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GUYS!! hi! if you would, PRETTY PLEASE watch the video attached! It is PHENOMENAL. and when I say phenomenal, I mean absolutely phenomenal. it's a trailer for this book and I'm in love! Please take the time to look at it since the lovely xsneezingpandax took her time to make it! I'm so in love with it. comment on what you think about it! Isn't it hot af??

three weeks later

Adora

I sat across from Derek, a blank expression on my face as I registered none of what he was saying.

"I know it's not for everybody."

I just smiled as I stood up. "Well I understood none of that, so you've got me sold."

He chuckled and pushed his folder to the side. "I feel like I'm going to look shrimpy next to those other businessmen."

"I bet you'll fit in perfectly," I said, "this meeting is tomorrow, correct?"

"Yep," he said, bracing his elbows on the countertop as he sighed.

"Hey, don't stress about it," I said, sliding a hand across his back, "you're going to do great."

"But what if I don't?" He asked.

"But what if you do," I said, smiling as I rested my chin on his shoulder.

He looked over his shoulder at me with a small grin on his face. I just stood up straight and walked over to the cabinet, grabbing a glass out.

"Isn't the cabinet space in this place amazing?"

I just smiled and nodded. "It is."

"This is so weird," he said, "we're now living in the place we both grew up in."

I nodded. "Yeah, it feels kind of surreal, after spending five years in London."

"That's not a lie."

He pushed himself off of the countertop.

"So who all is going to be at your meeting tomorrow?" I asked.

"Well, Zayn's dad is going to be there."

"What?" I exclaimed, "that's so weird!"

"I know, right! He's the first one I'm speaking to. The next is Santiago King."

I froze at his statement.

"S-Santiago King?" I asked, furrowing my brows together at the name that made its way out of my mouth.

"Yeah. Didn't you babysit for him for a while?"

I just parted my lips and nodded. I was completely taken aback- why was Santiago even halfway interested in investing in Derek? Since when had he ever been interested in investing in anybody?

Derek noticed the blank look on my face and furrowed his brows together with a grin. "What's wrong?"

I snapped out of my daze. "Oh, nothing. I just know that Santiago King is not the easiest person to work with."

Liar.

He nodded. "Yeah, I've heard."

I tried to regain the breath that I'd lost in the span of a few seconds, just because of one little statement.

"Well I've heard Zayn's dad is a pretty friendly guy."

At this point I was doing whatever I could possibly do to stray him away from Santiago King.

"From the way Zayn talks about him, he's not that much of a charmer."

"Oh, that's just Zayn," I said, "I bet he'll cut you some slack."

"Well, sadly, I can't go off on the amount of slack that's cut," he said, wrapping his arms around my neck.

"I wish you could," I said, my lips pulling themselves into a tight smile.

"But Santiago's dad knew my dad," he said, "and they seemed to get along fine. Maybe Santiago is the one for it?"

"So you're going to be in a room," I said, completely off the investment topic, "absolutely alone with Santiago?"

"Yeah," he said, "which has been one of my life goals for years. He's so educated it hurts."

I just cleared my throat, pulling away from him.

"And what sucks is that you already beat me to it."

I just nodded up at him, pursing my lips together. "Well, I hope you're not disappointed."

"I can already tell you I won't be."

"I'm glad you're so confident," I said, smiling as he encased me in yet another hug.

Did I want the only two men I'd ever felt anything for in a room alone together?

Absolutely not.

~*~

"Adora."

I looked up from the blanket I was throwing on the couch and over at Brenna.

She sighed and sloppily threw a pillow in the corner of the couch. "Are you just not happy here, or what?"

I furrowed my brows together.

"You know good and well that Derek would go back to London for you."

I sighed and shook my head. "I love it here, Bren. If I didn't, I wouldn't have suggested moving here."

She just studied me deeply.

"I've known you for basically forever. I know when you're unhappy. You're unhappy, or something's bothering you."

I just nodded. "Well, that's how life goes. You win some, you lose some."

"Adds, seriously," she said, "lighten up, babe!"

"I'm as light as I can be," I said, "Bren, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. When there is, you'll be the first to know. I swear to you."

She shot me a weak smile. "Then why don't I know yet?"

I flexed my jaw muscle and shifted from foot to foot.

She grabbed my hand and pulled me down on the couch with her, resting her chin in her palm as she angled herself towards me.

"Spill."

"Derek has a meeting with Santiago tomorrow."

Her chin slowly rose from her hand, a blank expression on her face.

I just pursed my lips together and nodded. "So that leaves me in a perfect place."

"Adds."

I shook my head and looked away from her. "I don't know how to get away from it."

"Derek is your way away from it, you said so yourself."

"I mean, yeah," I said, "but not when he has meetings with Santiago King every week."

She pursed her lips together. "I don't know what exactly you want me to say."

We sat in a silence for a few minutes before she piped up. "So why does he have a meeting with him?"

"Something about investment. I don't understand why Santiago, or when, may I add, wants to invest in Derek, out of all people."

"Well," she said, "Santiago is a dad. I just about bet that he has a heart for Derek's children's organizations."

I shook my head. "I genuinely don't get it."

"And you don't have to, Adds. Believe it or not, it's not your ball in the court this time! How cool is that?"

I just looked over at her.

She leaned over on my shoulder. "Everything works out in time. I promise."

I just sighed, resting my head on top of hers. "I hope so."

We sat in that position for a while before she jumped up, grabbing my hands. "Mummy Bren has good life lessons, doesn't she?"

I just giggled and got up from the couch, brushing my hair away from my face.

"Now, let's get this place decorated! It's quite bland, and we all know, I don't do bland."

~*~

Santiago (!!!!!!!!!!!)

I smiled as the boys fought over the front seat outside of the school.

Josiah eventually convinced Fred to let him ride up front this time, so Josiah got in the passenger seat and Fred got in the back.

"Hey, dad," Josiah greeted, "what's up?"

I looked at him with an eyebrow cocked up.

He laughed and shoved his backpack in the floor, Fred doing the same.

"So," I began, "how were your days?"

"Fine," they blurted at the same time.

I just nodded. "Anything you need to tell me?" I asked, looking at them both.

They both shook their heads, their bottom lips jutted out.

I just nodded, raising my eyebrows.

"I already know both of you made A's on your tests today," I said.

Josiah's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Fred scoffed. "I wanted to tell you over dinner!"

I just laughed. "I'm very proud of you guys."

"I scored a point higher than Jo," Fred said, an accomplished smile on his face.

Fred rolled his eyes and looked out of the window.

"Uncle A and Toni are coming over tonight," I said.

"Uncle A and Toni?" They exclaimed.

They'd grown to love Asad and Toni, and even started calling them uncle.

"Yep!"

"Yes!" Fred exclaimed, "Toni likes to talk girls."

"Please don't repeat anything Toni says about any women, definitely at school."

"Got it, dad," they said.

"Asad is bringing over food, so you lucked out, no dishes tonight."

"Yes," Josiah said, "it's Friday, so no homework, and no chores!"

"Dad," Fred said, looking over at me, "you have a lot of money, why don't you hire someone to do all this stuff that we have to do?"

"Because I want you to be normal kids with a normal life and not have everything handed to you, that's why."

The boys had grown so much. They were probably five feet tall at the age of eleven, and they were maturing quicker than I thought they would.

"Let's look at hot girls tonight!" Josiah suggested.

"Let's not," I said, "your mother would kill me and both of you."

"Speaking of her, are we going over to her house tomorrow?"

"That's up to you guys. I do have a really big meeting tomorrow, so I'm going to have to drop you off anyways. But you staying the night with her is your choice."

"Yeah, we can."

I just nodded.

Alessandra and I had learned to get halfway along over the years.

I just looked over at the boys and they smiled.

"Want me to do our thing?" I asked.

"Yes!" They yelled.

I stepped on the gas pedal, laughing as the boys laughed and rolled down the windows.

~*~

Santiago

I laughed and took yet another drink of my beer, shaking my head as Toni rambled on about some random girl he'd gotten with recently.

"The ass on her," he said, "wow. Just wow."

Asad rolled his eyes. "You're a pig."

"Hey, you have to be one to know one."

They chuckled and looked my way. "What about you, King Train?"

"What about me?" I asked.

"Women?"

"Just as problematic as ever."

We all laughed and took swigs of our beer.

"Come on, San," Asad said, "you're single, you're good looking, you've got-"

"Junk in the front, is what we like to call it," Toni said, nudging Asad's elbow with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes. "Funny. But no. I'm fine, right now."

"You hooked up with a girl, like, two weeks ago."

I shrugged. "Enough for me, I guess."

"Don't let them deflate, that's all I'm saying."

I gave Toni a good shove with a laugh.

His phone chimed and he pulled it out, leaving Asad and I to talk.

"So," I said, "are you going to settle down with this girl of yours anytime soon?"

He shrugged. "Just being fuck buddies is cool."

I chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, it's pretty easy that way."

We took drinks of our beers.

"Yo," Toni said, eyebrows furrowed together, "woah, woah, woah."

I cocked an eyebrow up at him, pulling my bottle away from my lips.

"Isn't this your old babysitter?"

I froze. My lips parted slightly before I grabbed his phone.

And sure enough, there Adora Franklin's face was.

She still looked exactly the same, maybe a few years older, but nothing drastic. She was still stunning as she'd always be. Her hair was still black as midnight, her lips still full.

I flexed my jaw muscle before handing his phone back to him.

"How the hell did you find this?"

"Twitter," Toni said, "you good?"

I shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be good?"

"She's cute as hell," Toni mumbled, "and because, you know."

I just shook my head. "Unbothered. Who wants another drink?"

"Me," they both yelled.

And with that, I pulled the bottle of Vodka out of my mini fridge, trying my hardest to forget about the picture I'd just seen.

~*~

HI GUYS!! super long chapter, huh?? omg. I'm still obsessed w the vid at the top 🤤🤤

how did you guys like this chapter?? HOW WAS SEEING SANTY AGAIN???!!

I was so excited to finally write in his POV. who is patiently waiting for next chapter when Derek and Santiago are in THE SAME ROOM 🧐🧐 I am!!!

I really genuinely hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Our little boys are grown up, too 😭 which kinda makes me sad but kinda not, I'm ready for them to be successful like their dad!!

ALSO!! happy new year!! 2018 is going to be full of amazing shit. Quote me on it. ✔️

okay. I guess this is it for now, and hopefully another chapter super soon! I can't wait to get really into this book, I have a shit ton of stuff planned!!

I love you guys❤️ thanks for reading & commenting!

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