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CHAPTER 1

SETH

“Just turn that dae, Seth,” my sister Jade said as she stopped directly in front of my desk It was hard not to notice the displeasure on her face as she continued, “The birds on your land are endangered They don’t need to lose their new nesting site”

“Hello, and nice to see you, too, little sister,” I said drily Da before she started to rip me a new asshole? She’d just bulldozed her way into my office, and immediately proceeded to talk about a subject I really didn’t want to discuss I had no desire to talk about my beachfront-property acquisition Truth be told, I’d been hoping she’d never hear about the property I’d purchased or discover that endangered birds had taken up residence there right after I’d bought it

Obviouslyshe heard

Jade just kept glaring at me, which told me that she wasn’t about to be deterred from her apparent mission

I knew that look I’d helped raise my little sister, so I ell aware of how stubborn she could be when it came to wildlife preservation

This tier sister

Regardless of Jade’s outrage, I’d be da to lose millions of dollars because some birds had decided to use the pri site

Jade wasn’t the first person to object toa resort on that beachfront location So toconstruction on that property, because it had beco spot for a colony of threatened feathered creatures I’d fought a legal battle with Riley Montgomery all summer—a battle I intended to win

After ue with my little sister about it, too

I leaned back in my office chair, determined not to let Jade talk me out of the property I’d spent a sone,” I told her irritably

Okay, theyseason, but I didn’t see how that was s, nurtured their young, and finally vacated the property just last month Now that summer was over, and my sister’s feathered friends had flown off to a warmer climate for the winter, I wanted toon the beach

The construction had already been delayed long enough In fact, I thought I should get some kind of award for my patience Sinclair Properties was a pretty new co corporation

Jade crossed her arms over her chest “The ued

Okay, I wasn’t completely heartless Well, not really But this was the first year the endangered species had found their way to this beach So they could very easily find another spot next year, right?

“Not if I can help it,” I gru permit that had been on hold for months Oncethe birds would avoid the site in the future

Riley Montgo about saving endangered birds, had apparently made my wildlife-conservationist sister into her ally

How else would Jade have found out about the situation? I sure as hell hadn’t told Eli, her husband And

Obviously, this new friendship—or whatever the hell it was—between Jade and Riley had happened recently, because my sister hadn’tinto my office today

“So Riley got to you?” I guessed

“I heard about this from her, yes I wish I had heard about it from you”

“Couldn’t,” I infor just like this”