Before Dark: Brothers after Dark Book 1 Page 5

  “But it’s a bachelor pad. It’s not suited for a family. We’ll be having kids, and kids break things. The amount of glass and windows in that place are not ideal.”

  I smile at an image of our kids running around his penthouse, pressing their sticky hands to the windows. “You’re right. So, you want us to stay in New York?”

  “I don’t mind where we go. As long as you come with me.”

  “Even if I propose moving to Misty Cove?”

  He scratches the back of his neck. “A small town is not really my kind of place.”

  “Then be careful what you ask for, mister.” I ignore the ache in my heart.

  “I’ll remember that next time.” His eyes crinkle at the corners as he sticks his toothbrush into his mouth.

  While he brushes his teeth, I brush my hair and plait it into two long, lush braids.

  “When is our flight?” I ask when he’s able to speak again.

  He rinses out his mouth and cleans the toothbrush. “In about two hours. We still have enough time for breakfast before the sea plane is ready for us.”

  I peer through the window at the turquoise water and sigh. “I’ll really miss this place. Thanks for bringing me here.” I kiss him on the lips, tasting the toothpaste.

  I pull away when his hand moves to my ass. “We don’t have time for that. We have to start packing.”

  “What do you have to pack?” He squeezes my ass again.

  “Not much, but still.” I place both hands on his chest. “By the way, I’m still annoyed with you for throwing my novel away. I don’t get why you did it.”

  “Sweetheart, let it go. It was just a book. You can buy many more.” He wraps his hand around my wrist and pulls me close. “As long as it’s not romance. You are smarter than that.”

  “You’re really being an ass right now.” I pull away, my heart feeling a little more bruised.

  He chuckles. “At least you know what you’re marrying into.”

  I don’t react to his joke. Instead, I walk out of the bathroom and return to the bedroom to pack my few belongings.

  Chapter Seven

  The moment the private plane lifts off the ground, my heart turns over. The loss of control always evokes feelings of giddiness within me.

  My first time on a plane was when Winston flew me to Hawaii for dinner, a month after our secret fling started.

  After the pilot makes his announcements, Cynthia, one of the two air hostesses, approaches me. Her smile is bright as she leans down to get to my level. Her vanilla scent reaches out to me.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” she asks in a soft, soothing voice. She has a voice that would put a baby to sleep and a body that makes me feel slightly self-conscious even though I’ve always loved my gentle curves. I’m not skinny or on the heavy side. I like to think I got the best of both worlds.

  Cynthia, on the other hand, would look right at home on the cover of Vogue magazine or the catwalk. Her body is slim and toned. Her honey hair, though hidden in a bun at the nape of her neck, is lush and glossy, her skin flawless. She would own the catwalk. But of course I don’t know how she would look without all the makeup. It’s a touch too much for my taste. Less is more for me.

  The few times I’d really made myself up was when I went to my high school graduation party. My sister, Heather—two years older than me—never stopped bugging me about making more of an effort with my looks. I never felt the need to do anything about the way I look. Why fix something that isn’t broken? If I had skin issues, maybe I would have given makeup the permission to rescue me.

  “I’ll have a glass of cranberry juice, please.”

  “Coming right up.” Cynthia bats her long lashes and moves on to Winston.

  Watching the two of them talk and return each other’s smiles, I can’t help but wonder how long she has worked for him, and what he sees when he looks at her. Did he take her looks into account when he gave her the job?

  I shake my head. I’m being ridiculous. Besides, one of his many employees probably handled the hiring process.

  Why am I worrying about Cynthia anyway? Who cares what he sees when he looks at her? He chose me, not anyone else. Some of these gorgeous women have been working for him for years and he didn’t pick them. I should focus on that and let the rest go.

  Cynthia throws him a glance over her shoulder as she sashays away. Another secret thought forces its way into my mind, demanding attention.

  Has he had any kind of relationship with her? Does she know how his body feels between the sheets?

  I blink away the uncomfortable thoughts. He has his past, so do I. There is absolutely no reason for me to feel insecure. He hasn’t given me that reason and I shouldn’t give it to myself.

  Winston shifts his gaze from Cynthia to me. “Are you okay, baby?”

  I put a confident smile on my face. “Oh, yes. Couldn’t be better.”

  “You sure? You look like you have a lot on your mind.”

  I look out the window at the fluffy, white clouds. “Not at all. I’m just a bit sad that we’re leaving the Maldives. I had the best time.”

  “Look at me,” he says and I do. “The Maldives is only a tiny piece of the world puzzle, a world full of endless beauty. There are places even more beautiful. Wait till I take you to Asia.”

  “I’ve always wanted to see Asia,” I say.

  “Good. We could go to Bali for our honeymoon. How does that sound?”

  “I’d love that.” My mind takes me back to the past. “As kids, me and my sister had fantasized about traveling to Asia, to immerse ourselves into a completely different culture. I never thought that dream would one day come true.” When I told him about my sister, he could have used the opportunity to tell me about his brother.

  “I’m glad to be the one making your dreams come true.”

  I give him a small nod. “I guess they do.”

  Cynthia returns with our drinks. I sip mine while Winston drinks a plain glass of water. I’ve never met anyone who drinks as much water as he does. It’s for sure his preferred drink, especially during a meal. Now and then he’ll have a whiskey or wine, but it’s rare.

  I take another sip of juice, then lower the glass onto the polished wooden side table to my right. “How was it growing up as an only child?” I blurt out. “Did you ever wish you had a sibling?”

  Winston goes silent for far too long and I wish I could shove the words back down my throat. Where the hell did that come from? I had promised myself to let go of the conversation I’d heard. Now this. My mind has a habit of doing what it wants sometimes.

  “Actually”—Winston rubs the side of his face—“I do have a brother.”

  My throat tightens and a wave of heat rushes through my body. “You...you have a brother?”

  “I do.” He massages the bridge of his nose. “His name is Travis. We’re twins.” He looks back at me, his eyes unreadable. “I must have told you.”

  “You didn’t.” I try hard to keep my voice calm. My hands are shaking as I pick up my glass and raise it to my lips, take a long swallow of the liquid, wishing it could quell the anger burning the back of my throat. “Why? Why have you not told me?”

  He leans forward, his hands on his knees. “I thought I did, surely I did.”

  “I’d remember if you did.” He means so much to me that I’d never forget he has a brother, let alone a twin.

  “Jenna, there’s no way I did not tell you.” His eyes don’t waver. He really believes what he’s saying.

  “You didn’t tell me.” I clear my throat. “And it’s been six months.”

  “We haven’t really been dating. We had both agreed to keep it our little secret, remember?” He cocks his head to one side. “Until now, of course.”

  Until now. Until he lies to me. My alarm bells have gone off again, triggering a headache.

  I swallow my disappointment. “I know but—”

  “It doesn’t matter anyway. You know now. That’s all that matters.�
��

  But what else are you keeping from me? How can I trust you’ll always tell me the truth after this?

  Maybe I’m making this more of a big deal than it should be, but I don’t think so. He’s a twin, for God’s sake. What kind of person forgets to talk about his twin?

  “How is he...your brother?” I try to keep my disappointment from my tone.

  A shadow crosses his features and his eyes darken. “Very different from me.”

  “In what way?”

  “Let’s just say he’s a bit of a wild card.” He flips open his laptop. “I’ll arrange for you to meet him, okay?”

  With that, he starts working on his laptop, oblivious to the annoyed looks I’m giving him.

  “Fine,” I say in a low, broken voice, but he still doesn’t look up.

  My stomach is a bundle of nerves as I sit back, trying not to pant with frustration.

  I hate that the wonderful feelings I brought with me from the Maldives have been erased by one single conversation. I hate that he’s acting as if what we were talking about is not even a big deal. Worse, he makes me feel as though it’s me who’s the liar.

  “I don’t get how you could not mention you have a twin brother.”

  Winston’s head snaps up, his face tight. “I said I’ll introduce you to him when we get back. I don’t see what the big deal is. Some siblings are not close. It’s nothing new.”

  “You know that’s not the point, Winston. Close or not, he’s still your brother, and I’m your fiancée. I deserve to know, don’t you think? And not by chance.”

  “What do you want me to do, Jenna?” He leans forward, his eyes clouded now. “Do you want me to beg for forgiveness? Is that it?”

  I raise my shoulders and let them fall again. “Maybe. You lied to me.”

  “For God’s sake.” His expression closes up. “Look, I don’t have time for this. I have a lot of work to do before we get back to New York.”

  “And I’m disturbing you?” I draw in slow, steady breaths to keep my anger under control. “Fine, I’ll shut up. That’s what you want me to do, right?”

  “I’d never use those words on you.”

  I give a tight laugh. “You don’t need to.”

  I look away, my eyes stinging with tears. He says nothing more as he clacks away on his precious laptop. We’re not even married yet and we’re acting like we’ve been married for years. He really spoiled a good moment.

  I consider telling him I overheard him talking to his brother and he should have told me then after the phone call, but my gut warns me it would be a mistake. Maybe I should let it go. At least he told me now and he promised to introduce me to him.

  I finish my juice in silence and try to ignore the tight knot in the pit of my stomach. I’m the kind of person who likes to talk through problems.

  I reach for my bag and pull out a novel. Instantly I remember the book he threw away because he didn’t like me reading it. The memory makes me want to burst. But I can’t confront him again.

  Winston’s face is still tight. He’s clearly as pissed off as I am. Even though he has no right to be.

  I toss the novel onto the empty space next to me and recline my seat. I consider going to the bedroom, to get away from him, but that would be childish. I close my eyes instead and think of myself in my wedding dress, wishing it could cheer me up. It doesn’t work.

  Chapter Eight

  Winston

  Angelia enters my office looking uncomfortable as she chews on a fingernail.

  “What’s going on?” I gather up the papers on my desk. “You look a little flustered.”

  “Someone is here to see you. He’s still downstairs.” She clasps her hands in front of her. “He told the security guard he’s your brother. He’s demanding to be let in.”

  Angelia doesn’t know who Travis is because she’s been working for me for less than a year.

  In silence I consider whether I should let Travis in or not. But if I don’t, I’m pretty sure he’ll make a stink. Over the phone he told me he’s changing, yet he refuses to do something as simple as respecting my wishes. I made it clear I’d be the one contacting him.

  To be fair, it’s been two days since I got back and I haven’t had the courage to get in touch.

  “Tell them to let him in.” I knead my shoulder to release the tension that’s building up. “And hold my calls for an hour.”

  “Yes, sir.” Angelia walks out again, her back stiff. Even though she’s up here on the highest floor, there’s a mini camera at her desk that shows her everybody who enters and exits the building. She must have been shocked to see someone who looks like me.

  I’m hoping Travis will behave himself. The last time he came over, a couple of years ago, he had been so drunk and so pissed off that I was not giving him money, that he offered my female employees a free fuck. I had him thrown out and warned him never to step foot into the building again. He was lucky that I covered his ass so he did not get sued.

  Travis strides in a few minutes later, head held high, looking all important as though he belongs here. But I’m surprised to see him dressed in a suit, with a crisp shirt and pants. He looks as though he’s coming to work instead of a visit.

  There’s no way I’d ever allow him to work for me. It would be a disaster.

  Last time I saw him, he wore wrinkled shirts and jeans with holes in them. Maybe it’s true. Maybe he really is making an effort to change. But a part of me tells me it’s wishful thinking.

  “What happened to you?” I ask, standing up and giving him a hug. It feels like the right thing to do. No matter what happened between us, we are still brothers. That’s a connection no one can ever break. If he really wants to change, maybe I should give him that opportunity. But it would be the last chance I would ever give him.

  I kind of feel guilty about not telling Jenna about him, but I wasn’t sure how she would react to me having a brother like him.

  “What’s up, brother? Long time no see.” He pulls back but keeps a hand on my shoulder. Looking into his face, it feels like I’m looking at myself. We are completely identical. How could we look so alike and be so different inside?

  “Why are you dressed up today?” I chuckle. I don’t want to admit to myself that a part of me is happy to see him. The desire to have a brother has returned. I hope I will not be disappointed yet again.

  “Since this is a fancy building, I figured I should clean up. Suits are the uniform around here, aren’t they?” He gives me a toothy grin. One of his teeth is chipped. Great way to tell us apart.

  “Thanks for making an effort.”

  I lean against the desk and fold my arms in front of my chest, suddenly dreading our conversation because I know it will end up being about money. “So, what brings you here?”

  “Can’t I visit my brother without having a reason?”

  “Travis, do you remember what happened the last time you were here? Some of the women you sexually assaulted are still working for me. You’re lucky they didn’t sue your ass.”

  A dark shadow settles on his features and the angry, bitter brother comes out to play. “Yeah, remind me of the past. That’s what you do best.”

  “Whatever the case, when we spoke I said I would call you.”

  “Yep, that’s exactly what you said.” He comes to stand next to me and adopts the same body language I’m using. “But you didn’t call, did you? I only found out from the newspapers that you’re back in the city.” His face takes on a stony expression. “I don’t understand why you wouldn’t call your brother.”

  “I have my reasons and you know them.” I turn to him. “I still don’t know whether to trust you after everything you have done.”

  “When are you going to believe that I’m a changed man? I’m serious about starting a relationship with you.”

  “Well, let’s not talk here. Let’s go to the bar downstairs.” I need to get him out of my office before one of his victims shows up.

  “I know w
hat you’re trying to do, bro. You’re trying to keep me from hitting on your hot personal assistant.”

  Fuming, I yank my suit jacket from the back of my chair and shrug it on. Then without giving him a response, I practically drag him out of the office. Fortunately, we hardly bump into anyone on the way to the bar downstairs. But he ogles every woman who walks by as though they’re pieces of meat.

  In the bar, he orders a whiskey. I go for water.

  “You and your water. When are you ever going to drink something real?”

  “I do drink alcohol, but not when I’m working.”

  “But it’s your company. You can do whatever the fuck you want.”

  “What kind of example will I be setting for my employees?”

  He shrugs. “Tell them you’re the boss and some rules don’t apply to you.”

  “That’s not how it works around here.”

  “Why do I get the feeling you are angry with me about something?” He takes a swig from his drink. “I’m making an effort around here and I feel like I’m hitting a brick wall. Are you still pissed about what happened between me and the model?”

  “Of course not. That was a long time ago. I’ve moved on, as you know.”

  “Yeah, but you have to remember it wasn’t one-sided. She didn’t exactly fight me off.”

  “You better stop talking right now. You’re starting to really piss me off.”

  He runs his tongue across his upper teeth. “Fine. Let’s talk about other things then. Let me tell you about Brazil. That’s where I was the last couple of months. And Vienna, and Prague.”

  “And what were you running from?”

  “I wasn’t running from shit. I had business to attend there.”

  I raise an eyebrow. “Exactly what kind of business are you involved in anyway?” I’m still finding it hard to believe that someone trusts him enough to get into business with him.

  “If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you.” He drains his glass. His eyes don’t leave mine. “If you must know, it’s an exclusive kind of business. Not everyone can be a partner. I’m not ready to talk about it right now, though. You might not approve.”