Page 37 of The Revenge Agenda

Yet that doesn’t sit right with me. Some small part of me actually wants these men to like me. I have absolutely no one in Seattle, and I don’t want to put off the first people I meet.

My hands are tucked deep into my pockets as I climb the front stairs. A plaque reading Big-Boned Bertha sits by the glossy white front door, and as I’m convincing myself to knock, the door flies open.

A small guy with blue hair is all I manage to catch sight of before he throws himself into my arms.

“I’m so, so sorry! Ian is a horrible person who can go to hell for what he did to you both, and if I ever see him, I’ll rip his balls out through his throat and then teabag him with them.” The guy’s arms squeeze tighter around me as I wriggle my hands free from my pockets and set them gently on his back. I have no idea what’s happening here, but I don’t hate it.

Then he sniffs, right by my collar. And again. “You smell just as good in real life.”

Ah. I pull back a little. “Xander?”

His whole face lights up. “Rush has talked about me?”

And maybe it’s evil and not the way to make friends, but I can’t stop myself from teasing. “He said you liked my coat.”

Xander eases himself away from me. “So that’s where it went.”

“I’m glad you appreciated my, uh, taste.” And when I realize what I’ve said, I hurry to add, “In clothes!”

Xander laughs and grabs my hand, tugging me inside. I’m caught off guard by all the physical contact. It’s not bad. Just different. “You’re Rush’s boss, then?”

“Technically, yes.”

“Technically?”

“I’ve just started at the company, and given how Rush and I met … I don’t … I don’t feel that dynamic.”

Xander bats his eyes up at me. “I’d let you be the boss of me any day.”

That stuns me stupid.

“Let him go, Z,” a large man with dark red hair says as he steps into the hall. Xander pouts and drops my hand, and they have some kind of exchange through looks before Xander crosses his arms and heads into the room the redhead came from.

“Sorry about him.”

“He was fine.”

Redhead disappears, too, just as there are thunderous footsteps overhead, followed by what sounds like someone falling down the stairs.

And when I retrace my steps to investigate—it was someone falling down the stairs.

“Jesus, Rush!”

He blinks up at me from where he’s splayed on his back on the bottom few steps. His shirt is on inside out and back to front, and he’s got both legs in one side of his sweats. “Ah … hey …”

I duck down to help him sit. “Are you okay? You didn’t hit your head or anything, did you?”

I feel around his hair, but Rush catches my wrists and pulls them away. “I’m fine. Probably bruised in multiple places, but it happens. I’m not even the clumsy one around here.” He laughs as he releases me and reaches for his pants.

All I can do is watch as he pulls one leg out, revealing miles of hairy thigh and a cozy bulge beneath his briefs, before he stuffs his leg back in the right side and the view disappears again.

I clear my throat and drag my gaze to the wall. “Any reason why you’re half-dressed?”

“I lost track of the time and heard you down here. I’m told it’s polite to make introductions, but given you’re already inside, I take it you’ve at least met someone. Unless you let yourself in, which is kind of rude, but okay with me.”

“I met Xander.”

“Oh no. Did he try to have sex with you?”

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