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I tense up, my hands gathering into fists. No matter what Burn does, I will still back him when the opposing party is my father. Burn and I have been twisted and damaged by our family legacy, but there is something to be said for the cruelty of my father and the way that Burn and I naturally became unspoken allies. A unit against my father, my Uncle Felix, and Remy. I’m not sure why exactly all the men in our family are out for their own interests or when my brother and I drifted apart, ending our childhood need for each other's support.
My dad casts a glance at me, and his lips curl up in a sneer. But before he can make any move toward either of his sons, the door bursts open and Remy barrels through it, looking as red and angry as I have ever seen him.
He looks around wildly, pointing a finger at everyone in the room. “How dare you all congregate here in my house and complain about how I choose to split up my assets that I earned after I’m dead?" He grits his teeth.
"Wait a second." The words are out of my mouth before I really think about them, but I just shake my head. "We are here for a gala. And then we were called into this room by dad, apparently. But we have nothing to do with any scheming on his part."
Remy levels me with a malevolent look. "Did I ask you for any more information? No. I’m here to shut this down. Tripp, you and your lawyers can get the fuck out of my house. And the rest of you?" He gestures toward the room. "You can go, too, double time. Everybody fucking leave."
"Just a second," my brother says. "I want to be clear about what you want us to do with your will."
I look at my watch, seething at how Remy talked to me. I got yelled at for literally no reason.
I glance at my watch, wondering if I could get out of here now and save the night. Maybe I can call Tristen and get him to go out for a drink. Somewhere that I can blow off some steam and pick up a girl or two.
Everyone in the room bursts into loud, cacophonous shouts at the same time. Rolling my eyes, I turn and leave the room. My footsteps are quick, as are my thoughts on the future as I head for the foyer.
When I’m approaching the foyer, I hear her voice. Talia says something, her voice agitated. I move closer, intrigued. In the next second, I hear Clive’s voice.
"No one is here, Miss. I think you had better go home."
"I can hear them arguing!" Talia says.
I step into the foyer, and Talia looks right at me, going as white as a ghost for some reason. Clive looks between the two of us and arches a brow.
I jerk my head to the back of the house, indicating without words that he could leave. He turns without ceremony and heads out of the foyer, happy enough to leave me with the visibly upset Talia.
My brows arch and my lips thin as I stare at her. She's still dressed in her oversized winter coat, as if she's being swallowed alive and drowning in it.
She tosses her hair and puts her fiery copper hair in a messy bun, then raises her chin. "Are you Burn or are you Dare?" She says.
In an instant, I already know that I am going to lie. I’m not sure why she would be looking for Burn. After all, she claims to have no desire to see anyone in the family ever again. But the fact that she said his name first makes me curious about what she would say if she were talking to him. I purse my lips and tilt my head to one side. "I’m Burn. Why? Are you back for more?"
She swallows, and her gaze darts around the room, making her seem unsettled. "Is there a more private place where we can talk?"
I keep my face a blank slate, but inside I am full of questions.
What would Talia have to talk to Burn about?
I shrug, playing it cool. But I’m at a low simmer inside, almost ready to boil over with my need to find out.
"I can do that, sure," I say, keeping my tone light. "Why don’t we head into the library? We should have plenty of privacy there."
Grabbing her by the arm, I steer her down the hall. We walk through the living room, my steps quickening so the family doesn't notice us as we pass. Then I walk her all the way down to the end of the house, near the kitchen. I open the library door and practically shove Talia inside, closing it after myself.
I look around at the bookshelves lining the walls and the overstuffed leather furniture. This room doesn’t really have any windows, and it’s lit by sconces along the walls, creating a warmer, more dimly lit environment.
Talia walks into the room, her eyes growing wide as she takes in the bookcases and the warm walnut wood that the bookshelves and the floor are made of. I take a few steps, stopping by a long couch and leaning against it. I cross my arms and look at Talia.
She looks taken aback, as if her thoughts have been quite derailed by the opulence and the books all around her.
I snap my fingers at her. She looks back at me with some surprise, as if she had forgotten about me for just a moment. "What do you want to talk about?" I simply ask.
Talia’s face pales, and she smooths a hand over her long coat. "Well…"
She seems reluctant to tell me whatever it is that she came here to say. I try to figure out what my twin brother would do in this situation. He would probably act like an ass, no doubt.
I reach out a hand, beckoning her to come closer. Her mouth twists, and she gives me a hard look. I remind myself that I’m pretending to be my brother Burn, not my usual self. So I should be seductive rather than forceful.
