Chapter 13 #2
“We don’t need to talk.” Enzo pulls up something on his tablet. “He’s a liability.”
“It’s not that simple.” I stand and move to the window. “He knows things about this company. About us. If we fire him, and he gets vindictive—”
“Then we deal with it,” Ansel responds. “But we can’t keep him around just because we’re afraid of what he might do. That’s giving him power over us.”
Enzo nods. “Agreed. Let’s give him two weeks. If he doesn’t get his shit together, then we’ll fire him.”
I turn back to face them. “And if he chooses to leave?”
“Then we make sure he leaves quietly.” Ansel meets my gaze. “With an NDA so ironclad, he won’t be able to say a word about this company or anyone in it without facing legal consequences that’ll ruin him. If he wants a severance package, he’ll sign whatever we put in front of him.”
I should feel guilty about planning the end of a thirteen-year friendship. But all I feel is relief.
Ansel paces, likely struggling with the fact that our relationship with our best friend is fizzling out. “Has Remy told either of you her side of the story about their breakup?”
“No,” Enzo and I both say together.
“I’ve tried. She won’t talk about it,” Enzo explains. “That’s integrity.”
Ansel and I both agree.
“There’s one more thing we need to discuss.” Ansel looks at me directly. “What happened between you and Remy?”
Fuck. “What makes you think—”
“Don’t.” He cuts me off. “I’ve known you my entire life. I know when you’re hiding something. And the way Damon asked that question, the way you didn’t deny it… something happened.”
I could lie. But these are my brothers, and they deserve the truth.
“A week ago. We got locked in the server room during that security drill.” I force myself to meet their eyes. “Turns out confined spaces and sexual tension are a dangerous combination. Who knew?”
Enzo leans back in his chair. “What happened?”
“Things that shouldn’t have happened in a workplace. Things that were completely unprofessional and probably broke half a dozen HR policies.”
Ansel’s expression doesn’t change. “And now?”
“Now she’s pretending it didn’t happen. She thinks I’ll lose interest or that it’ll complicate everything.” I look up to the ceiling for a second, trying to gather my thoughts. “She asked me to forget about it. To maintain professional boundaries.”
“And have you?” Enzo’s question is careful.
“I’m trying. But obviously, I can’t forget something like that.” I meet their gazes steadily. “I care about her. More than I’ve cared about anyone in a long time. Maybe ever.”
My brothers are both quiet.
Enzo breaks the silence. “I haven’t fucked anyone since Montana. Not from lack of opportunity, but I can’t think about anyone but her.”
My eyebrows rise. Montana. Where they got stranded and had to share a room.
Ansel’s shoulders drop slightly. “I almost kissed her. I had to physically stop myself from crossing that line in my office.”
We all sit with that admission for a moment.
“So we’re all…” I trail off.
“Falling for her,” Enzo finishes.
Ansel’s expression is unreadable. “This is unprecedented territory for us.”
“We’ve shared women before,” Enzo points out.
“Not like this.” I prop one ankle on my opposite knee. “We’ve shared plenty of women. One night, maybe a weekend. But Remy isn’t someone we fuck and forget.”
Enzo’s jaw tightens. “No. She’s not.”
“We’re talking about a relationship,” Ansel clarifies, so there’s no confusion. “All of us. With her.”
I lean forward. “Is that even what we want? The three of us with one woman, long-term?”
Enzo doesn’t hesitate. “I know what I want. Her. Long-term. Waking up next to her every morning.”
Ansel nods slowly. “I want her at family dinners. I want her opinion on business decisions. I want—” He stops, then pushes forward. “I want to build something with her. Not just fuck her.” He pauses again. “Although I definitely want to fuck her, too.”
They both look at me. The admission comes easier than I expected. “I want all of it. I want her to trust that when I say I’m not going anywhere, I mean it. I want to prove I’m not Damon. That none of us are.”
Enzo crosses his arms. “What if she doesn’t want this?”
Ansel’s caveat is firm. “We don’t pressure her. She gets to choose—one of us, all of us, or none of us.”
I meet their eyes. “Agreed. But we need to be honest about what we’re offering. Not just sex. Not just some arrangement. A real relationship.”
Enzo doesn’t flinch from it. “With all three of us. Most people won’t understand that.”
Ansel’s response is immediate. “Fuck most people. Remy’s the only one who needs to understand it. And accept it.”
This isn’t how I expected today to go. Planning a future with my brothers and the woman we all want.
I know she’s worth whatever complications come with this.
“We need to take our time with this,” Ansel goes on. “We can’t pressure her into anything. If she doesn’t want to pursue anything with us, then nothing changes. She keeps her job, and we respect her boundaries.”
I stand, ready to get back to work. “And in the meantime, we protect her. From Damon, from anyone else who tries to hurt her. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”