“Will do,” Caesar says, and Aurelia flounces off, doing her best to ignore Luke, who follows six feet behind.
I lean forward and murmur to my brother, “Your buttons are done up wrong.”
“Fuck.” He turns away and checks them out, then rearranges them quickly.
I look at Wren. She’s sitting up straight, looking at him. She looks nervous again, and something else… With some disappointment, I realize it might be excitement.
Caesar turns back, buttons corrected, and grins. “Wren. Has Marcus been keeping you entertained?” He holds his arms out.
“He has, thank you.” She walks up to him, and they have a big hug.
I watch them, simmering with jealousy. They met in their first year at university and were both part of a large friend group that Aurelia and I inevitably got drawn into, because everyone was always around our house. As far as I know, the two of them have never dated. I hadn’t realized they’d stayed in touch once Wren left the country, but clearly I was wrong.
They part, and he says, “How have you been?”
“I’m good, thank you,” she says.
“You want another drink?”
She reaches for the jug on the table. “I’ll just have some water. I need a clear head.”
“Oh… sounds interesting.” He grins and looks at me. “Can you get me a whiskey?”
I grit my teeth and refrain from telling him I’m not his personal waiter. “Sure.” I stalk off to the bar and put in the order. While I’m waiting, I look back at the two of them. Caesar has taken my chair.
We’re fairly similar to look at, although I’m half an inch shorter than he is, as he never fails to remind me. But in terms of personality we’re very different. Caesar is charismatic, effortlessly so, and always the center of attention, in the spotlight, whereas I’ve hovered in the shadows. I’m the moon to his sun, reflecting his light, and it’s been hard for me to deal with.
The bartender slides the glass across to me, and I take it back to the table, putting it down with a little more force than is necessary. Wren is leaning her chin on her hand again, and her gaze flicks briefly to me before returning to him.
“It was nice to meet you again,” I say to her.
“Your jacket,” she replies, and goes to remove it.
“Just give it to one of the staff when you’re ready to leave.”
She flashes me a smile. “Thank you for chatting to me. I really appreciate it.”
“Yeah, thanks bro.” Caesar winks at me through his mask.
I hesitate, wanting to stay and to tell him to vacate the chair with every bone in my body. But Wren is focused on Caesar. I’m the fifth wheel here. Once again, she’s not going to choose me.
Glowering, I stride away.
I need a drink.
Chapter Two
Wren
I watch Marcus walk away. Every woman he passes, and some of the men, turn to look at him as he goes by. I’m not surprised. He’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in real life.
He was gorgeous at eighteen. Tall, slim, dark, and brooding. He shocked me when he asked me out. I didn’t expect it at all. I was five years older, and he didn’t give a damn.
But he was totally the wrong guy for me then, and he’s still the wrong guy now. I’ve read all the headlines over the years. Studied photographs of him with different supermodels. I was relieved to dodge that bullet. Mars Ashford would have broken my heart back then, and I know he’d do the same to it now, if I put it into his care.
I return my gaze to Caesar and find him studying me. The two brothers are very similar in looks, both carbon copies of their father. Caesar has a few gray threads in his hair, a couple more laughter lines at the corner of his brown eyes, which are a shade darker than Marcus’s. They’re both handsome. Caesar’s just a little less… intense.
I push Marcus to the back of my mind and focus on his brother. It’s taken me a while to pluck up the courage to do this. I need to concentrate.
