"I got a phone call that we had an emergency call and I had to go," he said slowly."Before that?"Nolan frowned, trying to recall. That had been a particularly rough morning. The hangover had slowed him down, plus he hadn't wanted to leave.She leaned toward him and lowered her voice. "You seriously don't remember reaching over me to answer my phone?""I answered my phone.""The second time, but the first time you answered my phone." She jabbed her finger at her collar bone. "You spent five minutes arguing with my father about why he was calling you.""Oh, fuck." Nolan rubbed his hand across his face. He was conditioned to wake up from a deep sleep to the sound of his phone. He'd answered more than a few calls without his mind fully engaged. "I am-fuck. I'm sorry."Booze and good sex must have really knocked him out harder than he realized if his memory of that morning was this hazy. Was it possible there was more he didn't recall?"Just stay away from my father if at
Monday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.YVONNE STARED OUT OF the limo at the old family home her mother had inherited. The place was like a museum. Or a tomb.God, why were they coming here?She knew why.The historic home in Chevy Chase put them within driving distance of contacts in Washington that might help Douglas' problems go away. Mom was also doing her best to transition both Dad and Douglas to living there full-time from their residence in New York.What Yvonne really wanted to do was board a plane and head west. To her real home. Her little condo might not be much, and she didn't spend the time there that she'd like, but it was hers. Away from family where she could breathe. There wouldn't be nosey knocks and well meaning questions if she were there.She'd been sick once during their trek home and it had been on the jet. Everyone had given her a wide berth since then, even Nolan. For which she was grateful.There'd been a point when she'd wanted to undo her
They were the last to arrive as evident by the people sitting around the long table in what Mom liked to call the library. Dad had taken it over as his office and meeting area when they'd inherited the home.Everyone was assembled.Mom and Dad.Theodore, Douglas and herself.Grant and Melody.Two family lawyers and one representing the company.Yvonne wished she wasn't on a first name basis with the last three.She slid into an empty chair next to Melody across from her mother and brothers.The lawyers at the other end of the table eyed the security team. The security team were focused on Dad, who was still looking at Douglas. It was clear that he took after Mom. The things Yvonne's younger brother had gotten away with were not the sort of things that would have been tolerated, even from Theodore. Yvonne had long since given up understanding the imbalanced expectations of her family. Trying to figure that out as a child had hurt her fragile heart. She was wiser now.M
Monday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.NOLAN STUDIED PICTURE AFTER picture lining the shelves in the office that was almost as big as his whole apartment back in Seattle. Each new shelf of photographs made his stomach sink lower and lower and lower.The pictures went back generations the further from the door he went. He wasn't sure why he was still looking. He'd seen the ones that mattered and understood the significance of what he saw.Despite this home belonging to Yvonne's parents, there were hardly any pictures of her or her brothers. And the only ones including Yvonne were as an adult in some business capacity. The other photos were of smiling faces pool side or riding ponies. Yvonne never had that carefree look on her face these other children had. In fact, in all but one picture of her she was off to the side while her brothers were front and center.On the plane she'd said her father was disappointed in her and that he wouldn't understand.He was beginning to gr
Monday. Ito Security Office, Kyoto, Japan.SAMUEL FOUGHT THE URGE to adjust his tie. Adrenaline skipped through his veins as the elevator rose to the second floor of the building.Everyone was waiting on him. There would be no more arguing with Sato. No more haggling to get the resources or permission to do as Samuel wished. He was the boss now. Not a partner. The boss. Everyone answered to him.There would be no more constraints on their empire. They could step out of the small pool Sato had insisted they work in. Samuel could take them to the global level.The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open.His brother's assistant waited for him on the landing. He was a nervous young man Samuel wasn't fond of, but he knew the business inside and out."Good morning-""Are they waiting?" Samuel strode past the young man and through the receiving area."Yes, sir." The assistant quick stepped to keep up with him. "Wait-which they?"Samuel glanced to his left, at the four m
Tuesday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.YVONNE TABBED THROUGH THE spreadsheets.Something was wrong. What had Theodore done to her perfectly working spreadsheet to make it return so many errors? She'd given it to him for five minutes and he'd broken four weeks of work bumbling around.God, she was going to be here all day trying to undo this mess while her brothers were-what were they doing? Playing pool? Going one on one in a video game?They certainly weren't working. She'd gotten Theodore's new out of office message. He'd changed it to indicate he was out for an undetermined amount of time.Just because they were holed up in Maryland at Mom and Dad's didn't mean they couldn't work. It was just that Theodore was particular. He liked his desk with his computer just so. Getting him to work while on the road was always a trial.She closed her eyes and covered her face.This wasn't about Theodore skipping a few days of work. Lord knew they pulled a lot of late nights a
Tuesday. Chevy Chase Club, MD.THIS WAS TOO EASY.Lee watched Robert Krieger take a practice swing. He wasn't what one might expect the founder of a tech company to be. Robert was a tall man built for power, but who knew how to use his head. Lee expected the patriarch of the family to be a difficult target to take down, unlike his sons.He was going to need back-up for this and his clients should get a warning he was going to come in hot.Talk about a golden opportunity.He pulled out his phone and hit dial on his client's contact. The line rang twice."It's me," Lee said without waiting for the person's greeting. "I'm going to have an opportunity to grab Robert Krieger for you. I suggest-""No.""No?""Robert Krieger didn't work on the deal. He will know nothing.""Okay, but he's leverage." Lee wasn't going to let this opportunity go to waste."One of the children will suit our needs better.""There are three. Which one? All you told me was that I'd need to
Tuesday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.YVONNE HAD NO BUSINESS standing here in Nolan's arms. It was a mistake. Another unnecessary complication in what was bound to be a contentious situation once they got past the current set of problems. But it felt good to lean on Nolan and a part of her felt vindicated that he saw through all her family bullshit.He even smelled good. It wasn't just soap; it was something else. And not the cloud of cologne her brother always wore. Subtle. Woodsy.This was a bad idea, and she didn't care. Right now she wanted to be selfish and pay the consequences later.Lips pressed against her brow then her temple. She lifted her chin, knowing full well what she was asking for and Nolan didn't disappoint. His mouth found hers and all at once her pleasure points came alive. Her nipples hardened and her sex throbbed.Was this her body remembering him? Or was it something he did to her?He tugged on her hair, tilting her head back. He kissed down he