Page 127 of Boss of Me

I shoot him another scowl.

He laughs. “C’mon. Out with it. What happened?”

“Harlan happened.”

Just hearing his name instantly darkens Maverick’s expression. “What’d that motherfucker do this time?”

“He was the guest lecturer for Marlowe’s class yesterday. I went up there to take her to dinner to celebrate the biotech contract. When I saw her walking out with Harlan . . . hell, I just lost it.”

“With good fucking reason. What happened?”

I tell him about the tense confrontation and the ensuing showdowns with Marlowe and Laurene.

“Shit,” he says grimly. “Both Harlanandyour ex are causing trouble? Talk about a double whammy.”

“Tell me about it,” I growl with renewed anger.

“Pretty damn convenient that Harlan showed up in Marlowe’s class, of all places.”

“It wasn’t a coincidence,” I say darkly. “I spoke to Oscar, our mutual acquaintance who recorded the video of Marlowe’sperformance. When he chatted her up at the party, she told him she was attending grad school at UT. He must’ve mentioned this to Harlan, not realizing he’d run with it.”

Maverick snorts. “Of course he ran with it. He’s been plotting his next move ever since we saw him last summer at Sun Valley.” He’s referring to an invite-only conference attended by tech giants and media moguls. “Remember how pissed he was when our panel drew twice the crowd his did? He had a damn meltdown, went on that epic rant that got leaked to the press.”

I smile narrowly at the memory. “’Twas a thing of beauty.”

“Yes indeed.” Maverick chuckles a few moments longer before sobering. “You can’t let that evil bastard get his clutches in Marlowe. He’ll destroy her just for the sick thrill of it.”

“You think I don’t know that?” I lean back in my chair, grinding my jaw. I feel a killing rage at the thought of Marlowe working for Harlan. Spending time alone with him. Falling prey to his deceptive charm.

Maverick eyes me sympathetically.

“I think I fucked up,” I mumble. “I didn’t handle the situation well, and now Marlowe thinks I’m an overbearing hypocrite who wants to have his cake and eat it, too.”

Maverick’s jaw drops in disbelief. “Who are you and what have you done with my twin?”

I glare at him. “Very funny. I’m being serious.”

“So am I. The Gunner Ransom I shared a womb with rarely second-guesses himself.”

I scowl. “You make me sound like an intransigent asshole.”

“Youarean intransigent asshole, but that’s never been an issue for you until now.” He appraises me with a mixture of humor and amazement. “You’ve got it bad, don’t you?”

“She means a lot to me,” I admit in a quiet voice. “I don’t want to lose her.”

“Then don’t,” Maverick says. “Cutting ties with Laurene was a necessary step in the right direction. If you want a serious relationship with Marlowe, prove it to her. Romantic getaways and expensive gifts are hella nice, but she’s clearly the type of woman who needs more than grand gestures. And that’s a damn good thing.”

I look at Maverick for a long moment, then drag a hand down my face and blow out a heavy breath. “Thanks for the pep talk.”

“Hey, what are brothers for?”

I smile faintly. He’s more than just my brother. More than my best friend and right-hand man. He was there every step of the way, through the highs and lows, helping me build Pantheon into a multibillion-dollar empire. He’s my fucking rock, and I don’t know what I’d ever do without him.

“You’d better get going,” I say gruffly. “Text me when you land.”

He gives me a lazy salute. “Aye, aye, captain.”

Shortly after he leaves, my phone rings on the desk. When I answer, the caller identifies himself as a casino manager in Oklahoma.