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I actually had to stop myself from cackling at that description.
Okay, yes, he’d been disproportionately kindto mesince we struck our deal. But I was his wife on paper, ally personally, and now a necessary roommate. The last few weeks aside,generouswasn’t the word I’d use to label Greyson Hart. He conquered businesses like it was a sport and was fearless when it came to slicing off dead branches so new ones could grow.
Ruthless? Brilliant? Strategic? All yes. Generous? That had yet to be determined.
He viewed me as his responsibility now—of course, he’d look after me. Yes, the physical chemistry could scald my organs, but that didn’t entirely erase two years of irritation…did it?
Seeming to sense my internal aneurysm, Max asked, “Now, this I gotta hear. Alice played this whole thing close to the vest. What do you know of Grey’s generosity, Ms…”
“Rory,” she supplied with a cheeky smile, happily rushing to take his hand. He introduced himself to both women as the two of them led us out of the break room and into the fishbowl.
“I’d like to hear that myself,” I said, flashing what I hoped was a demure smile.
She jerked her chin at Hollyn, explaining, “I mean, he does all kinds of thoughtful things. For starters, her Aunt worked for the company, too.”
“Worked?” Max clarified. Suddenly, I had a knot in my stomach and looked around to make sure nobody else was within earshot. Staffers were busy at their desks, Ollie was laughing by the printers, and Greyson was pacing the length of his office, gesticulating with his hands like he was on a rather heated phone call. I peeled my eyes fromsex in a suitand turned back to my present company.
“Trish was diagnosed with breast cancer last spring. Stage four-b. Before the summer was up, she had used all her sick days. She’d only been with the company for a few months before they found it.” She cleared her throat, looking a bit uncomfortable, and explained, “Mr. Hart kept her full salary rolling while she went through treatment and told her to stay home and heal.”
Eyes watering, I didn’t fight my sympathetic smile. “God, I’m sorry to hear that. Why didn’t you say anything?”
She gave a one-shoulder shrug. “It wasn’t my story to tell, but he paid her full salary right up until she passed away after Christmas and then called my uncle and insisted on covering the cost of the funeral. When Uncle Brad went to arrange a payment plan with the hospital, they told us it had been taken care of.Greyson refused to confirm it was him, but I mean…” she shook her head, tears welling, “who else has that kind of money?”
I turned my head up to his glass wall, smiling weakly as he made his way through the door to overlook his kingdom. “He never told me that,” I admitted gently.
“Not his story to tell,” Max echoed sagely. “Not so Hartless after all.”
“No,” I breathed, locking eyes with the man now leaning on the balcony and offering a smile I hoped he knew was authentic. “He’s not.”
“Heartless,” Rory giggled, breaking the wall around us. “Clever.”
Max sethisfourthespresso down with a little clink, leaning back to stretch his arms over his head. Grey had joined us for an hour so that Max could bring him up to speed before he had to excuse himself to sit in on a meeting with Oliver and Reggie. I would never understand how he tolerated the man as well as he did.
The wink he’d shot me as he slipped out the door had me smiling into my fist, elbow propped on the table as Max narrowed his eyes on the screen again.
“Keep your pants on in the office, Alice,” he teased.
“Shut up,” I countered with no real bite to it, leaning back to fiddle with the cross hanging around my neck.
“You wear it on your face—that’s notmyfault. You’ve been the smitten kitten since he walked in the door after lunch.” Max had been busy assessing our security holes all day, jotting notes down on his laptop for things to change and ways to fortifythe company. Pieces of it were understandable with my limited experience, but others went right over my head. “Am I one of the third-party consultants you guys will skewer if those reporters make a comeback?”
Rolling my eyes, I said, “Obviously. Top of the lineup.”
“Excellent. We live for drama.”
“But for real. What do you see?”
“Security aside, nothing overtly concerning beyond what we discussed.”
“And on our personal servers? Any elusive trusts or shell companies?”
“Still skeptical even after you jumped in his bed?”
So close, but so far. A pang of need shot through me as I remembered the feel of his solid body between my legs last night. “Love covers a multitude of sins, but even marrying into it, I’m not naïve enough to pretend a family like this doesn’t have secrets.”
“Eh, nothing we want to discuss unless we’re home.”
I nodded, sliding the cross along its chain as Max tracked the movements. “Good.”