Page 16 of The Mastermind

Every time she had snuck a glance at me, my cock hardened. That’s why I’d stayed away and didn’t go closer to watch her sing. I wanted to immerse myself in her radiance. Luckily, Grayson’s coworker, Lisa, kept me occupied while my eyes were locked on Audri’s every move.

What are you doing, Remington?

I struggled to understand my confusion. In business, I knew exactly what I had to do—what steps to take, how to act and react to certain situations—always with a clear trajectory to success, an easy formula that delivered profitable results.

Why couldn’t I apply the same method to this . . . this emotional tangle inside me? Why couldn’t I see what I should do regarding Audri? When had things become a big mess?

For fuck’s sake, she was Grayson’s sister. Grayson knew me and my taste in women. He’d have my head if he knew I desired his sister. Audri was forbidden territory. He’d never warned me or any of the guys about dating his younger sister. He didn’t need to. We were his friends. We respected him. I understood the unspoken code between friends. If I had a sister, I’d make sure she’d stay far away from someone like me.

Audri wasn’t even my type. She stood out like a gem when I compared her to the women I’d bedded. She wasn’t one of the voluptuous supermodels who clung to my arms like decorative ornaments, the celebrities who needed my money to boost their next blockbuster, or daughters of wealthy men who wanted a husband to support them while they spent their days attending charity events.

Those women wore specific masks when they were with me. The way they dressed, the smiles they offered, and the words they spoke were all things theyassumedI wanted to hear. I replied with the same assumption because I also wore a mask when dealing with them.

Why couldn’t I apply the same method used on Audri?

She had always been smarter than the women around me. Back then, she kept to herself, reading or making her jewelry. It was as though she lived in her own little world, and I often wondered what it was like there. Was it magical? She didn’t hang out with us boys often, though we were always in her basement playing video games.

You’ll ruin her.

“I know,” I muttered.

The dark world I lived and thrived in didn’t suit her. She stood on the other side of my world. She needed love, attention, and security . . . deserved them. I was a man who preferred detachment. I’d never had a relationship with a woman, not the kind that involved my heart, which I kept safely tucked away. My relationships with women were sexual, a detached agreement. We fucked, went out to dinner, or attended public events together, but that was all.

My phone rang and jerked me back to reality.

“Yo,” Grayson said. “You want to come out this weekend to go over some WaterFyre details? I made some adjustments to your map.”

Was Audri going to be there?

“Is it on the website? I can look at it there.”

“Dude, you rarely come home. Now that you’re back in town, we should hang and catch up,” Grayson argued. “Let’s play some video games. I’ll kick your ass again.”

I snorted. “Yeah, that was because I let you. Didn’t want to see a sore loser cry.”

“Fuck you.” Grayson laughed. “Stop by anytime. I’m not going anywhere this weekend. I have some new furniture being delivered and will need some muscles to help if you’re interested.”

“Since when have I been interested in moving furniture around?”

“Since your buddy asked.”

“That was asking?”

“There will be lots of food and drinks. Right up your alley.”

Grayson didn’t know about the other reason I was back in town. This was my family issue. I didn’t want to burden him. He’d met Brian once and didn’t care too much for the guy. Who could blame him?

“I’ll swing by after my meeting on Saturday.”

“Cool.”

Audri’s face popped into my vision, and I didn’t know why I asked, “Is everything okay with Audri? She seemed tired last week.”

Grayson let out a curse. “I think she’s fine now. She’s been having an issue with some asshole at work. He’d been harassing her.”

My body stiffened. “What do you mean?”

“Apparently, her direct boss has been saying inappropriate things to her andtouchingher. It’s been going on for months! If she had told me earlier, I would have waited for him in the parking lot.”