Page 72 of He Falls First

I force a smile, clenching my teeth.

“We sure hope to,” I say, and it feels like swallowing glass. “Hendrix values family above all else.”

Cromwell nods approvingly, and Hendrix gives my hand a little squeeze.

Just then, the ballroom doors burst open, drawing everyone’s attention. The commotion snaps us out of the moment. I turn just in time to see a man barging in, his presence commanding even without a formal introduction.

“Who is that?” I whisper, squinting past the throng of tailored suits and cocktail dresses.

Hendrix’s body goes rigid next to me, his grip on my hand suddenly ironclad.

“That,” he says in a tense voice, “is my brother, Tobias.”

Chapter 31

Hendrix

All chatter ceases as the room comes to a screeching halt. Tobias. Here. What the hell?

He strides through the crowd with his usual cocky grin and easy charm. No one else knows Tobias like I do—the way his eyes go cold behind that smile, how every gesture is calculated for maximum effect.

My muscles tense, and I resist the urge to march over there and shove him back out the doors he came through. But no, that would be unprofessional, and now’s not the time to give Mr. Cromwell any reasons to doubt my ability to run the company.

Tobias’s entrance demands attention. He’s impossible to miss—tall, with that same cocksure grin that used to charm our early investors and trouble alike. He’s dressed to kill in a designer suit, his eyes lit with a mischievous spark that I know all too well.

The crowd parts around him, enraptured as always by his magnetic personality. My own charm has always paled in comparison. I was the awkward, gangly kid to his effortless social grace. Some things never change.

His strides are confident, that gregarious personality of his on full display as he weaves through the cluster of suits and cocktail dresses. With every nod and smile to the bewildered onlookers, he gets what he wants—to unsettle the room. To claim dominance by capturing all the attention.

“Brother!” he booms, voice echoing across the ballroom. His laugh rolls out, rich and hearty and irking the hell out of me.

I can sense Elizabeth stiffen beside me. Her presence suddenly feels like a vulnerability, an exposed flank. My hand tightens around hers and I pull her closer against my side. I won’t let Tobias near her, not after that threatening call.

Elizabeth squeezes my hand in response. Her touch brings me back to the present, away from the dark rage that fills me whenever I look at Tobias, ever since he betrayed his family. I take a deep breath and force myself to stay calm. I can’t lose control. Not here, not with Cromwell watching, poised to judge my worthiness to run this company based on how well I play the role of charming family man.

Tobias thrives in the spotlight, lives for the drama of confrontation. And as he draws nearer, it’s clear that he’s brought the full force of his tumultuous energy along with him.

“Great to finally meet you, Mr. Cromwell. I recognize you from my internet research into this company.” Tobias says, extending a hand. The white-haired man takes his hand hesitantly, clearly wondering what’s going on.

“Glad to make your acquaintance,” Cromwell says. “And you are…?”

“Tobias Monroe. I’ve done my homework on Nexus Tech. Quite the empire you’ve built. Your company has a reputation for valuing family.” Tobias locks his gaze onto mine. “Which is ironic, considering that my brother here is no family man. Hendrix stole my wife and child. I believe you know my wife, Gabrielle?”

Elizabeth’s hand finds my arm, her touch light but grounding. Her reassuring gesture is meant for me, but it doesn’t escape Tobias’s predatory gaze.

His eyes cut to her, finding a new mark.

“Ah, and who might you be?” he asks, looking her up and down. “The pretend wife I’ve heard about? The one Hendrix is using to hide the fact that he stole his own brother’s family?”

Elizabeth’s grip tightens ever so slightly, her fingernails pressing into my suit jacket, but she doesn’t flinch.

My hands, on the other hand, clench into fists at my sides.

“Tobias, stop,” I snap, and the whole room stiffens. “Gabrielle and Harper are my family. Just as much as Elizabeth is.”

I don’t stop to think about what my words might do to Cromwell’s impression of me. This is about defending Elizabeth’s honor, as well as the bond I’ve formed with Gabrielle and Harper.

“My family may not fit a neat little box,” I continue, my eyes flicking from Tobias to Cromwell. “It’s me, my ex-sister-in-law, my niece, and my fa- my fiancée. That doesn’t mean I’m not a ‘family man.’ If this company, if Nexus Tech, can’t embrace that, then perhaps I’m not the right person to lead it after all.”

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