Page 43 of Her Billionaire Bossholes

"We are your responsibility," Caleb finishes for me with a knowing expression. "We know that. And we aren't asking you to compromise your professional stance for us. But we are asking that you let us into your personal life."

Jackson smiles that charming smile and teases, "We know how to keep professional and personal separate, you know."

And yet, looking into Jackson's eyes I can see a vulnerability that mirrors my own. His intense gaze pleads with me to let him in, to let them all in. The walls I've had to carefully build around myself since the death of my parents begin to crumble in the face of their unwavering sincerity.

With a heavy sigh, I release the tension that has been building within me as I surrender to the undeniable truth that these men have stirred something inside me that I can no longer deny. The walls I've carefully built around my heart collapse, like ancient ruins being kissed by sunlight after centuries of darkness. It is terrifying yet exhilarating, the prospect of allowing myself to be vulnerable, to let them in.

"Alright," I finally say, my voice filled with a mix of nerves and anticipation. "I'll give us a chance."

A wave of emotions washes over their faces - happiness, relief, but also caution. A collective sigh of relief escapes their lips, and I can see the hope blossoming in their eyes. It's as if a dam has burst open, flooding our hearts with emotions that have been pent up for far too long.

Caleb's fingers tighten around mine, his touch both grounding and reassuring. "Thank you," he whispers, his voice filled with gratitude.

Leo grins, unable to contain his excitement. "You won't regret this, Charlie. I promise."

And Jackson, oh Jackson. His charismatic smile widens into a grin as he steps closer, his eyes shining. "I knew you'd say yes."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, really?"

"Really," he murmurs before swooping down to kiss me.

My heart jumps into my throat and I melt into him.I never stood a chance.

36

CHARLIE

"Good morning," I greet as I push through the doors. My heart pounds with anticipation, skipping a beat for each man I see sitting at the conference table.

After agreeing to explore the depth of my connection to Leo, Caleb, and Jackson yesterday, we all kind of went our separate ways. They had stem-cell research to continue, and I had my own research to look into. It seemed that we were all too busy to make any dinner and one of them ordered from a restaurant and had an assistant drop the food off to me.

I figure they're trying to give me the space they promised, taking things slow--which I appreciate. The last thing I want is for everything to change because of what I said. And, thankfully, nothing has. Well, at least nothing but the nerves swirling in my stomach.

"Good morning," the three of them return, each smiling warmly at me.

I set my binders down before taking a seat and tucking some of my hair away. Admittedly, I have no clue what to say. How do you conduct a relationship with three men who are also kind of, but not really, your bosses?

"Shall we get started?" Caleb urges with a knowing expression. "You said you have more to share with us?"

I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment settle in my bones. The room shrouded in anticipation, I gather my thoughts, determined to convince them of the gravity of the situation and the necessity of our collective pursuit.

"Yes," I reply, my voice steady and resolute. "There are some things we need to start putting in the works. Security, specifically."

"Naturally," Leo says with a teasing smile.

Jackson leans forward, his eyes rolling. "Go on," he urges softly. "I assume you've already come up with something."

I blush but nod. "Yeah, last night."

"Let's hear it."

I draw in another breath, preparing myself. "The first thing we need to address is access control," I state confidently. "We need to implement stricter protocols to ensure that only authorized personnel can gain entry into sensitive areas of BioCore's database."

Caleb leans back in his chair, his brows furrowed in thought. "What do you have in mind?" he asks, his gaze focused on me.

I reach for one of the binders I brought with me and open it to reveal a meticulously detailed plan. "First, we need to upgrade our digital security system," I explain. "We should implement multi-factor authentication for all employees, requiring them to provide an ID number specific to them--which will allow us to see who logs in where, and when."

Leo nods in agreement, his expression serious. "That's a good start," he remarks, boosting my confidence.

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