Page 118 of Strictly Business

Nicholas stops in his tracks and turns to me, his gaze locking with mine. “I wanted to see how you’d handle it.”

My eyebrows lift in disbelief. “You think I would take him up on his offer?” Is he out of his mind? Does he really think I’d want his brother when I’m madly in love with him?

He doesn’t respond immediately, but his eyes soften just a little. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

I shake my head. “I would never. You know that, right?”

He finally relaxes, his hands slipping around my neck, pulling me closer. “I know.” He leans in, his breath warm against my lips. “Why don’t you go downstairs? My mom keeps grilling me about you.”

I let out a small laugh. “Really?”

He nods. “I fear she might like you more than me.”

I nudge his chest, shaking my head. “That’s not true.”

Nicholas chuckles, leaning in to press a soft kiss to my forehead, his thumb gently tracing my jaw. “I’ll be down soon. I promise. I’ve just got to take care of something first.”

Chapter thirty-eight

Nicholas

Istep into my bedroom, shutting the door behind me with a quiet click. My chest tightens at the sight of Alexander standing by my desk, holding one of the framed photos. It’s a picture of me from years ago, fresh off the soccer field, dirt smudged on my face, my arm thrown over my teammates. I remember the week after that picture was taken, Alexander signed up for my team, out of pure jealousy that I had our parents’ attention.

“Always after what I have,” I mutter, shaking my head as a dry scoff escapes me.

Alexander doesn’t react at first. He sets the frame down, his back still to me. His shoulders are relaxed, as if he belongs here, as if my room is just another one of his playgrounds. When he finally turns, his lips curl into a familiar smirk I want to punch.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says with a shrug. “I was just admiring her.”

Admiring her. He made a mistake by justlookingat her.

“Bullshit. We both know what the fuck you were trying to do.”

He gives up pretenses, letting out a sigh. “I’ve always had a thing for your girlfriends, little brother,” he says with a tut. “Candace was so sweet.”

I stalk toward him, my lip curling. “Go near her, and you’ll regret it. I don’t care who you think you are.”

His laugh is instant, cutting through the air, and he tilts his head back with a smirk. “Jealousy doesn’t suit you. It’s been years, Nicholas. Time to let it go.”

“This isn’t about Candace, and you know it. You think I give a fuck about her? She was just a distraction. Doesn’t mean shit to me. None of it was ever real. Just a dumb fucking arrangement I had to make the best of.”

Alexander’s smirk falters just slightly, his gaze sharpening. He’s not used to me brushing off his attempts to dig into old wounds. Candace was never what he wanted her to be. She wasn’t a trophy he could dangle in front of me. She wasn’t a loss. She was simply a pawn. Nothing more than a name on a checklist my father handed me.

His lips press into a thin line, his eyes narrowing. “And what about Amara?” he asks, leaning forward slightly, his voice laced with something that sounds almost too eager. “Do you care about her?”

I freeze for a second, my body rigid, my fists curling. “Don’t talk about Amara,” I warn him.

His grin widens. “So, youdocare,” he says slowly, letting out a dark laugh as he leans in slightly, just enough to make my blood boil. “That’s fun. I bet she’ll taste sweeter knowing you want her, and I got her instead.”

The anger hits me, and my hand shoots out before I can stop it, grabbing the front of his shirt and yanking him toward me. His smirk doesn’t falter, but I catch the flicker of something in his eyes, a sliver of hesitation.

“Keep your eyes and hands off her. You hear me? She’s not yours to play with.” My grip tightens on his shirt, pulling him closer. “Not now. Not ever. You’ll never get her.” I shove him back, hard enough to make him stumble. “And you won’t get the company either. Forget about it.”

He smooths his shirt. “You always did have a flair for dramatics.”

My jaw clenches, and I take a step closer. “You’ve crossed the line, Alexander. You seem to forget who’s in charge here. Your current position is thanks tome. So go ahead. Keep pushing me, and you might just find yourself out of a job.”

He stills, but I see the subtle twitch in his jaw, the flicker in his eyes, calculating, weighing his next move.

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