The Billionaire's Heart: Billionaire Brothers (Tycoon Billionaires Book 0) by Julie Farrell Page A

siblings. He was always happy to chat with them on the phone about their problems or listen to their dreams. His mom always joked that her kids seemed to get less serious the lower down in the sibling hierarchy they got – meaning that she thought Ivan was the most serious. But Ivan was sure it was actually second-eldest, Dylan. He was surly and smouldering – something that the ladies seemed to love. The ladies also loved third-in-line Adam, of course, who was a contrast to Dylan, with his jokey attitude and charming levity. But one thing both his brothers had in common was their handsome good-looks, which tended to leave a trail of young women behind them, hoping to be wined, dined, and satisfied. And Adam and Dylan were only too happy to oblige.
    But tonight, Adam and Dylan’s thoughts were on the award ceremony, and Ivan’s were on Samira… As well as on those two guys who’d visited earlier. How had they found out about the project, and what did they mean by their threats that someone might get hurt?
    Ivan sat forward in his seat and leaned his elbows on the white-tableclothed table, trying to focus, but it was too noisy. The atmosphere in the huge luxury conference room was abuzz with excited chatter. Ivan would normally enjoy this sort of event, but at the moment it was as stifling as tropical heat. It was one of the most important business award ceremonies of the year, and most of the guests here were hoping to win their category nomination or score new clients. These people were the cream of the corporate crop and it felt more like the Oscars than a business function, with the amount of air-kissing and schmoozing that was going on. Ivan recognised a few of his brothers’ clients – the men and women who made million-dollar decisions on a daily basis, just as Adam and Dylan did.
    Ivan pretended to listen as Adam bantered with Dylan, but actually he was feeling frustrated, sitting here doing nothing, when he should be investigating those shady guys. After they’d moved offices earlier and made sure Samira was okay, Tariq had tried calling the no-show visitors they’d been expecting, but they weren’t answering. Ivan hoped they were okay. And alive.
    He wished he could talk to Dylan about this – the two had always been able to confide in each other. But he and Tariq had agreed not to tell anyone about the project, at least not until the patent was finalised and everything was in place. Ivan and Tariq knew that involving their family could endanger their loved ones – and now the threat seemed even more real than ever. His mind drifted to Samira again. If anyone dared to hurt her – or even look at her in a way that upset her – Ivan would kill them. He absent-mindedly snapped a toothpick clean in two – which he hadn’t even realised he’d been fiddling with.
    “You okay, Ivan?” Dylan asked. “You were miles away.”
    “Yeah, no problem. Just… Tariq and I had a falling out this morning. But we’ll be okay.”
    Adam’s green eyes sparkled. “What happened? Lovers’ tiff?”
    Ivan threw him a deadpan look. “Ha ha. No, it’s nothing. We’re just under a lot of strain at the moment with this project.”
    “So when are you gonna tell us about this project, then?” Adam asked.
    “When it’s all finished. I promise, you’ll be the first to know.”
    “Well, if there’s anything we can do to help, just holler,” Adam said.
    Ivan opened his mouth to thank him, but an attractive blonde strode past the table, wearing a pencil skirt and heels. Adam turned his head to watch her, with his eyes glued to her ass like a tractor beam.
    Ivan smirked. “As long as there aren’t any hot blondes around, huh?”
    Adam chuckled suggestively, then he stood up and caught up with the woman. They started chatting and flirting – obviously they were both hoping to get lucky tonight.
    Ivan shook his head. “He can’t resist a blonde, can he?”
    Dylan shrugged. “You know Adam – every girl’s