Page 153 of Guarded King

Because despite her assurance that the break was temporary, it feels anything but. It feels like an ending.

My intercom buzzes, and though I know it’ll be Sophie on the other end, not Chloe, my heart thumps in a damn Pavlovian response.

I press to answer. “Yes?”

“Your brothers are on their way for your meeting. Do you want me to pick you all up some lunch?”

“Thanks,” I say. “Could you order a couple of pizzas?”

“Pizza?” Her tone is pure surprise.

I’d laugh if my damn masochistic tendencies weren’t threatening to be the end of me. “Phillip knows where to go and what to get.”

“Okay, sure.”

In seconds, my brothers have arrived. I stand and lead the way to the couches, needing to get away from my desk and the memories it holds.

I take one couch, and they sit on either end of the other.

“Exciting times,” Tate says.

I grunt an acknowledgment. That’s about all the excitement I can muster.

“Share prices are shooting up,” Cole adds.

“Good.”

“Dad’s returned from the dead and is going to stage a takeover,” Tate casually throws in.

Eyes narrowed, I huff.

The laugh that escapes him is too loud in the quiet space. “Just checking to make sure you’re actually here with us.”

“I’m here.” I shove my fingers through my hair again.

“Really? Because it feels like your soul left your body the day you made the spectacularly stupid decision to send Chloe away.” Cole’s voice is too blasé for my liking.

“What should I have done, then?” I growl. “With all the attention on us, there was no point in giving anyone extra ammunition.”

“I get that seeing those photos was a shock, but do you think sending her away was the answer?”

Every muscle in my body goes rigid. “Another scandal is the last thing we need.”

“You think Roman King finally falling in love would be considered a scandal? Or the CEO of the King Group being outed as a human rather than a workaholic robot?”

My exhale is harsh. “The stories would be about how the new CEO is no better than the old one. The media would label me a predator like Dad. The whole industry would believe that nothing’s changed at the King Group except the name on the company ledger.”

Tate barks out a laugh. “None of those things are true, and you know it.”

I zero in on him, anger burning in my gut. “I don’t get to be as cavalier as you about things.” I snap. “No one cared when you screwed around because no one ever compared you to dad.”

Instantly, his expression shutters.

Fuck.

I slump back in my chair and heave out a sigh. “I’m sorry, Tate. I didn’t mean that.”

He shrugs and cracks a grin. “We never said you weren’t an asshole. But you’re our asshole, so…”