Page 100

Conor sucks on his teeth. “I don’t think it’s the kind of mess Shane would want being found, so we’ll probably come back for them in the morning. But regardless of what we do with them, they won’t bother you or your girl again.”
“Yeah. And Drake,” Liam says, giving me a look that communicates a newfound respect, “you know we spar with Nathan every Tuesday and Thursday morning, right? Youshould really think about joining us and working off a little of that aggression.” He laughs, and I join him, amused at the irony of Liam Ryan, one of the most violent men in the country, insinuating that I have anger problems. I don’t. Not as a rule, anyway. Only when it comes to anyone fucking with my girl.
Maybe I will join them though. If only to keep in shape for all the sex I’ll be having.
Chapter
Fifty-Three
DRAKE
“Isee now why you keep this here,” I say to Nathan as I stare at Mom’s painting of the beach.
He steps up beside me. “It’s calming, right?”
I nod. “Mindful.”
“Are you nervous? About today, I mean?” he asks, concern in his voice.
I shake my head. “Nope. I’m eager to get everything out in the open, actually. And more than a little ecstatic about having my secretary back.” I don’t add that I’ve already fucked her on my desk once this morning. I swear she wears those sexy little outfits just to fuck with me.
He clears his throat. “How’s she doing?”
Obviously, he knows what happened to Amelia two weeks ago and that the Ryans were involved in the aftermath, but for legal reasons, I haven’t told him the details of what went down. Plausible deniability is our friend when shit gets shady.
“She’s doing well. Better than well. She’s fucking incredible, Nathan.”
He offers me a knowing smile. I’ve got that same sappy, pussy-whipped tone to my voice that he has when he’s talking about Mel.
“And you’re sure she’s okay to come back to work? Because she can take all the time she needs. Helen can even help you out if you don’t want another temp.”
“I’m sure. Her face has healed enough for her to cover the fading bruises with makeup, and she really wants to be back in the office. She said she’s going crazy being stuck at home. I might go crazy too. She’s already organized the loft to within an inch of its life.”
“Yeah, your decorating plans have given my wife ideas about our penthouse. She and Amelia were on the phone for an hour last night talking color swatches. I am now painfully aware that there are infinite shades of blue, and I can name at least twenty of them.” He rolls his eyes, but there’s nothing but affection in his tone. Mel and Amelia have become fast friends these past few weeks.
“I believe only ten minutes of that conversation were actually about color swatches, though, and the other fifty were spent talking about us all going on vacation to the Bahamas next spring.”
“Huh. I must have missed that part.”
“You’re picturing your wife in a bikini now, aren’t you?” I nudge him in the arm.
“Fuck yeah, I am.” We both laugh.
“Anyway, listening to their color swatch chatter is the least you can do, seeing as how we’re watching Luke for you this weekend,” I remind him.
He grins wickedly. “Yeah. Thanks for that, bro.”
We stare at the painting for a few more minutes before he speaks up again. “So, no last-minute doubts about the meeting this afternoon?”
“Nope. I’ve had it with the sneaking-around bullshit. This isn’t some fling with my secretary. This is being in love with a woman who also happens to be my secretary.”
He arches an eyebrow at me, and his lips quirk up with amusement. “Did I hear that correctly? Drake James is in love?”
“Yeah, well,” I say, grinning at him. “It happens to the best of us, right? But are you sure you’re okay with this? I mean, I never asked.”
He meets my eyes, and something flashes between us. “You don’t need to ask my permission, Drake. We started this firm together, and we run it together. We’re equals.”
“Just equals? Need I remind you that I scored three points higher than you on the bar exam?”