"You're a pig," Simon says.
"Oh yeah, I'm a pig. You have arrangements with twenty-year-olds, but I'm a pig," Liam says.
"You fuck three women a week," Simon says.
Liam motions oh stop.
"Does he really? Or does he only have eyes for Briar?" I ask.
"Briar? Your mentee?" Simon's outrage goes straight to him. "Really, Liam? Even by your standards…"
"Fuck you," he says.
"Clever." Simon rolls his eyes.
"Well, you're an asshole," Liam says.
Adam wraps his arms around me. Brings his lips to my ear. "They saw the picture."
"They have strong responses."
He nods into the crook of my neck.
Mmm. I want to soak up the feeling of his skin forever. "It's good, right? They think you're doing well enough—"
"To think with my cock?"
My cheeks flush. "Yes."
"It is."
"Are they dirty talking?" Liam asks. "Or talking about us?"
Simon shakes his head you're impossible and moves into the kitchen.
He says something to Trish. She laughs.
I can't make out the details, but it's clearly friendly.
"Did you really come all the way out here because of that photo?" I ask.
"Did you not see the photo?" Liam asks.
"Really?" I ask.
"We're overdue. Simon… he doesn't like to be here anymore. And he felt bad about skipping dinner," he says.
Simon emerges with a mug in his hand. "You didn't invite me."
"Tomatoh, tomahto." Liam shrugs. "Are you going to actually talk to Danielle? Or talk around her?"
"We introduced ourselves," he says.
"He's such an asshole, huh?" Liam shakes his head ridiculous.
"I understand," I say. "I'm protective of my younger brother too."
Simon eases. By about ten percent, but it's something.
Adam shoots him a look.
"They actually stayed in the city long enough to take these," Liam says. "That's progress."
"Posting pornographic photos is progress?" Simon asks.
"When it's a guy who barely leaves the house, yeah," Liam says.
"They aren't pornographic." Okay, some are, but not the ones I posted. "They're artistic. And they're none of your business."
"This a public website," Simon says. "Anyone can see it."
"And Adam gave me permission to post these photos. He signed a model release," I say. "This is what I do. If you saw my website, I'm sure you saw that too."
Simon's eyes narrow.
"Adam was gracious enough to pose with me. We took some amazing images. And I'm going to show them." I swallow hard. "I've already pitched it to a few galleries."
Liam and Simon share a look.
"Really?" Liam asks.
Simon's face fills with disbelief.
"They're always like this," Adam says. "It isn't you. They're idiots."
"You're an idiot," Liam says.
"The cleverness continues," Simon says.
"Nah, I mean, I can't even make that argument. Look at her." Liam motions to me again. "If my girlfriend was a sexy photographer who took sensual nudes and she asked me to pose with her…"
"Yes, I heard you begging her to look at your dick," Simon says.
"He's right," Adam says. "You're both being assholes."
They stop in their tracks.
"If you're here as co-owners of Pierce, and you don't approve of the CTO posing this way, we can talk. I'll refer to our contract and the lack of a morals clause. Not that either of you would survive one," Adam says. "But I'll hear your arguments."
"I think it's great," Liam says.
"Do you know what you're doing?" Simon asks.
"If you're here as my brother," Adam says. "Then stop talking around Danielle. She's an amazing artist and I won't have either of you dismissing her."
Liam nods hell yeah.
Simon holds his poker face. Then he nods, turns to me with the faintest sense of approval. "Your photos are beautiful."
"Super hot." Liam nods.
"If Adam trusts you… well, he's never been trusting before. But he's still a man. And men do stupid things when they want to fuck someone," Simon says.
Liam nods true enough.
"If you're manipulating him or using him, I'll destroy you," Simon says. "He's been through enough."
"Have you never heard of privilege, asshole? She's a broke twenty-something. You're a fucking billionaire," Liam says. "And you threaten her? You gonna destroy her career if she breaks his heart. Really? That's fair."
Simon shoots him a death glare.
"You're the asshole," Liam says.
"Thanks, Liam," I say. "But I don't need the warning. I care about Adam." I do. Deeply. But that isn't enough for this conversation. I'm his adoring girlfriend. "I love him." The words feel strange on my tongue. True. Too true. "I'd never hurt him."
Simon nods fine. "I don't approve of this decision. I won't pretend I do. But you're an adult."
"He's almost thirty," Liam says.
"You can make your own mistakes," Simon says.
"You are thirty. Thirty-two, actually. But still acting like a bossy teenager," Liam says.
"Are you done?" Simon asks.
"And still fucking eighteen-year-olds," Liam says.
"Oh yes, I'm the one fucking too many young women," Simon says.
"At least I'm not twice their age," Liam says.
"You are half their IQ," Simon says.
Liam just laughs. "Damn, you two." He motions to Simon and Adam. "Fucking sharpshooters." He winks at me. "Huh, Danielle?"
I have no idea what that means, but it's clearly about sex. "You're so much like Remy."