Kaden“We were founded over three decades ago by my dad, Hank Marx. He’s still the CEO and personally reviews client profiles on an annual basis. What he built is a company that is pioneering and employs only intellectually rigorous fund managers with a results-driven client orientation.”We had agreed that I take this part of the meeting because the client was a family-owned company just like ours. Jack Junior would take over someday, just like I had been supposed to. I ignored the pit forming in my stomach and focused on selling Jack Senior and his minions on us.When I was done with my song and dance about how Dad was still there, still involved, and still put his personal seal of approval on every client’s portfolio at least once a year, Ember was going to explain the services we could offer and take it from there.“Our team, the team who will work for you, uses data collected over thirty-plus years and technology to gain the highest levels of financial insight. We have identified

EmberHis eyebrows lifted. “You did? That’s great. How did it go?”“I think it went great actually.” I explained the conversation I had with my brother and told Kaden we had promised to spend more time together in the future. As Ryan’s best friend, Kaden had insight into my brother’s mind that I didn’t.He listened attentively, smiling when I was done. “I’m really relieved you guys finally got it all out in the open. It couldn’t have been easy having that talk, but I think it’s going to be worth it. I know for a fact that Ryan wants to know you better. He just didn’t know how to do it. You had to take the first step, but I’m pretty sure he’ll take the next one.”“I hope so. It felt good to have my brother back, even if it ends up having been only for that one day.” It felt so natural to talk to Kaden about everything going on in my life. He knew about the situation with Ryan anyway, but I wanted to tell him stuff. “What do you think he’s going to do if he ever finds out about this?” I

Kaden“Nothing.” I shrugged, sighing when she narrowed her eyes and shook her head. “I guess I’m just feeling a little melancholic over what we’re doing this morning.”“What are we doing this morning?” she asked gently, knowing just from the way I was acting and without having to ask that it was a tender topic for me.“I haven’t been back to Houston since my mom passed,” I told her finally, grief winning out between the emotions that had been warring for recognition in my chest. “The last time I was at her grave was at her funeral. I want to go see her.”Empathy and sympathy flooded Ember’s eyes, shining as brightly as the tears she was trying to fight. “Of course. I didn’t realize you hadn’t been back here. I’m sorry, Kaden. I know how much it hurts every time you let yourself revisit thoughts about the funeral and the grave. No matter how much time has passed, the hurt comes back as real and as raw as it was when it happened.”I nodded. Having someone around who really understood th

EmberI needed to figure this out for myself first. Kaden had made me no promises, and I couldn’t go blurting out any words that might cause me to lose another best friend this week. So instead of saying the words sitting on the very tip of my tongue, I smiled and said, “Thanks, Marx. I’ll call you if I need you, but let’s go home.”“At least you’ll have some good news to give my dad when you see him tomorrow, so that’s a bit of a silver lining,” he said on our way home. We were in his fancy Bugatti, his leather seats as soft as butter beneath me and a control panel to rival those of a space ship on the console.“What do you mean I’ll have some good news? Shouldn’t it be we have some good news to give him? Don’t you want to be there when I tell him?”“No.” He didn’t even take a beat to think about it. “It’s your news to give, kitten. Not mine. He’ll be happy though. As happy as he ever is, anyway.”Kaden dropped me off at my empty loft, Gracie’s absence obvious in everything from how

KadenLocking her eyes onto mine, she shimmied out of her jeans and stepped out of the denim. She planted her hands on her hips, standing in front of me in a matching set of pale pink lace underwear. My eyes begged to run down the length of her body, but they were still being held captive by hers. The intensity in her gaze lit up the air between us. Electricity generated by lust and desire coursed through the air currents, but the usual pressing urgency was missing.The tension between us was different. The desire was there, but something else was going on too. Maybe it was because I had just realized I loved her, but it felt like the same emotion was coming off her too. It felt like the urgency was gone because, for tonight anyway, we didn’t feel like we had to rush. Our time together didn’t feel like it was limited or linked to some unseen clock counting down before one of us called it off. It felt like we had all the time in the world, like we had both come to the conclusion that