Page 31 of Salvaged Hearts

“She hates you,” he pointed out helpfully.

I leveled him with a glare. “Yes. Thank you for that. But she knows I’d never hurt you and Mattie.”

“Where in the hell were they digging?”

“In the wrong places,” I admitted.

“If you stuff a closet with skeletons, you don’t get to pick which one falls out.”

Hanging my head, I studied my hands for a beat. The skin was red, and my veins and tendons were livid with the exertion of exercise. Fuck, if that wasn’t true. Our family had no shortage to choose from. It was how I knew about the evils of this world so intimately.

“You gonna explain how this ended in youproposingto yourassistant—that’s an HR nightmare, by the way.”

“Do you remember what Uncle Reggie said yesterday in my office?”

“I cannot see how Uncle Reggie would approve of—let alone suggest—you marry an employee.”

“He said that the only thing that might create a big enough media flurry to swallow the allegation case was a royal American wedding.” I bobbed my head. “I don’t think he’s wrong.”

His eyes narrowed for a long beat, and I just allowed the concept to linger as the cogs turned in his eyes. “And Alice is the only woman the paparazzi have seen at your side since before Beau was born.”

Nodding, I chewed on my lip. “Plus?—”

“Once you’re married, she can’t be forced to testify,” he deduced. When I hesitantly brought my eyes to his, it was a deep analysis looking back at me, not judgment. Maybe a trace of fear. “And what the hell does she get out of this?”

“Protection. Privilege that comes with the last nameHart. My purse strings and a proper Christmas vacation? Aside from her love for Matilda, I’m not entirely sure why she agreed. She’ll have a place on the board as my partner—a say in our philanthropic ventures.”

“I don’t see Alice being that easily bought off. She’s so down to earth—doesn’t care aboutstatusormoney.” The last two words were practically spat.

“I know.”

“So, what’s she doing?”

Shrugging, I answered honestly. “I’m not actually certain.”

“Then how can we trust her?”

“Call it a gut instinct.”

“Your gut instinct was not to hire her,” he pointed out.

“Quite the opposite.”

His scoff was of comedic proportions. “Is your memory that short?”

“She was pretty and naïve—why else wouldn’t I have wanted her working directly under you, Ollie?”

“Oh, get fucked,” he snapped, anger flashing in his eyes. “I’m not the one that just propositioned my employee. I’ve never crossed that line, and you know it.”

“But if you were going to, it would take someone as beautiful as Alessandra.”

“You’re saying you were protecting me?”

“It was a rough year. Carlymade ita rough year. I wasn’t sure where you were because you wouldn’t talk to anybody.”

“Like you’re any better?” He bit back. No. I wasn’t. Harts didn’t do big feelings. It wasn’t proper. We just stuffed them down and snapped a lid over the containers. “And now? What’s her play in this?”

“Hell, if I know,” I reiterated. “She might throw me under the bus the moment Mattie can inherit.I don’t know.”

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