Page 172 of Twisted Knight

“And here I thought you thought better of me.”

“You don’t seem like a man who’s challenged very often. It wouldn’t surprise me if what I did pissed you off.”

His smile is a slow, crooked crawl. “Is that why you think I brought you here? For me to get back at you?”

I shrug, suddenly feeling juvenile but still needing validation. “We’ve barely talked at all. A few texts. Some meetings in the conference room. A lot of closed-door meetings. You’ve been busy at night. It seems a logical assumption.” I say the words but with each one, I feel more ridiculous by the syllable.

“Part of the reason I asked you to come with me—to take this little trip—is because I owe you an apology.” I open my mouth to speak, and he shakes his head as if to tell me to let him finish. “You were right. I may not have liked the way you did it. Scratch that. My dick didn’t like it, but hell if the rest of me didn’t admire the fuck out of you for having the balls to do it.”

“It was stupid. I didn’t—”

“Don’t go all soft on me now, Sunshine.” He laughs. “It takes a lot to make me speechless. That did. Let’s just not make a habit of it.” He reaches out and touches my hand. There’s something about the action that startles me. Holden’s not one for casual touching, but then again, we’re never really in the situation to be able to. “I butted in when I shouldn’t have. I asked you to do a job because I knew you could do it and then I overstepped.”

“You don’t have to apologize.”

“When I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong. I was wrong.”

“Thank you.” Those are big words from him and appreciated more than he’ll ever know. I’m so used to my brother stepping all over everything and never caring. “I appreciate it. I truly do. But that doesn’t explain why I’m here. An apology could have been done in the office.”

Holden leans back as the jet begins to taxi. “It’s killing you not knowing, isn’t it?” His grin taunts.

“It is.”

“Good.” He leans back in his chair as if this topic is over with. “Now, tell me about the other suppliers you’ve been in contact with.”

I stare at him for a beat, hating that he’s not giving in to me, but then again, I don’t expect any less from him. If he thinks I’m a control freak, he’s one ten times over.

He lifts his eyebrows as he waits.

I relent.

We talk shop for the next two hours. I lay out the ideas I’ve been culminating over the years. Markets I feel like we’ve left untapped. Revenue streams I think we’ve been so shortsighted on that we’re missing possible gold mines. Current suppliers who I think are screwing us—Porter and Greatland included.

I take advantage of his undivided attention to prove I have a head for more than just marketing, as my title denotes.

“And so Horner’s coming to the office to meet with you on Monday?” he asks in regards to a raw materials supplier I’m trying to onboard. “May I ask if I can sit in?”

I smile. He did get my point. They’re my clients. They’re my deals to seal. “Sure, if you plan on coming to Georgia with me to meet them.”

“So now you’re meeting them on their turf to avoid me butting in. Got it,” he teases.

“Maybe. And maybe because that’s where their distribution center is set up and I asked to oversee their operation logistics for a few days so I can make a better decision on terms.”

“How long are you gone for?”

“Three days plus travel, and with all the canceled flights these days, who knows how long that will take.”

“Take the jet.”

“Hilarious.” I roll my eyes.

“I’m serious. Take the jet. Besides, then you’ll have time for you and Rhonda to compare notes about my skills.”

I connect with his shin beneath the table. “Ow,” he belts out but then laughs. “There are no notes, Sunshine. But see, you are jealous. Now I’m definitely turned on.”

I blow out an exasperated sigh and shake my head. “Funny.”

We banter back and forth between business discussions, laughing and teasing as we do so.