Chapter One
Maddie
The moment my father’s assistant texts me to come to his office at Harper Records, I know I’m in trouble. Nothing good ever comes from a summons to the executive floor. Especially when Kade is already sprawled out in one of Dad’s leather chairs like he owns the place, which technically he kind of does, or will someday.
“Maddie.” Dad stands from behind his massive desk. “Sit down.”
“I’d rather stand.” I cross my arms, already defensive. “What is this about?”
Kade gives me a look that tells me I won’t like it at all. “Just sit, Mads.”
“Don’t tell me what to do, rock star,” I hiss as I drop into the chair next to him. “If this is about the Instagram post from last night, that fan was totally cool with me uploading the photo. I asked first.”
“It’s not about Instagram,” Dad says, sitting back in his chair. “It’s about your security.”
Ice drops into my stomach. “No.”
“Maddie—”
“I said no,” I interrupt, standing again. “I have Ace and Vander. That’s more than enough.”
“The threats have escalated.” Dad’s voice leaves little room for argument. “Someone tried to access your building last week.”
“And Vander stopped them. That’s literally his job.”
Kade shifts forward. “Mads, come on. Just listen?—”
“Oh, so you’re in on this too?” I scoff. “Of course you are. Let me guess, you all had a nice little meeting about poor Maddie and her scary stalker problems without actually including me?”
“We’re trying to protect you,” Kade tries to reason.
“I’m twenty-three years old. I don’t need another babysitter.”
“You need someone who specializes in digital security.” Dad pulls out a folder, because of course he has a file. “The latest threats have been coming through encrypted channels. Your current team is excellent at physical protection, but we need someone who can track them online.”
“So hire a hacker and put them in a basement somewhere. But I don’t need another person following me to Starbucks.”
“Actually,” a voice says from the doorway, “I’m more of a cybersecurity expert than a hacker. It’s a different skill set.”
I turn, ready to eviscerate whoever has walked into what is clearly a family argument, but my brain short-circuits.
Dimples. The man has dimples.
He is casually leaning against the doorframe like he has all the time in the world, wearing dark jeans and a button-down that is fitted enough to reveal the defined muscles underneath. His brown hair is neatly cut, though slightly longer on top, and his warm brown eyes have the nerve to look amused. He’s tall—not quite as big as Vander, but larger than most men—with a build that suggests he uses the gym daily. His shoulders are broad, and his frame is solid and muscular without being bulky.
And when he smiles—which he is doing right now—those fucking dimples appear.
“Maddie, this is Rhodes Beckett,” Dad says, as if I care what the man’s name is. “He’ll be joining your security team.”
Oh, this won’t end well,I think as I stare at those dimples. Sleeping with him will be the quickest way to get him fired. The thought is so inappropriate I want to blame it on temporary insanity, but I’m not irrational, just desperate to have my old life back. The one where no one knew Kade Harper was my brother.
“No,” I spit out. “Absolutely not.”
Rhodes pushes off the doorframe. “I know this is a lot to process.”
“Oh, you know, do you?” I step toward him. “You know what it’s like to have every aspect of your life controlled, all because some psycho decided you were your brother’s girlfriend? You know what it’s like to have your privacy invaded?”
The amusement fades from his eyes. “No. I don’t. But I know what it’s like to watch someone I care about go through it. And I’m good at preventing it from happening again.”
