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  HOLD TIGHT

  Alexa Riley

  To sisters... By blood or by choice,

  we couldn’t do life without you by our sides.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue

  Royce

  My friends call me Rolly. Granted, I used to be chubby when I was a kid, but I grew out of that around ten. The reason it started is because I come from a long line of rich assholes. The Davenport name is known all over New York, and my father is no exception. I went to one of the most expensive private schools in the state, and when I showed up with the name Royce, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots to Rolls Royce. Rolls turned into Rolly, and that was that. It stuck from day one, and though most of the kids I grew up with ended up being douchebags, a couple of them were ride or die.

  My two buddies and I got out of college and started up a consultancy firm. We used the money we made from hustling. The only things we wouldn’t do to make it was sell drugs or ask our parents for it. My buddies, Ezra and Donovan, came from the same background as me, and the three of us agreed we wanted to be our own men. It sucked living in a four hundred square foot studio with two mattresses pushed together and a bathroom with no door. But we made it big in less than five years.

  I wanted to make my own contacts, and when I met Henry Osbourne at a charity function last year, I knew that working with him would benefit the both of us. What I didn’t know was that the day he asked me to come take a look at his departments was the day she would walk into my life.

  Pandora was unlike any woman I’d ever seen. Her red hair was pulled back from her face, and her dark blue eyes were rimmed with black eyeliner. It made her look intimidating. And sexy as fuck. She was petite, but I got the impression from her stance—and from her handshake—that she could take me down in the blink of an eye. God, she had no idea how much I wanted her to try.

  They say that like recognizes like, and the day I looked into her deep blues, I met my other half. She was my equal in every way—possibly even better than I’m willing to admit. I had to have her. Plain and simple. Too bad it wasn’t that easy.

  Chapter One

  Pandora

  “I swear on every bagel in Manhattan that if you come over here and ask me what time you can go to lunch, I’ll burn this building to the ground.”

  The new guy, Josh, looks at me with a blank expression on his face and takes a step back. “So, um, now?”

  “Go to lunch. Before she kills us all,” Sophia says, patting him on the shoulder.

  He walks away, and I drop my head on the desk. I want to beat it against it, but I don’t want the mark on my forehead for the rest of the day. It would be too much of a reminder of my frustration.

  “Sorry. I meant to intercept before he got to you. How’s it going, boss?”

  I lean up from my desk and sit back in my chair. “I’m still not used to you calling me boss.” I smile at Sophia, and she shrugs.

  “Hey, you earned it. Might as well wear the title with honor.” She lays a file down on my desk. “That’s the Miller report you asked for. Are you taking a lunchbreak today?”

  I’m already opening the file and shaking my head as she tells me she’ll bring me back something from the cafeteria. I scan the documents and start clicking on my computer to see if I can code some of it now.

  An email pops up from my twin sister, Penelope, and I smile. Of course there are pink hearts in the subject line.

  I skim it and see she’s excited to find out the sex of her baby, and Ivan is being extra protective, but she’s so happy she can’t seem to care.

  Shaking my head, I send an email back, telling her I still think it’s a boy and I’ll finally be able to have something in common with one of her kids.

  Penelope and Ivan got married when she was eighteen. They started having babies right away, and now she’s on number three. Ten years later and she’s got two beautiful girls, who are full-blown princesses, and one on the way. Fingers crossed this one likes to get dirty.

  At twenty-eight, I’ve got a very different life than my sister. She lives next door to our parents, and they have this big family compound. I’ve got a place there, too, but I stay in the city most of the time. After college I went in for an internship in the security department at Osbourne Corp. It didn’t hurt that my cousin Henry was running the place now, but I’m damn good at my job. I worked my way up, and when the time came for my dad to retire, I was chosen as his replacement. I thought that there may have been some animosity in the department, but I found out afterward that my dad put it to a secret vote so that everyone had a chance to be honest and have the leader they wanted. He said every vote was for me but one. And that one was his. I know I’ll always be his little girl, so I couldn’t even be mad about it.

  I work eighty-hour weeks and give everything I have to this job. I want the department to be the best it can be, but I’m only one person.

  Human resources restructured security a few months ago, and we’re having some growing pains. Mostly in my ass. Some of the new hires they sent are completely incompetent, and most days I’m spending even more of my time cleaning up their messes.

  Henry keeps promising me that he’s going to sort it out, but he’s running out of time. I’m at my wits’ end with trying to manage a department and trying to hold the hands of dumbasses. Good thing personnel can’t hear my inner thoughts.

  I’m so caught up in my work that at one point I look down and see a bag of food on my desk. I glance up at Sophia, and she shakes her head, laughing. “Thank you,” I mouth from across the room.

  I inhale the sandwich and the Diet Coke, and it’s hours later when I realize that everyone is gone for the day. I heard people telling me goodbye as they were leaving, but it didn’t register. Glancing down at the clock on my computer I’m shocked to see it’s after ten.

  I pull out my phone and see I’ve got a missed text from my friend Delilah.

  Del: I’m at Lincoln’s until midnight.

  I grab my bag and make my way out of the building, waving to the late-shift staff at the front desk in the lobby. They all know me by first name and watch out for me when I let the time slip by.

  As I walk, I respond to the other texts I missed during the day. I send one to thank my mom for sending me the name of the new restaurant that popped up near my apartment, and then I reply to my dad to say that yes, I promise to come home this weekend and see everyone. They like to nag, but I love it. We are all really close, but they know I’m addicted to my job.

  I check the rest of my texts on the four-block walk to the bar off the alley. Lincoln’s is tucked away and quiet, but they’ve got a good liquor list and food until three in the morning. What more could a working woman need?

  I’ve got on a black jacket and black slacks with black heels. This is the extent of my entire wardrobe, and it makes me blend into a place like this. When I walk in, I spot Delilah by the pool table and make my way over. We met during the intern program at Osbourne, but she ended up taking an offer at another firm after our year was up. I couldn’t blame her. They were willing to make her lead of her own team right away, and that’s what we were both after. It was an unspoken competition, and one I’m glad didn’t end our friendship.

  Her straight dark hair is to her shoulders, and she’s got on the same kind of dark suit I have. She’s taken off her jacket, and I do the same, reve
aling my black tank top under it. I see two beers sitting on a table next to her, and I raise an eyebrow.

  “Yours should still be cold. I asked the waitress to bring it about ten minutes ago,” she says, racking the balls again.

  “Am I that predictable?”

  “Nah, I’ve still got a tracker on your phone.”

  I shake my head. “One time I go on vacation and you never let me turn it off after.”

  “Hey, that’s what friends are for,” she retorts, grabbing the pool stick and breaking.

  Finally looking around, I see it’s crowded for a Wednesday night. “Why’s this place hopping?”

  “No idea. I was going to ask Jim, but he isn’t at the bar tonight,” Delilah says, drinking her beer.

  We know most of the guys who work here, but there’s a new one behind the counter tonight. Lincoln’s is normally pretty chill, and it’s nice for winding down after work. I love clubs, and I love to dance. I don’t get to do it as much as I used to, now that I work so much, but crowds don’t bother me. Most weekdays, however, I stay away from clubs and stick to the dive bars.

  We order food and play pool for an hour until Delilah wants to call it a night. The place is packed now, and I have to admit that my curiosity is piqued. Before I can find out why, Delilah pulls me out into the night and waves us down a cab.

  By the time the cab drops me off and I make it into my apartment, I’ve pushed all thoughts of it aside. I barely have enough time to strip off my clothes before I’ve fallen face first into my bed.

  Chapter Two

  Royce

  “Next we’ll visit the head of security and you’ll meet Pandora Justice. She runs the department, and I’m sure she’ll help you with any questions you have,” Henry Osbourne says as he leads me from his conference room to the elevator.

  We’ve been in meetings for the past week, going over what he sees as the future of the company and where he thinks there’s the greatest need for my expertise. I’ve met with board members and heads of every branch to try to supply him with the data he needs.

  Henry has a great head for business, and the company is his first priority. It’s unusual for someone around thirty to be driven by something other than money. But from what I’ve been able to assess, we both have very similar backgrounds. This was his father’s company, and he’s taken over. Now he wants to see it thrive under his control.

  I’ve enjoyed working with him and discussing ideas for a better future. We’ve got a plan laid out, and now it’s on to smaller department changes that could benefit everyone above and below in staffing.

  Almost everyone I met came to the boardroom, but this time we’re going directly to the security floor. It’s different from what I’ve seen this week, but I’m curious to see the it.

  “Is there a boardroom in security we can use?” Better to start with a question and see where that gets me. We step onto the elevator, and Henry hits the button.

  He straightens his dark blue suit and brushes his hair out of his face. “Pandora likes things her way,” he says, and lets out a sigh.

  That’s definitely not the answer I was expecting. It surprises me that he goes from confident and assured to almost nervous as the elevator doors open and we step off.

  I follow him as he walks down a short hallway and into a large open area. There are desks all around and computer screens everywhere. People are talking to one another, and there’s an energy around the room that’s not quite excitement, but close. People say hello to Henry as we walk across the expanse, and he greets them all by name. I can tell this man loves his company but also cares about his employees.

  The department takes up one floor, and that space has been opened up so information can be easily shared. It’s definitely not made for privacy, but in a security department, there’s no room for that.

  There’s an office on the far side of the room that’s raised up a little. At least, I think it’s an office. One wall is made of glass and the double doors are currently wide open. Closing them could offer sound privacy, but with the way it’s situated, there’s no way the person behind the computer could blink without someone knowing it.

  Henry is as tall as I am, at six two, and so I can’t see past him to who’s in the office. What I do see is when his shoulders stiffen as he gets to the doors and knocks.

  “Hey, Panny, I stopped by to introduce you to the consultant. Remember?”

  “I told you about calling me that at work, Casanova,” an unseen woman retorts.

  He sighs and steps aside, holding out his hand. “Royce Davenport, I’d like to introduce you to Pandora Justice, head of security at Osbourne Corporation.”

  I look over and see a small woman bent over a computer and not even looking up at us. I want to laugh at her balls. She clearly doesn’t give a fuck. I have to bite my bottom lip as Henry clears his throat to get her attention.

  “Almost finished.” Her hands click over her keyboard at a crazy speed, and after about thirty seconds, she stops and stands up. “If you could get me more people in here who can code, instead of idiot rent-a-cops who passed a two-hour course on mall safety, my floor would function a hell of a lot better.”

  Henry rubs his eyes and then looks at Pandora with pleading eyes. “Pan—”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Justice,” I say, holding out my hand, wanting to find out if she’s married.

  “Pandora. Mrs. Justice is my mom.”

  She takes it without hesitation, and I feel her firm grip meet mine. She’s not trying to hurt me, and it doesn’t feel exaggerated. Her hand feels strong in mine. This isn’t a show where she’s trying to seem tough. She actually is. I expected it to be soft and delicate, but her grasp feels like that of an athlete. The strength in her arm and her stance tells me that she’s not afraid of me. Or anything.

  It’s a small touch, and I’ve sized her up with all my assumptions in one basket. And yet somehow I know I’ve got her all wrong. She’s showing me who she is, but I have no clue where to begin. I’ve never met a woman so overwhelming. I’m drowning in her, and for a moment my head swims.

  “If you need to sit down, there’s a chair. I don’t want you to fall over and bleed on my desk,” she says as she pulls her hand from mine.

  I’m sorry, but did she not just feel the earth stop moving?

  I clear my throat and straighten my suit. My hair is cut short, and I can feel the cool air on the back of my neck just above my collar. I focus on that instead of the blood rushing to my ears.

  “You’ll have to excuse Royce. We’ve been in the boardroom all day. I promised him lunch, and I knew that was the only way I could get you out of your office,” Henry says.

  There’s a low-lying threat to his statement, and for half a second I think Pandora is going to challenge it.

  “Fine, Casanova. But I get to pick the appetizers.”

  They stare at one another, and for a moment I can picture them as children having this same discussion. Something green and angry rises in my chest at the banter these two have. Their inside jokes are irritating me and I feel excluded.

  “Maybe I could have lunch one-on-one with Mrs.—” She snaps back to me with her deep blue eyes, and I correct myself. “Pandora. I think we’ve gone over enough for today, Henry. I can email you the rest of what we discussed, and I can handle the remainder here.”

  There’s relief in his eyes as he smiles and shakes my hand. “Perfect. I’ll speak to you tomorrow,” he says, and nearly bolts out of the office before Pandora can protest.

  “It’s hard to respect your boss when you saw him poop his pants when he was six.” She shrugs and grabs the bag hanging on the back of her chair. “Never work with family.”

  The warning somehow makes the green-eyed monster in my chest calm down, and I finally have a better understanding of the situation.

  “I didn’t r
ealize you were related,” I say, following closely behind her.

  “Most people here know. It’s hard for them not to since our parents all worked together, and we grew up basically like brother and sister.”

  Her long dark red hair is pulled into a tight ponytail, and it swishes back and forth as she walks. Her petite frame is moving fast, and I have to speed up my steps to keep up with her. I also have to force myself not to stare at her round ass when we get on the elevator. She pushes the button for the lobby and puts her hands on her hips.

  “How do you feel about tacos?” she asks without looking at me.

  “Never met one I didn’t like,” I say with a smile.

  She slowly turns her head to me, and there’s not a trace of humor on her face. When the elevator doors open, she slides on her sunglasses. “Watch yourself, Royce,” she says before she steps off, and I have to hurry to keep up.

  Fucking hell. I think I’m in love.

  Chapter Three

  Pandora

  “I can smell the grease from here,” Royce says, looking up at the Taco Hut.

  I love this place and love it even more when it’s nice out. They have little outside tables, too, so patrons can enjoy the sunshine. It’s nice to get out of the office sometimes and get some sun. I haven’t been doing that much lately. I really need a pool day with my sister.

  I look over at him. He’s once again standing too close, and it’s really starting to annoy me, mostly because he keeps brushing up against me, and I don’t like it. Not even a little.

  It’s amazing how easily I can lie to myself.

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” I go to open the door, but he beats me to it.

  He flashes me that perfect smile and brushes up against me again. I hate how short I am. Even in my heels, I still have to look up at him. I walk past, and the smell of tacos fills the air. But then all I can smell is him as he stands too close. He smells woodsy, nothing at all like I would have thought. With that suit that molds to his body so perfectly and a five-million-dollar smile, I was sure he’d have on some pungent, overpowering cologne. In fact, I think the smell coming off him is just the way he smells. Something about him isn’t adding up for me. I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s there. Maybe it’s the things he’s making me feel, and I don’t know how to explain it.