Despite myself, I smiled. His levity was what I needed at that moment. “You thought I was plotting against you?”

“I considered it a possibility.”

I wondered whether to admit the truth. I didn’t want to lose these men as my new allies or jeopardize my connection with Ronan, but they deserved to know what I’d been up to. It wasn’t fair of me to keep secrets when they were going out on a limb to help me. Besides, if I didn’t say anything and they found out another way, they might not be so forgiving. With an empty feeling in the pit of my gut, I decided it was time to put everything on the table.

“Actually, I was.” I wet my lips. “I’d hoped to find something I could use to make you guys back off Lennox Securities. When I first arrived, I scoured through the files I had access to, but I couldn’t find anything useful. Eventually I made the decision to stop looking because it didn’t feel right.” I glanced at Ronan, afraid of what I might see on his face. “I knew Dad wouldn’t have approved, and I was beginning to care for you, even if I didn’t want to admit it.”

“You were trying to spy on us from the inside?” he asked.

His expression hadn’t changed. He didn’t let go of my hand, which was a good sign.

“Yes.”

A muscle in his jaw ticked. “I wish you hadn’t, but at least you’ve come clean.”

“I’m sorry.” I hated his disappointment. With a sense of horror, I realized he didn’t seem surprised. “You knew,” I accused.

His lips pressed together. “Zeke told me. Apparently, he’s been keeping an eye on you.”

“Oh.” I felt foolish. Of course he had. Hadn’t he warned me not to betray Ronan soon after I started? I’d suspected he might have an inkling of what I was up to even then. I bounced my knee, wondering how this revelation would change things. “Are you…” I cleared my throat and tried again. “Now that you know, are you going to throw me out of your apartment?”

I hated the thought. I didn’t want to be on my own, but more than that, I didn’t want to be without Ronan.

“Do I need to?” he asked. “Are you still spying on us?”

“No!” The word burst from me with more force than necessary. “I mean, no,” I repeated more quietly. “Tom is out of control and isn’t respecting Dad’s memory, I can see that now.” I squeezed his hand, wishing my own was less clammy. “I’m with you, Ronan.”

I just hoped it wasn’t too little, too late.

His mouth lifted into a halfhearted smile. “Then we’re okay. Your loyalty is one of the things I respect most about you, and while I don’t like what you did, I understand needing to do what you thought was protecting Frank’s company.”

My muscles softened with relief. Thank God.

Ronan slipped an arm around my waist. “Anything else to get off your shoulders?”