Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
I don’t know what that is until I end up in bed with Laurie, my little brother’s best friend. The one man I’ve been forbidden to touch.
He’s hurting. He needs me. We try to keep our hands off each other, but we’re alone in Aruba. The sun and the water beckon, and I can’t stay away.
Then danger threatens Laurie and my brother. No matter what I have to do, I won’t let them be taken from me. I will fight to keep everyone safe and to make Laurie mine.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
WORTH
Miles was calling, but I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. I’d spent all day ignoring calls and texts from my mother, my sister, and several members of the staff I was supposed to be supervising. I couldn’t do this anymore. I didn’t want to be stuck in an office building all day. I wanted freedom.
My mother thought I was a lazy piece of shit, but that wasn’t true. There were plenty of things I was willing to do, like running the art auctions she held several times a year. But since in her mind I was destined to be the CEO of Chamberlain Consolidated, it was that or nothing. So I’d learned to excel at doing nothing but drowning myself in pleasure.
If I had my way, I’d be on an island or in a mountain cabin right now, not stuck in the city with the heat rising off the asphalt, all my friends in happily-ever-after monogamous relationships, and my life seeming more useless than ever.
Reluctantly, I accepted the call; Miles was one of my best friends, after all.
Miles was speaking before I could even say hello. “We’ve got a situation here, and we need you.”
“What kind of situation?”
“Matteo spotted a member of the cartel in the city.”
Matteo was the former enemy and now boyfriend of our friend Carter. We’d all been involved in the takedown of a Colombian drug cartel, which may sound far-fetched, but Carter and Matteo are former SEALs, and Matteo is also former CIA. If there was trouble with the cartel, no wonder Miles sounded so tense.
I wasn’t sure what they needed me for, though. I had none of the skills Carter and Matteo had, and I didn’t work for Miles’s company like our other best friend Ford. Even Ford had skills Miles needed—primarily keeping Miles out of legal trouble. I was the fun friend, the one to go drinking with, the one who always knew the best new restaurants, the one who knew the best bars to find a hook up that would help you forget even the shittiest day. I wasn’t qualified to help them stop a dangerous enemy.
“I’ve got a meeting soon and—”
“Worth, we need you here.”
“Do you?” Was I really supposed to believe that?
“Yes.”
I sighed. I’d never turned down a request for help from any of my best friends, not since we’d bonded with each other at boarding school.
I wasn’t going to start now. “Fine. I’ll be there. How soon?”
“Five o’clock.”
I glanced at the ornate marble clock on my living room wall. I hated the damn thing, but my mother had insisted I keep it since it was my grandmother’s. I should have enough time to shower, dress, and have my driver drop me at Montgomery Enterprises. “See you then.”
“Good. Thank you.”
Like usual, Miles ended the call abruptly. I sat staring at my phone. He’d thanked me. Miles didn’t say please or thank you. He gave commands and expected everyone—even his friends—to obey. Rarely did anyone question him, except his boyfriend, Ben.
Something strange was going on. There’s no way he needed me urgently for some kind of war-room planning. That coupled with the “thank you” spelled trouble, but the only way to find out what was going on was to show up at this “emergency” meeting. I knew Miles wouldn’t tell me more before then, and I doubted any of our other friends would either.
I decided to wear my favorite lightweight blue suit. I might as well look good even if I’d rather be home in my silk pajamas feeling sorry for myself. I got several appreciative looks from both men and women as I entered Montgomery Enterprises headquarters. Despite knowing how damn fine I looked, my heart was pounding as I stepped into the elevator. Something was off, and I was about to find out what that was.
When the elevator opened into the executive suite, I headed to Miles’s office.
“They’re waiting for you,” his assistant said.
“Thank you.”
I took a breath as I opened the door, expecting to see Miles, Ford, Carter, and probably Matteo. What I didn’t expect was my brother. He was supposed to be in Chicago doing an internship at a law office. “Beck, what are you doing here?”
“Sit down.” Miles spoke before my brother could answer.
Heat rose into my face. “You lied to me.”
“We needed you here. That wasn’t a lie.”
“The rest of it was, and whatever you think this is—” I gestured around at everyone. “I’m not interested.”
“Worth,” Beck said. “Please stay. I’m here because I’m worried about you.”
“I’m fine.” I turned to go.
“Worth?” It was Carter this time. “You helped me when I was all messed up about Matteo. I want to help you now.”
“There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m just….”
“Really fucking unhappy,” Ford supplied.
I let out a long breath. “It hasn’t been the best few months, but I don’t need some kind of intervention.”