Taming Lily (The Fowler Sisters #3)(88)

“He was?” she asks breathlessly.

“Yeah. And I think you being an eventual partner in my business could benefit all of us.” I bring her head down to mine once more, kissing her hard. “Plus, that means you’ll never leave my side.”

Her smile is slow. Tentative. “Do you mean it?”

“I f*cking mean it with my whole heart, Lily.” I made sure and said her name so she’d get just how serious I am.

“You want me to work for you.”

“With me,” I correct.

“And be a part of your tech team, where you’ll pay me for the skills I learned by doing … illegal things,” she continues.

I laugh. “Yeah. How do you think Levi got his start?”

Her eyes widen. “Seriously?”

“Of course. Most expert hackers start out doing things they’re not supposed to. That’s how they became expert hackers.” I kiss her again because I can’t stop myself. I’m addicted to her lips. I’m addicted to everything about her. “Say yes, baby girl. Be my partner in everything. Please.”

She smiles and drops another soft, lingering kiss on my mouth before whispering, “Yes.”

Chapter thirty

Lily

I WAIT ANXIOUSLY in Violet’s office, wringing my hands in my lap, gnawing on my lip so hard Violet finally hands over a Fleur lip balm without saying a word. I slather on the balm, my eyebrows going up at how it soothes my lips instantly, and I hand it back to her.

She shakes her head. “Keep it. I have a bunch of them in my desk.”

“It works.” I toss the lip balm in my purse.

“I know.” Violet smiles. “It’s good stuff.”

Glancing around, I lean in closer to Violet’s desk and lower my voice. “Is she here?” I know she should be here; the meeting was scheduled for two and it’s a quarter past now. I arrived a few minutes ago. I wanted to be at Fleur when the firing went down.

Guess I want to watch Pilar make the walk of shame out of the building.

Violet sighs. “She’s in Father’s office right now. Ryder is sitting in the meeting with him. I’m sure she loves that.”

“I’m sure that pisses her off,” I mutter, wanting to laugh but I don’t. This is serious business, what Pilar tried to do.

“I’m sure, but I really don’t care.” The smile Violet offers me is nothing short of glorious. She’s thrilled that Pilar is finally getting what she deserves. So am I. “She’s not my problem anymore.”

No, she’s not, thank goodness. “I still feel bad that I didn’t tell you what she was doing sooner.” I have tremendous guilt over it, though everyone—and I mean everyone, right down to my grandma and my father—has reassured me that it’s all right. It doesn’t feel all right, though. I’m just lucky we caught her.

And I have Max, and Levi, to thank for that.

Violet waves a hand, making a dismissive noise. “Stop beating yourself up. It’s over. Your Max saved the day.”

I smile. “He did, didn’t he?”

Turns out Felicity Winston had a case of the guilts herself after Pilar sent her the Fleur product info and she didn’t do anything with it. Yes, she looked everything over and knows all of the company’s future plans, but she told no one, not even any of the execs at Jayne Cosmetics. Fleur lucked out. Violet didn’t have to make any veiled threats, but lawyers were involved, confidentiality agreements were drawn up, and Felicity had to sign them.

Pilar will have a confidentiality agreement to sign as well, once her ass gets canned.

It gives me greatly ridiculous pleasure to think that, let alone say it out loud.

“How is Max, by the way?” Violet asks not so innocently.

“He’s … great.” My voice softens and I know I probably look like a dreamy, lovesick loser but I feel like a dreamy, lovesick loser, so that’s okay. We’ve been together constantly the last few days and I can’t wait to go home to see him. Now that he’s in my life, I can’t imagine being without him.

“Looks like you got struck, too,” Violet says, amusement lacing her voice.

I frown. “What do you mean?”

“Struck by the love bug or whatever. Rose has it. So do I. And now, so do you.”

Funny, how I’d been so envious of my sisters’ relationships, though I told myself I never wanted one. What a lie. I can’t believe how easy it is with Max, how fast it’s happened. But I guess when you know, you know.

And I know Max is the one for me.

“We haven’t talked about love or anything like that,” I start, but she interrupts me.

“Oh, you will. Soon, I’m sure. He seems just as smitten with you as you are with him.” Her knowing smile is downright cocky and I open my mouth, ready to protest—for what reason, I’m not exactly sure—when I hear a commotion just outside Violet’s office door.

We both swing our heads to see Pilar standing in the hallway, our father glaring at her as she faces him, her finger poking his chest as she yells at him.

“You think I’m just going to walk out of here without saying a word, you’ve got another thing coming.” She pokes Daddy in the chest again and he doesn’t try to grab her, doesn’t say a word, but his face is a stone mask, his mouth drawn so tight his lips disappear.