“She’s damaging your reputation. Every time she’s a bitch, it reflects badly on you.”
“She isn’t usually a bitch.” Just around Gia.
“It still isn’t worth it.” I didn’t answer, but damn it, Gia was smart. I didn’t have to explain because she got it in one logical step. “You’re keeping her away from Cassie.”
I nodded. That was the tightrope I walked every day. “As long as Sophia’s company makes money off of me, she’ll stay away from Cassie. No visits, no calls or texts, not even third party communication passed on through an agent. I’ve got it in writing.”
“You’re kidding.”
I shook my head. “My agent set me up with a lawyer who has written up weirder things.”
“What if she violates the contract?”
I grinned. “Then she owes me two million dollars. Cash. That’s more than enough to keep her in line.”
“Unless the money stops. How much does she have to make?”
Trust Gia to see the flaw in my system. “A hundred thousand a year, which I can cover from my salary alone. I don’t mind paying if it keeps Cassie safe.”
“You know this can’t last, right?” Gia said. “Eventually she’s going to want more. Hell, eventually you’ll retire and—”
“And every day, Cassie gets stronger. Every day, things get a little brighter.” Did she understand the waiting game? That life took careful planning and patience?
“You’re her brother. She’s going to try to keep you in her life, however she can.”
Who did crazy shit like that? Who screwed with a sister or a brother, just to keep control of them? God, I was furious. Which was totally fucked up, because a part of me still loved her for how she’d made sure I did my homework back when I was fifteen, how she’d gotten me to baseball practice every day. That she’d been the first to cheer when I made it into the minors.
And while I was still twisted up inside over that, Gia was stroking my jaw and soothing my tight muscles.
“I’d say Cassie is pretty damned strong already,” she said. “And I bet that’s all thanks to you.” Then she sighed. “Does Cassie know? Does she have a clue what you’re doing for her?”
“No. And you—”
“I won’t tell her. I swear. But you know you ought to, right? At some point, this whole arrangement is going to crumble around your ears, and Sophia will come at her hard.”
I shook my head. “Not today, it won’t. And not tomorrow.” I stroked my fingers along the curve of Gia’s jaw and rolled my thumb over her lips. “I can protect my sister,” I said firmly. “But you have to keep out of Sophia’s way. At least until I find out what she’s doing. If she’s really that messed up.”
Gia snorted. “She can’t hurt me unless Joe’s an idiot. And if he believes her over me, I need a different job anyway.”
That wasn’t what I meant, but I didn’t take the time to explain. Especially since I’d just realized that all my previous girlfriends had been exposed as cheaters. By Sophia. I had no trouble believing my sister, since I’d had rotten taste in women back then. But after Sophia had shown me proof that my last girlfriend had messed around on me four years ago, I’d taken her advice and focused completely on baseball. And then on Cassie. Since then, no other woman had gotten close to me. Not until Gia.
Could Sophia have been manipulating me all along? I didn’t think she was capable of lying to me like that. She’d been so supportive after the breakups. But now, I wasn’t sure what had actually happened. And I certainly didn’t want to take the chance with Gia.
“Stay away from Sophia,” I repeated. “At least until I talk to her. Please.”
Gia held up her hands in surrender. “I won’t interfere with her. I’m just going to do my job.”
I nodded, but I couldn’t leave it at that. “And you can’t let her think we’re in a relationship.”
Her expression shuttered, and her lips pressed closed. Her gaze skittered away, but my hand was on her chin. I didn’t let her move her head.
“Gia—”
“Are we in a relationship?” She gestured to her desk. “What did this mean?”
Hell, if I knew. That I couldn’t stay away from her? That I dreamed about her all the time? That my boners were interfering with batting practice? But I didn’t say that. Instead, I told her what I wanted, and I said it so quietly that even I wasn’t sure I’d spoken it aloud.
“Come over tonight. Late. We’ll decide then.”
