Page 39 of Filthy Rich Ex's Brothers

We do the tour of my properties—which Iwasgoing to do anyway, but enjoy more now that I have a chance to show off. Each place is distinct and themed. They swallow you when you walk in and spit you out a little different when you leave.

We’re just walking into one of my restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen when the door swings open, and Serena goes walking head-first into one of the customers, sending her clattering to the ground before I can grab her.

Chapter 20

Serena

Astrong hand wraps around my bicep and hauls me up like I weigh nothing, keeping me from face-planting in front of a restaurant of prepping servers and kitchen staff.

“We’re not open,” Ryan snaps angrily, looking me over for injury and tugging me back toward his side. I get my feet under me, face hot. Is Ryan thinking back to the hotel opening? The fact that this is exactly how I met him, too?

“Yeah, I know, that’s why I’m here,” the other man mutters, wincing and rubbing his hand over his chest, like I’ve injured him.

I doubt it—he’s absolutely massive and looks like he’s made purely out of muscle. There’s a long, pale scar stretching up his right arm that gives him the appearance of a guy who wrestles alligators for a living.

His hands are large and capable, with square fingernails. They’re clean but still have a rough look to them. My hands itch to raise my camera, to photograph those fingers, the gentle curve of his palm as he forms his hand into a fist and releases it again.

“Oh, shit,Graham,” Ryan says, looking up at the other man for the first time, apparently recognizing him. Punching him inthe arm, Ryan laughs, “I forgot you were coming over—did you get what you needed?”

The man, apparently named Graham, grimaces again, glances at me, then back at Ryan quickly before saying, “Yes. Thanks for catering. The menu looks great.”

“Of course,” Ryan waves a hand, then adds, “Oh! I forgot—this is Serena. Serena, this is?—”

“Nice to meet you,” Graham says hurriedly, thrusting his hand out toward me like he wants to get this over with quickly. I take it, and he shakes it for half a second before turning back to Ryan. “Sorry, I’m in a crunch. We need new pictures for the event. If we want to convince anyone.”

Apparently, Ryan knows enough to decipher the man’s sentence fragments. “Oh, shit, man,” he nudges me forward, and I regret having my camera bag over my shoulder for once. “Serena takes the best pictures. What are you looking for?”

“Nature,” he deadpans, like that should be obvious.

“She’ll kill it,” Ryan says, nudging me, and I know he’s thinking about the flowers atPerle. “Serena isgreatat nature.”

Graham tilts his head, really looks at me for the first time. I feel naked, and also like he could crush me in his palm if he chose to. “Is that so?”

“Well, I?—”

“Get me her email,” Graham says to Ryan, already pushing past him toward the door. Voice echoing off the glass, he says, “We can work it out there.”

And, just like that, he’s gone.

The space feels hollow without his presence. How is it that I’m just now meeting all the most attractive men in Manhattan? Graham is rough, unpolished and clipped. Somehow the opposite of both Travis and Ryan, and yet he’s already wedged himself into my brain like a splinter. Iwanthim.

“He’shuge,” I mutter, turning to Ryan, who has a curious expression on his face.

“Oh, yeah, the guy is like, really into outdoors stuff.” Ryan holds his arms out like he’s floating on his back. “Probably doesn’t even use a raft, just floats on his back around Horseshoe Bend.”

I laugh like I know what that is.

The tour continues. We wander through the city, and I get full quickly sampling pastries, drinks, and new elaborate meals at his fancy restaurants. When Ryan has to focus more on his duties—reviewing inventory, checking menus, chatting with various chefs—I find myself idly snapping pictures and thinking about the guy from earlier.

Graham.

Why does that name sound so familiar?

He was truly the biggest man I’d ever seen. Or maybe he seemed bigger because I smashed my face into him, and he didn’t even budge. He smelled minty and fresh, like eucalyptus, or spearmint.

Ryan said he was into adventuring.

We’re in the second-to-last location, and Ryan is promising me a ride home when my phone buzzes, and I pull it out to find a brand-new email in my freelancing inbox.