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“I told you. I’m launching a new brand, and I’m starting by building my team.” I sit up a little straighter, moving my leg so it’s no longer crossed, and I lean forward on the table, touching my fingertips together as my hands form a steeple. “If you prefer I take my business elsewhere, that’s fine by me.”

I don’t miss seeing Ivy’s eyes as they dart to my hands. Her dark eyes are nearly black as they land on them. Surely she’s imagining these very hands as they trail along her porcelain skin, down to her hip, dipping lower into her—

“And this has nothing to do with the fact that my brother cockblocked you last Thursday night?” Everleigh asks, and frankly, I’m impressed she has the steel to ask that.

I try to act offended. I’ve sort of perfected the art of acting on the ice, sometimes overacting, if I’m being honest, and it tends to be a useful skill in everyday life. I fix my stare on Everleigh, and I sit up a little more, becoming nearly rigid in my seat.

“Excuse me?” I say, injecting as much surprise in my tone as I can. It still comes out bordering on venomous, but the problem is that this woman can see right through me.

“Everleigh!” Ivy scolds. “I’m so, so sorry, Mr. Maddox.”

My eyes fall onto her, and fuck, she’s pretty. She’s the kind of pretty that could get me into a lot of trouble. Hell, I already am in a lot of trouble. I’m here launching some tequila brand just to get closer to her.

But, and I mean this with every ounce of arrogance that bleeds out of me, it worked.

She’s sitting across the table from me.

We’ve just got one sister in the way, but that’s easy enough to eliminate as part of the equation. In fact, I carefully use my next words to take care of it. “Look, if this is how Ever-Brand pitches to clients, I can make sure my teammates are fully aware.”

Everleigh’s face blanches, and she sighs as she wars with herself for a beat. “I apologize, Mr. Maddox. My comment was out of line.” She lowers her voice as she adds, “I’m just trying to protect my sister.”

I gotta hand it to her. Her instincts are spot-on here. I open my mouth, but Ivy beats me to it.

“I don’t need your protection.” Her teeth are gritted, and she looks livid. It’s hot as fuck. “This is business, and if Mr. Maddox wants me to be his strategist, I’m thrilled for the opportunity to jump in with what I’ve learned. And frankly, Everleigh, you know I have an instinct for this. If I have questions, I know where to turn.”

Her eyes flash with anger at her sister.

Everleigh is not the kind of woman who ever gets put into her place, but her sister just ripped her a new one with pure words. Fuck, that was sexy to witness.

My cock is screaming for her.

I want to rip that light blue dress right off her body and fuck her right over this conference table until neither of us can see straight.

And that has nothing to do with any bet of any kind.

I blow out a breath. I’m already in trouble.

Everleigh studies the two of us, her eyes moving back and forth as she thinks. Eventually, after what feels like hours, she relents.

“Fine. I need Ivy at the next meeting, so you’ll have to schedule a meeting for next week,” she says.

Next week? Fuck. That gives Everleigh an entire week to reconsider…or to put someone else on my new tequila brand. But I have my ways of being charming. I’m sure I can convince her to keep my business all while getting a little closer to her sister.

I’ve had a major distaste for this family for months now, and getting under their skin might qualify as a new hobby.

And when I say under their skin, with Ivy…I mean inside her. All over her skin. Everywhere.

Marking her as mine.

Jerking off until my cum splashes down on her ass.

Jesus, I’m horny.

And that will definitely get under the skin of the rest of the family…Dex, that motherfucking cockblocker, included.

“Thanks, Ev,” Ivy says.

“I hope you both know what you’re doing,” she replies. “Have a nice day, Mr. Maddox. We’ll see you back next week, and I’d love if you had some sort of concept ready.”