Page 22 of After-Party Consequences

‘Let me take a look,’ he cut in, using the authoritative tone he always used when they spoke about her business—as if he was the only person in the world who knew how to run one efficiently.

‘I posted them on all the Trouble Maker accounts,’ she murmured, although the silence suggested he wasn’t listening while he loaded them onto his phone.

A prickle of unease worked its way up her neck and then slithered down her spine as she imagined her brother examining the shots of her and Cade Landry dancing together... Surely he wouldn’t be able to tell they’d done a lot more than just dance?

‘Is that Cade Landry?’ he asked, the interest in his tone surprising her. Adam never asked about her social life. Usually because it would mean talking about his own.

‘Yes, I... Do you know him?’ Heat scalded her cheeks.

‘We play squash occasionally,’ he murmured, obviously still examining the photos of them dancing in minute detail. ‘How doyouknow him?’

Terrific.Why hadn’t she guessed her brother would know the man she’d had a torrid one-night stand with? Of course he would. Her luck was just that good.

She was still struggling to come up with an answer—which didn’t sound like a lie—when Adam added, ‘Because you seem extremely...close.’

‘Stop looking at Cade and me and look at the dress!’ she replied, exasperated and desperate to deflect the conversation before she spontaneously combusted from embarrassment. ‘The point is those photos have already got a lot of views and...’

‘Damn it, Charley, please tell me you didn’t sleep with the guy.’ The frustrated comment came so out of left field—because she and Adamnevertalked about anythingthatpersonal—the knee-jerk response was out of her mouth before she could consider how much it revealed.

‘And that would be your business, why, exactly?’

He swore on the other end of the line. ‘He’s a player and a loner and is not good relationship material...’

‘I’m not that naive, Adam,’ she said, oddly intrigued by Adam’s insight into Cade Landry’s character. She’d guessed Cade was a loner at the party, but why did it suddenly seem significant?

‘He’s also in the market to acquire Helberg Holdings,’ Adam continued.

‘So what?’ She knew Adam was after Helberg because their father had sold their mother’s much-loved jewellery business, Montague’s, to Reed Helberg for a single dollar out of spite. Although she’d never quite figured out why Adam was so hung up about buying it back again. Their mother had died fourteen years ago. But then, Charley had never presumed to understand her brother’s motives for doing anything. She suspected it had something to do with the focussed and controlled and extremely dull person he’d become after their mother’s suicide.But then Adam had been much closer to their mother than Charley had, probably because he’d had a chance to know her before her mental health had been so fragile and she’d become disconnected from reality.

But what did any of that have to do with her and Cade?

‘So, I made a bet with him and Zane,’ he said, sounding almost hesitant—not like him at all. ‘Which you’re now mixed up in.’

‘What bet?’

The long-suffering sigh was new, too. When was the last time Adam had struggled to talk down to her, or explain in a patronising way what she needed to do next...?

‘It was thought to be a good way to decide who should have Helberg without driving up the share price.’

‘Adam, would you please get to the point. What bet did you make with Cade, and how could it possibly involve me?’ Because that made no sense whatsoever... Adam had no idea she and Cade had ever met before their night together a week ago.

‘We only date one woman for the duration of the summer, until Labor Day.’

What the...?

‘Are you serious?’ she murmured.

But before she could even acknowledge exactly how crass their bet was, between three grown men for goodness’ sake, Adam replied.

‘Unfortunately, yes, I wouldn’t joke about anything that involves Montague’s. I suspect he hit on you to provoke me.’

Her blood went cold, the humiliation she’d felt once before in connection with Cade Landry dowsing her like a bucket of ice water...

She hadn’t just slept with Cade. She’d had the best sex of her life with him. And she thought they’d connected on some emotional level. He’d made her feel seen, feel cherished, feelimportant—and all the time he’d only picked her to have a go at her brother? And to win a bet?

The bastard.

‘How did you get those photos?’ Adam asked. ‘The party was over a week ago.’

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