Seducing the Billionaire's Brother

by Marquita Valentine

  “I don’t understand. Explain what you mean by that.”

  “Later, Faith.” He walked out of her apartment, shutting the door behind him.

  She rushed after him, but not only were his strides longer and quicker than hers, two food delivery guys arrived at the same time, forestalling her. “Just leave it by the door, please.” By the time she was able to run out in the parking lot, Connor was nowhere to be found.

  7

  CONNOR

  THE NEXT EVENING, CONNOR met his sister, London, for dinner at her favorite bistro in Raleigh. She was all smiles, talkative as hell, and judging by the way the men in here couldn’t keep their eyes off of her, too gorgeous.

  He scowled at as many as he could before giving up. At least they were keeping their distance from her. Honestly, he couldn’t blame them. They were in a popular eatery located near the college London attended. It stood to reason that they thought a barely eighteen-year-old girl was fair game.

  “How are classes?”

  “Boring.” She shrugged. “Except for statistics, which I enjoy, and psychology, which I use to scare Drew by profiling him. I keep telling him he’s a ladybug. That’s not one of the personalities anyone uses.”

  He laughed. “I can only imagine his response.”

  “Why are we spending all this money on pseudo-science classes when she could major in international business affairs instead,” she said in her best Drew voice. “Gosh, he’s so annoying.”

  “You do know he actually employs three psychologists to help the company with advertising.”

  “Actually, that was all Daddy. Drew just went along with it. Daddy was the one to give me the idea for my major, too. He said it would be super fun to mind-meld with the competition.”

  Connor winced. “I don’t want to guess what that means.”

  “If it involves John Taggart, I don’t want to touch what it means.” She shivered, making a face at the same time. “He’s such a womanizer. Did you know that less than one percent of his management staff is female? And yet, he’s always quoted talking about equal pay and equal rights and international women’s day. He’s so gross. Maybe his son will do a better job when he finishes his doctorate in economics.”

  “I’ll drink to that.” Connor toasted his sister. “Look, you don’t have to major in psychology if it’s not what you want to do.”

  “I want to run the human resources at MI, for all branches, including the international ones.” She tipped up her chin. “One of my professors told me that I was settling for a gendered job. As in usually, it’s women who run or staff human resources. But isn’t the main tenet of feminism about having a choice in what I do? And if I chose to have a job that’s traditionally for women, why is that bad? Is she implying that traditionally female jobs are of lesser value than traditionally male jobs?”

  “Please tell me these are questions you kept in your head.”

  London made a noise. “She flunked me.”

  “You better let Drew think that you didn’t study, or he’ll get her fired.”

  “Then he’d be no better than my professor. Just because she can’t take someone questioning her authority doesn’t mean that I have to hide behind my privilege and retaliate.”

  Connor set his drink down. “Are you sure you’re only eighteen?”

  She smiled at his compliment. “Only in years, but in my heart and head, I feel so much older.”

  “Twenty-one?” he asked.

  Her eyes rounded. “You read my mind. Quick: what drink is my favorite?”

  “Shirley Temple.”

  Her smile fell. “You’re no fun anymore.”

  “I have to be a grown-up.”

  “More like Faith would be mad at you for buying your underage sister an alcoholic drink.” London wriggled her brows at him. “Does a version of her in a sexy angel outfit sit on one shoulder?

  Yes, and an equally sexy, devilish version of her sits on the other shoulder. “No.”

  “Why don’t you ask her out?” London began munching on chips and salsa. “Like, your best friend zoning yourself.”

  “It’s not just me.”

  London’s mouth dropped. “You tried to get out?”

  He shrugged. “I made a bad decision that was confirmed by her.”

  “When will you try again?”

  “Never.”

  “That’s not the brother I know and love.”

  He grimaced. “It’s for the best.”

  “But you’re miserable,” London pointed out, her emerald green eyes full of concern.

  “She’s not.”

  “Maybe she doesn’t know she’s miserable and you need to tell her.” London popped another chip into her mouth.

  “Maybe you need to stop profiling me.”

  London reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “I just want my big brother to be happy. I mean, if Drew can find happiness with his wife, why not you?”

  That was something he’d asked himself every day for the past three years. And he never got the answer he wanted.

  8

  FAITH

  THE LAST PLACE SHE wanted to spend a perfectly sunny Saturday was at her dad’s dreary rental on the not-so-nice side of the small town her dad had moved to recently.

  Stray dogs and feral cats roamed the neighborhood. Houses sat vacant with overgrown weeds and dead grass year-round. Windows were broken, or gone altogether, while children played in a pothole-filled street.

  In her four-door, white BMW, she felt out of place and conspicuous. It didn’t matter that the car was almost twelve-years-old because she knew that the people her dad kept company with ran chop shops.

  As she got out of the car, her dad came outside, looking older than ever. Wrinkles mapped his face, and dark circles ringed his eyes. He’d lost weight, too. His faded jeans and plaid shirt hung on his tall, lanky frame while his pure white hair stood on end.

  “Hi Daddy.”

  He smiled, and her heart lurched in her chest because it transformed him into the man who’d raised her. “Sweetpea! I didn’t think you were coming.”

  “I said I would.” She popped the trunk of her car. “I brought groceries with me.”

  “Yeah, they got me working ten-hour shifts at the wood mill.” He walked with her to the back of the car, grabbing the bags before she could. “You got something against plastic?”

  “Grocery store gives a five-cent discount per bag if I use these.” She closed the trunk. “Can’t resist a discount.”

  “Smart like your momma.” He hefted the bags on his shoulders. “Still, the plastic ones would have come in handy.”

  “I bought trash bags,” she said, instead of getting into an argument with him.

  “You know me too well.”

  They moved to the house, walking inside. Faith wasn’t shocked to see that a couple of her dad’s “buddies” sat in the kitchen, playing cards, smoking cigars, and drinking beer. If she didn’t know what kind of friends he had, she would have thought it was something that all dads did.

  But all dads didn’t gamble their daughter’s college savings away or mortgage their own homes to pay for their addictions, did they?

  “This is Dan, Kyle, and TJ. They were just leaving.”

  Grumbling, the men threw their cards down and stood up, taking their smokes and beers with them. “We’ll be back later to collect our winnings,” one of them called out.

  Faith eyed her dad, who had his back to her as he set the bags on the counter. “Yup.” He waved them on, and she heard the door shut.

  “Winnings?” she asked.

  Her dad turned around. “It’s not what you think.”

  “Pretty sure winnings sounds like exactly what I think.” She shook her head. “You just got out, and you’re already gambling again.”

  “It’s just a poker game.” His face twisted. “You can’t take a man’s poker game away from him.”

  “I’m not taking it away from you.” She gestured to the table. �
�But they’re taking your money.”

  “I’ll win it back to tonight.” He shifted his weight from one side to the other. “Just gotta get the right juju this time.”

  “The right—” She rubbed her temples, her key fob still in her hand. “Have you even bothered to talk to your therapist about this?”

  “If all you came up to do is fight, then you should leave.”

  “Yeah, Dad, I drove five hours just to fight with you.” She moved to the counter. The Formica countertop was cracked in places, but it was clean as a whistle, as was the rest of the house. At least her dad hadn’t changed that about himself. He ran a tight ship when it came to cleanliness.

  “Well, when you put it that way,” he ducked his head. “Sorry, sugar.”

  “I know.” She hugged him, wishing she were a little girl again and that he was the younger, happier, not gambling version of her dad. “Let’s make lunch, and if you want, I’ll cook something up for your friends, too, for when they come back this evening.”

  “I’ll pay them off and cancel.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “My best girl’s in town, and I refuse to let them get in our way.”

  Smiling, she set to work unpacking the bags. “Steaks on the grill? I bought enough from a local butcher shop to keep you happy for at least the next month.”

  “I got just enough charcoal left for that.” He cleared his throat. “You, uh, wouldn’t happen to have some extra money to loan me?”

  She closed her eyes, bowing her head as she lowered the jar of ranch dressing to the counter. “What happened to your paycheck?”

  “Already spent on rent, utilities, and groceries. Need my last forty for gas and insurance.”

  “Let me grab my purse.” Opening her eyes, she spun around and marched outside, her car automatically unlocking as she grabbed the door handle. “Just breathe. Stay calm. You knew this would happen. Just accept what you can’t control and enjoy the day.”

  “You reckon you got enough to cover two hundred?” her dad said from behind her.

  She jumped, screaming a little. Heart beating wildly in her chest, she turned around and asked, “Two hundred dollars? What kind of poker do you play?”

  “Now don’t get mad.” He rubbed the side of his jaw. “It took a lot for me to ask you.”

  “I appreciate that, but you can’t expect me to not react negatively. I don’t want you to get hurt like the last time.”

  “Don’t plan on it. This is little stuff, not big time. I’ve learned my lesson.”

  “Really?” She shut the car door and leaned against it. “Do you like living here?”

  “It’s the best I can afford.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Never took you for a snob, little girl.”

  “It’s not snobbery to point out that this isn’t a safe neighborhood. It’s not snobbery to point out that you have to live here because you refuse to change your ways.”

  “Montgomery put those thoughts in your head, didn’t he?” Her dad’s face contorted with anger. “He’s just using you. I told him to stay away, but he thinks he owns you.”

  “He doesn’t own me. He’s never acted like that either.”

  “What about that car or that fancy ring you’re always wearing?”

  “They were gifts.”

  “For nothing in return,” he scoffed. “I don’t believe that for a second.”

  “You’re right. I whored myself out to him and have done so since I was fourteen.” Tears gathered in her throat, but just as fast, fury grew inside of her body like a hurricane preparing to strike. “Congrats Dad, you raised a gold digger.”

  “If the shoe fits,” he said. His words were like a knife to her heart, ripping through it and carving out all the love she felt for the man standing in front of her. “Should’ve put a stop to that years ago, but I felt sorry for you. You weren’t one of the popular kids at school like I was, and you always lit up when he was around.”

  Humiliated by her own father’s poor opinion of her, she searched through her purse for her wallet and grabbed all the cash she had on hand, shoving it at him. “Here. That’s two hundred and fifty bucks. I’d planned on taking you clothes shopping today, but I think it’s best if I leave now.”

  His hands shook, but he took the money. “Nobody asked you to come.”

  “You asked me to come, and like a fool, I drove up here, thinking that maybe, just maybe, things would be different this time.” The fury inside of her grew, making her want to sob uncontrollably, but she refused to give in. “You are not the father I grew up with, and until you get your gambling under control, I think it’s best if we don’t have further contact.”

  “Run back to your boyfriend, Faith.” He pocketed the cash. “But you remember one thing, he’s a nothing but a user, and when he’s over his addiction to you, you best hope that I’ll be here to help pick up the pieces.”

  “If anyone should know what a user is, it’s you, and thanks but no thanks for the offer. I’ll go to momma.” She got in her car and drove away, shaking in anger nearly the entire way home.

  THAT MONDAY, AS SOON as she arrived at work, she was summoned to Drew Montgomery’s office. Since this wasn’t a regular occurrence, the notification on her screen made her stomach feel queasy. It felt as though she was going to the principal’s office and she didn’t even know what infraction she’d committed.

  As soon as she arrived, his personal assistant showed her inside Drew’s office. Drew sat behind his desk, a faint smile affixed to his face, but his eyes were so unlike his brother’s. They were cold and calculating, lending credence to every rumor she’d heard about his ruthless ways.

  Except, would a ruthless man worry so much over his brother... unless that worry was more about their reputation, or the business’s, than actual concern for Connor.

  “Ms. Holt, thank you for seeing me on such short notice.” He stood, coming around the desk and gesturing to one of the chairs that faced his desk. “Our meeting won’t take long.”

  She sat down, smoothing her skirt and slanting her legs to the side to cross them at the ankles. “Is this about the design book? I was assured that the New York office made arrangements to—”

  “No, it’s not about that,” Drew said. “However, I do want to take the time to congratulate you on a job well done. To make my father’s design book the centerpiece of your science innovations during the twentieth century tour was a stroke of genius. The press loved it, as did the museums that showcased our work.”

  “You’re welcome. I enjoyed planning the tour and collaborating with the international directors in London and Paris, especially. But I don’t think you asked to meet over that.”

  “Very astute.” He sat down in the chair beside her. “Ms. Holt—Faith. We’ve known each other for a long time.”

  “Yes,” she replied uneasily. While she did know him, she did not actually have any sort of relationship with Drew. “I’ve appreciated the opportunities I’ve been given as well as the assistance your family has given mine over the years.”

  “I consider you like family and for a family to flourish, there must be honest and open communication. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  This was a trap. “I value honesty and open communication.”

  “Good.” He leaned forward. “About my brother.”

  “I value him even more.”

  Drew frowned. “I know you do, which is why my request isn’t an easy one.”

  She clasped her hands together to keep from twisting them. “You and I know that the requests you’ve made of me haven’t been easy, but I always helped your brother.”

  “I know.” He grew silent for a moment. “I’d like for you to cool your friendship with Connor.”

  “What? No.”

  “Not forever, just temporarily.” He held up his hands. “Allow me to explain.”

  “I’m all ears, but my answer is still no.” Besides, she had to make up with Connor, somehow. She needed to talk with him about her short-lived day w
ith her dad and have him comfort her. “And please, don’t insult me by offering money.”

  “I’d never presume to buy you.”

  “Connor says you presume a lot of things and that if you thought it was best to pay me off, you’d try it.”

  Drew didn’t deny it, but he didn’t confirm it either. “Did you happen to notice that my brother didn’t need our help while he was away for the past four months? We didn’t have to send you to the front lines or bail him out of trouble.”

  “Yes, but he was busy. He was focused on his philanthropy and not on what was happening here.” She stopped talking, sensing she was making the case for him.

  “Exactly.” Drew leaned forward. She supposed that a lot of women found him attractive and while she could objectively say they were correct he did absolutely nothing for her. “What you didn’t know is that I forbade him from coming home, from seeing you, from contacting you at all.”

  Her heart stuttered. “Should have enforced your stupid rules better because we talked almost every day and he’s already back.”

  “I knew that. Honestly, I was shocked he listened at all, but you see, I know his weakness. It’s you. More than anything else in this world, you are the chink in his armor. Not the women, the drugs... the nearly suicidal activities he likes to pursue. All I had to say to him is that you needed him to stay away.”

  “But that’s not true,” she protested. “Why would you say that?”

  “Because I had a theory and I needed to test it one final time. Turns out, I was right.” Drew sat back. “When he knows he can’t have you at his beck and call, my brother is everything he’s meant to be. He’s clean. He’s sober and he’s productive.”

  “You can’t give me credit for helping him and you while putting the blame on me for Connor needing it in the first place.” She placed her hand over her heart. “You can’t blame me for his behavior either.”

  “He listens to you, but also puts himself in situations where he knows you’ll show up to rescue him.”

  “That’s not...” She blinked at Drew. “That makes no sense.”