Chapter 2
Ansel
The thing about having two identical brothers who share your face is that they can read you better than anyone else on the planet. That is precisely why I don’t look at either of them as we walk into the neutral conference room Gran rented for this meeting.
“Why are we in a random office building?” Enzo scans the generic corporate space with obvious distaste. Beige walls, standard-issue conference table, a motivational poster about “synergy” that makes me want to set the building on fire.
“Because Gran wanted to maintain confidentiality until the contractor signs.” I set my laptop on the table. “The candidate doesn’t know which company they’re interviewing with yet.”
“That seems excessive, even for Gran.” Breck drops into a chair, already loosening his tie. “What, are we worried about corporate espionage before we even hire someone?”
“We’re worried about reputation management.
” I pull up the limited file Gran sent over.
Still barely anything: a contract outline, compensation package, and an NDA thick enough to stop a bullet.
“If word gets out that Jacobs Security has a breach we can’t identify, our stock drops twenty percent before lunch. ”
Enzo scoffs. “I understand you feel desperate.” He tips his chair back on two legs, a habit that’s driven me crazy since we were fourteen. “But are you sure bringing in a stranger to poke around in our systems is the right thing to do?”
“It fixes it by keeping everything contained until we know what we’re dealing with.” My fingers drum against the table. “Besides, Gran doesn’t make recommendations lightly. If she tells us this person is the best, I believe her.”
“Bringing in an outsider says we can’t handle our own shit.” Enzo finally lets his chair drop back to all four legs.
“It’s admitting we’re smart enough to know when we need a fresh perspective. There’s a difference.”
Enzo rolls his eyes. “Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”
The door opens before I can respond, cutting off what would have been a predictably circular argument. Gran’s attorney steps in with a professional smile.
“Gentlemen, thank you for your patience. Your candidate has arrived. Are you ready?”
“As we’ll ever be.” Breck flashes a charming smile. “Let’s see if Gran’s mystery genius lives up to the hype.”
The attorney nods and steps back out into the hallway. I hear low voices, the sound of heels on the tile floor.
Then she walks in. And I know the woman standing in front of us.
Her copper-red hair is pulled back in a sleek ponytail. And her bright blue eyes are just as sharp as I remember. The freckles across her nose are familiar, too, though I’ve never been close enough to notice how many there are.
Remy Ray.
Damon’s ex-girlfriend.
The ex-girlfriend who, according to our best friend, became obsessed after he ended things, because she couldn’t handle rejection. The gold-digger who wanted access to his connections and got vindictive when he saw through her.
What the fuck is she doing here?
The silence stretches, and Remy’s eyes widen almost imperceptibly as she recognizes us.
We didn’t hang out with her much while she dated Damon. But we’ve been at the same tech conferences, the same industry events, and even some of the same parties. Her hand tightens on the portfolio she’s carrying. But to her credit, she doesn’t freeze and doesn’t turn around and leave.
She steps fully into the room and extends her hand. “Thank you for meeting with me.”
Steady. Professional. Like she’s done this a thousand times, like walking into a room full of her ex-boyfriend’s best friends is perfectly normal.
Breck recovers first. He’s on his feet, accepting her handshake with that devastating smile that’s closed more deals than our actual sales team. “Breck Jacobs. COO. This is Enzo, our CTO, and Ansel, our CEO.”
“I know who you are.” Her mouth curves slightly. “There is no need to pretend we don’t know each other.”
“No, there isn’t,” I agree and leave it at that.
She doesn’t look away. “I take it Sadie didn’t mention who I was.”
“She said you were qualified. She didn’t tell us you’re Damon’s ex,” Enzo says, and I don’t bother apologizing for his bluntness.
Remy’s jaw tightens, but she holds my gaze.
“Yep. Damon’s ex.” She maintains her level stare, but I catch the slight edge underneath. “And I’m sure you’ve already made up your mind about what kind of person I am. Damon is very good at telling stories.”
“He’s been our best friend since college. So yeah, we heard about what you did to him,” Enzo cuts in, still not standing.
My expression doesn’t change, but I want Remy to know exactly where she stands. “Damon is family to us. We trust him.”
“Fantastic.” Remy sets her portfolio down on the table. “But I’m not here to litigate my personal life or defend myself against creative fiction. I’m here for a job interview. So, shall we?”
I take a deep breath, trying to decide if moving forward is in our company’s best interest. Gran chose her for a reason. And even Damon, in the early days of their relationship, couldn’t shut up about her brilliance and how she could crack systems in hours that took others weeks.
I lean forward, hands flat on the table. “If you’re coming into our company, we need to know your past relationship won’t be a problem. Damon is our vice president of business development. You’ll see him. Regularly.”
“I’m a professional.” Remy’s voice remains confident. “I can handle working in the same building as an ex-boyfriend.”
“Can you?” Breck’s charm has cooled considerably. “Because according to Damon, the breakup was… difficult.”
“Breakups usually are.” Remy crosses her arms. “Let’s focus on the job.”
“That’s not an answer,” Enzo points out.
“It’s the only answer you’re getting about my personal life.
” Remy’s eyes flash with irritation now.
“Look, I understand this is awkward. He’s your friend and your employee.
You’re protective of him. That’s fine. But either I’m here to find your security breach, or I’m here to explain my dating history. Which is it?”
Fuck. Nobody talks to me like that, and I clench my fists, keeping my temper under control.
Thankfully, my brother saves me from having to respond.
“Fair point.” Breck shrugs.
“The only reason we are considering hiring you is that our grandmother believes you’re the best person for this job.” I study her like I’m calculating risk versus reward. “She doesn’t make mistakes about people.”
“I’m sure she doesn’t,” Remy agrees. “So maybe trust her judgment.”
“We’re trying to.” Enzo tosses his phone on the table. “Lucky for you, I’m not the CEO. I’d have said no the second I recognized you.”
“Well, your decision is going to be a huge mistake or be exactly what you need.” Remy opens her portfolio, sliding a document across the table.
“I can’t control what Damon told you about me.
I can only show you what I can do. Sadie gave me the basics about your security breach.
I spent the last week researching similar cases, possible entry points, and common vulnerabilities in systems like yours. This is a preliminary analysis.”
I pull the document toward me, and my brothers lean in to read over my shoulders.
It’s thorough. Incredibly thorough. She’s identified three potential attack vectors we hadn’t even considered, cross-referenced them with recent security incidents at other firms, and outlined a testing protocol that’s more comprehensive than anything our internal team proposed.
She’s not good. She’s exceptional.
“This is impressive.” Breck flips through the pages and then looks at me. “She’s making us look bad, and she hasn’t even started yet.”
“Fuck.” Enzo leans forward, studying the diagram. “It doesn’t mean I trust you, but this is good work.”
Remy doesn’t preen at the compliment. “I’m not here to be your friend. I’m here to find your breach and fix it.”
I look up from the document to find her watching me, daring me to dismiss her.
Personal feelings don’t build ten-billion-dollar companies. You get there by recognizing talent when you see it, even when it’s inconvenient.
Especially when it’s inconvenient.
“Six-month contract. Full access to our systems, private office, whatever resources you need. But there are conditions.”
Remy’s eyebrow arches. “I’m listening.”
“Complete confidentiality. You sign an NDA that makes the first one look like a permission slip. You report directly to the three of us, and no one else. And—” I pause, knowing this next part is going to be the hardest, “—you’ll be working in the same building as Damon. You’ll cross paths.”
Remy nods once in agreement.
“Good.” I collect the document to read more thoroughly once we are back at the office. “And if working with Damon affects company operations, the contract terminates immediately.”
“Understood.”
“One more thing.” Enzo leans forward. “If you’re here to get back at Damon or sabotage us, a lawsuit will be the least of your problems.”
Remy doesn’t even blink. “Noted. And just so we’re clear, if I wanted revenge on Damon, I’d have posted his browser history online six months ago. I’m here for the paycheck and the challenge.”
My brothers are both looking at me for direction. Every instinct I have is screaming that this is a bad idea.
But I’ve been making tough decisions for my brothers since we were fourteen. Since the night our life changed. And that analysis sitting in front of me is the first real lead we’ve had since this fiasco started.
I extend my hand. “We have a deal.”
Remy shakes it, her grip firm and brief. “Then I’ll see you Monday morning. Nine?”
“Eight.” I pull my hand back. “We start early. I will email you the details.”
“Okay, I’ll see you at eight.” This time, she definitely smiles.
She leaves, the door clicking shut behind her.
We are all quiet, trying to process the problem we’re facing.
Then Enzo says what we’re all thinking. “Damon is going to lose his fucking mind.”
Breck shrugs. “Damon’s been through hell this year. The breakup wrecked him, and from what he said, I get why he’s bitter.”
I wave a hand dismissively. “Damon can deal with it. This is business.”
Breck stretches in his chair. “Did we ever actually look at her before? Because I’m suddenly regretting every interaction where I wasn’t paying attention.”
Enzo and I both turn to glare at him.
“What? I’m just making observations.” He holds up his hands. “The freckles alone are—”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” I warn.
“Right. Damon’s ex. Off limits. Got it.” But the smirk on his face says he’s already filed that observation away for later.
My phone buzzes.
Damon: Heading to the office. Want to grab lunch and go over the Geneva pitch?
I stare at the message, then at the door Remy just walked through.
This is going to be a fucking disaster.