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She lied about it all.

It isn’t mine.

It can’t be.

“It’s not so bad. I can’t wait to have kids.” Mase shrugs, and I flinch. Out of the five of us, there’s only ever been Mase wishing for the perfect family life but never receiving it. But as each of my brothers has fallen for their women, so has their need to impregnant them.

Apart from me, that is. Until that one night.

That one fateful night when I lost myself in her soft curves, so much so, I didn’t use a condom when I came.

Nope, I actually chose not to suit up.

It can’t be mine. I can’t be a father.

Absolutely not. She’s a liar.

I spin to face Mase. “Oh, it gets worse. Trust me on that.”

Tate’s lip curls up. “How the hell can it get worse for you?” And if I didn’t know her situation, I wouldn’t agree with him more. He knows how I feel about kids, monogamy, a family. They all do.

“She already has a kid, maybe more than one. Who fucking knows, a whole damn family.” A lot of them. They swarmed her like she was Mary goddamn Poppins. God only knows how many she has. Does she even know?

Tate chokes on a laugh, but my energy level and social battery are well and truly drained. “Oh shit, you might end up like the Brady bunch, Reed.” He throws his arm out wide, with jest in his tone. “A whole family waiting for you to join them.” He laughs to himself, but only he finds it humorous.

“Leave him the fuck alone, Tate,” Mase spits out. “He’s clearly in need of our support.”

“It gets worse,” I mumble. “It gets worse.” My voice rises from panic as I’m about to admit everything about Saturday, the day from hell, and how it went to utter shit. “So much worse.”

Owen steps forward. “Whatever it is, we got you.” His eyes bore into mine, delivering the truth, and I swallow past the lump of emotion in my throat.

This is the only family I will ever need.

We have each other’s backs; from the moment we met at boarding school, we’ve looked out for one another. Always will.

My eyes meet his. “Good, because what I’m about to tell you is un-fucking-believable.” He nods with concern flashing in his eyes.

“She’s a gold digger.” Tate nods at my words. “Possibly a whore.” Shaw grimaces despite using the services of women before now. “And she works in Ridgeway.”

“The place you plan on buying from Fanzio?” Mase queries.

My eyes snap up to his. “The place I’m about to destroy,” I state.

CHAPTERFIVE

GIA

Alejo’s feetrush to keep up with me as I stride toward my father’s office with purpose. I’m about to cause waves, but I’m past caring; enough is enough. I broaden my shoulders. “Mrs. Mathers, are you sure about this?”

I lift my chin higher, and my heels continue their clacking on the marble floor. “Absolutely.” I’m about to put him and those scumbags he works with in their places, and if that means taking Reed Johnson down a peg or two, then so be it. A glimmer of excitement rushes through me when I recall his words for the thousandth time since Saturday.“You’re clearly a liar, an opportunist.”I scoff at his audacity. The man is an arrogant pig, and whatever the hell I was thinking jumping into bed with him is beyond me. Frankly, it shows how desperate I’ve become. Maybe I should take a leaf out of his book and pay for the satisfaction.“You’re a whore, sweetheart, nothing more, nothing less. I made one mistake of not paying for the reassurance of not having to deal with shit like this.”I shudder at the cruelty of his words.

Bastard.

When I researched the man who threatened to take over the community center, I hardened my heart to the image of the lawyer staring back at me on the computer screen. The same one who has played the center role in my erotic dreams, day in, day out, for months now.

Reed Johnson is a billionaire. Of course he is.

He and four of his best friends created STORM Enterprises, a company delivering numerous services to the entertainment industry, particularly the security aspect. It appears Reed set his sights on my community’s land to create another media empire. The only problem is, as a majority shareholder, I refuse to give in and allow my father to sell the land.