Page 115 of Succumbed

“He is,” Nate bites out, glaring daggers at his sister.

Lex sighs. “That’s a shame. I’m sure you were hoping he’d let you do something on your own for once.”

His jaw clenches so tight I’m surprised we don’t hear his teeth crack.

“Anyway,” Lex continues airily, turning toward us, “we have places to be, don’t we?” With a pointed look at Nate, she starts toward the theater as she tosses the final word over her shoulder. “Good luck, brother. Make good choices.”

I turn wide eyes to Linc and Shane as we follow her. Shane’s scowling, no doubt still frustrated at Nate’s treatment of Lex, but Linc is grinning ear-to-ear.

“That was hot, right?” Linc whispers. “Really fucking hot. Fuck, she’s something else.”

“Get it together,” Shane deadpans.

Linc grins and I fight a smile. Of course, my brother catches it.

“Dec even agrees with me! Look at that smug grin.” Linc jostles me with his shoulder. “Bet you’re as turned on as I am.”

“Fuck off, Linc,” I groan as Shane rolls his eyes. “Time and fucking place.”

No need to tell him he’s right.

Chapter 34

Lex

“Who’s ready for the city of the future?!” Anne-Marie cries, clearly hoping to incite an enthusiastic reaction. Wearing black slacks and a turtleneck, she looks like a tech founder cosplayer.

To the crowd’s credit, they offer a polite round of applause. It isn’t the most energetic response of the day, but it isn’t the most subdued, either. As expected, Anne-Marie’s presentation is more aspirational than informative.

All three guys are backstage while I wait in the audience. I sit near the front, close enough for Declan to find me if he needs an anchor in the crowd. As Anne-Marie bows a final time and turns to exit stage left, Nate rises from his seat a few rows away. He looks back at the crowd, a satisfied smile on his face–until he sees me.

“Come on, brother.” I wave him over. “Join me.”

There’s an empty seat to my left. Nate looks like the last thing he wants to do is be in my presence. I watch him war internally before his curiosity wins out. Grumbling, he makes his way over and takes the open seat.

“Don’t be so disappointed in yourself,” I tease, knocking my shoulder against his. “I’d have taken the offer, too, if it’d been you asking.”

“Father’s going to be displeased.” He sighs and pinches his brow, his body slumping minutely.

“Trouble in the ranks?”

Nate’s off-handed comments about our father, and the thinly veiled references to how close they were while I was kept on the outside, used to eat at me. Years of focus on my business, and a small fortune in therapy, had worked wonders. I no longer feel a pang of jealousy for the position my brother happily stole.

Nate grunts in response to my lighthearted question. “He’s pushing, per usual. He questions whether we should even focus on this sector.”

“Ah, yes. He’s still in deep with oil and gas, I assume?”

He eyes me as though the answer is obvious. I chuckle, glancing up at the stage as the emcee returns.

“Pay attention, Nate,” I urge, looking meaningfully toward the three men on stage.

Nate’s brows furrow as he looks at me, then the guys. The crowd claps as the emcee steps away, Declan moving toward the middle of the stage. His hands are in his pockets, his posture confident and relaxed. In a tailored black suit and crisp white shirt, his maroon tie accenting his glittering green eyes, he cuts an impressive figure in the spotlight.

Shane and Linc stand further back, flanking the modest display of prototypes we brought. Linc fidgets with his sleeve while Shane is poised and calm, stoic as ever in his gray suit and black shirt, open at the collar.

“Thank you.” Declan smiles at the crowd, his voice amplified through the mic clipped to his lapel. “It’s an honor to be here.”

As Declan introduces himself, the guys, and Solum Technologies, I can’t help my grin. He’s come so far in the last few weeks; he owns that stage. His eyes flick to mine and he smiles, ducking his head. Fuck, he’s cute when he’s not a raging asshole.

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