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last month. He also knew that having her at Pure Talent was a win for the company. She already had an established client list and an impeccable reputation in the industry. Even he couldn’t deny it was an excellent idea.

      If only I can stop staring at her. He let his gaze travel from her pumps to her dark hair, pulled back into a long ponytail. She’d always been pretty, but the woman sitting next to him was flawless. Stunning, really.

      Their interaction at the holiday party felt different from their normal routine of fist bumps, winks, and side hugs. It was almost intimate, and he’d found himself wanting to explore it, explore her.

      Once she’d left the room that night, he’d chalked his amped emotions up to too much cognac and post-fistfight energy. Still, he’d needed something that night, and Zara had given him understanding. She’d taken care of him. And she’d even made him laugh.

      “Son?” Jax arched a brow. “Did you hear me?”

      Xavier blinked. He’d been so engrossed in his thoughts of Zara that he failed to realize his father had been talking, which wouldn’t do. What he should’ve been focused on was Pure Talent Sports. What he shouldn’t have been focused on was Zara or her brown eyes—or her lovely body. I wonder... Instead of imagining his former next-door neighbor naked, he needed to embrace another emotion—anger. As beautiful as Zara was, that job was his.

      His gaze flitted from his father to her, then back to his dad. “Did I miss the part where you told me Zara will be tackling the sports expansion now?”

      Jax leaned back in his chair and raised a brow. “I would like to think you’d be a little more welcoming to Zara.”

      The unbothered look in his father’s eyes irritated him. He could have—and wanted to—throw back a sarcastic remark, but remained quiet. Instead, he glanced at Zara, who had shifted in her seat to face him.

      “Hi, Zara. I never did thank you for your top-notch medical skills.” He held up his hand. “See, good as new.”

      “Hi, X,” she said, a genuine grin on her glossed lips. “I asked about you this morning.”

      “You did?” If what he suspected was true, and Zara had joined the Pure Talent family, he didn’t blame her. She couldn’t have known that the expansion was his idea, that he’d worked countless hours gathering metrics and making important connections with teams, established players, and possible draft picks. “Well, I’m here.”

      Her smile wavered and she cleared her throat. “How are you?”

      The answer to that question wasn’t something he wanted to say at this moment, especially since Zara seemed uncomfortable. So he simply said, “Fine.” He eyed his father, before turning back to her. “When do you start?”

      “Today.” She pulled at her ear and crossed one toned leg over the other. “This morning.”

      Narrowed eyes landed on his father, who watched the scene as if he didn’t do anything wrong. “Today, huh?” He bit the inside of his cheek and counted to ten. Slowly. “Dad, why didn’t you tell me you lured Zara to Pure Talent?”

      “Xavier, I’ve never checked in with you any other time when I’ve made a decision. Why would I do it now?”

      The response stung. His father had been the perfect role model for him. Growing up, most kids in their neighborhood had barely seen their fathers, but his dad had made time with him a necessity. As far as Xavier could remember, his dad had attended every event, because it was important to both of his parents not to just talk about being a family.

      Yet, Jax didn’t get his shrewd reputation in business because he stuttered or avoided conflict. The man was a powerhouse, a self-made man who’d left home at the age of sixteen to make a better life for himself. Pure Talent was the corporation it was because Jax Starks led the company, poured love into its vision. The work, the time, the mission—all of those things were a part of his father. It was the reason why Xavier worked so hard to be able to step into a role that his father filled with ease.

      “Um, maybe I should step out?” Zara said, breaking the silence. “I’ll give you a few moments.”

      “Thanks, Zara. If you could step outside for a few minutes, I’d appreciate it.”

      Xavier watched Zara leave the office, noting the sway of her hips and how good her legs looked in those high heels. When he turned back to his father, he noticed the small smirk on his face, but didn’t say a word.

      “I know you’re not in the habit of explaining yourself to anyone, me included,” Xavier said, “but I need to know. Why is Zara here? Pure Talent Sports was supposed to be mine.”

      Jax opened a folder that had been sitting atop of the desk, pulled out the document, and slid it across the table. “See this?”

      Xavier picked up the document. Shit.

      “Imagine my surprise when I arrived back from a relaxing vacation with your mother to find that the incident that I had hoped would blow over has gotten significantly worse. And not only do I have to tend to my company’s image, because one of my best agents lost his cool, I also have to negotiate a financial settlement to Ethan Damn Porter.”

      A lawsuit. Xavier was officially done. The day couldn’t get any worse. He swallowed roughly. “I’ll fix this,” he mumbled.

      “No, you won’t.” Jax leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. “I will handle this.”

      “Is this why you hired Zara?”

      “I brought Zara in because I believe in this venture and I feel she would be an asset to the team.”

      “Really?”

      “This is not a punishment, Xavier. The fact is you’re too hot right now. Your name is all over the tabloids, the blogs, YouTube, and social media. And this is too big for missteps.”

      “So that’s it? I’m just out of it?”

      “I’m not taking you off of anything at this point, but I am concerned about the negative publicity. Ethan is one of the most popular sports figures in the country. If we’re going to do this, we need a balance.”

      Xavier closed his eyes. “Fine.”

      Jax stood up and walked around to the front of the desk. A strong hand squeezed Xavier’s shoulder. “You already convinced me this is the next logical step for Pure Talent. I told you, I’m ready to take a step back from the day-to-day operations. That time with your mother was heaven. I want more of that. But I have to know that the company is in good hands. And the company is more than Pure Talent Sports.”

      “Dad, I—”

      “You have great ideas, and I’ve seen how hard you’ve been working. But I’m not convinced you should take the lead on this project.”

      “And I feel like I’m the perfect person to do the job.”

      Jax eyed him. “Okay, then.” He walked to the door and opened it. A moment later, Zara reentered the office. His father motioned her to have a seat.

      “Jax, maybe this isn’t a good idea. I feel like I’m stepping on X’s toes, and, honestly, I’m conflicted.”

      His father held up a hand. “You’re not stepping on my son’s toes, Zara. I apologize if it came across that way. Over the next several months, I want to focus on getting the sports department up and running. I’m interested in how you’ll make Pure Talent Sports different from the rest. I haven’t decided who will head the new division. I need time to make that decision, and I expect both of you to make it a hard one.”

      They spent the next hour talking about sports and life. And when he walked out of the office, Xavier smiled. I’m still in the game.

      * * *

      Zara dropped her purse on her desk and sank down in the chair. Peering up at the ceiling, she went over every detail of