Page 19 of Twins for the Off-Limits Lawyer

The morning light caught the predatory gleam in her eyes. “Edward! Perfect. I have the most brilliant idea." She pulled out her phone, gesturing with it like a conductor's baton. "And no."

"You don't even know what I'm going to ask."

I closed the file folder with deliberate precision. "I know that particular tone. The answer is still no."

She rolled her eyes, a gesture she'd perfected at age five and hadn't bothered to refine since. "Don't be such a grumpy hermit. Lili needs to get out, and you should show her around London."

The words 'Lili' and 'tour' in the same sentence made my chest tighten in ways I refused to examine. I'd spent the last three days in my London penthouse precisely to avoid this scenario.

"She's perfectly capable of exploring on her own. London has an extensive public transportation system."

"Edward Grosvenor. You cannot seriously be suggesting that I let my best friend navigate the Underground by herself when she's still figuring out the coin system and thinks 'brilliant' means 'smart.'"

"She's a grown woman."

"She's my guest."

"She'syourguest, not mine."

Daphne leaned forward, her expression shifting from wheedling to something more serious. "Please. She needs this, Edward. She's been working so hard, and I think she's worried about something." Her voice carried a note I couldn't identify. "You know how it is with career uncertainty."

Career uncertainty. The phrase hit closer to home than she could know. I thought about Malcolm's latest call, about deadlines and acquisitions and the ticking clock that would destroy everything Lili had built in London.

What made it even more difficult was that my job prevented me from sharing this highly confidential business strategy with my family.

"I'm sure she'd prefer to explore with you."

"I can't." Daphne's response was too quick, too sharp. "I have that meeting with the Royal Opera board today, and then drinks with Cressida, and Mother has that dreadful charity luncheon tomorrow that I absolutely cannot miss or she'll disown me."

"Daphne—"

"Besides," she continued, her voice taking on that sing-song quality that usually preceded her most outrageous requests, "you're brilliant at showing people around. Remember when you gave that tour to the Japanese investors last year? They donated five million to the arts foundation afterward."

"That's entirely different."

"How?"

Because those investors hadn't made me forget my own name. Because they hadn't smelled like Texas sunshine and vanilla. Because I hadn't spent sleepless nights imagining what it would feel like to kiss them until we were both senseless.

"Those were business associates."

"Exactly! And this is personal, which should make it easier."

Easier.Right.

I stood, needing distance, and moved to the window overlooking the estate's gardens. Movement in the garden caught my eye.

Lili knelt among the roses, her phone propped against a stone as she gestured enthusiastically at something the camera couldn't see. Even from this distance, I could see her animated expression, the way she moved like she was conducting an orchestra of flowers.

She belonged here, I realized with startling clarity. Not in the formal gardens or grand ballrooms, but in places where beauty grew wild and natural.

Where authenticity mattered more than artifice.

The thought terrified me more than any legal challenge ever had.

"I have work to do," I said without turning around. "The television acquisition is due to be reviewed next Monday."

"Work, work, work." Daphne's voice carried a note of frustration. "When was the last time you did something just for fun? Something that didn't involve building your legal empire?"

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