The Bad Twin

by Avery Scott

  “It was a car accident.” Hudson’s voice was thick and labored. Each word felt like it had to be physically pushed out of his mouth. “I was in college…It was the summer after my freshman year. I was still up in New Haven, messing around with some of my friends. A few of us decided to celebrate surviving finals with a party…” He licked his lips and looked down at his feet. “We all got wasted. Some of the guys…some of the guys were on more than alcohol. The neighbors must have called the police. One minute we were doing keg stands and beer bongs. In the next, there were sirens and flashing lights everywhere I looked. Most of the guys hauled ass down the street. I don’t know why I stayed at the house…Well, that’s a lie. I was a college-aged punk who thought I was untouchable. Anyhow, I got arrested. I didn’t dare call mom and dad. Colin was in the city with his fiancée, but I got him on the phone and pleaded for him to come and bail me out. He didn’t even think about saying no. That’s the kind of guy he was. He just told me that everything was going to be okay and that he was on his way…a drunk driver in the wrong lane hit him just outside of town. Head on. They say he died instantly. They ended up putting the motherfucker who did it in the drunk tank with me, but I didn’t know what had happened until they let me out the next morning.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Gabrielle reached for Hudson’s arm, but he shrugged her off.

  “I’m the reason he’s dead.”

  “What?” She looked shocked by the idea. “That’s not true. You didn’t know what would happen. You weren’t driving the car.”

  Hudson refused to be soothed by the words. “I might as well have been driving. I killed him just the same. If I hadn’t been drinking…If I hadn’t been at the party, Colin would still be alive. It was my fault. Everyone knows it was my fault. My stupid decision. Now, he’s dead.”

  “I’m so sorry, Hudson. I can’t imagine losing a sibling.”

  Hudson kicked some gravel with his toe. When he spoke again, his voice was calmer.

  “Yeah, well, things really took a bad turn after that. My mom locked herself in her bedroom and barely ate for months while my dad worked eighteen-hour days to keep his mind occupied. In the evenings, he drank. I remember coming home for Christmas break for the first time after losing Colin. There was no tree. There were no social gatherings. The three of us sat in our house in separate rooms and just waited for the days to pass. So, once I graduated, I came home and tried to be everything my mom and dad needed me to be. Colin was supposed to carry on the family business and now it’s up to me. I can’t let my dad down. I won’t let Colin down. I have to carry on the legacy.”

  “Colin sounds like he was wonderful.”

  “He was. He was the best.”

  “It sounds like you loved each other very much.”

  “We weren’t just brothers. We were best friends.” Hudson stopped talking and looked away. His throat felt tight and raw.

  “It’s okay, you don’t have to talk about it anymore.” Gabrielle moved to slip her hand into the crook of his elbow and he allowed it. He was grateful for the comforting gesture and relieved that she made it without a big display of sympathy. It was as if she could sense exactly what he needed from her.

  “I know it’s important to you to honor your brother’s legacy by carrying on the family business, but from what you’ve told me, it sounds like Colin was the type of person who would rather you do something that makes you happy. I know that’s how I’d feel if my sister were in your position.”

  “Yeah, I don’t know,” Hudson replied. He kicked a fallen seed pod.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “You didn’t. It’s just…I haven’t really talked to anyone about Colin since…well, I don’t remember the last time I talked about my brother. To be honest, I try not to. It’s one of the reasons I keep myself so busy. If I focus on work, then I don’t have to think about anything else.”

  They were nearing the end of the garden path. The sun had started to fade. Twilight painted the sky in hues of pink and blue that melded perfectly with the beautiful scenery around them.

  Gabrielle had fallen a few steps behind, walking slowly, clearly eager to linger beneath the shady trees. Hudson didn’t make any effort to hurry her along. A tenuous connection had formed between them, an understanding that he hadn’t felt in as long as he could remember. He didn’t yet know if it was something that could last or a gossamer thread that would rip apart the second that they returned to their busy lives. He wanted to hold onto it as long as he could.

  Hudson couldn’t believe that he had told her about Colin. He had never admitted the truth about what happened to anyone. Not the whole truth anyway. Even Hudson’s parents only had bits and pieces of the story. Mr. and Mrs. Quinn knew that Hudson was unreachable the night that Colin died. They knew that their sons had been close. They knew that their youngest tried his hardest to make up for their loss, but Hudson had never confessed to his horrible secret: that he was the reason Colin died.

  Hudson had spent the last fifteen years burying his memories of his brother, cramming them down in the deepest pit of his soul. He never spoke Colin’s name aloud if he could avoid it, never talked about the fun they had as boys, never looked at the photographs of when they were young, except on the occasional drunken bender, alone at his house. Hudson took Colin’s seat on the Quinn holdings Board of Directors. Colin’s fiancée married someone else, Hudson received an invitation to the wedding in the mail but couldn’t bring himself to face the bride. Most people never even knew that Hudson had a brother. He had almost managed to convince himself that it was all just a terrible nightmare. Yet, here it was, bubbling up to the surface as searing as it had ever been. Why now? Why had he chosen Gabrielle as his confidante?

  Maybe he was still caught up in the afterglow of sex? Hudson briefly considered, but then quickly dismissed the idea. He wasn’t the sort of man who automatically associated sex with intimacy. He had been with more women than he cared to admit. Gabrielle was different. He was attracted to her from the first time they met, but it was the same superficial desire that he always felt for pretty girls. Over the past few days, however, the feeling had transformed into something else. He craved her body, but that wasn’t all he longed for. He wanted to hear her voice. He wanted to make her smile. He wanted to be around her, even if they were sitting in silence. Was this what it felt like to fall in love? Was he crazy to even consider that idea? Hudson wished that he could dismiss. the thought out of hand. There was no reason that Ms. Levesque should mean anything more to him than his other female companions had. Yes, the childlike delight she took in exploring France was charming. She had dreams and talents that set her apart from other women he had known, and she had gone out of her way to help salvage his business deal, but the interest she showed in Hudson was surely all an act. Gabrielle made it very clear when they first met that she enjoyed Hudson’s money. Until their arrival in Paris, she never showed any hesitation in asking for expensive presents or using his credit cards without permission. She flirted with him, sure- teasing him with the idea of “private French lessons” and flashing her legs in tiny skirts, but she had never given any indication that she was looking for something more. Hell, just three weeks earlier, he had watched her flirt with another man right in front of his face. Falling in love with Gabrielle Levesque would be a huge mistake. Hudson had made enough of those already.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Hudson followed Abby to the end of the garden and they stood on a Japanese bridge overlooking the famous water lilies. Once again, Abby felt like she was standing inside one of Monet’s paintings. The illusion was so intense that she could almost imagine a gilded frame just out of view. It all felt like a dream.

  “I could stay here forever.” Most of the other tourists were already gone. The property would close for the evening soon. Abby was sorely tempted to beg Hudson to buy them after-hours access, just as he had at Musée d’Orsay, but she knew that they had to return to Paris. “It’s
the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she whispered and turned to go. Hudson’s hand caught hers and held her in place.

  “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

  She was about to object, but Hudson’s kiss stopped the words from escaping her lips. Pressed against him, she could feel his hunger and desire. It wasn’t a slow burn, it was greedy and passionate as if he wanted to consume her. Abby wrapped her arms around his neck and lost herself for a moment. This was a memory that would forever stay in her mind. She would never look at Monet’s painting of water lilies the same again.

  The ride back to the hotel was quiet. Too quiet. Abby couldn’t stop stealing glances at Hudson or prevent herself from trying to make sense of the brooding expression on his handsome face. It took all her self-control not to pepper him with questions. Now that he had opened up, she wanted to know everything about him. When they first met, Abby had pegged Hudson as a bachelor playboy without a care in the world. She thought he dedicated so much time to his company because he was greedy and enjoyed the profit and the power, but she had been so wrong. Hudson focused on the business out of love for his family. Sure, he was loaded, but he still had problems. His money couldn’t bring Colin back, and it didn’t allow him to chase his dreams.

  At last, the temptation to speak grew too strong to resist.

  “Are you okay?” Abby asked, sliding closer to Hudson. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “No, absolutely not. I’m sorry about earlier.” He reached for Abby’s hand and stroked it gently.

  “Sorry?”

  “I don’t usually talk about…that stuff.”

  “You should.”

  Hudson’s lips twisted into a sarcastic grin, “Yes. I’ve been told that blubbering is extremely attractive.”

  “You weren’t blubbering.”

  Abby reached up to touch his cheek with the back of her hand. “It just might help to get it out. Colin wouldn’t want you to spend the rest of your life feeling guilty and sad.”

  Hudson didn’t answer. He moved his head to kiss the inside of her palm and then switched his attention to pouring a drink. The topic was clearly closed. She hoped it wouldn’t be the last time he opened up to her. She thought of how they only had a few more days together and wished they could stay in Paris forever.

  They each stared out of their respective windows as the car wound through the French countryside on the way back to Paris. They were just about to enter the city limits when Hudson’s cellphone rang.

  “Hello, father,” Hudson said. He closed his eyes as if he had a headache. “Yes…Yes, we did… No, it was Mr. Fougere’s idea…it was only a minor detail…I must have missed your call.”

  Abby could only hear Hudson’s side of the conversation, but she gathered enough to tell that Mr. Quinn wasn’t happy that they squandered half of an afternoon walking around a garden.

  The call lasted almost to the moment that the limo pulled up at the George V. They walked through the hotel lobby and silently rode the elevator to the penthouse. Hudson opened the hotel door and motioned for Abby to walk through first. She was barely inside before he reached for her hand and pulled her flush against his chest.

  He didn’t say a word at first and neither did she. Abby didn’t need to hear any words, she could see the desire in his eyes.

  Hudson’s lips descended once again. His tongue eagerly searched out hers, while his hands roamed over her clothes, plucking at the fabric impatiently. Just kissing wasn’t enough. A sigh escaped her lips when she felt the rock-hard evidence of his need pressed against her.

  “Hudson,’ Abby moaned when his kisses moved from her lips to her collarbone. It was the only word she could manage. She felt dizzy with desire.

  “I want you so bad. I’ve wanted you all day.”

  He dotted a trail of sweet kisses from her collarbone to her neck as his hands finally plucked loose the fastening of her clothes. His touch was deliberate. He knew just where to press firmly and where to sweep gently, barely grazing her soft skin. Abby didn’t want to think about where he earned his education, but she was happy to reap the benefits.

  “Lovely,” he whispered after removing her clothes completely and looking her over in just a bra and panties.

  Abby’s attention never left him as she unbuttoned his light blue shirt. She wanted to memorize every detail, every line, every crease of his skin. Soon they would return to New York. She didn’t know what would happen there, but here in Paris, he was hers.

  Mine. Abby thrilled in the knowledge of her possession. Hudson said he wanted her…that he needed her. The truth of his admission suffused his every touch.

  A quiet mewling sound of pleasure escaped Abby’s lips. It seemed to make Hudson even more frantic. He quickly dispensed of her underwear and urged her toward the bedroom.

  At the edge of the mattress, Abby helped Hudson remove his clothes. She pushed back the unbuttoned shirt so Hudson could shrug it off along with the thin cotton barrier of his undershirt. Her small hands traveled across his naked chest and over his shoulders, pushing her body closer against him.

  “I want to see you. All of you,” Abby admitted, reaching for the button on his pants. She slid down his body to push them away and stopped to admire the erection jutting from his boxer shorts on her way back up.

  “Do you see what you do to me?”

  Abby nodded as she reached into his fly and continued to stroke his hardness.

  “Do you want that?” Hudson asked.

  Abby nodded. “I want you, Hudson. All of you. I want to feel your body against mine. I want to feel you inside me.”

  Hudson pushed Abby back on the mattress. He remained standing at the edge of the bed, looking down at her. Abby moaned in frustration. She wanted to pull him down on top of her and feel the weight of his body press her firmly against the bed. Hudson, apparently, had other plans. He broke from the kiss and circled his hands around her upper thighs. With a quick jerk, he pulled her to the edge of the bed. Then, he coaxed her legs to wrap loosely around his waist.

  The movement caught her off guard and she started to giggle but ended up moaning instead when his lips latched onto her breasts. He suckled each nipple in turn and then began trailing kisses down her stomach. Abby felt warmth pool between her legs when Hudson’s lips reached the junction of her leg and hip. He placed one final gentle kiss on the soft mound between her legs and then she felt the powerful stroke of his tongue surge between her thighs.

  “Oh, God,” she cried out as he feasted on her clit, reaching up to massage her breasts while he brought her closer to her peak.

  It didn’t occur to her to be embarrassed as he worshipped her body. Nothing they did together could possibly be wrong. Not when it felt this good. This right.

  Abby could feel herself coming closer to the edge with every circle of his tongue and light stroke of his finger. She wasn’t ready yet. She didn’t want this feeling to end. She sat up and pulled away from him, lifting his chin to urge him to stand and pleased when he obeyed.

  “I’m not ready yet,” she said, huskily and reached for his hard cock. She was gratified when he closed his eyes and watched his head drop back. “I want to play too.”

  Hudson’s eyes popped back open and he nipped gently at her ear. “We’ve got all night and I’m all yours.”

  All night…Another bolt of electricity coursed through Abby’s veins at the thought. She continued to stroke Hudson’s hard shaft, teasingly rubbing her thumb around the tip at random intervals just to see the way that the change made him jolt and gasp. She never wanted this to end. She wondered if that was possible somehow. Could this man in front of her, the one telling her how beautiful and perfect she was, really be hers?

  Hudson thrust his cock roughly against Abby’s hand, signaling his impatience. Abby shared his urgency. She wanted to feel him inside her. She wanted to be connected to him. She needed their fragile emotional bond reinforced by flesh.

  “I want you to take me now.
”

  Hudson didn’t waste any time obeying. He swiftly positioned himself against her body, standing against the side of the bed. He took her hips in his hands and pulled her forward, joining their bodies together in a sharp, sure thrust.

  Abby adjusted quickly to his size. She wasn’t sure how he was able to bring her so close to the edge so quickly, but the first stroke was enough to make every nerve pulse with ecstasy.

  Hudson started slow, but soon he was crashing into her with increasing desperation. His voice was ragged as he looked down at her face. “My God...You feel so fucking good. So tight around my cock.”

  She jolted. The erotic words dragged her closer to release.

  “That’s it, sweet girl. Come for me. Let me feel you come for me.”

  Hudson’s urging was the final push that sent her hurtling over the edge. White-hot pleasure shivered through her body as she constricted around him, pulling him to completion with her.

  They were still for a time. Then, Hudson pulled away and she felt the loss immediately. She was only satisfied once he climbed up on the bed and lay next to Abby, pulling her close to his damp body.

  Abby burrowed her head in his chest, relishing the weight of his arms draped around her, and the mingled scent of sweat and expensive cologne that clung to his skin. She didn’t sleep. She fought against the desire to close her eyes. She could almost see her time in Paris slipping away, each second like a grain of sand in an hourglass. She wanted to savor each one.

  Hudson’s body was still and silent. Abby was startled when she looked up and saw that he was also still awake.

  “Not sleepy?” she murmured.

  “Not yet.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him what he was thinking about, but she already knew the answer. Hudson had been brooding all day, ever since she dredged up his memories of Colin. Their moments of passion had been the only respite.

  “Tell me about your sister.”