Hard Rules (Dirty Money #1)(50)

She laughs. “He must really want Mike Rogers, and, truth be told, so do I. He’s rich, sexy, and actually has a personality.” We enter the line at the pizza joint.

“Well, that will be a change,” I say, “considering everyone else involved in the hedge fund Senior has going is an ass.”

“Money does that to people,” she says, repeating exactly what Shane’s mother had said, before turning her attention to the cashier to order a slice of pepperoni and water. I do the same, both of us paying and moving to the end of the bar.

One of the six round wooden tables comes free and Jessica points. “Grab it. I’ll grab our food.”

I take our waters and quickly dart forward and claim our spot, then grab a stack of napkins. About the time I’m fully settled, she joins me, and I take a bite to give a thumbs-up. “This is good and way too easy to grab considering how fattening it is.”

Jessica finishes a bit and dabs at her mouth. “I get it to-go sometimes, usually on those lonely Friday nights. My love life sucks, probably because I’m always working.”

“Shane’s a slave driver?”

“To himself. I try to help and force him to go home, but I fail mostly.”

“How long have you been with him?”

“Almost a year. I worked for an attorney that almost beat him in court a few years back. He figured that meant I had to be good.”

“And you are.”

“I am,” she says, and somehow it’s confident, not arrogant. She unscrews her water. “I need to tell you something. Shane doesn’t know about that hedge fund and he should. He has to sign off on all contracts. It’s part of his employment agreement.”

“I don’t think it’s a secret. I wasn’t told it is.”

“And yet Shane wasn’t told at all, which means I have to tell him and I don’t want you to think I did it in an underhanded way. I’ll make sure he makes them believe he found out on his own.”

“I’m not worried about Shane, or you, throwing me under the bus and I appreciate you being forthright.”

“Always,” she says. “Look. One of the reasons I wanted to go to lunch was to make sure you understand this family is at war and Shane is the good guy.”

“I know Shane’s the good guy.”

She studies me a moment, seeming to weigh my sincerity and then giving me an approving nod. We both eat and she gives me a rundown on the staff, ending with Anna, Derek’s assistant. “She’s new. I don’t know her. I don’t plan to know her and she spends plenty of time behind closed doors with Derek.”

“Oh,” I say, reading between the lines.

“‘Oh’ is right.” Her phone buzzes where she’s set it on the table and she grabs it and looks at a message. “I’m helping Shane find a house or an apartment to buy and a hot one just hit the market. I need to run and look at it before someone scoops it up.”

“You’re picking his home?” I ask, surprised he would hand over something so personal.

“I didn’t want to, but he says he’s too busy to deal with it and he has a sudden urgency to move.”

Because of his father showing up at the Four Seasons with his mistress, I think, but would never dare say.

“He wants my top three recommendations,” she continues, “and I really want to find the perfect choices.” She touches my hand. “Come with me. You know him well enough to say he and I are a perfect match. I need help.”

“No way. That would be highly inappropriate.”

“Not if it’s helping me,” she argues. “He doesn’t have to know.”

“I’m not going, Jessica.”

“Fine. Fine.” She grabs her purse. “I hate to leave you.”

“I’m fine and I need to get back to work.”

She stands. “Let’s try again tomorrow.”

“Yes. I’d like that.” And I mean it. I like her. I trust her. Shane trusts her and I get the feeling there aren’t many people he does trust, most certainly not me at this point.

She darts away and I stare after her without really seeing her, my mind on Shane and the hedge fund. Why wouldn’t Brandon Senior tell him about something like that? Surely, word would spread? Is it just a power play?

“Imagine meeting you here, Ms. Stevens.”

I barely contain an outward jolt at the sound of Derek’s voice, recovering as he sits down in front of me, his navy suit complemented by a yellow tie.

“I’m sure this place is popular for busy people who don’t want to leave the building.”

He narrows his eyes on me, and while they are the same color as Shane’s, Derek’s are two shades colder. “I’m surprised my father let you leave at all.”

“Your mother influenced him,” I say.

“My mother has a way of influencing everyone. You too will be in a place of influence by my father’s side.”

“I’m not by his side. I’m outside his door and hardly influential considering everyone is betting me out of the door.”

“I’m not.”

I don’t bother pointing out his inference otherwise, nor do I like the sense of being the gazelle with yet another lion. Narrowing my eyes at him, I seek to set a tone with this man as I did his father. “You have no food, Mr. Brandon.”