Page 65 of Forty, Flirty & F*cked

Kat wanders off. “This should be a whole lot of fun.”

I turn to Ariana as soon as she’s gone. “You don’t…think Kat will tell your dad about that little moment we had, do you?”

“Ah, seeking fatherly approval now, Mr. Reeves?”

“I just saw your father start a fire in here, Bristol.” She laughs, tugging me towards the dining room. “I’d like the next fire to not be on the edge of my ass.”

16

HIGH PLACES (AND HIGHER STAKES)

ARIANA

The thing about family dinners is that they rarely go as planned. And if there's one thing I know for sure, it's that adding Connor to the mix is the equivalent of trying to keep a soufflé from collapsing while juggling flaming torches. You think you’ve got it under control, but then—surprise!—chaos.

Especially when your younger sister is interrogating your sorta-kinda-husband about his net worth while your father attempts to explain the nutritional benefits of protein-enhanced garlic bread.

"So," Lily says, twirling pasta around her fork, "do you have, like, a money vault? Like Scrooge McDuck?"

"Lily!" I hiss, but Connor just laughs.

"Sadly no." He accepts more wine from Kat. "Though I did try to convince the board to install a diving board in the office lobby."

"For swimming in money?"

"For dramatic exits from boring meetings."

Dad leans forward. "Speaking of dramatic, is it true youhave a panic room?" I flash him a look, and he shrugs. “I Googled you five minutes ago.”

“I have several, actually." Connor's expression sobers slightly. "Though they're more of a precaution these days. The real security is more... subtle."

As if on cue, his watch buzzes. A quick gesture silences it, but not before I catch the flash of a location tracking screen.

"Like Christoph?" I ask, remembering his ever-present driver.

"Among others." He shrugs, but there's tension in his shoulders now. "Most people don't realize how much infrastructure it takes to maintain privacy when you're in the public eye. Security teams, background checks, constant monitoring..."

"Sounds exhausting," Kat notes.

"It can be." Connor sets down his fork. "Though I'm lucky—I'm not famous enough to need the really intense protocols. No paparazzi camping outside my house or trying to hack my phone."

"Yet," Lily adds. "I mean, once the IPO hits..."

"Lily.” I kick her under the table.

"What? I'm just saying, being a tech billionaire is basically like being a Kardashian now. Except with more algorithms and less contouring."

"It's fine." Connor's steely-blue eyes smile. “But I’m sure the Kardashians probably have better security. My team once let a very determined Girl Scout past the lobby."

"Really?" Dad perks up.

"She was very convincing about her cookie sales projections." Connor grins. "Had a whole PowerPoint presentation about market penetration and seasonal demand curves."

"Did you buy any?" Lily demands.

"I bought thirty boxes." He sighs. "And then had to explain to my board why 'tactical cookie acquisition' was a legitimate business expense."

The table erupts in laughter, and I can feel my shoulders lower, my hands settling softly in my lap.

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