Page 24 of In Case You Didn't Know

“And what else?” I prompt, because I’m a writer. I study people like Asher studies equations. And I know there’s more to this.

“Once we tracked him down, he got a little visit to remind him that if he ever thinks about touching you, stalking you, or doing anything else, he’ll regret it.”

“You sent one of your guards to tell him that?” I ask him. I don’t know why that makes my heart tighten.

He glances down at his hands. “Sort of.”

“You went to see him yourself?” My mouth drops open. The man runs a multi-billion dollar company. Why would he do the dirty work when he has minions to do it for him?

He shrugs. “I wanted to make sure it was done properly. And it was. You don’t have to worry about him. And if you could keep yourself from going to any other clubs, neither of us will have to worry about anybody else messing with you.”

“Keep myself from going to any other clubs?” I frown. “Why would that be any of your business?”

“I’m just trying to keep you safe,” he says. But there’s something in his eyes that I can’t quite read.

“I already have six brothers who think that keeping me safe is their full time job. I don’t need you doing it too. And if I want to go to a sex club, I’ll go to a damn sex club. I’m a grown woman. I can fulfill my needs however I want.”

“Jesus.” He shakes his head.

“There’s nothing wrong with sex, Asher.”

His gaze dips to my lips. Then down to my chest, where the dress is still pushing my breasts up like I’m offering them on a plate.

“I like sex,” I tell him. “Very much. It would also be nice if every man I know wasn’t desperately trying to stop me from having any. Maybe then I wouldn’t need to visit sex clubs for inspiration.”

“For fuck’s sake.” He steps closer. “Will you stop talking about sex and looking like that?”

“Ash?” a low voice comes from the hallway. “You here?”

We both snap around to see West appear in his doorway. He takes in Asher’s body so close to mine that I can almost feel my breasts brushing against his chest.

“Is everything okay?” West asks.

“Everything’s fine,” Asher says, his voice strangled. “I was just telling Francie that we need to get her home.”

nine

ASHER

“You okay, man?” West asks me the next day. I’m camped out in Hudson’s office, trying to deal with a crisis because the minute I try to take a damn day off work everything goes to shit.

“Uhuh.” I nod, deleting the swear words out of the email I’m writing to my lawyer.

“It doesn’t look like it,” West murmurs. “And by the way, you look like shit.”

I finally look up from my laptop and meet his gaze. I haven’t seen him all day. Haven’t seen anybody, even though I specifically promised to spend more time with my family once this damn lawsuit was settled.

“Nathan’s pulling out of the agreement,” I say tightly. “Wants a cut of any future licensing deals.”

“I thought you had that locked down,” West says, dropping into the leather chair in the corner.

“We did. Until someone told him a major tech conglomerate’s been asking about the software.”

West frowns. “You have a mole?”

“Looks like it.” My jaw tightens. “I’m working on finding out who.”

He smirks. “Poor bastard.”