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Bastard.
Was this what he was after? Jesus, would he go to such lengths to get his way? I wasn’t for sale. He could keep his sordid fucking tale, and he and his cousin could fight it out on their own. I would hold onto that land until my deathbed. It was priceless to me now. If Devin’s virtue were true, then he would have to prove it around his fucking agenda. I’d set this test and sit back.
Yes, by all means, show me, Devin.
I felt the bitterness surface. This was me jaded and afraid of myself, of him, and the damage of giving him another chance. I had no choice in my racing thoughts now, and my tortured heart felt completely ripped, torn pieces cracking continually for a different man. Is it even possible to love two men at once? My mind thought it incomprehensible, but my heart disagreed as it beat in my chest, reminding me that they both had a piece of it. I’d only scratched the surface with Aiden; perhaps that’s why I felt such an ache for him. With Devin, I’d learned what I’d lost, what I thought was an imaginary bond we shared. And this morning he was trying his best to convince me it was real.
God, it felt so real. I scrubbed my face in disgust.
Whatever game this was, in order to play, I had to get a grip.
The sick, needy nymph I had turned into was ruling my life. My anger at myself brought me to one conclusion: love should not be this complicated. Fuck them both. I needed neither of them!
Says the sated Nina.
I took Carson’s hand as I stepped out of the limo, making my way into my building and stood frozen in reception.
“AARON!” He turned with a knowing grin in my direction, and I went running into his waiting arms.
“Oh, God, if you only knew how fucking happy I am to see you!” I wiped my tears away with one hand while hugging him furiously with my other arm still clasped around him, unafraid of my use of language. Genuine relief swept through me as I surveyed my brother. He looked so much better than the last time I’d seen him. He’d been heartbroken, and as a result, his smile hadn’t quite reached his eyes. But that all seemed irrelevant as his eyes beamed down at me now. It gave me hope.
“What’s a matter, mutt?” He chuckled as he pulled away. Aaron was the spitting image of my father, thirty years younger with a Roman nose, blue eyes, and dark brown hair that was cropped short. He was a full foot and a half taller than me, but with a thin frame. I soaked in his favorite attire: collared polo, golf shorts, and loafers, which he lovingly referred to as his “gear.” It was a look he had mastered and hadn’t bothered to change since his teens.
“Why didn’t you call?”
“I just got in this morning. You were my first stop.” Aaron lived in Florida. He’d followed his college sweetheart out there when she landed her first real job, and when they broke up he’d stayed, claiming he loved it. I had begged him to come home, but I think it was more or less an excuse to stay away from our parents, and the fact that he’d held onto hope that they would reconcile.
“Let me check in with Taylor, and we can leave. Come with me. You have to meet her.” We boarded the elevator, and I looked over at him.
“How is Florida?” I asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
“Sunny all the time,” he bit out quickly. I would never get him to change his mind.
“You’ve returned every check I’ve sent you. Accounting keeps asking me why I bother.” I nudged him roughly so he would look at me.
“I don’t need you to take care of me. I’m just so grateful you got Mom situated, though you shouldn’t have.”
“I did it for Dad.” He nodded. “I know.” When the elevator door opened, Taylor was waiting on it.
“Morning, bos—Nina.” She smiled, and I felt my brother stiffen next to me. I didn’t need to look at him to know he was fixated. Taylor was breathtaking. Today she wore a little racier attire. Her thigh high skirt accentuated her beautifully toned legs, along with killer heels. Her hair was left down and was the perfect shade of deep red that matched her lipstick. I had to admit, even I was taken aback by the siren who greeted us. We stepped out, and when I introduced them, Aaron was just slightly more formidable than a drooling idiot. Taylor gave him a small smile and boarded the now empty car.
“Nice to meet you. I assume you will be spending the day with him?” Guilt quickly settled over me that again, I would be neglecting work.
Taylor gave me a knowing smile. “You have nothing pressing. Go. I’ll reschedule the PA interview. I know you need this.”
“Taylor,” I offered in apology.
“Door’s closing,” she said, winking at Aaron who turned to me.
“FUCK ME, FUCK ME, Nina. That i
s the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Why the hell didn’t you tell me?!”
“Tell you what? I have a hot assistant. Well, she’s technically not my assistant anymore. I made her partner.” Walking into my office, I looked back and saw my brother staring at the closed elevator. “She’s out of your league, bro.”
Hearing an indignant “hmpf,” he turned and took a seat in my office. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“It’s not that, it’s that she’s really …” God, how to describe Taylor … “Independent.”
