She’s right but I’ll be damned if I admit it. Andrew’s intentions were evident the second he summoned me to his place. I should have put my feet down. Instead, I’d thrown my leg around his waist while he gave me one of the most satisfying orgasms I’ve ever had.
All without removing the barrier of my panties.
“I’m just worried,” I tell her, gnawing on my bottom lip. “He’s my only client and if things get any more complicated between us, he may leave me hanging and Edward will be all too happy to let me go. He’s obsessed with Andrew and if he leaves then I’ll get the boot.”
Charli’s forehead wrinkles. “Your only client? Don’t you find that a little odd?”
Shrugging, I tell her my theory. “I’m only there to prove myself so I can land this investment. I guess he figures one client is enough for that at the moment.”
Charli doesn’t comment on that but throws a new question out in the air.
“Did you ever figure out how they might be related?” she wants to know.
“No,” I frown, taking another sip of wine. “Every time I try to Google them, I go down a black hole of information. There’s a ton of information about them individually but nothing that puts them together. Not even a highbrow event they’ve attended at the same time.”
“Do they look alike?” She asks.
“Not really. The only thing they have in common is their last name, their height and they were probably born within five years of the other, like a thousand other men in this town. Other than that they’re complete opposites. At least from what I’ve observed. It’s like they’ve both gone out of their way to avoid each other. Although I could just be grasping at straws and it could all just be a coincidence.”
“Hmm,” she hums lowly before hugging the pillow to her chest. “Maybe they’re distant cousins or something.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” I follow up, grabbing her remote to find something for us to watch.
I’ve already tired of this conversation and I want to forget my irresponsible behavior earlier. What better way to do that than with some trashy reality TV?
Charli gives me a pointed stare before sharing a word of warning.
“Well, with so much money involved, things are bound to get messy at some point. Are you sure you’re prepared for that?”
“Of course,” I say, nodding emphatically. Nothing is going to keep me from achieving my dreams. Too much time has already been wasted on rejections and lack of resources. It’s all or nothing from here on out.
I tell her as much.
Still watching me carefully, she only nods and turns to look at the TV.
“Just be careful.”
Fourteen
ANDREW
My hands are busy shaping the facial features of a new sculpture when the music streaming into my ears is replaced with the notes of my obnoxious ringtone.
I’m not answering that shit. Everyone who knows me knows that I don’t like being bothered. Especially when I’m trying to create. I don’t have time for the outside world right now.
Hidden away in my basement, I have no desire to interact with humans at the moment. Unless that human is Lilah Tucker.
I haven’t heard from her since she hightailed it out of here two nights ago.
I continue molding the sculpture in front of me and the music eventually stops playing again.
Agitated, I glance at the phone face up on the work table beside me. Foolishly, I hope to see Lilah’s name but the California area code catches my eye instead.
The contact isn’t saved but I know exactly who it is right away.
What the hell does he want?
Dropping the sculpting knife, I listen to it clank against the metal surface of the table as I contemplate whether or not to answer.
Fuck it.
“Hello?” I answer, smearing clay all over the screen as I drag my finger across it.
“Andrew,” comes my brother’s clipped greeting.
My free hand forms into a fist involuntarily just from the sound of his monotonous drawl.
“What do you want?” I ask, breaking the lengthy silence. I know he didn’t call me just to breathe on my line.
It doesn’t take him long to find his footing though.
“Just called to check in and see if anything’s changed since we last spoke.”
Always so damn formal. My lips quirk at the seriousness in his tone. Everything is a damn business transaction with this kid.
He wants me to join him in the family and I won’t budge.
“Still not interested in selling my soul to the devil, Teddy.”
I know he hates his childhood nickname.
I grin triumphantly when he huffs heavily over the line. Mission fucking accomplished.
“You’re such a fucking waste, Andrew. You never cared about the family legacy and you don’t respect where you came from. Dad was right when he left me to make all the major decisions. You don’t deserve a penny of your inheritance,” he spits out.
But it doesn’t faze me. In truth, our father hadn’t left it all to him. But it went to him by default when I refused to have any parts of continuing the Knight legacy. It’d never been important to me.
“You flatter me, big brother,” I taunt back, and I can almost see the steam coming from his ears through the phone.
His silence lets me know that he’s pissed and that’s what he fucking gets.
“I’ll let you enjoy your soulless work of accumulating money while I enjoy my life. Some of us have more important things to do like creating art and fucking beautiful women. You do know what a woman is, don’t you?” I ask offhandedly as I pick up my sculpting knife to continue.
“Shithead, one day you’re going to regret every snide remark you’ve made.”
Doubt it.
My brother is a fucking thorn in my side. Every time he calls, it’s for the sole purpose of “putting me in my place” and I’m fucking tired of it. I’ll never regret telling him exactly what’s on my mind.
You’d think he was a decade older than me with the way he carries
