Recluse (Wolfes of Manhattan 2)

Of course neither was as magnificent as Roy Wolfe, who was now refusing to meet my gaze.

“You’re not taking this seriously, Rock,” Reid said.

“Because I’d like to take a break to eat? For fuck’s sake.”

Terrence chuckled under his breath, nearly making me break into nervous giggles. We quickly got the food set out.

Once we’d all filled plates and returned to our seats, the room became eerily quiet.

“See?” Reid took a drink from his bottle of water. “We should be working.”

“What? We must have conversation during lunch or we have to work?” Rock shook his head. “You’ve gone off the deep end. Enjoy your food, everyone. Don’t talk if you don’t feel like it.”

This first lunch on the job turned out to be the longest meal I’d ever sat through. Or so it seemed, at least. I had to force myself not to look at Roy, though it wouldn’t have mattered if I had. He was still refusing to meet my gaze.

I’d made a huge mistake, though I truly was concerned about the appropriateness of going out with one of the Wolfes when I worked for the company. This was my first day. My first day!

As soon as we were done here, I’d grab Lacey and get her input.

I swallowed a bit of the tikka masala, normally a favorite of mine. It tasted like dirt.

Whether Lacey put my mind at ease no longer mattered.

I’d blown what might have been the best thing to happen to me ever.4RoyI’d fucked up again.

There was a reason I didn’t do this. A reason other than the mindfuck I lived with constantly. I was attracted to Charlie Waters. More attracted than I’d been to a woman in a long time. Enough to let go of the mindfuck for a minute and take a chance.

And still I’d failed. Just because I’d had a hot one-nighter with a server in Montana clearly didn’t mean I’d magically transformed into a man who swept women off their feet.

I’d made a fool of myself.

Yeah. Back to having no luck with women. Great.

I kept my eyes off Charlie. If I looked her way, I wouldn’t be able to drag my gaze away. I’d never get her image out of my mind as it was. Until the day I died, those silver eyes would haunt me.

I ate, but not because I was hungry. I’d lost my appetite. I ate to save face. Stupid, but true. I ached to get out of this conference room, out of this building, out of…

Maybe I should pull a Riley and just disappear. My little sister was notorious for her escape routine. No one knew what would push her over the edge, but something would eventually.

She’d be back. She always came back.

Still, I worried about her while she was gone. We all did. She and I weren’t overly close. I wasn’t overly close to my brothers either.

I wasn’t overly close to anyone.

I preferred being alone. Not that I didn’t like a good fuck as much as the next guy. I just wasn’t sure a relationship was in the cards for me. The Montana fling would have to hold me for a while. I was the worst at picking up women, and I refused to join an internet dating site.

No way. Just no way.

I also refused to pay for sex, even though I could afford the best out there.

No way. Just no way.

Since little miss silver eyes wasn’t interested, I’d go it solo, as usual. I’d gone way out of my comfort zone to ask her to dinner, and I’d gotten shot down.

I work for the company. Your company.

What a dumbass excuse. What she really meant was I’m not interested.

Normally this wouldn’t be a huge issue. I’d just stay away from the office. Not an option at the moment, though. Until we figured out how and why all our prints ended up in our father’s penthouse that night, I needed to be involved. All of our lives were at stake here, even though I had no doubt that every single one of us was innocent. Rock hadn’t even been in New York that night.

Yet all of our prints had been found at the murder site.

I’d been at my loft all night.

Alone.

I was always alone.

Almost always, anyway, so the fact that I had no witnesses shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. I had to find a way to clear myself, which meant it was a good thing I’d chickened out on confiding in Rock.

If he—or anyone—knew what I knew—what I kept so deeply buried—I’d be fucked. Really fucked.Nine o’clock, and I’d just settled in for a night of painting. My brothers kept me at the damned office until nearly seven. Or rather, that was when I told them I was leaving. Another minute of avoiding that silver-eyed gaze would have driven me mad.