Page 56

FIFTY-SIX

Brantley

I couldn’t stand being in that fucking godforsaken office another second. You’d think I’d go home. Or roam the city. Or sit in a coffee shop for hours on end.

But no.

I’m sitting in the front lobby of Thomas Anderson’s building. This is the third day this week I’ve spent my day here, close enough to confront him but too chicken to actually do it.

His confirmation will be one more twist of the knife protruding from my back, and I’m not sure I can handle another blow. Especially not from him.

There was a time I considered him one of my best friends. I was engaged, in love, and ready to take on the world. I was so sure Whitney was the one, that we were months away from settling down and starting a family. Then I finished up early at the library and walked in on the two of them in bed together.

I’m not sure which betrayal was worse, the one from my best friend or the woman I thought I loved.

She was my world, and everything came crashing down that day.

Over the years I accepted that I would grow old alone. I’d never have kids or a family outside of my brother. I didn’t let myself want a future that was so out of my grasp. Until Kinsley.

I fell hard and fast for her, and I realized what I had with Whitney paled in comparison. I allowed myself to dream of a better future of all those things I locked away because I thought I was too broken to have them.

Thomas took all that from me twice.

I drop my head in my hands and let my failure, my lapse in judgment, sink its claws into me. My chest is empty, my heart missing, but I don’t need it. It’s only led me down a path to ruin.

And not only did I ruin things for myself, but my friends too.

We’re all suffering because I didn’t protect us from a pretty little package sent to destroy us. I should have seen it coming.

“Mr. Ellis?” A young blonde woman sits next to me, her movements slow like I’m a wild animal and she’s afraid of spooking me.

I lean back and rest my head against the wall. “Last time I checked.”

“Mr. Anderson would like you to join him for lunch.” She’s still eyeballing me and that’s when I realize I look like shit.

My tie is loose and crooked as fuck, my sleeves are rolled up but uneven, and I run my hands through my hair so much it must be sticking up in places. At least the outside matches how I feel inside.

I guess it’s time I bite the bullet and meet with the man. He’s probably concerned I’m scaring away his clients. Oh, well . He’s scared off plenty of mine with this whole fucking stunt of his.

With a nod, I hoist myself up and reluctantly follow her to the elevator. It doesn’t look much different from the one in our office, and I’m almost immediately assaulted with an image of Kinsley backed against the wall. She’s needling me—her perfect lips lifted into a smirk, her beautiful blue eyes lit up with amusement. She was radiant yet poisonous.

I follow this unknown woman through another lobby and down a hallway, going through the motions but not really seeing anything. She could be leading me straight to my death, and I’m not sure I’d notice.

It’s not until Thomas gets in my face that everything comes back into focus.

“Jesus Christ.” He looks me up and down, his brows drawn together, his eyes laced with some kind of false concern. “When they said you looked like shit, I didn’t think it would be this bad. When was the last time you showered?”

I don’t answer him; instead, I stand there staring at him. Does he really expect me to answer?

He sits on the front of his desk and gestures to the chair in front of him. “Please sit.” When I make no attempt to move, he tacks on, “Or you could continue to stand there. Either way.”

My jaw tics, and my right hand clenches at my side. “I don’t know how you sleep at night.”

His head tilts as he takes me in. “Spooning my wife on a mattress I spent way too much money on.”

That’s it, the straw that broke the camel's back.

I don’t think, I don’t give a flying fuck about consequences, I act, lunging myself at Thomas. My fist is up, ready to punch this fucker in the mouth, but before I can connect with his stupid face, someone grabs my fist and pushes me back. It's not Thomas who’s scrambled to the other side of his desk; it’s a man I don’t recognize.

The coward must’ve had someone waiting. He must’ve known this was inevitable.

“Fuck, Brantley. That was years ago. Are you really still holding on to that grudge?”

I shake the stranger off me and square my shoulders but remain where I am. “Years ago? Are you fucking kidding me? Fuck you, Anderson. I’m talking about you paying my secretary to leak confidential client information. You told her how to get to me, to us, and planted her right in front of me.”

His mouth drops open and he returns my stare, eying me like I’ve sprouted a head from my ass. “Your secretary? Miss Rhodes?”

“Who else?” I snarl, barely containing myself. The guy who grabbed me earlier is still hovering behind me and while I’m a big guy, he’s bigger.

“She’s not on my payroll. Do you really think that little of me?” He glances to the ground. How dare he look like the injured party. He’s not the victim here.

“Do you really need me to answer that question?” I point a finger at him, rather aggressively I might add. “You met with her last week.”

“Yeah, to make her a job offer. She was polite enough to listen but immediately declined. She’s very loyal to the three of you.” He stuffs his hands in his pockets and shifts. “I’ve stolen a few of your employees over the years, and I’m sorry about that.”

“I don’t give two fucks about them. What about the data breach? The only one who could have benefited from that shit getting leaked was you. And those pictures. Were you having us followed?”

“Whoa. Hold on.” He puts his hands up and takes a step back. “Two of your people came to me and tried to sell me that info, but I didn’t want it. I wanted to beat you fair and square. I assumed when I didn’t bite, they went to the press. Fuck me, I’m not having you, your brother, or Maverick followed.”

“Two of my people? Did you say two?” The implications are swirling around my head, one after another, and I drop down in one of his leather chairs.

Did she have an accomplice? A real boyfriend?

My chest aches, my insides twist, and I double over, struggling to take a breath.

“Yeah, two. There was James and this other girl. Her name started with a B. Becky? Brenda? Brynn?” He snaps his fingers, his entire face lighting up. “Brianna, that’s it.”

Fuck. Fuck. My stomach lurches, and if I’d had lunch it would be all over my shoes.

James had been with us for years. Up until this very moment, I would have considered him our most loyal employee. What the fuck did we do to piss him off? If he was that hard up for cash, he could have asked for a raise, and I’d have given it to him no problem.

But no, he had to team up with whoever the fuck Brianna is to get Kinsley out of the way…for what?

Why the hell didn’t I question things? Why did I let my past blind me from my future?

I’ve ruined everything.

“Brianna and James, you’re sure? It wasn’t Kinsley?” Fuck, I need him to be sure.

“I’m positive. I recognized James from your reception desk. The two of them came together once most of the staff had cleared out for the day. I was about to head home, but they caught me right as I was packing up.”

I drop my head in my hands.

She was telling the truth. She didn’t do it. Someone set her up.

It’s not until Thomas speaks again that I realize he’s sat in the chair next to me. “I’m sorry about what happened with Whitney all those years ago. I never apologized, and I should have. We were young and in love. I know that’s not an excuse, but I was a shit friend.”

“Yeah.” I huff a laugh. “You were.”

“I know I’m probably the last person you want to talk to, but I’m here if you need it.” He places a light hand on my shoulder, and while my first instinct is to shake it off, I don’t.

But I’m also not spilling my guts to him, even if he did apologize. “No offense, Thomas, but you’re correct.”

“Fair enough.” He laughs, slaps me on the back, and points toward my outfit. “But if you’re going to go talk to your girl, you might want to look in a mirror.”

Fuck him.

I’m not ready to go after Kinsley, not yet.

First, I need to talk to Wyatt and Brantley. They need to know the truth, and then we can try to get our girl back. And hope to God she can forgive us.