Going Down Hard (Billionaire Bad Boys 3)

“What’s wrong?” Lexie asked, immediately coming to her sister’s side.

“Julian’s here,” Kendall said on a horrified whisper, her gaze locked on someone across the room.

From her years covering the tech world, Cassie knew that Julian could only be Julian Dane, Lucas, Kade and Derek’s former partner. The men had a sordid history that included a lawsuit and Julian staking a claim on Blink. He’d also tried to ruin Kade’s reputation. Cassie didn’t know what Kendall’s issue with Julian Dane was, but the other woman was shaking.

“That son of a bitch,” Kade muttered. “He knows this is something our whole team attends. I can’t believe he’d show his face.” His entire body turned rigid, and he took a step in Julian’s direction.

Derek was faster, grabbing Kade and holding him back from confronting Julian and causing a scene.

“He’s not getting near Kendall,” Kade said, his anger tangible, clearly protective of his sister-in-law.

“Everyone breathe. I’ll have him escorted out,” Lucas said, heading across the room to avert trouble.

Kendall shook her head. “No. I’m an adult. I can handle being in the same room as him,” she called after Lucas.

The other man ignored her.

Kendall started to go after him, but Lexie grabbed her hand. “Let Lucas handle it.”

Kendall spun to face her twin. “I’m not sick. I’m stronger now and I know his game. I promise, you don’t have to worry about me. None of you do.”

Derek grasped Kendall’s shoulders gently. “Kendall, it’s not you we’re all worried about, it’s that snake. Why give him the opportunity to get close to you again?”

Kendall closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m just tired of everyone else fighting my battles.”

He nodded in understanding. “I get it. But Kade considers you family, and he’s protecting you the only way he knows how.”

Cassie was taken in by Derek’s gentle side, his delicate way of handling Kendall. Whatever the story behind Kendall’s issues—I’m not sick… I’m stronger now…—Derek clearly understood how to make her feel empowered while diffusing the situation.

Lexie looked from her husband to her sister, obviously torn between them.

Cassie could help. “Kendall, do you want to get some breathing room?” she asked the other woman, because her date seemed utterly dazed and useless.

Kendall glanced across t

he room, where Lucas was talking to Julian, and a brief look of longing crossed her features before she turned back to Cassie. “Sure. I could use some freshening up.”

Cassie turned to Derek. “I’ll be back.”

“Go,” he said with a grateful smile. “I’ll deal with things here and catch up with you soon.”

Cassie and Kendall walked out a side door, nowhere near where Lucas and Julian stood. They entered the ladies’ room, where they were luckily alone.

Kendall fell into the soft ottoman in front of the mirror and sighed. “I hate that one mistake keeps coming back to haunt me.”

“You … and Julian?” Cassie guessed.

Kendall nodded. “I’m bipolar. I was having issues and Julian took advantage. I had no idea he was using me to get to Kade. To help him get a part of Blink.” Her lashes fluttered and a tear dripped from her eyes. She grabbed a tissue and blotted her face.

“You fell for him, didn’t you?”

She swallowed hard. “We had a lot in common, or so he led me to believe. But he didn’t know I was sick. And I wasn’t ready to confide in him. I found out he was using me…” She shook her head. “I hate him.”

Cassie wasn’t so sure. Although he sounded like a class-A asshole, a part of Kendall clearly still had a soft spot for the man she thought he’d been.

“Let’s change the subject,” Kendall said. “What’s going on with you and Derek?”

Cassie laughed at the other woman’s blunt honesty. “I’m not really sure.”