Page 181 of Sexting the Boss

The building Nina sends me to is one of those sleek, polished high-rises in midtown. Private floor, coded elevator, quiet enough to hear your own heartbeat. I don’t like it. Feels too clean. Like it’s trying to hide something in all that glass.

She’s waiting for me in a conference room. Alone at first.

Her hair is pulled back. No makeup. No jewelry. Just a neutral expression that tells me this isn’t a social call.

“I swear, if this is some power play—” I start.

“It’s not,” she says, cutting me off. “He’s here. You should hear it from him.”

Before I can ask what the hell she’s talking about, she nods toward the side door.

It opens.

And Ryan steps inside.

I stiffen immediately, jaw ticking. My fists curl before I even realize it.

“You. What the fuck are you doing here?” I say.

“Let me explain,” Nina says.

I walk right up to Ryan, catching him by his lapel. “I know you have feelings for her, but I swear if you touched her—” I snarl. Ryan flinches.

“Damien, stop it. Ryan isn’t responsible for what happened,” Nina says. “You’re acting crazy. Let me explain.”

I don’t let go of him.

“Damien, please,” Nina pleads. “I asked him to get close to Sasha.”

My eyes snap to her. “What?”

“We were keeping an eye on her,” Nina says. “To make sure she was okay.”

“Why?” I ask.

Nina’s gaze softens. “I know you won’t believe it, but I do care about you, Damien, always have. I made some mistakes when I was younger, and I always regretted it. I regretted letting you go. And when I saw you find her, I was enraged, jealous, but then I accepted it. I know you love her, that’s why you let her go.”

I shake my head. “You didn’t have to bother. I was doing a good job keeping her safe.”

“You think?” Ryan says.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I shoot back.

“She’s missing,” Nina says.

“We didn’t plan that,” Ryan says quickly. “I swear. That wasn’t us.”

I glare at him, barely holding back the urge to put him through the glass.

“She trusted you,” I hiss.

“I didn’t lie to her,” Ryan says, jaw tight. “I kept her safe. I didn’t touch her. I watched. I was reporting back to Nina—because she’s been trying to track Lev for months.”

My head spins.

Nina exhales. “Ryan’s my half-brother, Damien. Our mother married into Lev’s circle after she left my father. I saw things…I knew things. That’s why I left. That’s why I got close to your world. So I could get as far away from his as possible.”

I blink. That’s new.

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