Seducing the Billionaire's Brother

by Marquita Valentine

  For a second or two, she simply stared at him with her cornflower blue eyes. “Pretty sure your brother will be even angrier than the guys who showed up on my doorstep.”

  “Possibly, but you let me worry about that.”

  I can’t.” She sat down hard on the floor, re-shelving the books that were on the floor. “I’m too worried about getting fired and/or starting from the bottom again. If anyone would dare hire the woman who lost a significant piece of history.”

  He sat on the floor next to her. “Neither of those things will happen to you.”

  She shook her head. “You don’t know what it’s like to work for your brother. He’s... intimidating when he has a good reason to be.”

  “As he should be,” she added.

  “When I explain –”

  She sliced her hand through the air, fat tears falling on her cheeks. “It doesn’t matter what you say, because you don’t have to worry about your job or future. Most likely, I’ll have to move back home to Jessamine and start over!”

  “You won’t have to do that either.”

  “You don’t know that,” she snapped, then pressed her hand against her forehead before letting it drop. “I don’t mean to sound so sharp, but I’m at my wit’s end. I come to my senses and make plans to do the right thing, and it ends up biting me in the tail.”

  He moved closer, gently cupping her shoulders and bending his knees a little to look her in the eyes. “I’ll do everything in my power to ensure you don’t get fired, lass. If it does come to that, I’ll hire you myself.”

  A glimmer of a smile appeared on her face. “That’s really sweet of you, but as what—?”

  “Look, I said I’d help you and that’s that. Stop arguing.”

  She rolled her eyes, sniffing still. “You’re so bossy.”

  “Keep up that sassy tone with me and you’ll find out.” An image of Faith bent over the conference room table came to life in his brain. He’d inch up her tight, little skirt, revealing thigh highs and a thong. Her skin would be smooth and pale, the imprint of his hand on her ass a red hot brand.

  Suddenly, his cock grew hard. He became painfully aware of how close she was, how he still held her, and how fucking delicious she smelled.

  “Connor.” His name looked so damn good on her lips. Perfect lips, actually. Plump. Kissable. His for the taking. “You can let me go now.”

  She tilted her head to one side, as if pointing with it. “People need me.”

  He blinked a couple of times before he realized that they had an audience; specifically, employees from consumer relations, judging by their blue ID badges, were waiting for Faith. He let go of her shoulders. “Right. Sorry about that. I’ll finish cleaning while you help them.”

  “You don’t know how much this means to me,” she murmured before stepping away.

  Covertly, he watched her go even as he bent to his task. She was wearing one of those pencil skirts that he’d just fantasized about. Okay, so it wasn’t the first time, but it wasn’t as if he’d fantasized about her and her alone.

  He was such a damned liar.

  Faith was the only woman he fantasized about, the only one who could make him come so hard, from simply picturing her in the shower with him. Her hands on his cock, her tongue teasing while he tunneled his fingers through her thick hair.

  Fuck. This wasn’t helping his erection at all. One that either she chose to pretend hadn’t happened or one that she knew happened and simply wasn’t interested. Either way, he had to be more careful around her.

  “I’m back,” she said a few minutes later. “They only needed me to scan in their IDs.”

  He glanced at the back cover of a Jude Devereaux book. “They’re not already scanned in?”

  “New employees.”

  “Why wouldn’t they be automatically put into your system?”

  She grinned sheepishly. “They used to be, but I went old school and made it so that everyone has to stop by here so I can put a name with a face. The library is pretty closed off from the rest of the campus, so there are times I get lonely or bored.”

  “Say it isn’t so.” Standing, he shelved the romance novel, along with three more books. “You don’t have enough to do?”

  She bit her lip. “Honestly, sometimes, I don’t. That’s one of the reasons I organized the Montgomery Design Tour. I thought a traveling museum would be a good thing. Plus, I thought I might be able to travel with it. Visit a couple of places on my Pinterest list, without you paying for it.” She sighed deeply, her shoulders falling so that she reminded him of a wilted flower. “Except now I lost the star of the entire tour.”

  “Have you had the chance to contact the museums where the tour made stops?” He didn’t want to make her feel stupid or incompetent, but the disaster he walked in on assured him that his normally meticulous friend was not in her right frame of mind.

  Blowing away a stray curl, she frowned. “Not yet. You caught me mid-breakdown.”

  “Where was the crate shipped from?” He started organizing drawers and closing them, suppressing a chuckle. Hurricane Faith couldn’t bring herself to do but so much damage.

  “New York City.”

  “Let’s get this cleaned up and I’ll talk with Drew’s PA to see if he knows anything.”

  “What if he doesn’t?”

  “Plan B.”

  “What’s Plan B?”

  “No idea, but I’ll think of something.” He winked at her. “I always do.”

  14

  Connor

  CONNOR WAS FAIRLY CERTAIN that his brother’s personal assistant hated him. He’d accidentally hung up on two major clients while transferring their calls, leaving it to Connor to smooth things over by making pricing promises that he wasn’t sure he could enforce.

  “Are you saying that you can’t find the Montgomery Design book, or that you haven’t bothered to contact the curators in Paris, London, and New York?”

  Chris practically sneered at him. “I have more important things to do than check up on your little friend’s pet project.”

  His little friend? The description was apt, but Chris’s snide tone was unwarranted and unwelcome. “Actually, as my personal assistant, you have nothing more important to do than what I ask of you.”

  “When Mr. Montgomery gets back, he expects a full report from me about your performance here and there is nothing more important than what he tells me to do,” Chris countered.

  Was the man insane? How could a subordinate evaluate his job... unless Drew had made that Chris’s main task while he was away? Hell, he wouldn’t put it past his brother. However, Connor refused to let the possibility deter him from helping Faith.

  “Does that mean you’ll be shadowing me everywhere?”

  “Almost everywhere. In fact, might I suggest you personally fly to London, Paris, and New York to check on the whereabouts of said book so little miss perfect doesn’t get in trouble?”

  Now that sounded like a good idea. “Will you be accompanying me to those places?” Earlier he’d caught the tail end of a conversation between Chris and the lady who delivered the intra-office mail. Turned out Chris was petrified of flying because a psychic once told him that he would die in a fiery crash should he ever board one.

  Chris’s eye twitched. “I always accompany Mr. Montgomery.”

  “Except when he flies,” Connor countered.

  “Except then,” Chris admitted.

  “Thank you.” Connor logged into his brother’s computer to check the calendar. An idea was forming in his head, one that could be beneficial to Faith and to him.

  “Can I get you anything else?”

  “Actually, yes, call whoever handles the private jet for the company so that a crew can be put on standby.” He scrolled back several months. Drew hadn’t made any trips to their London or Paris locations—most likely due to Hannah’s pregnancy—for a while now. While the baby and Hannah were fine, Connor knew his brother wasn’t taking any chances of being on a dif
ferent continent should something go wrong.

  Chris pivoted, striding out of the office. “I’ll let you know what they say.”

  “The answer is always yes and you will tell me immediately after you make the call, which will also be as soon as you leave this office,” Connor said. Chris paused, halfway out of the door. “Furthermore, you will do your job to the best of your abilities. I don’t care if that means you pretend that I’m my brother. Failure to do so will result in immediate termination without pay or benefits.”

  He fully expected Chris to argue, but he simply nodded once instead.

  “Be sure to close the door behind you and knock before you enter.”

  “Yes, Mr. Montgomery. You have a four o’clock with Clear Image.” Chris turned slightly. “They tend to be long-winded. Ping me if you want the conversation to end, and I’ll make it happen, without anyone getting their big boy pants in a twist.”

  “Thank you.”

  Chris shut the door, leaving Connor alone with his thoughts.

  Connor guessed that the PA was simply one of those people who only responded to hard asses, which now explained the man’s utter devotion to his brother.

  The thing was, that type of behavior and attitude was in Connor’s DNA. He chose to conduct himself differently and found himself a mostly happier man for it.

  Now, however, he could envision that his desire to behave as a playboy over the years had negatively influenced his family’s opinion of him. He had to take responsibility for that and truth be told, he had to change their perception of him, if he wanted something different.

  Maybe helping Faith find the design book could also help him—in the long run anyway. He knew a single good deed wouldn’t change his dad’s or brother’s mind in an instant.

  He dialed Faith’s extension.

  She answered on the second ring. “Montgomery Industries Corporate Library. This is Faith. How may I help you?”

  “First, why are you answering an internal call like an external one? Seems counterproductive to answer so formally when you want to create a welcoming environment in our space.

  “Because I can’t tell the difference between the two on my phone display.” She grew quiet, then, “How do you know that’s what I want to create?”

  “Why else would you have staff come to you for ID badges. Old school in that particular instance is inefficient and time-consuming.”

  She laughed and his heart flipped at the sound of it. So much better than her crying. “Guilty as charged.”

  “My second question is to ask if you would like to go on a business trip with me?”

  “What about the book?” she asked, clearly confused. “I have the gambling debt figured out—mostly, but the book is an unexpected complication.”

  Yeah, he’d read the email she’d sent to the jeweler on Ashe Street and sent out his own email, letting the man know that he would be personally buying any jewelry that Faith Holt brought into his shop to sell.

  “That’s the purpose of my business trip. Go home and get packed.”

  “Right now?

  “Unless you plan to shop for clothes when we get there?”

  “This is so sudden. I... I’m... I’m just so done with bad things happening.”

  There was a slight tinge of the earlier sadness and desperation in her voice. “Close the library for the remainder of the afternoon. I’ll have a temporary replacement fill in for you in while you’re away. You’ll be paid for your time—I’ll work that out with payroll since you’ll be my personal assistant as well.”

  “Doesn’t your brother already have a PA?” she asked. “Chris something or another—he’s always really angry so I just avoid him.”

  “Just the two of us, as usual, and the plane’s crew, but if you don’t feel comfortable, I’ll do my own investigation... and if it comes to it, I’ll take the blame, sweetness.”

  “I can’t let you do that for me, and it has nothing to do with owing you. Your brother already thinks the worst of you. Your dad is... does he even know you’re working right now?

  “Probably.” He shrugged. “You have my word, Faith. No matter what happens, I’ll take the fall for it.”

  Faith cleared her throat. “I think this is the most I’ve ever needed you.”

  “That’s the thing about best friends. We just help each other because that’s... us, not for something in return.”

  “What time should I be ready?” she asked. “I already have my passport. I didn’t think it would be a good idea to leave it at my apartment.”

  He smiled grimly—he couldn’t forget that despite it all, there were still men who wanted money from her. He’d take care of that before they left for London. “Give me a few minutes to wrap up a couple of things, and I’ll be right down.”

  15

  CONNOR + DREW

  SUBJECT: TRAVEL REQUEST DENIED

  Whatever you were planning, you are not authorized for travel.

  -Drew

  SUBJECT: YOUR PERMISSION NOT NEEDED

  You left me in charge. As acting CEO, it’s part of my job duties to inspect our international branches, especially since you haven’t bothered to do so in months.

  -Connor

  SUBJECT: FLIGHT MANIFEST

  Faith Holt is not authorized to travel with you, and I have informed her of this. Also, regarding Ms. Holt, it has come to my attention that she has lost the Montgomery Design Book. Unfortunately, I will be letting her go, effectively immediately, if she does not find the book within the next seven days.

  But to show my appreciation for her years of service to our family, she will be compensated for her time.

  However, you make a good point about my lack of oversight with the international branches. You are authorized to visit London and Paris. Chris will finish making arrangements for lodging at my request.

  -Drew

  SUBJECT: FUCK YOUR COMPENSATION

  Faith hasn’t been in service to our family, you fuckwit. She is family and it’s my turn to be of service to her.

  Don’t start something that you can’t finish.

  SUBJECT: MY COMPANY; MY RULES

  She’s not my family. We don’t share the same last name and never will.

  Furthermore, security (men and women who are employed by me and not by MI, which means their contracts are not on any servers you can access) has been instructed to apprehend and escort from the premises anyone who attempts to board MI’s private jet (s)—including yours, which is listed as a company asset for tax purposes—without the Montgomery last name.

  Crew being the only exception and they are well known to security. Not even your hacking skills can change their faces in real life.

  Best wishes for a successful visit to the London and Paris branches of MI.

  -Drew

  “WILL NEVER SHARE THE same last name?” Connor sneered at the screen. “You bastard. She’s good enough to do your bidding, but she’s not worthy enough to bear our last name.”

  Faith knocked on the door to his office, stepping halfway inside. “Is this a bad time?”

  He powered off the laptop, his brother’s insults echoing in his head. “You have perfect timing.”

  “I don’t know. You had the most brooding look on your face,” she said, her blue eyes shining with concern. “Did you have an argument with Drew?”

  He exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “You know, don’t you?”

  She nodded, then shrugged. “It was bound to happen, with all my problems. Drew said he tolerated my presence because of your dad and the spell I seemed to have you under.” She snorted softly. “Joke’s on him because I’m pretty sure I’m the one who was enchanted by you all those years ago at camp.”

  “Poison ivy and poison oak were the key ingredients to my potion.” He stood, moving to her.

  “But what he doesn’t know is that I trust you to find the book anyway. It’ll make you look really good to your brother... and your dad.”

  “Speaking of
dads... have you spoken with yours?” He took her small, cold hands in his, trying to warm her up.

  “No.” She glanced away. “I don’t think I want to speak with him. Our last conversation was... ugly.”

  “What did he say?”

  “That when you were tired of being addicted to me, that you would leave. He also implied that your gifts weren’t given without strings attached.”

  “As in we were more than just friends.”

  She nodded. “As in I whored myself out and later became a gold digger.”

  “He called you a whore?”

  “No, I did. He agreed with me, is all.”

  “Don’t you ever talk about yourself like that,” he warned her, wishing like hell she’d look at him. “Do you understand?”

  “Yes... but I know people see me like that. Even here, I’ve heard people talk about me. You. Us.”

  He let go of her hands and grasped her chin, tilting it up. “And?”

  “They think we’re lovers or that I have some sort of special in with your family.” She bit her lip. “It’s why I’m so lonely when you’re away. I’ve tried to make friends here, but no one trusts me.... Well, if they’re new they talk to me until some well-meaning soul tells them who I hang out with. So... they ghost me because they think I’ll betray them if they complain about work.”

  Fuck. Even when he was on his best behavior, he was hurting her. And until he kissed her, he’d always been on his best behavior because that was the last thing he wanted to do to Faith. “Fuck them.”

  “Easy for you to say. They want to be around you. They want you to get tired of me and pick one of them to be your new toy.” Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. They tore at his heart. His girl hardly ever cried. “I shouldn’t have told you. I mean... I’ve gotten really good at ignoring that kind of stuff over the years.”

  He swore, closing his eyes for a moment and letting go of her. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s funny, really. Once when I took my lunch in the cafeteria, I overheard them saying that we’re engaged... because of the ring. Or that we’re secretly married. Your family doesn’t approve, but we can’t bear to be apart, so I keep working here and you come to me when you can. Stupid, right? Of course they shut right up when they noticed I heard everything.”