Page 27 of The Billionaire's Assistant

“There has to be more going on here than you’re telling,” Worth said. “Are you fucking Ben?”

I glared at him. “Don’t.”

Worth’s eyes widened, and he held up his hands in surrender. “I was just joking.”

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. “I like him.” Admitting that made my stomach flip-flop.

“Like him?” Carter asked. “It sounds like a hell of a lot more than liking him.”

“I’m not going to let anyone hurt him.”

“We still can’t be sure—”

“Yes, we can!” I yelled. The room went silent for several seconds. In a much quieter voice, I said, “I gave him an access code to a safe with fake formulas in it. None of those have been shared. He’s not involved.”

“That doesn’t mean he’s not connected. Or that he won’t become involved,” Ford reasoned.

“I won’t let him.”

“Oh shit,” Ford said. “You’ve fallen for him.”

I shook my head. No way. I’d sworn I wouldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t hurt someone one, fuck up their life, if I kept it casual. “It’s nothing that serious. I like him, and I owe him my protection.”

Ford raised his brows. “You punched a guy in the middle of a fundraiser over him.”

“I punched an assailant.”

“Medford’s a piece of shit,” Carter said. “I’m not saying he didn’t have it coming. I’m saying you lost control, and that’s dangerous.”

They weren’t wrong, but it didn’t change how I felt. If I thought he’d agree to it, I’d keep Ben at my penthouse and wouldn’t let him out of my sight. I wouldn’t let anyone else lay their hands on him.You’ve definitely fallen for him.

“Eudora Weeks adores him. She wants to invite him to a knitting circle.”

Carter laughed. “Does he knit?”

“I’ve got no fucking idea, but he’ll go. He won’t risk offending her.”

“Such a good little employee.”

I grabbed the front of Worth’s shirt and jerked him out of his seat. “Don’t. Go. There.”

“Jesus, Miles,” Ford yelled.

“Benjamin is under my protection. No one says anything against him, not even you guys.”

Carter sighed. “You know you’re making my job much harder.”

I scowled at him. “If you can’t take it—”

Carter held up a hand. “You know that’s not what I’m saying.”

I blew out a long breath. “Yeah, I do, I just…I can’t stand thinking about seeing Medford with his hands on Ben. And I can’t stand thinking about his family putting pressure on him.”

“So your gut is really telling you he’s not guilty?” Carter asked. “You’re not just thinking with your dick?”

I might’ve been thinking with my dick last night—and damn had it been good—but I knew Ben wasn’t selling our secrets. “No, it’s not just because I want him.”

I knew he might be getting pressure from his family, but I also knew he was scared. His father had probably pushed him into applying for this job. If Ben came here under false pretenses, that should make me angry, but it only made me angry on Ben’s behalf. I needed to get him to talk to me.

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