Harrison Ipushed open the door to the coffee shop, inhaling the scent of pastries and roasted beans and immediately deciding that I could do business with someone who insisted on meeting at a place like this. A fire was crackling in the hearth, Christmas music playing softly over the speakers, and a little Christmas tree decorated in the corner. It was festive. A happy place. Not an impersonal boardroom where guards were already up and the stale coffee didn’t help anyone’s mood. Aurelia was already there when I walked in, her laptop open on the table in front of her and a mug of something steamy in her hand. In contrast to the revealing red dress she’d had on the other night, she was covered from neck, to wrists, to ankles today, wearing a black turtleneck, jeans, and leather boots on her feet. Her posture was as perfect as her face, making her look as graceful as a prima ballerina even though she was just sitting there, fingers flying across her keyboard. I walked over, trying to summon the effortless charm I usually relied on. “Your coffee’s on me,” I said, sliding into the chair opposite her before she’d even seen me coming. She raised one perfectly arched eyebrow, not even bothering to look up. “Thanks, but I’ve already paid.” I chuckled, sliding out of my coat and hanging it over the back of my chair. “Fine. The pastries are on me.” “I’ve already eaten.” I smirked. “Maybe, but no one could work in here for hours and resist that smell. Just take a de ep breath and tell me I’m wrong.” Finally, her gaze lifted from the screen and those huge, de ep, but stormy blues focused on me. “Order whatever you want, but you can turn off the charm, Westwood. It’s not going to work on me.” I realized then that she hadn’t come to play. She also clearly wasn’t interested in mixing business with pleasure, which was a pity, but nothing I hadn’t been expecting. As wickedly intelligent as she was beautiful, if I was to believe what I’d heard about her once I’d started asking around, she wasn’t just going to throw her lot in with mine unless I took this seriously. “Obviously, you’re not interested in enjoying my sparkling personality, so this has to be about business. Have you reconsidered the offer I made?” “Yes,” she said directly, surprising the crap out of me. I’d thought for sure she was going to make me work for the admission. Those blue eyes glinted with something fiery as she pushed her laptop away and folded her hands on the table, her gaze never leaving mine. “You said we could work something out. I’m curious to find out what you had in mind.” Instantly, I dropped the banter and the charming playboy act. I couldn’t —and wouldn’t—deny that I was attracted to her. While I’d have liked nothing more than for this meeting to end with her in my bed, I
knew better than anyone what it was like not to be taken seriously just because of looks. Or age. “What’s going on?” I asked, returning the favor she’d done me by not beating around the bush. “Tell me why Aurelia van Alen wanted to see me in a coffee shop at eight am on a weekday. I know you’ve got better things to do. Bigger fish to fry. I’ve been asking around about you and you’ve made quite a name for yourself.” She scoffed down laughter and averted her gaze, exhaling a de ep breath as she nodded before looking at me again. “Yeah, I have, but what you just did? Coming right out and acknowledging it? No one in my family has ever done that and that’s why I’m here.” My eyes narrowed. “You’re going to have to clarify.” “My youngest brother just graduated from college with a 2.3 GPA,” she started, an inferno sparking to life behind those eyes as she spoke. “I say this with all the love in the world, but he’s an idiot. He’s smart, but lazy. He acts like he’s entitled to the world on a silver platter, but he won’t lift a finger to take that platter from the people offering it to him. You’d have to gently place it in his lap if you want him to have it.” My eyebrows jumped. “That... sucks?” “Yeah, it does.” She offered me a faint smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Mikey is Mikey though, you know? He’s a great guy, the life of every party, and he’s got the best heart. He really is smart. He’s just more frat boy than businessman.” “Okay,” I said slowly. “Why are you telling me all this?” “Because on Friday night when you made me that offer, I really would’ve eaten glass rather than to take you up on it, but when I got to the office yesterday, I found out that Dad has given Michael a job at Van Alen & Associates. A senior position. Much higher up the food chain than mine. He’s also getting a seat on the board.” My jaw nearly broke off, it dropped so hard. “What?” “Y
Ep I’ve been working my ass off for three years, but he’s getting everything I’ve been killing myself to earn just because Columbia went ahead and handed him a diploma.” Genuine pain seared through my insides. “I’m sorry. That’s actually infuriating. I thought I had problems, but that... I get why you’re angry—” “You have no idea, and I’m not angry,” she said, cutting me off. “Yesterday, I was angry. Today, I’m just done. I know more about finance and putting deals together than all three of my brothers combined and they know it, but they insist on treating me as insignificant. I’ve realized that’s not going to change.” I leaned back and whistled softly. “Let me guess, you want to set fire to the world for the way they’re treating you.” “Something like that, but I figure sweet revenge is better than arson. It’ll be a lot more satisfying and that, Harrison Westwood, is why I’m here.” I finally understood, and without even meaning for it to happen, I smiled at her. “I like it. It’s calculated. Efficient. Dangerous. Very us.” Her head tilted. “Excuse me?” “Us,” I r epeated. “You and me. We think alike. I’m glad you reached out. I definitely think we can help each other.”
“Good.” She flashed me the barest hint of a smile in return and pulled her laptop closer, quickly keying in her password, and pulling something up. “Let’s get to work, then. You haven’t heard from the client yet, have you?” My eyebrows lifted a little higher. I had no idea how she’d guessed that, but she was right and since we were on this whole honesty kick right now, I just nodded instead of playing it off. “I haven’t heard a pe
Ep I’m assuming his attorneys are whispering sweet nothings in his ears about how he’ll get more if he plays hardball. It’s so typical.” Her head cocked. “How would you know?” I frowned. “What do you mean?” “What I mean is how do you know what’s typical, and is that your assumption or your brother’s?” She leaned in a little, eyes searching mine. “Let’s get real here, Harrison. I’ve been in this game long enough to know that you’re new to it. Sterling? He’s a legend. I’ve heard his name dropped in meetings as a threat and I’ve seen it cause grown men to tremble in their boots. Most of the people I’ve asked about you don’t even seem to know that you’re back in town.” I leaned forward too, my gaze locked on hers. “Don’t underestimate me, Aurelia. It’s true that I’ve only just started working in acquisitions, but I’ve been learning from Sterling and from my dad my entire life. You’re not the only one with something to prove, but I guarantee that if you underestimate me, this isn’t going to work.” She was silent for a beat, not flustered at all, but more contemplative before she finally nodded. “Alright, Westwood. Good to know. In that case, I’ll tell you that I’ve done the math and I know why he hasn’t agreed.” “You do?” “It’s because between gambling debts, pending foreclosures on many of his properties due to unpaid taxes, and issues with his personal tax, he’s facing real pressure. If you really want this portfolio, we’ll need to offer him one-hundred-seventy-five million. That leaves him with a few million he can use to start over and obviously, that’ll make him a lot more inclined to sign.” “One-seventy-five, huh?” I leaned back in my chair and inhaled, mentally doing the math. “What was your offer? You already know mine.” “Fifty million,” she said calmly. “That’s what I offered him and that’s what I’m offering you now.” “And in exchange?” “Once the last properties are acquired and sold, I want thirty percent of the profits.” I studied her, impressed despite myself. “Do you have buyers lined up for the overseas properties? I assume you do, given the size of your cut.” Her lips curved into a small, knowing smile. “I wouldn’t have been here otherwise.” Silent for a moment as I let it all sink in, I finally took a sip of the coffee I’d ordered that had all but gone cold by now. Once I’d swallowed, I looked back into those blue eyes, noticing that they were a lot less stormy now. “You’ve done your homework. I like that, but I need to know that this isn’t just some number you pulled out of a hat. Do you really have the connections, the capital, and the buyers? You’ve got a pretty face, but I can’t trust what you’re saying just because of that.”
She tilted her head, meeting my gaze with a sharp, unyielding stare. “Again, I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t. Ask around about me. Do your homework. I can wait, but your family has a r eputation for ke eping things on the up-and-up. They’re ruthless, yes, but not underhanded. Ke ep in mind that I’m taking a chance too, since I don’t know if you’re planning to follow in those footst eps or if you’re going to break the mold.” She leaned forward and for a split second, I was distracted. Her hair caught the light just right, glossy and perfect, spilling over her shoulders. She was leaning in, all confidence and sharp angles, and I... missed whatever she had just said. Probably wasn’t important, I told myself, though my gut knew otherwise. I cleared my throat. “So, what do I get out of this?” She laughed, the sound light, tinkling, and knowing, and I felt it landing like a spark in my chest. “You get most of the acquisition. Your company can do what it wants with the portfolio as long as I get my cut. Consider me an investor.” As she said it, I caught the briefest moment of hesitation, just a flicker of a shadow across her eyes. It made me wonder, just for a moment, how far she was sticking her neck out with this, but she waved me off before I could ask. “Relax. I’ve got it,” she said, but that tiny hint of unease lingered in her eyes. Even so, I mentally grabbed my balls and jumped, agreeing to the deal right there at the table. “Alright, van Alen. We’re in.” A slow, triumphant smile spread across her face. She picked up her coffee mug, the liquid inside no longer steaming, and held it up to mine for a toast. I hated cold coffee, but I drank to it anyway, trying to remain confident that I was making the right choice. We hashed out a few of the details over another cup of coffee, and by the time I was parking outside Jameson’s house hours later, I was feeling a lot more confident. I climbed out of my car, inhaling a de ep breath of air scented with a home-cooked meal before he’d even opened the door. It swung open before I’d even made it up the stairs. “What’s up, baby brother? Good of you to come by. I was wondering if you were getting too fancy for us now that you’re on the top floor.” I smirked. “Not yet, but maybe soon. Give me time to wear in that chair a little and you might have to drive into the city to see me. We’ll eat at a restaurant.” Sadie, really starting to look heavily pregnant now, playfully shoved him away from the door and waved me in. “Soon, that restaurant is going to need a playground and I can guarantee you’d rather come here than subject yourself to that level of insanity, but come on in, Mr. Fancy Pants. Let me feed you something I cooked right here at home and we’ll see if you’re still talking about restaurants after.” I chuckled, hugging her on my way in. The poor woman really did look desperately uncomfortable as she closed the door behind me and waved Jamie off when he tried to help her. She shot him a look that could double as a death-ray. “I’m pregnant, not disabled. I can walk just fine. It’s very kind of you to want to help, but do it by setting the table. Both of you.”
Neither of us needed to be told twice, laughing and shoving at each other a little bit as we raced to their dining room. Jamie’s formerly spotless house was now a temporary animal shelter, with climbing toys for cats, balls on the floor for the kittens and puppies, and little, fur-covered beds in many of the rooms. To my surprise, Trent, Sadie’s brother, was in the dining room when I walked in, wearing that lazy grin that said he’d already decided he was going to have a good time, whether we were ready for him or not. I grinned when I saw him, my eyebrows climbing, and I extended my hand. “Hey, man. I didn’t know you were in town.” He shook my hand, then lifted his arms out to his sides. “I’m like a bad rash. You just can’t get rid of me. I got in this afternoon.” Jamie laughed. “He’s not wrong. Whenever I think he’s gone back to Texas for a bit, he shows back up, tracking dust all over my house and refusing to take off his boots.” I had to cough to hide my laugh when Jameson’s jaw twitched like he was calculating the radius of dirt spreading across his hardwood. Trent snorted. “Man, are you really still like this? I thought marriage would chill you out.” “It has,” Jameson said. “I only vacuum twice a day now.” Trent barked a laugh, then eased back into his chair like a man who’d been raised in a barn, which, to be fair, he kind of was. “Are you hearing this, Harrison? Two vacuums a day? My sister married a Roomba with anxiety. It’s a good thing I’ve come to make sure Sadie’s got company while he cleans.” I choked on my drink. Sadie swatted him on the back of the head as she walked past with the salad bowl. “Be nice.” “I am nice,” Trent said, rubbing the spot and grinning. “If I wasn’t nice, I’d tell him about the crumb I spotted in the foyer.” He leaned forward, stage-whispering to me, “Don’t blink. He’ll sense it.” Jameson glared. “There are no crumbs in my foyer.” “Oh, there’s a crumb,” Trent said. “I’m gonna leave it. Just to see what happens.” The air actually tightened. I swore Jameson’s pupils dilated like he’d entered fight-or-flight mode. I laughed so hard I nearly dropped my fork, but it was always like this when Trent was around. I loved the guy. Under the swagger and the teasing, there was something protective there. Solid. He was a guy who’d just rearranged his whole week just to show up for his sister, and I could respect that. Hooch, their horse-sized dog, trotted into the dining room and I grinned, dropping to my haunches to greet him. “How are you holding up, big boy? Are you still getting enough love with all these babies around?” Jameson shot me an unimpressed look. “Of course, he is. Hey, how’s work? Are they treating you well in acquisitions? I’m ke eping your seat warm in finance and liquidations for now. Just in case you come to your senses and decide to join us permanently.”
“Thanks, but it’s actually going pretty well. I even found an investor for that acquisition you gave me to work on the other day.” Sadie nearly choked on the water she was sipping from a glass bottle. “An investor? Why?” “Our offer wasn’t tempting enough,” I said. “It was the most Sterling would’ve spent before going back to the drawing board, so I did what I thought he would do. Network, build connections, and find a way to get the job done.” “Did he approve this?” Jameson asked carefully. “Sterling isn’t fond of making friends.” Well, I guess it’s a good thing then that I don’t think Aurelia will ever be that. Besides, friends didn’t kiss friends, and I was dying to find out what that would be like. Sadie’s eyes went wide. “Harrison, are you having a stroke? You’ve been staring off into space for at least two minutes.” “Nope,” I said. “Sorry, I just zoned out for a second. I haven’t talked to him about it. He’s been taking a lot of time away from the office to spend with Laney before the baby comes, and when he is there, he’s always crazy busy. I’ll talk to him about it now that I’ve got someone lined up.” Maybe. I followed them to the kitchen to dish up, but while they were getting the food ready, I did my duty as a little brother and stocked up on their good snacks for the way home. It was a ritual. A comfort, and one of the few things about being a baby brother that I could really get behind—the right to raid their fridges as if they were my own. “What about you, Trent?” I asked to shift their attention away from me, and also because I was curious. “What’s happening at the ranch while you’re gone?” “New foreman,” he said happily. “He’s the most d ependable ranch worker I’ve ever encountered and he’s lightening my load like you cannot believe. It’s great.” Sadie let out a contented sigh. “Now he’s got no more excuses for not visiting. With Colby around, you can totally come out here for your little sister.” “You’re right.” Trent’s eyes widened as he pretended to be stricken. “I should fire him immediately. As soon as I get back.” I laughed, loving the energy he brought with him everywhere he went. Life was always just a little bit more fun when he was around.