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I slide the keycard through quietly and open the door as soundlessly as I can, catching it before it slams closed.
I lean back against the wall, listening for moans, but instead all I hear are pained sobs. I freeze, straightening.
“He broke my heart. Tore it to shreds.”
I frown, confused. I take a step closer until Elena and Lucian come into view. My heart drops when I find my half naked brother in my wife’s arms. It appears all he’s wearing is boxers, but Elena is still fully dressed.
I struggle to make sense of what I’m seeing, what I’m hearing.
This… this isn’t an affair.
“I really thought Marcus was different,” Lucian says. “I fell so hard, Elena. I thought he was the one. I was going to tell my family about him. He already works with my brother, so I thought it might be easier to accept for them. He’s Alec’s CFO, and I know Alec quite likes him, so I was really hopeful.” He inhales shakily, his eyes falling closed. “But Marcus was just after the money. Today was the first time we slept together, and it was magical to me, so magical, Elena. But he… he filmed it and he’s blackmailing me.”
Elena hugs him tighter, her expression anguished. “We’ll figure something out, Luce. Everything will be okay. We need to tell Alexander. He’ll know what to do.”
Lucian pushes her away harshly, pure panic transforming his face. “No!” he shouts. “My brother can’t find out,” he says, his voice high, panicked. “He’ll never see me the same way. He’ll lose all respect for me. He’ll find me despicable. A gay brother? He’ll never accept it. To have gotten blackmailed, too? He’ll just think I’m weak. You can’t tell him, Elena. You promised. Yousworeyou’d never tell.”
Elena wraps her arms around herself, looking as panicked as Lucian does. The anguish on her face… fuck.
I walk into the bedroom, startling them both. Lucian’s expression transforms into one of betrayal, and then hatred. He looks at Elena in disbelief and I shake my head.
“She was acting suspicious,” I tell him. “So I followed her.”
I walk toward the bed and pick up his discarded clothes, my eyes roaming over the messy room. I throw Lucian’s clothes at him and shake my head. “Get dressed,” I tell him.
Elena rises to her feet, looking worried, and I sigh. I don’t even know what to say to her. To think I suspected her of cheating with my own brother, when I couldn’t be more wrong. I’ve somehow managed to push my brother so far away that he trusts my wife more with his secrets than he does me. And my wife… I’ve accused her of disloyalty over and over again, when I couldn’t be more wrong. It’s herloyaltythat kept her from telling me the truth, when that would have resolved all our issues. She kept the promises she made to Lucian, even as I made her suffer for it.
Tears stream down Lucian’s face as he gets dressed, and he’s choking back sobs, unable to look me in the eye. It breaks my fucking heart to see him like that. I can’t remember the last time I even saw him cry—not inyears. I should’ve been the first person he turned to in this situation, yet I’m the last person he wanted finding out.
I grab my phone and call Elliot, one of my closest friends, and a total computer genius. He picks up almost immediately.
“What’s up?” he says. “How do I get to extort you today?”
I bite back a smile and shake my head. “I need camera footage removed,” I say, glancing at Lucian.
“How were you filmed, Lucian?” I ask, my voice soft. “With what device?”
He swallows hard and lifts his head slowly, fresh tears in his eyes. “I… Alec…”
I smile at him and shake my head. “Just tell me what device it was.”
He nods, big fat tears rolling down his cheeks. “It was his phone. I don’t remember what model it was.”
I sigh and nod at him. “Elliot, I need you to fry every single device owned by Marcus Smith. He’s one of my employees. I’ll write you a blank cheque.”
I hear Elliot typing furiously through the phone before he replies. “It’s for Lucian?” he asks, his voice soft.
“Yeah,” I murmur. “His boyfriend betrayed him.”
Elliot falls silent. “I see. So, he’s… uh, he’s gay?”
“Yeah, so?” I snap, furious. “Is there a problem?”
“No,no,” Elliot says. “I just—I just always thought he was really cute.”
I blink in surprise, completely thrown. I don’t even know what to say to that. I clear my throat awkwardly. “Well, I’m sure you know how to get your hands on his contact details, though now probably isn’t a good time.”
Elliot laughs nervously. “Okay, well, consider it done. No charge, since it’s for Lucian.”
