Remy’s jaw tightens, but she holds my gaze.
“Yep. Damon’s ex.” She maintains her level stare, but I catch the slight edge underneath. “And I’m sure you’ve already made up your mind about what kind of person I am. Damon is very good at telling stories.”
“He’s been our best friend since college. So yeah, we heard about what you did to him,” Enzo cuts in, still not standing.
My expression doesn’t change, but I want Remy to know exactly where she stands. “Damon is family to us. We trust him.”
“Fantastic.” Remy sets her portfolio down on the table. “But I’m not here to litigate my personal life or defend myself against creative fiction. I’m here for a job interview. So, shall we?”
I take a deep breath, trying to decide if moving forward is in our company’s best interest. Gran chose her for a reason. And even Damon, in the early days of their relationship, couldn’t shut up about her brilliance and how she could crack systems in hours that took others weeks.
I lean forward, hands flat on the table. “If you’re coming into our company, we need to know your past relationship won’t be a problem. Damon is our vice president of business development. You’ll see him. Regularly.”
“I’m a professional.” Remy’s voice remains confident. “I can handle working in the same building as an ex-boyfriend.”
“Can you?” Breck’s charm has cooled considerably. “Because according to Damon, the breakup was… difficult.”
“Breakups usually are.” Remy crosses her arms. “Let’s focus on the job.”
“That’s not an answer,” Enzo points out.
“It’s the only answer you’re getting about my personal life.” Remy’s eyes flash with irritation now. “Look, I understand this is awkward. He’s your friend and your employee. You’re protective of him. That’s fine. But either I’m here to find your security breach, or I’m here to explain my dating history. Which is it?”
Fuck. Nobody talks to me like that, and I clench my fists, keeping my temper under control.
Thankfully, my brother saves me from having to respond.
“Fair point.” Breck shrugs.
“The only reason we are considering hiring you is that our grandmother believes you’re the best person for this job.” I study her like I’m calculating risk versus reward. “She doesn’t make mistakes about people.”
“I’m sure she doesn’t,” Remy agrees. “So maybe trust her judgment.”
“We’re trying to.” Enzo tosses his phone on the table. “Lucky for you, I’m not the CEO. I’d have said no the second I recognized you.”
“Well, your decision is going to be a huge mistake or be exactly what you need.” Remy opens her portfolio, sliding a document across the table. “I can’t control what Damon told you about me. I can only show you what I can do. Sadie gave me the basics about your security breach. I spent the last week researching similar cases, possible entry points, and common vulnerabilities in systems like yours. This is a preliminary analysis.”
I pull the document toward me, and my brothers lean in to read over my shoulders. It’s thorough. Incredibly thorough. She’s identified three potential attack vectors we hadn’t even considered, cross-referenced them with recent security incidents at other firms, and outlined a testing protocol that’s more comprehensive than anything our internal team proposed.
She’s not good. She’s exceptional.
“This is impressive.” Breck flips through the pages and then looks at me. “She’s making us look bad, and she hasn’t even started yet.”
“Fuck.” Enzo leans forward, studying the diagram. “It doesn’t mean I trust you, but this is good work.”
Remy doesn’t preen at the compliment. “I’m not here to be your friend. I’m here to find your breach and fix it.”
I look up from the document to find her watching me, daring me to dismiss her.
Personal feelings don’t build ten-billion-dollar companies. You get there by recognizing talent when you see it, even when it’s inconvenient.
Especially when it’s inconvenient.
“Six-month contract. Full access to our systems, private office, whatever resources you need. But there are conditions.”
Remy’s eyebrow arches. “I’m listening.”
“Complete confidentiality. You sign an NDA that makes the first one look like a permission slip. You report directly to the three of us, and no one else. And—” I pause, knowing this next part is going to be the hardest, “—you’ll be working in the same building as Damon. You’ll cross paths.”
