Page 133 of Redemption

“Sloan doesn’t need your permission,” I said. “But I hope to have your blessing to marry her when the time comes.”

Knox seemed to consider it, but it was Nate who spoke. “Yes. Absolutely.”

I turned to him, touched by his enthusiastic vote of confidence. “Thank you.”

Before anyone else could chime in, Graham’s phone buzzed, and he scowled at it, muttering, “Fucking Lily.”

Fucking Lily? Who’s Lily?

“Hey.” Jasper reached for Graham’s phone. “No devices at the poker table.”

Graham muttered a curse and shoved his phone into his pocket before looking at the cards in his hand.

“It’s my turn to decide the prize,” Knox said, turning to Nate. “Winner gets to borrow a piece from the vault.”

The vault was a highly secured, hidden room in Nate’s home where his mother’s jewelry collection was stored and displayed. I’d been in there once. Dark walls and dramatic lighting made the gems sparkle. Tiaras. Necklaces. Rare gemstones. It was incredible.

“For how long?” Nate asked, turning more serious.

“One event.”

With the terms settled, everyone returned their attention to the game. I leaned toward Knox and asked, “Who’s Lily?”

Wife? Girlfriend? Sloan had never mentioned that Graham was dating anyone.

“Oh lord.” Jasper rolled his eyes. “Please don’t ask.”

“The bane of my existence,” Graham said, practically growling. Jasper pushed Graham’s drink closer to his hand.

Okay. Interesting.

I made a mental note to ask Sloan about it later. Perhaps do some digging of my own.

“Actually,” Nate said. “Since Jackson’s now chief of security for the Huxley Grand, he should probably know about Lily.”

“Why? Is she a stalker or something?” I watched the four of them for any tells. I knew Nate well enough to know his, but the others were a mystery to me.

Graham smoothed a hand down his tie. “She’s annoying.”

Knox leaned closer, keeping his voice low and his cards angled down. “She’s a luxury travel blogger, and she posted a few less-than-positive reviews of some of the Huxley hotels.”

“That’s it?”

I’d expected something more nefarious. More threatening. A bad review wasn’t great, but it also wasn’t the end of the world. Nor was it a safety concern—at least, I didn’t think so from what I’d been told so far. It sounded like more of a personal offense, and I was surprised to see Graham worked up so much over anything, let alone the opinion of one person.

“That’s. It?” Graham sneered.

“Oh boy.” Jasper sat back in his chair, shaking his head. “You’ve done it now.”

Knox rolled his eyes, and Nate merely crossed his arms over his chest and grinned. Graham launched into a diatribe of Lily, the threat she posed to the brand, how inaccurate her review was, and so much more.

“That’s not even the worst part.” He practically growled the words. “She used to be my assistant.”

Everyone’s attention snapped to Graham, our questions overlapping.

“What?”

“Which one?”

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