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Burn's face floods with relief. He clasps my hand in both of his hands, grip strong. "Brothers," he echoes fiercely. "Always."
A smile tugs at my mouth as I look at him. My idiot brother. Maybe this is a mistake - but it feels right.
The sun breaks through the clouds as our hands meet, bathing the sea and shore in golden light. A sign, if ever there was one.
We sit in silence for a couple of minutes before Burn sighs. "Do you want to know how I know that Talia really loves you?"
I cock a brow at him. "I don't know, do I?"
Burn pulls out his cell and plays an audio file. Talia's voice filters through the speaker, soft but unwavering: "I will always love Dare. No matter what you do to me."
He turns it off and then stares off into the water. "I recorded that during her kidnapping. I was trying to convince her that she should be my wife instead of yours."
My heart clenches at the words. My hands itch to throttle Burn's neck.
"Why are you trying to remind me?" I hiss.
"Did you listen to what she said?" Burn looks at me, his gaze direct and intent. "She said that no matter what, she'll always love you. Most people would kill for that kind of affirmation."
I suck in a breath. "Replay it."
My twin obliges, putting his phone on the dock between us.
"I will always love Dare. No matter what you do to me," Talia says.
The depth of feeling in Talia's voice shakes me; she means every word.
Burn points to the phone. There is more, apparently.
"Come now, Talia. Be reasonable. Dare's just like the rest of us - he only cares about money and power. He'll never really love you,"Burn's tinny voice hisses.
"You're wrong," Talia says calmly. "Dare is different. He cares about people - about me. And I love him with all my heart."
The recording ends. I stare at the phone in Burn's hand, stunned into silence.
"Well?" Burn prompts. "What do you think now?"
"She really does love me," I say wonderingly. "I'm not sure how I managed that."
"Congratulations, brother. It seems you've found a keeper." Burn claps me on the shoulder, his expression somber. "Don't let this one get away."
"I won't," I promise.
But a niggling doubt remains: does Talia love the man, or the illusion of the man she's created?Does she love me, or my money?
It is a question that has been in the back of my mind ever since she saidI do.
Burn's suggestion comes back to me. Perhaps the only way to know for sure is to destroy the illusion - strip away the wealth and privilege, the trappings of power - and see if Talia's love remains.It's a risk.
"I wish that you could prove Talia's loyalty," I say slowly.
He tilts his head to the side. "I just played a secret recording of Talia declaring that she loves you."
"But would she love me if I couldn't provide things she wants?"
A laugh burbles from his lips. "You're crazy."
"I'm serious."
