Sweet Sinner (Tyler & Bella Book 2)

BELLA

Tyler is gone.

Dash and Allie are not.

They stand in my doorway with a puppy in Dash’s arms, staring at me as tears stream down my cheeks. After making me feel dirty and foolish with his stupid contract, Tyler has left me to explain away everything Dash and Allie just witnessed. And at this point, I’ve all but announced I’m sleeping with my boss, who is also Dash’s close friend and the owner of the agency that represents his books and career.

“What the hell was that?” Dash demands, glancing over his shoulder in the direction in which Tyler has just departed and then back at me, expectation in his stern look. No, it’s a look that says I’m not on my way to beat his ass, but I’m about to if you don’t talk me out of it. And we all know how Dash likes to fight.

Thankfully, the Golden Retriever puppy distracts Dash with big ol’ slobbering licks. I’m also a fast thinker, thanks to a job that places me on the hot seat more times than not. For instance, with my demanding boss, who I should never have allowed to touch me, a decision that creates a question about my judgment.

I rush forward and greet the puppy before daring a glance at my brother. “I can’t believe you got me a puppy.” The puppy replies with an Olympian effort at kissing away my tears and the sweetness only makes me want to cry all over again. Actually, I do cry all over again, but I direct it right back at the puppy. “Oh my God, you’re killing me with your sweetness.” I glance up at Dash. “And yours. Thank you. I love you.” I eye Allie. “And you. I love you too, Allie.” And I do. She’s good for my brother and has become a close friend—another sibling, in fact.

“She’s a girl,” Dash says. “Just like you wanted.

“Yes, I did,” I approve, and scoop the pup from Dash’s arms and carry her to the living room where the carpet is soft and comforting. As a plus, when I go down on my knees, the furniture hides both of us from loving but prying eyes.

I lower myself to my back and pull the puppy across my body, and while that ache in my heart still cuts deep, the cuddles are welcome comfort.

I nuzzle the puppy’s face and I’m kissed half to death until my tears morph into giggles. I all but choke when Dash appears above me, glaring down at me. “Bella. What the hell was that with you and Tyler?”

I sit up and allow the puppy a moment to explore. “I’m going to call her Molly.”

“Tyler, Bella,” Dash presses. “Why was he here?”

“He wanted me to sign something that had to be an original signature. When I told him you were on your way, he ran away. You have that impact on people, big brother.”

He kneels down in front of me. “You were crying. He was angry.”

I hold up Molly. “I cried because you surprised me with her, and he’s always angry.”

His lips press together. “That’s not wrong, but he’s a man of control. He doesn’t storm out of a room. And he shouldn’t be at your house.”

“Yes, well, he doesn’t care what he should or should not do. It’s all about money to Tyler. You know that.”

I’m sure this is the winning statement, but Dash proves me wrong, continuing to push. “What did you do to piss him off, Bella?” he repeats

“Told him everything about the contract was wrong, which it was. Thanks to me, he wasn’t able to close the deal tonight.” All of which is the truth, I think, as long as we don’t get into details. I scoop the pup up again and change the subject. “Thank you,” I say again.

“Thank you,” he says. “Molly is my way of showing my appreciation for all you did to close that deal for me.”

“And because you’re afraid I’ll end up old and alone.”

“On the contrary,” he says. “I’d rather you have a dog than the wrong man. For instance, Tyler.”

And here we go again. “Tyler’s my boss,” I say, dismissing his comment. “I’m worried about the puppy needing and deserving love and companionship. My job is ridiculously demanding.”

Allie sits on the chair framing this side of the couch. “You’ll give her plenty of love.”

“Did you get one for yourselves?” I ask, looking between them.

Allie cast Dash a demure look. “I’m working on him.”

“Maybe you can make real babies instead,” I suggest.

“Now I know you’re trying to distract me from Tyler’s bullshit,” Dash accuses.

The puppy whines and starts sniffing the ground. Allie hops up and scoops her out of my arms. “I’ll take her to potty.” She heads for the door, and while yes, the puppy needs to go out, I’m pretty sure she’s giving me and my brother some sibling time.

Allie understands that need a little too well right now, considering I’d rather skip it until I’ve pulled myself together. Damn it, I want to cry again. And damn Tyler for making my insides feel like mush.

I push to my feet, intent on running away from my brother and not afraid to admit it. But he’s standing as soon as I’m standing, planted right in front of me. “Talk to me, little sis,” he urges gently.

He’s obviously not buying my diversions, and while I could make up a bigger story, and basically lie to Dash, that’s not the relationship I want to have with him, or anyone in my life, for that matter. I get that from my mother. She preached honesty and she lived by the truth, no matter how difficult the truth can sometimes be.

She wouldn’t approve of a barrier between me and Dash.

I don’t approve, either. Not so long ago, Dash hid a lot from me. He hid his underground fighting from me because he was embarrassed. He didn’t like what it said about himself. I’m not sure what this thing with Tyler says about me, but I don’t think I like it either. This is why I confess to Dash, “I’m not ready. I need to process and think.”

His chin lowers, his eyes fixed on me. “Bella,” he says, compelling me to speak with that one word.

“I need to think,” I repeat more insistently. “And I need to deal with this myself.”

“I tried dealing with things on my own,” he replies, speaking of his fight club habit, no doubt. “It didn’t go so well for me,” he adds. “Don’t make the same mistake.”

“I’m not going to shut you out and hide some major problem from you, Dash. I’ve worked with Tyler for five years now. I just haven’t been under these intense circumstances with him since I was in LA. He’s intense. And without the office as a buffer, more so than ever. It was”—I lower my lashes and then lift them—“overwhelming. But even so, I’m exhausted, or he wouldn’t have been able to get to me tonight. He’s also my boss,” I add. “And I don’t need my big brother to insert himself into my career. I won’t have a career if that’s how this plays out.”

He studies me for a long moment. “This is a work thing?”

I think of the contract Tyler just offered me and I don’t even hesitate to reply with “Yes,” because Tyler made it clear that’s all anything with me is or will ever become.

“What did he do to piss you off?”

“I swear you asked this, and I have answered. Tyler acted like Tyler, and that’s what pissed me off. Him being him. And for the record, I’ve seen him make grown men cry.”

He scrubs his jaw and settles his hands on his hips. “Okay. That’s all you had to say. And I’m sure the situation with his father hasn’t made him more tolerable.”

“No, it has not. Add to that, the time zone change from LA to Nashville and the stress of holding your contract in the palm of my hands, and I think I really did need a puppy.”

He narrows his eyes on me, a warning that he’s not done pushing even before he observes, “Not many people get away with fighting with their boss and keeping their job.”

“Not many people bring their boss the money I do mine.”

He considers me a moment and then says, “Why don’t you go out on your own?”

“I’m frustrated with Tyler, Dash, not my job or the firm. Hawk Legal has resources I could never have on my own. They are the best of the best, and I want that for my clients, including you, Dash. I’m good at what I do, but collectively, the firm has someone who has experienced every situation that comes up and brings that knowledge to whoever needs it.” I change the subject. “I need to run to the store and buy supplies. You want to come?”

“I bought you supplies. I’ll go grab them from the car. I also arranged and paid for a full-time pet sitter for the first six months.”

I blink. “You did what?”

“She’s a puppy nanny. Allie says she’s amazing, but if you don’t like her, we’ll find someone else. She’s going to stop by in half an hour to meet you. She’ll even do general assistant work. The idea is that you don’t have an excuse for being alone. And you can go to work without worrying tomorrow.”

Alone is better than being a fake fiancée to my boss, I think. “I don’t know how I feel about the puppy bonding with her and not me.”

He laughs. “Already jealous?”

“Yes,” I say, an easy admission, especially since I’m not completely talking about the puppy and the nanny.

Soon, Tyler will have his own nanny, a fiancée for hire, eager to tend to all of his manly needs.

And there is no scenario where she will be me.