Page 161 of Dirty Rival

“Already booked when we return,” I say. “I’m sure Gabe is feeling your absence.”

“Actually, that was for you and me. We have a board meeting the day after tomorrow and you are officially going to be the CEO of West Industries.”

“Oh.”

“Oh? I thought you’d be happy.”

“I am, but you know, I think I need your asshole-ness around. We’re a good team.”

“I’ll always be right here, baby.”

“I know, but I mean West needs you.”

“You’re not giving yourself enough credit.”

“I am,” I say. “I’m good at what I do and what I do is not what you do. I’m not cold-hearted.”

“And that’s an insult or a compliment?”

“A compliment. You do business without emotion. Maybe—could we propose merging West and Maxwell?”

“Do you know the hell our fathers will give us?”

“I don’t think mine will now. And yours—he’ll really feel like he beat my father.”

He sets the food tray on the nightstand and drags me to him, pulling us down side by side, facing each other. “Are you sure want to do this?”

“Yes, I love this idea, but can we sell your brother and the board on it?”

“We just made everyone a shit ton of money together. So, yes, we can sell it.”

“Then a marriage of two families and two companies, and you and me. It’s official.”

He rolls me to my back. “It’s official. We will be one in all ways. I hope you don’t need to sleep tonight.”

“I can sleep on the plane,” I say, and with that, his mouth closes down on mine, and we indeed do not sleep until the wee hours of the morning.

Reid

Carrie and I have just settled into our first class seats the next morning when my phone rings. “My sister,” I tell Carrie, answering the line. “Cat, you never call me. Is something wrong?”

“See that’s what’s wrong,” she says. “That you think if I call you something is wrong. We have to fix that, Reid. Once and for all.”

Carrie is looking at me with fear in her eyes and I cover the phone. “Everything is fine.”

“Oh, good,” she breathes out, sinking into her seat again and it hits me that I have this woman to share every moment, every fear, and every joy with and I like it. “You’re right, Cat,” I say, recognizing that Cat too, is a part of that equation.

“You didn’t even call me after you gave her the ring. You did give her the ring, right?”

“Yes. I did. And now we just need a date and location.”

“Oh yay! I’m so happy for you. I love her and you, but seriously. Why didn’t you call me? Never mind. We’re going to get past this because I just feel like there’s more to us and why we’ve been wrong than I know. There is, right?”

“Yes,” I say, my gut tightening. “But it’s not about you. It’s about me. It’s about something that happened.”

“Bad?”

“Yeah, sis. Pretty bad.”