It's not that I minded getting dirty or working with my hands. That part, I liked. But the personal publicity?It wasn't my thing.
Fame was a pain in the ass – one I didn't want or need. Me, I liked to fly under the radar, to see rather than be observed, to listen rather than be overheard, and to associate with whoever I wanted without wondering what the hell they were after.
But Chase? He didn't mind the spotlight – or the abundance of star-fuckers, providing they had the looks to match.
Chase was the face of the company.
Much like myself, he was six foot two, with dark hair and a muscular build. Butunlikeme, he was what you'd call a people person – the kind of guy who shook hands and smiled for the cameras. He dressed sharp, talked smooth, and made people feel like they really knew him.
They didn't.
ButIdid, which is how I knew he was here for a reason – and it wasn't to warm his ass in my seat.
I got straight to the point. "Whatever it is, spit it out."
"What do you mean?"
"You've got news," I said. "So go ahead, tell me."
"Don't you wanna sit down?"
I gave him a pointed look. "Yeah. As soon as you get out of my chair."
Finally, he removed his feet from my desktop and stood. With a shit-eating grin, he circled my desk and claimed one of the visitor's chairs, where he promptly leaned back and returned his feet to the desktop.
It was vintage Chase.He'd been goading me since he was eight – the same age as Willow, but with a lot more attitude.
As I reclaimed my seat, I made a forwarding motion with my hand. "Whatever it is, just say it."
"Alright," he said. "Guess who just left."
"You mean the building?"
"The buildingandmy office."
Chase's office was just down the hall, here at the company headquarters, which was located on the top floor of our largest factory. On any given day, hundreds of people might be coming or going.
I replied, "I have no idea."
"I'll give you a hint," Chase said. "You fired her this past summer."
I frowned. "You don't mean Veronica?"
Veronica had been the nanny for three months until she'd been fired for losing track of Willow. On the upside, she'd been one of the few nannies who hadn't tried to get into my pants. I'd been suitably impressed until I discovered the reason for her prim and proper attitude.
Turns out, she'd been getting naked with my brother – the one now sitting in my visitor's chair.
The reminder didn't make me happy. "So, did you fuck her?"
He grinned. "You mean today, or…?"
"Yeah. Today."
He gave it some thought. "I could've. Trust me, she was more than willing." He chuckled. "And get this. She wasn't wearing panties."
Veronica was a leggy brunette with a pretty face and a body to match. But that didn't mean I wanted her flashing her privates inmybuilding.
In a tight voice, I said, "And you know this, how?"
