The Billionaire Next Door (Billionaire Bad Boys #2)(72)

Well, knock me over with a motherf*cking feather.

Reese’s eyebrows lifted, mirroring Tag’s shock.

“This is definitely one way to go about it,” added Lilith, the only female board member. She was less impressed, and Tag had expected that. She probably didn’t want to agree with Frank publicly either. Those two.

Frank tucked the proposal under his legal pad. “Now. Who’s going to Dylan’s for Cobb salad?”

The board stood collectively, commenting on dinner and drinks and in general filing out of the boardroom like a pack of lemmings. Or a herd of lemmings. As the last person vanished past the window of the conference room, Tag faced his brother.

“What do you call a group of lemmings? A herd or a pack?”

“No idea.” Reese smiled, understanding Tag’s reference. “I guess Frank’s comment is as close to a compliment as you can expect.”

“Whatever.” Tag stood and gathered his pencil and blank pad of paper. “I don’t need to be coddled.”

“Tag,” Reese said from behind him. “Great work.”

Now that praise he could feel proud about. “Thanks, bro.”

“Too bad you’re dating her,” Reese said as they walked the corridor to his office.

“Why?” Tag stopped short of turning right toward Bobbie’s receptionist desk.

“Rachel’s smart. Knows more about business than your average bartender.” Reese wrapped a hand around the doorknob. “She’d fit in around here, but I’m guessing when you break up with her, you don’t want to bump into her at the office.”

Tag tracked back to his brother and stopped, crossing his arms over his chest. “Something on your mind?”

Reese folded his arms, mirroring Tag. “You’re not in a hurry to blow this one off, are you?”

“Since when do you care about my love life?”

“Since you referred to it as a ‘love’ life.” His lips hitched into a smirk.

Had him there.

“She doesn’t want to be entangled with Crane money and me at the same time.”

“I respect that.” Reese nodded.

“Yeah?” Tag paused to listen, interested in what his brother thought. Because Tag would like to solve her problems, and Rachel wanted to do everything herself.

“You may have found the first girl you can’t appease with money. That’s probably why she’s still around.” At that parting observation, Reese opened his office door.

“Hang on. I don’t buy my dates, if that’s what you’re saying.” Tag’s defenses rose. “I have money. I spend it. End of story.”

“And if you weren’t footing the bill, how many of those dates do you think you’d have had over the last decade?” When Tag didn’t answer, Reese cocked his head. “Rachel being independent isn’t a bad thing. It works for Merina and me.”

“You two were married before you liked each other.” Tag shook his head and smiled. “I think it’s safe to say your playbook is unique to the two of you.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” Reese said dryly. “I’m stopping by to see Eli tonight. Coming?”

“He still in a cheery mood?”

“Oh, the cheeriest,” Reese deadpanned. “The therapist ramped up his rehabilitation today.”

“I bet his swearing can be heard from here if we listen closely.”

They fell silent, their smiles slipping away, the seriousness of what had happened to their brother settling in the air between them.

“I hate this for him,” Reese said, his voice steel. “I can fix anything. But I can’t fix this.”

Tag had felt a similar helplessness since the moment he saw the flattened bit of sheet in the hospital room. “I know.”

“He doesn’t want to admit it, but he’s hurting. And not just physically.”

“I know.” Tag had seen it too. Behind the bitterness and anger, Eli was in pain. The loss he’d suffered, the atrocities he’d witnessed.

“I’d rather have him without a leg than not at all,” Reese said, and it might have been the first time any of them had admitted as much aloud.

They shared another penetrating length of silence.

“Tonight then?” Reese asked.

“Yeah.” Tag would do anything for his brothers. They’d drag Eli through this kicking and screaming if they had to, but Eli was going to be whole again. That was a vow Tag wouldn’t break.





Chapter 21



I used to hate leg day.” Tag blew out a breath and pushed his feet against the machine one final time before dropping the weights with a clang. He leaned forward and snatched his towel, mopping his neck. “Now I’m grateful to have legs to bitch about.”

“Eli,” Lucas grunted, finishing a sit-up before lying flat on his back on the mat. The gym was empty today. Typical for spring. Most of the people who’d made New Year’s resolutions to get into shape had given up, leaving the diehards to their workouts.

“Yeah.”

“How’s he doing?” Lucas did one final sit-up and wrapped his arms around his knees.

“He’s Eli.” Tag lifted an eyebrow. “He’s ‘fine.’”