Seducing the Billionaire's Brother

by Marquita Valentine

  Worse, it made her not want to go home again. Yet, she still did because she loved her parents.

  “I’ll pay off all his gambling debts. As your husband, it would be required of me to take care of everything for you.”

  “No,” she said firmly, head shaking. “I’m not taking your money, Connor, and you’re not allowed to give any to my dad—he’d just gamble it away.”

  “Fuck our families.” He lowered himself more fully on her, bringing them so close together that she was sure he could hear her heart pounding against her chest. “You have the prettiest eyes. So pure in color. I saw a glacier with that color in it once—still couldn’t compare to you. Marry me, Faith. I’d be so good for you.”

  He’d be the death of her. “Thank you, but if you want to marry me, I need for you to ask when you’re sober.”

  He laughed. “You’re the only woman in the world who would turn down the opportunity to marry a Montgomery.”

  “That’s because I don’t care about your money or your last name. I only care about my friend. My best friend who just lost his mother.”

  His lips parted as his head lowered to rest on her chest. He cupped her shoulder. “I couldn’t watch them bury her in the ground.”

  “That’s okay.” Wrapping her arms around him, she rubbed his back, attempting to soothe him. “There’s not a perfect way to grieve.”

  “You were there.”

  She nodded. “I went as your representative.”

  His hand left her shoulder, traveling to her waist. His fingers slipped beneath the edge of her sweatshirt to caress her bare skin, and it was all she could do not to gasp at the contact. “Did I ever tell you about the time I had a pet crow?”

  “No.”

  “It wasn’t really my pet. I would feed it, and it would bring presents back to me. Small pebbles, a locket... buttons and little flowers.” He moved restlessly, but his fingers were in slow motion as they started to move against the bare skin of her stomach. “It even knew when I came home from school. Recognized my face and everything. So I kept feeding it because I wanted that crow to come live with me.”

  “In your house?” She moved her hands to his head, sinking her fingers in his thick, soft hair and massaging his scalp. He let out a contented hum.

  “Trust me, my family’s house is big enough for a hundred crows.”

  “I trust you.” She lightly scratched his head. “Did you get it to come inside?”

  He shook his head. “Wouldn’t trust me enough, no matter what I did for it. No matter how often I fed it, or talked to it, or spent time with it outside. I think that the crow knew deep down that I’d probably end up hurting it, or worse, neglecting it.”

  “Did you?”

  “No. I kept feeding it, and it kept coming until one day... it brought its mate. They find one for life and never leave it.”

  “That’s kinda romantic.”

  “Only if you’re the mate.” A puff of cool air hit her skin, and she looked down, surprised to discover that he’d managed to inch up her sweatshirt. “But for a while, it was nice to have a friend like that. Then I met you with your pretty, black hair and sweet smile, and I didn’t care about the crow finding its mate anymore.”

  “Well, you’re stuck with me for life, so...”

  He peered up at her, his lids heavy. “You say that now, but one day, you’ll meet a guy, and no matter what I do, you won’t come around anymore.”

  She licked her lips. “What if I promise not to leave you?”

  He sat up a little. “You’d do that for me?”

  Wordlessly, she nodded.

  “I’d make you swear it, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t like who I’d become if that were to happen.” His warning made her stomach twist, but maybe, just maybe he only thought the worst because no one thought the best about him. “But you won’t marry me?”

  She opened her mouth, but he forestalled her with a shake of his head.

  “Forget I asked.” He laid down again, his breathing evening out as she started to stroke his hair again. “I’m glad you’re here, and I’ll take whatever you can give me.”

  Tears filled her eyes. “Don’t you know?” A few tears slipped down her cheeks. “You already have all of me.”

  He placed his hand over her heart, the heel of his hand against one of her breasts. “I don’t have this.”

  She didn’t, she couldn’t reply to that, so she said nothing and eventually as the minutes passed, he fell into a deep sleep. So deep that he didn’t stir when Brian, one of the staff who worked for Connor, delivered their food, along with everything they’d need to have dinner in the bedroom.

  “Will there be anything else, Ms. Holt?”

  Cheeks heating, she shook her head. “No, but uh, don’t say anything to anyone about this. Okay? Nothing happened. He’s just... tired.”

  Brian nodded. “Mr. Montgomery hired me even though I have a record—stupid kid stuff, but still... take care of him.”

  “I will,” she promised as Brian left the room, shutting the door behind him.

  “Will what?” Connor murmured sleepily.

  “Make you a plate,” she replied. “Are you ready to eat?”

  His reply was a soft snore.

  “Guess that’s a no.” Carefully, Faith wriggled out from under him and moved to the food cart. She glanced back at the bed, where Connor lay sprawled out, his fallen angel face innocent. The thing was, he did have her heart, and it was one of the most awful things about being his best friend.

  And the scariest.

  He could break her, and he didn’t have a clue. So, she would be strong. She would be as constant as the moon, keeping a safe distance from a fire that could consume her.

  Even if it broke her heart in the process.

  3

  CONNOR + FAITH

  ONE YEAR LATER

  SUBJECT: YOUR COLLEGE GRADUATION PRESENT

  Faith,

  Here are your three options:

  London

  Paris

  Fiji

  Pick one or all three. You can bring a friend aka me with you.

  -Connor

  SUBJECT: MY COLLEGE GRADUATION PRESENT

  Connor,

  I pick none of the above, BUT I’d love for you to spend the day with me at the beach this Saturday.

  You can bring a friend, too, aka me with me.

  ~Faith

  SUBJECT: NOT ACCEPTABLE

  Why can’t we do both?

  Also: what do you have against your top three (according to your own Pinterest board) destinations?

  -Connor

  SUBJECT: THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS

  I know in billionaire world, these kinds of gifts are par for the course, but you’ve already done too much for me. And, your gifts make it really awkward for any of my past and present boyfriends to buy me anything.

  For example:

  Latest iPhone for my 14th birthday

  Trip to Disney World for my 15th birthday

  New car for my 16th birthday

  Birthstone ring for my 18th birthday (a diamond!)

  Trip to Vegas for my 21st birthday

  Do I need to keep listing things...?

  ~Faith

  SUBJECT: NOT MY PROBLEM

  If all three of your past and present boyfriends don’t have the balls to deal with a guy being your best friend, then... see my above subject line. Furthermore, I didn’t buy you the entire world, so they had options.

  Let’s take a look at your examples:

  The phone—had to have so we could talk anytime we wanted.

  The ring—like I had anything to do with what month you were born in

  Trip to Disney—you, your parents + me went on that, so it was a family gift

  Car—you need a reliable one to drive, and like I said you weren’t allowed to sell it, gift it, or return it to any person, organization, or dealership

  Trip to Vegas—it was for a good cause. You helped me raise two
million for the Paws for the Applause.

  Now, when would you like to go, or shall I simply book the trip and kidnap you?

  Also: What didn’t you like about your 17th, 19th, and 20th birthday presents from me?

  -Connor

  SUBJECT: I HAVE A REAL JOB NOW

  While I’ll concede that you do have slightly—ever so slightly—good points about all three of my boyfriends, you have to agree that your choice of presents are extravagant and intimidating to others. Plus, I start my new job on Monday, which is why I wanted to make one last beach trip before I have to be an adult.

  Please don’t kidnap me!!!!

  I really, really wanted this job... at Montgomery Industries. Surprise! Your dad hired me as a corporate librarian, and I get to take advantage of the higher education initiative so I’ll be able to get my masters in library science.

  I’m sorry for keeping this from you, but I didn’t want to jinx anything or have an unfair advantage until I knew the results of my interview last week.

  Now, say congratulations and that you’ll see me on Saturday.

  Xoxo,

  Faith

  Also: those presents were as close to regular gifts as you’ve ever gotten, so I didn’t list when you bought out the American Eagle Store for me, had the the spring line for Converse delivered before anyone else had even gotten a look, backstage passes for Taylor Swift, and finally, had a galaxy renamed for me... On second thought, those were pretty outrageous, too.

  SUBJECT: THERE IS NO LIBRARY AT MI

  SUBJECT: ALREADY KNEW YOU APPLIED (I REGULARLY HACK INTO THEIR SERVERS, REMEMBER?)

  SUBJECT: BREAK UP WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND

  SUBJECT: I’D RENAME THE SUN AFTER YOU

  SUBJECT: IT WASN’T A BIRTHSTONE RING

  SUBJECT: CONGRATULATIONS

  I’ll see you on Saturday.

  Yours,

  Connor

  4

  CONNOR

  ONE YEAR LATER

  Connor saluted security as he walked in the main building of his family’s business, making his way to the corporate library. Unfortunately, his brother met him in the lobby before he could achieve his final destination without being detected.

  Just what I needed.

  “What brings you to work today?” Drew asked, falling in step beside him. “It can’t be actual work.”

  “The same thing that brings me every time I come.” Connor smirked. “I’m here to see Faith. It’s her one-year workaversary. I think that deserves a long lunch break or maybe the day off. Possibly an extra week of vacation.”

  Drew’s mouth flattened. “You claim that the two of you are best friends, but you treat her more like—”

  “A sister. I know.” Connor slammed his hand into his brother’s back. “That reminds me. We should do something with London. I bet she’s feeling neglected.”

  “That’s not—damn it, Connor. Be serious for five seconds.”

  “Aaand go,” Connor said, keeping his tone light while what he really wanted to do was to get in a good old fashioned wrestling match with his pompous brother.

  “Don’t get her fired.”

  Connor scowled. “How would I get Faith fired? She’s a damn good employee. She made a library out of literally nothing and put MI in the news—for something positive.”

  “I’m sure you’d find a way to fuck it all up for her.”

  Connor grabbed Drew’s arm, spinning him around. “What the hell’s your problem with Faith? She’s your fucking angel of mercy and redemption whenever I’ve been a bad boy. In fact, she does all yours and dad’s dirty work when it comes to me.”

  Drew yanked his arm out of Connor’s grasp. “She’s not the problem. You’re the distraction.”

  “Pretty sure my once a week visits are harmless.”

  “Until you start to make it a habit to visit every day like you did a couple of months ago.”

  Connor ground his teeth together. “If you recall, your guys needed my expertise. Not my fault that you hired second rate techies.”

  His brother ran a hand through his hair. “I refuse to get in a public argument with you.”

  “How about private one?” Connor hit the UP button by the elevator doors. “We can take this to your office.”

  “Find something else productive to do with that big brain of yours.” Drew tapped him on the side of the head. “If you don’t, I’ll fire her.”

  “You’d punish her because of me.”

  “No, I’m helping both of you get on with your lives by setting very clear boundaries. Montgomery Industries' offices are not your personal playground, and Faith cannot play with you because you’re bored.”

  “It’s not like that with her.” It had never been. Boredom was the one emotion he never felt around her. “Maybe if you’d learn to play well with others, you stop worrying about me and the woman I—Faith. Dad hired her. She has a contract in place and not even with all your loopholes, can you get rid of her without some shit going down.”

  “There’s always a way out, little brother.”

  The elevator doors opened, and Connor stepped inside. “Not if I fuck things up for you and this company—that’s what I’m good at doing, right?”

  Drew didn’t answer him as the doors closed.

  Tapping his foot, he waited the three seconds it took for the lift to arrive at the second floor. As he got out, he checked his pocket for what had to be the tenth time that morning. Hopefully, Faith would like the gift and not be too mad at him for buying it.

  As the years went on, she’d become more sensitive about his gifts. Something that not only drove him nuts but also made him get more creative with his reasons for buying them for her.

  “Faith?” he called out as he walked in the library with its warm wooden shelves and cozy reading areas.

  “Here,” she croaked. “I’m in the back.”

  “What the hell,” he muttered to himself as he picked up his pace to find her in the corner of the library. “Hey, you.”

  “Hi,” Faith said, her profile to him as she stared outside. She wore a cream-colored skirt and light pink sweater with pearl accents on the cuffs. Her dark hair was swept up in a sleek ponytail, showcasing a graceful neck.

  “What’s new in the book world?”

  She turned, gazing at him with her pretty blue eyes. Vibrant in color, and in the light of day, they seemed to have an inner glow about them. His heart stuttered in his chest, and his world careened off its axis so quickly that he felt as though he was falling.

  It wasn’t merely lust either. He could have a dozen women if he chose to, but he knew that the one for him was standing right in front of him. He’d always known she was the one.

  “I was able to locate a rare edition of this small engines textbook your dad wanted.” Lush lips trembled. “It all went downhill from there, and it’s not even quitting time yet. Go me!”

  Son of a bitch. If his brother were responsible for her misery, he’d kill him with his bare hands. “Anything I can do to help?”

  “I don’t want to talk or think about it.”

  He wasn’t about to point out that she’d been the one to bring up her bad day. Instead, he leaned against a tall cabinet that housed the original design for the campus as well as the designs for the overseas satellite offices. “Do you feel like having a celebratory lunch in honor of your one year at MI?”

  “You know I’m always up for eating.” She let her gaze roam over him, but it didn’t strike him as particularly ogling. Honestly, he wouldn’t have minded being objectified by her. “Where’s your ID badge?”

  “Didn’t need one today. I’m here for you only.” He scanned the room for a camera to smile into but found there were none. “Why in the hell isn’t there security in this section? I specifically made a recommendation to Drew.”

  “Because why steal books when you can steal computers?”

  “Pretty sure you’re the reason we need cameras in here.”

  “Pretty sure
you’re the reason why we have cameras everywhere else.” The color bloomed on her cheeks, transforming her from pretty to stunning, as she held in a laugh.

  Nodding, he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I am the proverbial black sheep of the family.”

  “What a shame. I prefer crows.” She smiled, and he had to suppress the urge to offer her half his kingdom in return. “Or ravens. Any blackbird, honestly.”

  “What a coincidence... I prefer them, too.” He winked at her, and she rolled her eyes. “Time’s a wasting, lass.”

  “Let me grab my purse.”

  Connor caught her by the arm as she tried to slip by him. She froze, her lips parting. Could she feel the desire that burned inside of him for her? “I know you’ve been crying,” he said in all seriousness. “Don’t hide that side of yourself from me.”

  “I’m not crying anymore.” Her lips quivered. “Besides, there’s nothing you can do to make my parents not get a divorce over my dad’s gambling problem. I don’t blame my mom for leaving him, but I don’t like it.”

  Ah, hell. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” He caught her up in a hug, brushing his lips against her silky hair. “I can make it so the judge orders that they go to marriage counseling instead.” All it would take was some exchange of money or a quick trip inside the court system files to make a few adjustments.

  “Don’t make me regret telling you anything,” she warned. “Don’t do anything about this.”

  “For fuck’s sake. You can’t expect me not to care.”

  “I expect you to respect my wishes.”

  “Fine.” Letting go of her, he fully expected Faith to leave him in the dust, but she didn’t move. He ran a hand through his hair instead of touching her again. “Tell me what I can do to make things better.”

  She licked her lips, cotton candy pink tongue nearly making him groan with need. “Honestly, I don’t know anymore.” She shrugged helplessly as her pretty eyes filled with tears. “This was supposed to be a good day.”

  “It still can be,” he said, even as he looked for a box of tissue. “Damn it, Faith. Stop crying over something you refuse to let me handle for you.”