Page 60 of Inflame

“And probably cause Graham a heart attack.”

“How’s he going to find out?” I huff. “It’s not like we will be video chatting through the night.”

“He is GrahamfuckingHoffman. He always finds out. I thought the man couldn’t get any more possessive of me, but then I saidyesto his proposal and it has triggered him into trying to shelter me away from all men. Says he doesn’t trust his own species.”

“So this will be a great therapy tool.”

“Hah,” she exhales. “Sure. We’ll call it that.”

“We need to leave in about two hours for dinner, so let’s start getting ourselves primped.”

“I’m still impressed that Graham is letting us do this.”

“He doesn’t have a choice.”

17

NIC

“You're going to have to let up on your need to keep Angie from seeing some naked-ass men dancing around to some raunchy music while covered in baby oil tonight.”

“And why is that?” Graham snaps.

“Because you’re going to cause her to resent you. Let them have this memory,” I persuade. I promised Claire I would get my brother to back down, and I plan to do just that. A deal is a deal.

Graham’s eyes narrow on mine, his hand wiping at the scruff at his jaw, as he reclines farther into the seat he has taken in his room. “You’re getting soft.”

I kick my feet out in front of me, crossing them at the ankle. I am sitting opposite of him in a twin chair. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Can’t remember the last time you’ve been this sentimental. Rattling off things about makingmemories. What happened to my jaded brother?” He smirks, as I narrow my eyes at him. “I don’t mean it as an insult. It’s good to see you care about some cause other than something work related.”

“If Angie and Claire start working together at HH, then what they do will turn into work,” I predict. In my attempt to change the subject away from myself and my apparentsoftness, I am essentially only causing Graham more anxiety. “You do want me to handle all things security? Which means keeping a close eye on them, right? Or am I completely off base?”

Graham’s sigh is audible even though we are yards apart. “Yeah, that is exactly what I want. You can utilize Collins in any way, but you are in charge.” He runs his hands through his hair. “I cannot do my normal job if I’m worried about them in any way. So I will definitely need tabs kept. You can be discreet?”

“Always am.”

“I trust very few people. My circle is getting even smaller with the recent breaches, so your willingness to take over as head of security will put me at ease while I navigate a weeklong honeymoon and Angie potentially launching a new career.”

I give a single nod. I’m not exactly sure how I’ll be able to function in a top-notch corporate security job while Claire is prancing around the building in who knows what. That girl can wear anything, and I swear it will make my cock twitch with need. If I have other men watching security footage of her, I know they will be distracted. Everyone in the entire building knows Angela McFee belongs to Graham, and if they value their life and their career, they keep everything regarding her strictly business. But Claire? I don’t need a bunch of testosterone-infused jackasses getting turned on just because she bent over to fix her shoe. That is the kind of reaction men have to women like Claire. I know this as fact because I am one of those jackasses I just described. Claire is hot and fiery and free-spirited. A freaking breath of fresh air, if you ask me.

But I have zero claim over her.

She does what she wants, when she wants. The inability to gain control over a woman who cannot be tamed excites me and drives me wild with pent-up frustration.

I move to the minibar and make two glasses of Jack and Coke over ice.

“Those two get themselves into trouble literally every time they go out,” Graham comments, running a hand down the side of his face. “And there’s only so much discretion I can use at a place like that. Clothed men do not blend in well at stripper joints catering to women and their”—he pauses as he thinks of the right word—“needs.”

I nod, passing him a drink. “This is true.”

“You sure you have a tracker on them?”

“I have planted several,” I say, pulling up my app on my phone that shows the GPS location of where Claire and Angie are positioned. “It is easier, of course, to have more eyes on your woman since she already knows your obsession, and I have less guilt to deal with by sneaking around. Regardless, I’ll know where they are at all times. So, relax.”

Graham huffs out, “Yeah, we may know where they are but there’s no way of knowing if they are behaving.”

I snicker. “Have you heard of something calledtrust?”

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