Dirty Past Read Online Free

that she forgets I was a total fucking asshole to her for years.
    Once again, my gaze flicks to Ella, but hers is firmly focused on her plate. I grab my fork and look at my own dinner. Sofie, Aidan, Kye, Conner . . . she looks at all of them when she talks to me. Like I’m a piece of fucking shit not worth being on her shoe.
    Ella’s soft spoken, but it’s controlled and precise. Like every word is prepicked, and she’s trying not to offend. Hell, even when she says something that could be offensive it’s nice as fucking pie.
    I don’t believe she wants a change of scenery. You don’t go from the bright lights of New York and the harsh regime of Harvard to being a runaround for a band. It sure as hell isn’t for the money we’re paying her either. She’s already admitted to a privileged upbringing, and if she didn’t, it’s obvious as fuck from that perfect hairdo and that damn dress.
    All she doesn’t have is a sense of entitlement.
    The girl is one big motherfucking enigma, and hell if I don’t want to crack her code, if only to get under her skin and piss her off.
    Empty plates are cleared from the table, and Sofie darts around Conner to clean Mila’s sauce-covered hands and face with a wipe. Or five wipes, as it turns out. Sofie mumbles to herself about “freakin’ pizza” as she balls the wipes up and leaves them on her side plate. Ella watches them with a light smile, but it drops when she glances at me and sees me watching her.
    Our eyes meet for a split second, but something flashes in hers. Something that doesn’t usually glint in girls’ eyes whenever they look at me, so it’s sure as hell not good.
    “Sofie,” she says softly, turning away from me. “I’m going to head back upstairs. It’s been great to meet everyone, but I need to arrange for a new phone and credit card.”
    Sofie nods without questioning her. “Of course. I’ll stop by your room at nine tomorrow. The guys will be practicin’ all day, which translates to us running around like headless chickens after them.”
    “We ain’t that bad,” Conner grumbles.
    Sofie raises an eyebrow, but she doesn’t respond.
    Ella smiles. “Sounds like . . . fun. Night, everyone.” She stands, waves awkwardly, and heads out of the room.
    Why does she need a new phone and credit card?
    “Where are you goin’?” Sofie sighs heavily, looking at me.
    I get up and flatten my hands on the table. “I’m goin’ to tell her what you forgot—that she’s our employee and we’ll get her a fuckin’ phone and credit card if she needs one.”
    She rolls her eyes. “Trust me, I could tell her, but she’d laugh at me. I can tell.”
    “Sure she will. You’d give up convincing her after one ‘no.’ ” I pause at the door. “But she’ll do whatever the hell I say because I’m her boss.”
    “Don’t be a dick!” Aidan yells after me.
    “Tay! Ad! No!” Mila rambles. “Bad!”
    I swallow my laugh. Damn, that kid is something else. She’s a fucking star.
    I walk through the restaurant to the lobby and see Ella leaning against the reception desk, nodding at something the receptionist says. Without the judgment of my brothers, I stop and look at her. Her hair falls halfway down her back, and her dress clings just tightly enough that I can tell it’s concealing a fucking killer body—and her legs go on forever. Aw, hell.
    She smiles and straightens, turning for the elevator. I jog across the lobby and beat her to the button, my thumb pushing it just seconds before hers does.
    “Oh. Hi.”
    My lips tug to the side. “Hi.”
    “Are you following me?”
    “No, darlin’. I’m the followed, not the follower.” I put my hand on the side of the door and let her walk into the elevator before me. I push the button to the fourth floor and lean against the wall, crossing my arms over my chest.
    “Obviously. Well, can I help you with something?”
    There are so many fucking things she can help me with, namely my rapidly hardening