Page 89 of Rivals Next Door

“Ms. Brentwood, it’s Mr. Knight again,” my assistant said with a slight air of confusion.

Phone pressed to my ear, I dropped my head into my hand. Of course, she was confused about me dodging Alex’s calls for over a week. He was persistent. Taking a deep breath, I decided to hear what he had to say. No doubt he was calling to throw threats at me about owning BioTech soon. However, I wouldn’t let him intimidate me. I was the mighty CEO of the Brentwood Empire… even though it was on the verge of crumbling.

“Send him through,” I told my assistant.

As I waited for the call to connect, my stomach churned. I eyed the ajar door of my office bathroom, hoping that I didn’t lose my lunch… what little I had managed to get down anyway.

When the familiar baritone caressed my eardrum with a drawled “Liv”, I felt a jolt of nerves, but I also felt butterfly wings in my stomach. Alex’s voice always had that effect on me.

“Alex…” My eyebrows pinched together as I thought about his greeting. He didn’t call me Ms. Brentwood or even Olivia, but the more intimate version of my name. He didn’t sound cold or angry either…

“It’s about time you answered one of my calls,” he said in a surprisingly even tone.

My face burned with shame even though he couldn’t see me. I admit, it was immature of me, but who had time to be mature when she was living every minute in fear of a vengeful ex? Although he didn’t sound all that vengeful at the moment…

“I’ve been busy,” I replied lamely.

“Right.”

His skeptical drawl irked me, and I jumped into defensive mode. “What do you want, Alex? You’ve already updated me about Weaver. If this is about BioTech?—”

“It’s not,” he said firmly. “And while there are other things we need to discuss…”

I clutched my stomach. Hell yes, there were other things. A major thing, but it didn’t have to be now.

“This isn’t about any of that,” he continued.

Apprehension brought out the Ice Princess and my suspicion. I bet he was being so calm and somewhat nice to get me to lower my defenses before he launched his final attack.

“Stop being cryptic,” I said coldly. “What’s this about? I have a busy day, Alex.”

There was a long pause and then he blew out a heavy breath. “So, this is how it’s going to be between us?”

Bewildered, I flopped back in my chair. There was an us? He hated me. When I said we both hated each other the other night, I threw it out there to hear his response. He didn’t deny it and that had broken my heart. “I… don’t…”

“I’m calling about your brother,” he said in a tone that matched my earlier frigid one. “If you had answered my call yesterday, you’d have known that he ran away again.”

My heart stuttered, and I sat taller. How come I didn’t get a call when it happened? Mom must not have heard because she would have called me in a panic. “What…? How do you know?”

“I know everything that happens around here, Liv,” he declared.

Why did he sound like that evil genius running the city behind his computer that Elena and I joked about?

Before my imagination ran away with that thought, he said, “When I found Liam the last time, we reconnected. He requested that I be called when he either went off the deep end or ran away. He’ll be pissed at me for this, but I thought you and your mother should know where he is.”

“He’s talking to you?” Unbelievable! Alex came back into his life after all these years and my brother trusted him more than me. Hurt coursed through my veins.

“Uh-huh, and I made sure he isn’t holed up in another dangerous dump.”

I listened numbly as Alex rattled off an address that turned out to be one of his properties. “Why are you still helping me, Alex? I mean… my family.”

He sighed. “I’ll tell you when you decide to grow up and talk to me in person.”

I scoffed. Alex Knight was telling me to grow up. The irony. He was the most impulsive and insanely… wonderful man I knew. He still jumped in to help my family even after that shit show between us last week. I melted like wax under a hot candle and lost my head for a moment.

“Alex, I’m…”

I stopped as a troubling thought struck. What if I told him about the baby and he accused me of getting pregnant so he would go easy on me and not take BioTech? I’d be mortified if he even thought that. There was a significant chance that he would be suspicious. I was adamant that it was safe for us to have unprotected sex, after all, and now…

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