Page 13 of Hidden Heir, Italian Wife

For four years, he’d been wanting this woman, only this woman. Here she was. At last.

But what was she doinghere? He frowned, moving past shock to puzzlement. Did she know Eve was his sister?

Her gaze dropped to the tablet in front of her. A fierce blush rose in her cheeks.

“Let me introduce you to everyone.” Eve’s voice was a half note higher than normal. She rattled off names that he made no effort to remember, unable to look at anyone but Bree.

“And Brielle Hughes, also from WBE,” Eve finished.

Brielle. Not Brianna, as he’d assumed all this time. He vaguely recollected her name from an announcement about Eve’s team. He hadn’t put together that Brielle could be Bree. It hadn’t occurred to him that the elusive unicorn he’d thought resided in Virginia could be here in New York working for hissister.

At the sound of her name, Bree lifted her lashes, but her smile was…a mask.

He’d seen that expression on her face once before, when she had said,This was nice. Arrivederci.

She met his gaze very briefly, only long enough for him to read apprehension behind that false smile. Was she afraid he would say something to embarrass her? Or was that inability to meet his gaze something else? Guilt?

His senses prickled, trying to parse out the cryptic signals floating on the air between them. Suspicion filled him, but he wasn’t sure why.

“You should join us for lunch,” Eve was saying.

“Your group?” He reluctantly dragged his attention from Bree to his sister.

“Gosh, no. They get enough of me in here. Dom is coming to get me. Invite Nico. You’re going upstairs to meet with him, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I only came in to give you this, from Mom.” He offered the envelope, but his mind was turning over the fact that Bree hadn’t seemed as surprised to see him as he was to see her. In fact, now he really thought of it, that initial look on her face had beenalarm.

“Thanks.” Eve took the envelope. “I’ll walk you to the elevator.”

“Not necessary.” He glanced again at Bree, wanting to talk to her, but she was avoiding his gaze. Her profile was stoic, her posture so still he had the sense she was forcibly trying not to reveal her agitation.

“Jax?” Eve opened the door, waiting until he’d walked out and the boardroom door had closed behind them before she hissed, “Keep it in your pants!”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, please. She’s very pretty, but you know the rules.”

“She doesn’t work for me.” It was a reflexive response from a place that didn’t want to hear no.

“This is a workplace, not a nightclub. I thought Mom was fixing you up with Tabitha? She has a daughter, you know.”

“Tabitha?” That was information he should have been given.

“Bree,” she corrected with exasperation.

“She’smarried?” It hit like a kick to the stomach.

Was that why she’d looked so uncomfortable? Did she think their long-ago tryst would get back to her husband? Who was this other man, anyway? Jax had no right to the jealousy that pierced him, but it struck like a viper.

“No, I don’t think the father is in the picture.” Eve was keeping her voice down as they navigated the bullpen. “She said something about her mom being nearby to help with day care. We’re all still getting to know each other.” They arrived at the elevator and she stabbed the button, then glared at him. “She’s off-limits, is what I’m saying. Definitely not someone to notch your belt with.”

He didn’t tell her they’d already had sex, but his brain was exploding over the memory of a broken condom. Now she had a little girl? How old?

No.He was overreacting. It had been four years. Plenty of time to have a baby with someone else. And she’d been on the pill. He had left her his number. If her daughter was his, she would have called him.

Wouldn’t she?

Tamping down on the wild suspicion trying to bubble up inside him, he stepped into the elevator. Now that he had Bree’s full name, it was easy to call up her socials.

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