Page 54 of Rivals Next Door

“Olivia, it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

I sighed. “I just don’t want anyone getting wind of my extra protection and then dig and find out that I’m involved in some kind of drug scandal.”

“You’re not. Your brother is.”

I shrugged. “You know how it’s always been with my family and the media. One bad thing hits the public about one of us and the entire family is crucified. I always have to be so careful.”

“I know.”

Our eyes locked and I could tell that he was remembering how he always had to find discrete ways to get me to have a good time. He was so good at making me comfortable, enough to let loose, and I always felt safe with him.

His gaze slid away from mine as he spoke in a clipped tone that broke the spell between us. “I have someone watching the facility you got Liam into yesterday.”

My jaw dropped. “How do you know about that?”

“Getting information is my specialty, sweetheart,” he drawled and then grimaced.

I almost rolled my eyes at his reaction to slipping up and calling me “sweetheart.” Goodness, he really didn’t like me, did he?

“Right. How do you know none of these cops won’t talk to anyone about having to guard the Brentwoods?”

He huffed as if his patience wore thin. “Because they’re on my payroll, alright?”

My jaw slackened. “You mean they’re not really cops?”

“Some are retired cops, but some are private security. I didn’t want to tell you because you’d make a big deal about it. There you have it. If they talk, they’re done, and they know that. Everyone will keep their mouths shut. Will you relax now?”

“No!” I scoffed. “You had better send me an invoice.”

He shook his head. “You’ve always had trouble letting people help you. You’re even more of a control freak now than you were in college.”

“I am not.”

“Control freak,” he taunted.

As I glowered at him, I realized that we were no longer Ms. Brentwood and Mr. Knight, business rivals, but Alex and Liv, having one of our relationship spats. He seemed to realize it too because a muscle ticked in his jaw and then his expression became stony again.

“You don’t have to reimburse me.”

“I’m going to. For all I know, you’re helping me just so you can have me in your debt to use it against me later.”

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Okay, I get why you’d be suspicious, but believe me, this isn’t a ploy. This is serious, dangerous shit, Olivia. I’d help anyone in a situation like this.”

I sat back in my chair as I gazed at him. Even without the sincerity in his eyes, I’d believe him because I’d seen him do things like this to help people even before he was a powerful billionaire. He helped me once in college when my bitter ex-boyfriend harassed me for breaking up with him. I couldn’t deny that Alex was a cyber hero capable of doing serious damage to a crime organization no matter how powerful they were.

“Fine, thank you,” I muttered. Honestly, it was a load off my shoulders to finally have someone else take charge and handle something for me.

“Don’t think this makes you safe from my acquisition of BioTech,” he warned. “After this, my full focus will return to taking what’s mine.”

Gritting my teeth, I gave him my most disdainful look. “Don’t think that me accepting your help with this one thing means I won’t beat you at your sick game.” His expression darkened, and I smiled sweetly. “You’re in my world of business, Alex. I’m better than you over here. You really should stay in your tech lane.”

He studied me through narrowed eyes for so long that I started to squirm a little in my chair. His little grunt sounded a lot more ominous than it should. Plus, why was he looking at me as if he knew something I didn’t? Panic clawed at my insides as I wracked my brain, wondering if I’d slipped up somehow by making my next move on the chessboard known.

Impossible…

Since I knew Alex’s skill to garner information, I’d taken painstaking steps to keep my next move a secret this time. My mother was the only one who knew I was heading to New York next week, and she didn’t even know why. Not even my trusty assistant knew I was going to meet with a potential investor. I left no room for a leak.

“You still think you’re so high and mighty,” he hummed as he shook his head. “We’ll see who’s better than who in the end, won’t we?”

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