Bossed By My Brother's Best Friend

CHAPTER 15

LILA'S POV

I snap the folder shut, my face burning. For a moment, I just sit there, breathing through it.

Then I lift my eyes to Wade's.

“I need a pen.”

He hands me one, and I sign on the dotted line before I can talk myself out of it.

My signature looks shaky and uncertain, but it's done.

Wade signs next, his signature bold and confident, and just like that, I've sold the next year of my life.

"Have you told Liam?" he asks as he files the contract away.

My stomach drops. "Not yet. He wasn't home last night. I'm telling him today."

"What are you going to tell him?"

"The truth." At his raised eyebrow, I quickly add, "Sort of. I'm going to say you offered me a live-in position for an important business deal. That it's purely professional."

Wade nods slowly. "That works. It's believable enough."

"He's not going to like it."

"No, he's not." Wade moves closer, and suddenly we're standing way too close, his Alpha scent surrounding me. "But he'll accept it because he trusts both of us. And because fighting it would mean admitting he doesn't think you can handle yourself."

"He's going to want to talk to you about it," I warn.

"Let him. I'll tell him the same story." His hand comes up to cup my jaw, and I should pull away, should maintain some professional distance, but I can't. "You're doing the right thing, Lila."

"Am I?"

"Yes." His thumb brushes over my bottom lip. "And for what it's worth, I'm glad you said yes."

Before I can respond, before I can process what that means, he steps back, breaking the moment.

"The Silvermoon event is the day after tomorrow," he says, his tone back to business. "I'll send a car for you tomorrow at noon. Pack everything you need. You'll be moving in immediately."

"Tomorrow?" My voice cracks. "That's so soon."

"We don't have time to waste. You need to be settled before the event." He moves back to his desk, sending me off. "That's all, Miss Reeves. You have work to do."

Seriously?

I stand there for a moment, feeling dismissed and off-balance, before grabbing my purse and heading for the door.

I’m about to reach for the doorknob when his voice stops me.

"Lila."

I turn back.

"Don't f**k this up," he says quietly. "I'm counting on you."

The weight of those words sits heavy on my shoulders as I leave his office and return to my desk.

The rest of the day passes in a blur. I answer emails, file documents, schedule meetings, all while my brain screams about what I've just agreed to.

By the time five o'clock rolls around, I'm exhausted and terrified and ready to get this conversation with Liam over with.

I drive home slowly, rehearsing what I'm going to say. Every version sounds like a lie because it is a lie, but I force myself to commit to the story.

‘Work opportunity. Live-in position. Professional arrangement. Nothing more.’

Liam's truck is in the driveway when I arrive, and my heart starts racing.

No backing out now.

I step out of the car and head inside. I find him on the couch, beer in hand, looking tired from whatever pack business kept him away. He's in jeans and a worn t-shirt, completely relaxed, and the guilt nearly suffocates me.

"Hey, little sis," he says, smiling. "How was work?"

"Good." I walk over and sit down across from him, my hands twisting in my lap. "Um, Liam, I need to talk to you about something."

His expression changes immediately, going from relaxed to alert. "What's wrong? Did something happen at work? Did Wade…"

"No, nothing like that." I take a breath, hating every word I'm about to say. "Actually, it's about work. Wade offered me a... a live-in position."

Silence.

Then the beer in his hand pauses halfway to his mouth. "A what?"