The Billionaires’ Gamble (The Heiress Merger #4)

1. Gabe

GABE

“I kissed Gabe.” Kingston’s words echo around the luxurious bedroom.

“What the hell, dude?” I stare at him, lips parted, head tilted because he did not just say what I think he said.

I’m all for honesty and transparency, especially between the three of us. The four of us. But come on!

There’s a time and place for discussions like ‘hey, I’m feeling a certain kind of way about your best friend—your male best friend.’ Finesse goes a long way. Finesse and timing. Is he so removed from the world that he doesn’t get that?

I stare at him over the top of Katherine’s head. He looks as shell-shocked as I feel. Like a cute, confused owl—eyes wide, a slow blink, followed by two faster ones. Brows lifted, jaw dropped.

Katherine turns, sort of slow, like she also can’t believe what just came out of her best friend’s mouth.

When it comes to Kingston Saint, I’ve learned that it could be anything. Sometimes he lacks a filter, which is nice. Sort of endearing, actually. Everyone around me is so professional and painfully guarded.

He’s the opposite. Rolling with the punches. Living life to the fullest. Doing and saying whatever suits him.

“You kissed Gabe?” She asks the question as if to confirm what he said and give him an opportunity to explain. Or change his statement.

For the life of me, I can’t read her tone. It’s not sharp, not disbelieving, not happy.

Carefully neutral, which reminds me of the Katherine I know across the conference table of Winter-Farmington.

King’s lips twitch, like he’s forming his answer on the fly, but thinks better of it. Instead, he nods, his gaze dropping to her.

For a single heartbeat, I swear we’re all holding our breath.

Does he want me to chime in here? I don’t want him to feel alone in this. Fuck, maybe we should have discussed things before Katherine and Alex came back from Paris. At the very least, talked about how to broach the subject with her.

All I know is that I really loved it when she called me her boyfriend. That’s not a title I’ve ever carried before.

Nerd. Yes.

Brainiac. Check.

Tech Tycoon. Double check.

Playboy. Maybe not my finest era, but I’ll own it.

“When?” she asks.

Come on, King. Own your truth.

He gives an anxious whimper.

Too late, bud. You’ve let the proverbial cat out of the bag. Time to pet the kitty and see if she purrs.

“On the elevator,” I supply, when it looks like he can’t form words. “Yesterday.”

“I panicked,” King says.

“I think you’re panicking again,” I murmur.

He shoots me an exasperated look. Not helping.

“Let’s sit down,” I suggest, but immediately think better of it. If he tells her our kiss was a mistake, a distraction in the heat of the moment and didn’t mean anything, I’m going to need some air. “Or maybe I should let you two talk privately.”

“No.” She turns and grabs my hand, giving it a slight squeeze, all while shooting me a small, reassuring smile. Then she turns back to King. “Is this what you wanted to talk about? When you texted the other day?”

He nods. “Yeah.”

He texted her about us? Giddiness buzzes through my veins.

It’s like being back in high school, with all those first glances, the blooming interest from the one you’re crushing on.

Except we’re well past high school. And that’s just a guess.

I was too busy keeping my head down, completing a never-ending chore list on the farm, reading as much as I could, and riding my bike to the library to work with their ancient computers.

God, I lived for those sweet hours in the quiet and solitude. It’s why I’ve donated millions to libraries.

So no, my high school experience wasn’t a rom-com.

Katherine inhales deeply, holds her breath and then lets it out on a slow sigh. “Let’s have a seat.”

She tugs me toward the cream-colored sofa and waves a hand to King, wiggling her fingers.

He rakes his fingers through his hair, staring down at us. Katherine’s in the middle, patting the spot to her left. Whatever’s holding him back, I don’t think it has much to do with the fact that we kissed.

This seems like something bigger. The secrets he keeps so close to his chest? The kinks he’s alluded to?

I’m not going to tell him to man up. That’s ridiculously patronizing. We’ve all got our hangups.

Ignoring him for the moment, I drape an arm over the back of the sofa and reach for Katherine’s hand. She turns into me, so warm and curious. How could I have ever thought she was cold?

Maybe if I start, he’ll follow suit.

“You’ve probably already guessed this,” I say quietly. “I’m bi. When I came to New York?—”

She smiles, and it’s the encouragement I need. The same encouragement I hope Kingston feels from both of us.

“I felt so—” I search for the right words to explain my earlier years.

Plenty’s been written about that time in my life, my sudden rise, but so much of it was glossed over or twisted.

“I felt behind on life. Ready to experience everything the world had to offer. And so I said yes. A lot. I explored and experienced. And the bigger my business got, the more doors opened. They called me a playboy. But I kept those sides of my life separate. I had to be careful.”

She gives a single, slow nod of her head because she understands. The finance industry is volatile. And after what went down with her grandfather, I had to be cautious. Which begs the question, why the hell am I throwing caution to the wind now?

“Enjoying men always felt like something I was open to. Something I participated in and enjoyed, but not something I sought out.”

“Until now?” she prods.

Wow. When she puts it like that, no wonder King clammed up. She’s so fucking direct.

Those two words, so clearly spoken and focused on the issue at hand, remind me of the woman I know in the boardroom and fuck if it doesn’t get me hot under the collar.

She’s asking me to claim my attraction. To voice it and own it.

“Until now,” I agree, and look up at King.

He takes a step toward the sofa, a smidge more relaxed. I never expected to be the guy to lead by example in the communication department. Everyone in this room knows I often put my foot in my mouth around Katherine.

“You guys are two peas in a pod.” She squeezes my fingers again. “Come on, King. We’re not going to bite.”

“Unless you want us to,” I add with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

He glares at me, and I know I should make this easy on him.

King drops down next to her, looking tormented and in need of a hug. His soft green eyes flick back and forth between us as if we’re going to save or destroy him. He’s probably right about that.

He’s spent the better part of a decade running from his family name and his birthright. And now the woman he’s always wanted is involved with another man. Two other men.

That can’t be easy.

Especially factoring in his attraction to one of said men.

“Talk to me,” she pleads, reaching for his hand. Letting mine go, she brushes his hair away from his forehead, grazing her fingers down his temple. He closes his eyes and leans into her touch. “What’s going on in your head?”

“I don’t want to lose you.”

“Okay.” She nods, urging him to continue. “I don’t want to lose you either.”

He seems relieved by that, and then glances at me. “We were on the elevator, and Gabe was talking me off a ledge. Thanks for that, by the way.”

“No problem.”

“And—”

“And what? What do you want?” she asks, twisting to face him more fully.

He shrugs.

Come on, man.

Those soft green eyes meet mine, and something twists in my chest.

Katherine doesn’t miss that glance, because of course she doesn’t. “You don’t need my permission, Kingston.”