"Why are they all following our boss?"

"Man, our boss is incredible!"

The crowd's chatter swelled, punctuated by excited squeals. Everyone raved about Julius's striking handsomeness; the other two men were no slouches in the looks department either. Excitement buzzed through the air.

Except for Valerian. His face paled; he looked like he'd seen a ghost. He knew these men were Calliope's brothers, but he never imagined she'd bring them here. And what had she just said? Was she siding with Franco? Why would she defend an assistant over her own brother?

"Callie, Franco wouldn't let me touch the car! Isn't this the car you gave me? If it's mine, why can't I check it out? He's just an assistant, and he's telling me what to do? That's outrageous."

Calliope stared at him. "Where do you get this confidence, Valerian? Seriously, you think you can compare to Franco? Franco and I have been through hell and back. Sure, you're my brother, but we're not even close."

"What Franco says, goes. His word is as good as mine. I know him better than anyone. He's worked with me for years, and he's never crossed the line."

"And he's right. You shouldn't touch the car. If you broke it, you couldn't afford the repairs."

Calliope stepped closer, her tone icy. "And for the record, this car wasn't for you. It's for my other brother, Norton. Not you."

She offered Valerian a cool smile. Her voice, though not loud, cut through the noise. Everyone heard; those nearby visibly cringed on Valerian's behalf. The car wasn't even his, yet he'd acted as if it were. Franco had tried to stop him, but he wouldn't relent, insisting on driving it. In the end, he gained neither the car nor Franco's respect, only making himself look foolish.

"Norton, I know you've had your eye on this car, so I went out of my way to get it for you," Calliope said, her voice softening as she turned to Norton.

Norton barely glanced at Valerian. "How did you ever think, after how you've treated Callie, she'd give you a gift like this?" he asked dryly.

Valerian's face flushed crimson. He looked ready to explode. He couldn't believe it.

"Callie, why would you spend so much money on a car for me?" Norton asked, clearly pleased but still slightly concerned.

"Every time, you're the one giving me extravagant gifts! What I give you never comes close. It's only fair," Calliope replied.

"Norton, come on, you have to try it out!" she grinned. "I bet you're dying to get behind the wheel."

"Guess I won't say no, then," Norton said, smiling as he slid into the driver's seat.

The crowd watched, awestruck. Someone whispered, "Wait, isn't Norton that pro racecar driver? He's legendary! I'm not even into racing and I've heard of him!"

"Oh my gosh, our boss is surrounded by VIPs!"

"Looks like her real brothers aren't the only big shots around here!"