Page 5 of The Bossy Billionaire

“Your favorite. Red Velvet,” Tennyson teases me as he wiggles his eyebrows, knowing full well he has won this round.

I bite my lip so I don’t smile. “Fine, but only because I love her cupcakes,” I mutter before I turn and limp out the door, but not before Huxley finds my eyes. We stare at each other for a beat before I look away, pushing my glasses up my nose. I don’t need to see his pity in his eyes. My limp is not something men find attractive. Not that I have dated since the fire, or much before it, really. I thought I was a loner before; now I am almost in permanent hibernation. If it wasn’t for my four brothers and their girls, I wouldn’t even leave the shop.

At least they are good for something.

CHAPTER FOUR - HUXLEY

She was hot.

Long caramel hair. Small yet curvy. She certainly piqued my interest the minute she walked in the door. Then she opened her mouth and gave four of the most well-known and wealthiest men in the country a talking to. I tame the smile that dances on my lips. Anyone who can barge into one of the most prestigious boardrooms in the country and demand things immediately clearly has balls. I like that.

Harrison clears his throat, bringing me back to the present.

“Business coach?” My eyebrow raises at Harrison, wondering what he was thinking.

“Well, you just said you were bored.” Harrison throws my earlier words back at me. I should have known he was up to something.

“Yeah, but me being a business coach to your new sister?” I look at him like he is crazy because he is.

“She needs help.” Harrison sighs as he takes his seat, looking worried.

“She is stubborn as a mule,” Ben murmurs as he sits back down as well.

“She is fine. She was over last night. Pinkie made dinner,” Eddie says, and all the brothers look at him as he shrugs. Clearly, he has a good relationship with her.

“I’ve got her tonight. I knew she couldn’t say no to Willow’s cupcakes.” Tennyson grins and rubs his hands together in glee, acting like he has won the lottery. Watching them all fight for her attention is funny. It is clear they want her around all the time. These boys have always been a strong family unit, and it seems like their sister has indeed joined the fold.

“Again, business coach?” I don’t really have the time to be babysitting his sister, although… I have been bored, more so than ever. My office in New York remains the hub of my organization, but it no longer holds the same excitement it once did.

“She owns Bloomer Books. The oldest bookstore in the city,” he starts, looking pained and like I should know what that means, but I have no fucking idea what he is talking about.

“Cute,” I say, and they all look at me with daggers in their eyes.

“Don’t even think about it,” Tennyson barks, and I put up my hands in surrender.

“I meant cute about the bookstore, not her,” I state, although she was cute. Pretty damn sexy, actually, in a hot librarian kind of way.

“Her adoptive parents owned it. She grew up in the business, and when they passed, she took over.” Harrison offers another snippet into her life.

“Problem is, it isn’t making any money,” Ben says with a sigh, clearly frustrated. It is nice they all want her to succeed, but surely they know that a bookstore is not something that can make billions.

“Bookshops rarely do. No one buys books anymore. It is all online. Plus, books take up a lot of space. People don’t have room in their homes because residential real estate is getting smaller and smaller yet going up in price by the minute. Books are expensive to courier, easily damaged…” I could keep going because bookstores are a dying industry. Everyone knows it, including the men around this table.

“Exactly. But Lucy loves it. It is her space,” Tennyson says, and I can see it in their eyes that they would do anything for their sister to keep her dream alive.

“It is her identity,” Eddie emphasizes, looking intensely at me, and I nod in understanding.

“She has lost a lot, and we want her to thrive. She is our only sister. It was a shock to learn about her, but she is our family. She is our priority,” Ben adds, and as I take another look at all the Rothschild men, I see the love etched into their brows.

“She is just hesitant to lean on us. She really has lost a lot.” Eddie looks solemn in thought.

“I need you to coach her. Maybe just offer her some insight, something she can do to increase revenue. Help her,” Harrison asks, almost pleading with me.

“She should sell it and move on.” It is a no-brainer. She will drown in debt if she continues.

“We know that, but…” Harrison says before getting cut off.

“She won't listen to us,” Tennyson finishes for him.

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