Page 32 of Dex

Like Rio did.

“She picked you,” Rio repeats.“What’re you going to do about it?”

I hesitate, turning the thought over in my head.I stand to get million dollars a month, but the old man hasn’t told me what happens if I walk away early.I decide not to tell Rio about the money.“You know what?I’m going to do it.”

Rio grins.“Cool.About time one of the Knights got married.”

I nod slowly.“If I marry her, the old man will think I’m doing exactly what he wants.”

“Oh, he’ll love that.”Rio nods.“You’re one of the hardest to bend, Dex.”

I grin and think to myself how he’ll think he’s won.She’ll think she’s won.But I’ll walk away early.Seven months later.Maybe eight months, if I can last that long.

They need a year?

They won’t get it.

And in the meantime?I’ll enjoy playing the game and bending the rules.More than anything, I’ll enjoy pissing the old man off.“I’ll just try this out and see how it goes.Have some fun.Who knows?”

Rio raises a brow.“Fun?You planning on doing the deed with her?”

I pause, my glee fading.Not a chance in hell.“No way.”The fun will come from seeing Paul Knight’s face when I renege on the deal early.But I don’t tell Rio about that, either.

“It won’t be easy to resist her,” Rio says, wisely.“She looks even better in real life than she does in the photo.”

I roll my shoulders back.“We’ll see.”

Last night was bad enough.Going to that event, standing there like a damn pawn in my father’s game.And now, less than twenty-four hours later, my whole life has the potential to be upended.

All because of something I didn’t even do.

After I see Rio, I don’t feel too bad.But I don’t understand the quick turn of events.I can’t forget how smitten Rio was by her and I think he’s just putting on a brave face because she picked me.I feel bad that he’s hiding his attraction for her behind a weak protestation about loving the chase or something.

It still feels wrong to go ahead with this, so I decide to run this by Jett and Zach.I head home, take a long shower, trying to clear my head.Then I tell my brothers to come over.We all live in the same block.Just us three, which is great, mostly.

A little while later, they both show up together.

“Has Father spoken to you?”Jett asks the second he steps inside.

“About what?”I head to the bar and get their drinks ready.

“About last night,” Zach says.

I hand him a bottle of beer, and Jett a glass of whiskey.I pour myself a glass of scotch.

“Can’t stay long,” Jett adds, as we all sit on bar stools.

“No, of course not.Always too busy for your brothers these days,” I quip.

“Don’t be like that,” he warns.He’s extremely protective of Cari, and any jokes me or Zach make are quickly shot down.Not that we joke about her.More that we joke abouthim,and how he’s so domesticated now.

“The old man did speak to me about last night.”I scratch my cheek.“I might as well tell you now, before he calls us all into a meeting tomorrow.”

“Tell us what?”Jett asks, guarded.

“What’s going on?”Zach asks.

I exhale.“It’s exactly what we thought.You know how the old man plays games with us?Last night was a setup.The heiress is here to make an alliance.She wants an arranged marriage because she didn’t get one with Jett.And her family, her father, is eager for it, for purely financial reasons.”

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