Page 96 of Nothing to Win

“I told you to end it if you didn’t intend to marry her,” Julius said.“And I stand by that.But that’s not what we’re talking about here.We’re talking about her sleeping with Gault.”

“At her father’s request.”

Brogan snagged another server to order a new drink.

“That’s not why she’s doing it,” Julius said.

“Sure it is.Why would she—”

“Because you broke her heart, Brogan,” he said.“She’s with him because he’s safe.He’ll never be able to hurt her because she’ll never feel for him like she does for you.She’s obviously still hurting about the break-up and he’s boosting her self-esteem, helping her to forget… Did you forget how inseparable you two had become?How often did she show up at the office just to say hello and how many times you took her out?She slept at your place every night for a month.Everything about her life changed.She thought she could rely on you.No, she did rely on you and probably got used to me too.Now she doesn’t know which way is up.”

“You’re saying this is my fault, while in the same breath telling me to do nothing about it?”he asked, his anger turning inward.“I fucking hate this.You don’t think I’ve missed her too?Do you know what it’s doing to me just watching her standing next to that guy?”His jaw tightened.“Thinking about him touching her, about his hands on her body…”

“Easy,” Julius said, laying a hand on his shoulder.“I didn’t say you shouldn’t do anything.”

At least confusion was a diversion.“Then what the hell are you saying?”

Julius flashed him a half-smile, something sinister in his eye.“All that time you spent with her, all those long conversations over dinner and into the night at the apartment, you got to know her.”

“Yeah.”

“Use what you know,” Julius said.“You must know how to get into her head without going over there and blowing your stack.”

“Get in her head,” he muttered.

“That’s right,” Julius said.“If she’s thinking about you, I guarantee she won’t be able to give herself to Gault.”Turning him around, Julius aimed him at the sight of Gia and Gault laughing with another couple at the other side of the room.“Use some of those Spurn wiles to keep her safe.Get into her head, Brogan.”

Formulating a plan, he calmed to admit his friend was right.Gia was stubborn, she’d push back if he tried to impose his will.If he could be subtle, he’d convince her of his point of view without causing a scene.Her family wouldn’t keep her safe, so he would.Didn’t matter if she belonged to him or not, she’d always be under his protection.

THIRTY

THIS WASN’T A BAD party.It wasn’t the best one she’d attended in the last month, but she’d been to worse.

Gia sat at a table by herself with her back to the room gazing at the inky terrace windows reflecting the room back on itself.Everett had been attentive all night.It was nice to have a chaperone so she didn’t feel out of place.That didn’t change her being tired, emotionally and physically.

At the moment, Everett was dancing with one of his employees.He was fair with his people, she liked that.Other CEOs might see workers as beneath them.Not Everett.This wasn’t a party for the bidders, it was a celebration for Gault Logistics and Distribution.The meal tomorrow wouldn’t only include those who were going to bid on the takeover of the company.Everett reserved the whole hotel to entertain his guests through the weekend.He was generous, with both his money and his time.She admired his decision to cash out of the rat race in favor of an easier life, sounded about perfect to her.

“Miss Sear.”

A server leaned down to put a drink in front of her.

“What’s this?”she asked, recognizing the drink.

“Quo.”

The server didn’t say that.The woman disappeared into the crowd, leaving a man in her place.

“Brogan,” Gia breathed out, too tired to have another argument.

“I don’t want to fight,” he said, sauntering over with his hands up to lower into the seat beside her.

“You don’t owe me anything,” she said, fixated on the Irish coffee on the table between them.

“I did a quick calculation and deduced the way I handled our break-up left me indebted to you by at least twenty credits.”

Too tired to fight it, she breathed out a smile.“You were drunk.”

“Slightly,” he said.“And you were right, as you always are, I did regret it.”