His Unexpected Lover Page 0,40

make everyone think I’m a complete ditz when they first meet me. Including the head honcho over at your firm. He’s the worst! I’m pretty sure he’s convinced I’m a complete idiot.”

The four women were just about to say something when they were interrupted by a very angry, very large Axel who was bearing down on their table.

“Several things,” he growled to the four women who were now staring at him with wide, stunned expressions as he leaned over their table. “First,” he turned to Cricket, “Ryker feels many things for you, but I guarantee that he doesn’t think of you as an idiot. And I daresay he would be furious with you if you dyed your hair.” He turned to Mia and started to say something, but stopped himself and just shook his head. “As for being taller,” he said to Autumn, “I can guarantee that topping him in height won’t solve the problem.” He glared down at Kiera and all of his anger seemed to explode in her direction. “And if I ever hear you say you’re going to change anything on your incredibly gorgeous, sexy figure, I think I might have to put you over my knee and…” he stopped himself, his lips compressed as he tried to regain control of his fury. “Just don’t even think about changing your breasts, or your legs or lips or your hair!” he growled. “Don’t change a damn thing!”

With that, he walked away, dropping several large bills on the leather bill carrier that the waiter was bringing to their table before storming out of the restaurant.

The four women stared at the man’s retreating back in stunned silence for a long moment before they turned back to each other. A moment later, they all burst out in shocked laughter.

Axel stormed out of the restaurant and back to the office, so livid he didn’t even see his brothers who were walking into the building together.

“Axel?” Ash called out when Axel just walked by them, looking like a thunder cloud.

Axel spun around, more than ready to hit anyone who stopped him. When he realized it was his brothers, his fists relaxed, but not completely. “What’s up?” he asked, running a hand through his hair in an effort to calm down.

“Are you okay?” Ryker asked.

Axel took a deep breath, trying to get hold of himself. He nodded, but deep down, he wasn’t sure he was okay.

Xander wasn’t convinced. “How about if we head over to the gym and you can punch my lights out?” he suggested, knowing that something had been bothering Axel for a couple of weeks now.

Axel thought about it, but shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he came back, fisting his hands on his hips. “Why are you three all out here?” he asked.

Ash laughed and rolled his eyes. “We were trying to find you.”

“What’s wrong?”

His three brothers looked at each other, then back at Axel. “How about if we all head over to my place and we can discuss it?” Ash suggested.

Axel thought about the work he had piled up on his desk, then remembered Kiera suggesting that she get a breast augmentation and he knew he wouldn’t get anything else done today. “Fine," he replied and followed them back out to the parking garage. He let Ash drive him to his house, leaving his car in the parking garage. Once there, he slumped down in Ash’s plush leather sofa and took the offered beer, downing almost the whole thing in one swish.

Once he put the bottle down and grabbed another, he looked up, only to realize all three of his brothers were waiting.

“What?” he asked, surprised that they were almost ganging up on him.

“What’s going on between you and Kiera?” Ryker asked, taking a swig of his own beer.

Axel rubbed his hand over his face, trying to figure it out for himself. “I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you start from the beginning? How long have you two been seeing each other?” Ash asked.

Axel smiled, realizing that Ash wasn’t asking just as a brother but as a boss. He considered all of his employees to be part of a team. Not quite family. They all had enough family, they said. But their teams were close, all of them working together, working together as a cohesive unit. A team couldn’t do that without some family-like closeness among peers.

In other words, each of his brothers, himself included, watched out for their workers, stepping in when things were getting tough