Ford cleared his throat. “I thought we were going to talk about the aftermath of the merger?”
Noah looked at Ford. “Do I need to repeat myself?”
Ford tripped over his own feet in his haste to reach the door. The rest of the room followed, everyone shooting each other the same looks Noah had caught them trading when he showed up this morning. Everybody had read that article by now.
Michael’s eyebrows got higher and higher as the room emptied, a grin spreading over his face. He leaned back in his chair. He was trying to look confident, but Noah could see his thumbnail worrying the lid of his coffee cup. His anger brewing behind that fake calm.
“Dramatic,” Michael drawled. “I thought you were all cruisy and calm nowadays.”
Noah ignored him and stood. “Did you give them the story, or did you just let them run it?”
Michael sipped his coffee, eyes tracking Noah as he walked around the table. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Don’t bullshit me,” Noah said quietly. He came to a stop in front of Michael’s chair, pushing it back into place so all four feet were on the floor. It had the desired effect: Michael’s smug expression finally wavered, anger seeping through.
“We have a deal with the news outlets,” Noah said. “We’re careful with what gets out. I know you’ve bribed a few paparazzi to lose a scoop. Like when you ran over that valet’s foot. Or when you accidentally killed that girl’s cockatoo by feeding it chocolate.”
Michael snorted.
“Notfucking funny,” Noah snapped. He leaned over Michael, tie hanging in his face. “So what was it? Did you give it to them?”
Michael tugged Noah’s dangling tie. Then he looked up at him, smile still in place, eyes burning with rage.
“It was my guy who took the photo,” he said lightly. Then, “Don’t give me that look. You knew I’d put them back ontohim when you started acting weird. And it paid off! Surprise, surprise, my baby brother’s a liar.”
“You kicked him out of his house,” Noah hissed. “You didn’t even try to fix that after I said I’d broken things off.”
“Yeahhh.” Michael’s teeth squeaked on his coffee lid, chewing the plastic. “Worked out for everyone, though, didn’t it? Because noble Noah had a safety net. Surprised you didn’t ask him to move in.”
“I tried. He said no.”
Michael barked a laugh. It was so sharp and loud that Noah glanced toward the glass walls. Sure enough, several coworkers looked away in a hurry, walking faster down the hall.
“You areso…” Michael dug his teeth hard into his coffee lid, the plastic crumpling under the pressure. He turned, throwing the cup bodily into the trash can. The cup bounced off the edge, lid tumbling off and coffee splashing onto the carpet.
“What happened to you?” Michael demanded. “You used to becool. You used to befun. Then you meet that bitch in college and, suddenly, you’re this stupid drip who thinks those poor shits you hang out with actuallylikeyou.”
“Not everyone is Yvonne,” Noah replied. “Tia is the best friend I’ve ever had. Benji is sweet, he’s kind?—”
“He’sscum,” Michael yelled. “He blackmailed a teacher out of his life savings!”
“His aunt was dying,” Noah snarled, fighting the urge to grab Michael by his rumpled tie and slam him into the table. “He was a teenager! He had to take care of his little brother on his own. He couldn’t get another job?—”
“Because he kept getting fired. Because he’s an asshole!” Michael buried his head in his hands, groaning. “Look. I’m not saying I don’t feel bad for the guy. I do. But it’s not up to you to save him! If the money was gone, he’d leave you likethat.”
Noah stared at him, incredulous. Part of him wanted to explain, in precise detail, the way Benji looked at him. The surprise, the joy, the deep, incredible gratefulness. How he melted in Noah’s touch. How his shoulders came down and his grin turned loose and carefree the longer they talked. Wariness turning to wonder, stiff nerves turning to boneless pleasure.
Another part of him, hissing and possessive, wanted to keep all of those moments to himself. No one else had ever seen Benji like Noah had. And if Noah got his way, no one ever would.Nobodycould give Benji what he needed like Noah.
He stepped close, voice low. “Michael. Listen to me. If you come for him again, I’ll?—”
“What?” Michael flashed his teeth. “Huh? What are you gonna do, little brother?”
Noah's temple started to throb. He ignored it. Rage built in his chest, hot and raging, and for the first time in a long time, he couldn’t talk himself out of it.
“Or I’ll tell the board you’re embezzling money,” he said softly.
Michael’s smile guttered. His tanned skin went white. Then, with a shakiness that would have made their father glare at them in disapproval, he laughed.
