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She couldn’t be more wrong. He wanted her desperately. Her presence was one of the few constants in his world. She was always there when he needed her. Or, at least, she had been before he started distancing himself from her. He’d only started distancing himself because he’d noticed a change in himself and in her.
He’d noticed the change in the way she looked at him. He noticed it because he always had his eyes on her. He’d long stopped thinking of her as a sister. And she’d long stopped thinking of him as a second big brother. However, there was no other category the two of them could be in right now.
They had to remain friends. Love wasn’t in the cards for them. Not yet. He knew what love could do to people. His parents had been high school sweethearts. They’d dated all through college and had gotten married right after college. After they had Caleb, their lives changed. The hardships of the real world descended upon them, and they learned something fast.
They were no longer the people they’d been in high school and college. And despite how hard they tried to keep the flame burning, the truth was they no longer liked each other. Sure, they still cared for each other deeply. But that young love was gone. It had faded away. If they hadn’t divorced, they would’ve started hating each other.
They’d ended things on good terms. His mom even kept his father’s last name because she hadn’t wanted her surname to be different than Caleb’s. Both of his parents love him fiercely. He loved them too. His dad was great. His mom was the best. Their marriage just hadn’t worked out, and Caleb didn’t fault either of them for it.
His dad once told him their marriage failed because they’d fallen in love too young. As individuals, they hadn’t been prepared for the real world. So, as a couple, things had been double stressful. They were learning to live on their own while trying to adapt to living with someone else. In the end, they hadn’t been able to handle it.
Caleb refused to allow that to happen to him and Tiera. He didn’t want them to start off great, then become a disaster as soon as they began their careers. But, if he told Tiera he wanted to wait until after he started his business to be with her, she’d laugh in his face and tell him to kick rocks.
And she’d have every right to do so, which was why he’d hoped to watch her from the sidelines and continue being her friend until they were both ready for a love that would last a lifetime. The kind of love that didn’t shake as soon as a hard wind blew. Instead, he’d seen her in that dress and seen how other men were staring at her, and he’d lost it.
Then Keisha showed up, irritating him with her presence. Angry, irritated, and sexually frustrated, he’d drank too much while trying to keep his eyes off his best friend’s little sister. When he’d seen her leaving the club, he’d completely forgotten about calling a cab to send Keisha home.
He’d ended up following Tiera to her cab, planning to lecture her on how she shouldn’t take cabs alone while tipsy. Instead, he’d passed out in the car. The next thing he remembered, she’d been staring down at him, looking beautiful and smelling divine. He’d lied when he told her he kissed her because he’d thought she was Keisha.
He’d known exactly who he was putting his lips, tongue, and hands on. For a moment, he hadn’t held back. For a moment, he’d allowed himself to love her and be loved by her. After that moment passed, instead of accepting the fact that he’d broken his vow and placing the blame on himself, he’d chosen to utter words he’d known would hurt her.
Those words ruined their already strained relationship. And the effects were long-lasting. Over the next few years, Caleb kept his distance from Tiera. He never mentioned that night again. Even if he’d wanted to mention it, he wouldn’t have gotten a chance. After that night, she avoided him unless she had no choice but to be in his presence.
And when she was near him, she no longer treated him like a brother or a friend. He was just the guy who hung out with her twin. When he and Terrence started their business, he became just her brother’s business partner. She no longer stared at him the same way after that night.
She no longer spoke in a friendly tone to him. When they were together, they argued the entire time. It wasn’t long before she stopped coming home for most holidays, and he knew she was doing it to avoid him. He always found ways to make her brother talk about her and tell him what she was up to.
Whenever she broke up with a guy or got dumped, he sent her flowers with a card that told her to keep her head up and that she could do better. He always received a note back that said, mind your damn business. What she didn’t know was that she was his business. And one day, he’d tell her that.
No, one day, he’d show her that. One day, he’d apologize for being a jerk to her the morning after they made love and for treating her rudely all the years that followed. But that would come years later. For now, all he could do was continue staring into the bathroom mirror, allowing the tears to fall, and knowing the girl he loved was crying too.
And it was all his fault.
CHAPTER TWO
THE PRESENT
Tiera
It should be impossible to hate someone as much as she hated Caleb Fitzgerald.
Yet, there she was, hating him with every fiber of her being. And he knew exactly how she felt about him. Did he care? No! Her hatred for him didn’t bother him one bit. In fact, he seemed to delight in it. That only made her hate him more. If he was to choke on his food right now, she wouldn’t do a damn thing to save him.
She wouldn’t even pretend to come to his aid. She’d smile as she watched him choke on his steak and then breathe his last breath. Then she’d attend his funeral and smile during the entire event. Unfortunately, the grim reaper wouldn’t be taking him today.
Instead of choking, he was now dabbing the corners of his mouth, done eating and preparing to take a sip of his champagne. Tiera forked another bite of food into her mouth as she told herself for the hundredth time that she had to be nice to her dinner guest. Her mother was present. So was Mrs. Fitzgerald, Caleb’s mom.
This was supposed to be a nice get-together, not a crime scene. She forked another bite of food into her mouth. She loathed coming to these get-togethers. Why had she let her sister-in-law talk her into attending this one? Tiera bit into a buttery roll as she replayed her conversation with Vivian in her mind.
“I need your help, Tiera,” Vivian had pleaded. “Your brother is in New York on business. Other than him, you’re the only other person who can make Caleb behave. The bad press he’s gotten lately is not good for the company. And it’s not good for me either. I’m six months pregnant. I don’t have the patience or the bladder to handle Caleb’s BS right now. Everyone else on the PR team is afraid of him. Help a sister out. Do it for your future niece or nephew, please?”
Tiera sighed. It was the please that had gotten to her. Vivian never begged. Plus, Tiera couldn’t have Caleb stressing out her future niece or nephew. She stared across the table at him again. His black suit coat was draped across the chair next to him. The sleeves of his white button-down were rolled up, revealing some of his many tattoos.
His dark hair was pushed away from his face. His chiseled jawline looked sharp enough to crack an egg on. Though she couldn’t see his eyes at the moment, she knew they were dark brown, like the richest chocolate. And when he turned them on you, they made you feel weak in the knees.
She wouldn’t even get started on his dangerously sexy body. He looked great in a suit and tie but even better naked. Blinking rapidly, Tiera dropped her gaze to her plate. Why the hell was she fantasizing about her enemy? She swallowed the food in her mouth, then took another huge bite of her roll. She’d known coming here and seeing Caleb Fitzgerald was going to upset her.
“Little Tiera, you know your mouth is too small to put that much food in it at one time. You’re going to choke,” his deep voice filled the silence.
