Brother to the Boss: Billionaire Romance (Managing the Bosses Series Book 8) by Lexy Timms

they'd gotten hold of it somehow. Probably with Nicholas' help. He would want everyone to know that he was going up against Alex Reid. And when he won, he'd want everyone to be anticipating it, waiting to congratulate him.
    But he wasn't going to win.
    Alex wasn't going to let him. And when the asshole lost, he might finally realize that all attacking Alex Reid was going to get him was trouble.
    All of that, though, was something he was going to have to deal with a little later down the line, because right now the issue at hand was Mark, and whatever Mark thought he was doing with Nicholas. Alex’s thoughts turned the problem over and over as he drove, and he was still thinking about it as he pulled into the lot at the country club and walked up to the main building to find his brother.
    Mark, it turned out, was in the kitchen, dealing with some problem. When he saw Alex, he turned to look at the man he’d been talking to and told him he was going to have to take a few minutes. The kitchen manager nodded and hurried away. Mark stepped out of the kitchen and, after a moment’s hesitation, led Alex out through the door and onto the lawn on the back side of the building, moving toward the vineyard that they were starting. It was a place that people probably wouldn’t be able to hear them arguing, and Alex knew that Mark must already know what he was there for.
    Mark shook his head. “Look, Alex,” he said immediately, “I know what you probably saw, and I'm not going to say that it isn't bad, but I want you to know that it's not because I'm trying to undermine you, I swear.”
    Alex paused. He’d been right. Mark had seen the tabloid, too, then, and he hadn't denied that he had been speaking to Nicholas. Willing himself to be patient, Alex took a deep breath and let it out again, and when he spoke he didn’t yell. “So what did happen, Mark?”
    His younger brother's expression was contrite. “It's—” he started to say, and then stopped. “Okay, so what happened is that Nicholas showed up here, and I was going to kick him out.”
    “But...” Alex prompted.
    “But,” Mark went on, “then I realized that maybe that wasn't such a good idea. I know that you and he don't get along, and that he's been really terrible, but it's not like I'm helping him with something. I'm just taking his money. And he brings in a lot of other clients for the first time. If I lose him, I could lose a bunch of my clientele.”
    “Because Nicholas’ connections are worth money ?” Alex fumed. He wanted to punch his brother in the face. What an idiot!
    “I honestly thought you would understand.”
    Just like Jamie had said, then. He thought that he wasn't doing anything wrong. He thought he was running his business the way that Alex would. Alex ran a hand through his hair and spun on his heel, pacing away through the short green grass. When he turned again, he shook his head. “That's not what I would have done, Mark,” he said, and his voice came out harsher than he'd meant it to.
    “Isn't it?” Mark asked. “I mean, I'm not saying that you're some kind of corrupt cutthroat, but you wouldn't risk your whole business just because someone you cared about didn't like a high-paying client. He comes here, he plays golf, he pays money. I don't know what kind of risk that puts you at.”
    “It puts me at risk,” Alex snapped, “because he thinks that he can get to me through you! You're my brother. The only reason he's showed up to play here at all is that he wants to know if you're going to be a pawn for him.”
    “Oh, it couldn't possibly be because my business is actually worth someone's time. I mean, it's not the great Reid Enterprises, so why would anyone want to actually come here without some kind of ulterior motive?” Mark’s voice rose to match his. “Obviously you're the much more interesting Reid brother.”
    “I didn't mean it like that,” Alex said. “I just meant that Nicholas isn't the kind of person you can