ah, bro. I don’t like this. I … I mean, who am I to give you advice on women? Besides the always applicable, ‘keep your emotional fortress impenetrable.’”
One of their dad’s favorite expressions. Ike didn’t flinch, though he wanted to. He’d let Sadie into his heart. Was he doing the same with Myra?
If anybody else heard this conversation, they’d be incredulous. They’d assume Aiden Porter was joking and lying. Aiden appeared to be the biggest philanderer on the continent, but Ike knew it was all an act. A means to an end. Part of the plan.
Aiden would follow their father’s carefully laid-out plan. He would pass up his idol Sutton Smith in the next ten years, and criminals everywhere would have nightmares about Aiden Porter bursting through their door.
To do that, he believed he needed to act like the suave James Bond—burn through women, be charming, have every woman sigh as they said his name and, most importantly, never form emotional attachments that could distract him or injure an innocent woman emotionally or put her in danger physically.
The cold, dismal truth was Aiden was stronger than Ike and would never let his guard down and fall in love. Never.
Ike shouldn’t either, but … He pushed a hand through his hair and, as his eyes carefully searched for danger to Beau, of course Myra was in his sights. In Beau’s arms and looking beautiful and as if she were enjoying herself.
“I shouldn’t have bothered you,” Ike said. He was miserable. What did he expect? He knew letting down his guard would only hurt him and possibly Myra.
“You should have,” Aiden said. “I always want to be there for you. But, Ike … Are you over Sadie’s death? You admitted falling in love was the biggest mistake of your life. Do you want to go through that again?”
“No,” Ike admitted. How could he tell his brother he already felt as if Myra could take a bigger hold on his heart than Sadie ever had?
The dagger that hit him in the heart then was the answer he needed. Myra not loving him back, Myra being killed in an op, him being killed in an op, one of them making a tragic mistake on a job because they were distracted by each other …
He’d learned his lessons, losing his mom and then Sadie. Why would he willingly sign up for that kind of pain again?
“Hey, I’ll be out of reach Sunday through Saturday,” Aiden said into the painful silence.
“Big job?”
“Actually, I’m going to be on a reality television show that Mercedes Belle is hosting.”
Mercedes Belle was a blonde billionaire heiress. That was who should be dancing with Beau so Myra didn’t have to.
“Interesting.”
