“Welcome back.” Michael greets us with a polite smile, getting up from the barstool. “You must be—”
“Olivia Escobar,” she says, sticking her hand out to shake Michael’s. If he’s surprised, he doesn’t let on.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Olivia. I’m glad to finally put a face to the name. I’m Michael Wright, one of the owners of the casino,” he replies casually, Olivia looking rather mollified and appreciative of his tone with her. Not that she says it, but she hates being talked down to like a child even though she is one.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Michael,” she says without any problem. “I think now would be a good time to tell you that I’m nearly eight, and I promise not to draw on the walls.”
Blushing, I give her a stern look, but Michael is clearly amused.
Leaning in away from me and more toward her, he bends down. “You’re welcome to draw on the walls as you see fit, Olivia. I did it all the time when I was your age. In fact, the best one is in the main dining room. It’s rather boring. A blank canvas just begging for a little art,” he says, glancing up at me.
Damn him and his cute smile. He obviously has a way with kids, judging by the way Olivia beams up at him. Seeing them interacting warms my heart and again I sigh because this is only a temporary arrangement and I can tell I’m not the only one who likes Michael. He straightens but continues to look down at Olivia, smiling.
Olivia looks over at me. “Maybe I could draw some pictures on paper and you could stick them up,” she says. Diplomatic Olivia. She can navigate the world so well.
“Deal,” Michael says, reaching his hand out for Olivia to shake. It’s such a cute little exchange. He looks over at me. “I’m taking it Gus took you where you needed to go.”
I nod. “I’m okay with getting the bus,” I tell him but the expression on his face tells me he’s not going to hear my protestations.
“Gus will take you wherever you need to go. It’s no trouble at all.” He looks over at Rita who is at the stove. I watch him move, mesmerized as much by his presences as his physique. “Are you hungry? Dinner is ready now but you don’t have to eat it right away. It’s chicken and salmon sausage and I guarantee you it’s better than it sounds.”
Clearing my throat, I nod a little too quickly in response. “Yes, thank you very much. That would be um, delightful.”
“You’re welcome to join us whenever you’d like. Rita will keep your food warm.”
Is there anything Rita doesn’t do? I smile at him awkwardly, excusing myself and Olivia so that we can get her settled in.
Girl, get a hold of yourself! He’s your boss, not to mention your temporary landlord! The last thing I need is to let my attraction to him and Joseph cause issues for Olivia and me. She needs stability in her life now more than ever and I need this job to keep a roof over our heads.
“This really is bigger than our old apartment, Mom,” Olivia says in wonder, checking out the paintings hanging up in our temporary residence.
I take a seat on the edge of her bed, pulling out my phone while she explores the rest of the apartment, stunned to see that it’s been on silent the whole time and there’s a new voicemail flashing on the screen. I don’t recognize the number, but my stomach already twists as I begin to listen in.
“Lana. It’s me. I’m coming to Vegas and I want to see my daughter. Don’t think I don’t realize that you’ve been ignoring my texts again. How about this time, you save the number and answer the phone next time?” The voicemail message ends with a loud click, and my heart jumps damn near into my throat.
Javier.
He always has such a way with his words.
I look back over at Olivia who’s inspecting the fireplace, probably trying to figure out how it works. At least we’re here in this high-security penthouse with the Wrights. Even if it is only a temporary situation.
6
MICHAEL
Remembering Joseph’s earlier comment, I knock on his door before entering his bedroom, carrying the plate of food Rita put together for him. “Room service.”
Joseph, who’s leg is half hanging off the edge of the bed, looks like he’s using up all his energy into pulling it back up under the covers. “Thanks,” he manages to say, his face red from exertion.
Or pain.
“Hang on, let me go find Lana.”
“No, forget it. I’ve got it,” Joseph snaps, frowning at me. “It’s fine.”
I really don’t want to get into it with him but I have a feeling it’s unavoidable. “It’s the whole reason we hired her to begin with. You’re just going to have to get used to working with her and being honest about how you’re doing with her. Even if you aren’t with me.”
The look on his face sours even more. “I can manage, thanks, and I damn sure don’t need you telling me how to deal with my nurse.”
I shake my head. “I’m simply suggesting that you be truthful with her. If you don’t heal properly, you could end up walking with a cane, or a walker, or even worse. You could get an infection that damages you even more by being an idiot. Again.”
Gritting his teeth, Joseph sits up straighter. “I know all that. Can I eat my food in peace, now?”
It infuriates me to see him not take what I’m saying at face value. I take a few steps toward the door, reaching out to grab the door handle when I pause, turn back around and roll my shoulders back. “No, you know what? No. Do you even realize how serious this is? You almost died.”
When he laughs I want to punch him right in the damn jaw. “Yeah, yeah. There’s no need to be so—”
“No. Seriously, I saw you after the accident. Jesus Christ, if you’d been on a different mountain, at a different time of year, or if that random skier hadn’t found you and called in the medivac. Damn it, Joseph.” I don’t want to discuss the fear of losing him with him, especially not when he doesn’t get it.
This seems to sober him up a bit. “I know. I was being stupid.”
“And is that enough to teach you to be more careful with your life?”
He doesn’t answer. He just sits there, slowly taking bites of his food and avoiding my gaze.
“I’ll leave you to it, I guess,” I say, having enough of Joseph’s brand of bullshit. I love my brother, but sometimes I struggle to understand him. “I’ll send Rita in for your plate later and I’ll have Lana get you settled for the night.”
I ignore the pissed-off look on his face and leave before he has a chance to say anything else.
--
Dinner is surprisingly nice, considering that I’ve never had dinner with a child present like this, but Olivia is a well-mannered little girl and not only that, but she’s whip-smart, too. After Lana sends her to finish her homework, I smile after her. “She’s a really bright young lady.”
“You have no idea,” Lana says, wiping at the corner of her mouth with her napkin. “She’s way too smart sometimes. In fact, she’ll have her homework done in half an hour. It’s like she’s some kind of alien child, I swear because she definitely didn’t get it from me,” she laughs.
I don’t like the way she puts herself down because I can tell Lana is one smart lady, but I don’t feel it’s my place to say anything about it. “Is her father smart?” I ask, curious to hear more about the situation, but Lana abruptly replies with a ‘No,’ silence falling rapidly between us. I didn’t mean to offend her and try to change gears. “So, what school does she go to? Is she in one of those accelerated programs?”
She shakes her head, her eyes dropping back to her food as she takes another bite. “No, nothing like that. I mean, I do my best to provide her with supplemental education when she wants it, which is most of the time. Olivia doesn’t really watch TV. Not unless you count documentaries.” A smile softens the frown on her face. “Sometimes I can barely keep up with her. I’m very proud of her, but it can be a little terrifying. I feel like one of these days she’s going to outgrow me.” Lana pauses, her dark eyes going wide before quick
ly takes another bite. “I’m sorry for rambling.”
I brush it off. After all, I do want to know more about the woman who’s taking care of my brother. “It’s fine, believe me. You know…Joseph and I went to Wellington-Meade School. We still donate quite a bit of money there, too. They have this scholarship fund and I would be happy to call—”
“No. No, thank you. I, uh, appreciate it, but I’m doing just fine with Olivia,” she cuts me off before I get a chance to continue. There’s a hardness in her eyes, but there’s also some worry there. It’s like every time I try to get a little closer to Lana she puts up a defensive shell.
I don’t like it but I know how to take a hint. “Of course, and I wouldn’t imply otherwise. Still, the offer is on the table. It’s a very good school, and I feel she would excel there.”
Pushing away from the table gently, Lana stands up and smooths down her pants. “Thank you, again, but we don’t need the help. I think I’ll go ahead and check in on Joseph, now if you don’t mind.” She scoops up the plate and I shake my head.
“Leave it. Rita can get it for you.”
The forced smile on her face is stretched thin as she takes it anyway, heading toward the kitchen, leaving me alone to my dinner.
Where had I crossed a line? And what’s happened in her life that the line got drawn in the first place?
7
JOSEPH
It’s taken a couple of weeks but, with Lana’s help, I’ve managed to somehow gain part of my feeling back. Dick’s still got a mind of its own, but then again, when hasn’t it?
The miserable part is still being stuck in this goddamn bed, day in, day out. I feel like some kind of geriatric patient with Lana having to turn me this way and that so I don’t develop bed sores.
The door opens but instead of my sexy but strict nurse, it’s Michael with a thick file full of paperwork. If I have to see another signature page again in my life, it’ll be too soon.
Tossing the file to me, he asks me how I’m feeling. As if he really cares. All he’s worried about is making sure the folks on the board don’t know about my ‘condition,’ as he so eloquently put it. It’s been his job to save face with them, telling them I’m off somewhere exotic doing something way better with my time than rotting away in a fucking bed. They don’t approve of my focus on matters other than business, but hey, I’m not bitter or bothered!
I check the clock on the wall that Lana had hung for me, and just like clockwork, in she comes, a brief smile exchanged between her and Michael as he leaves. It’s the same thing every day.
Right at seven-thirty, she comes in with my morning meds, asks me about how my pain is, I lie and tell her it’s fine, no big deal, and then proceed to wince in agony as she massages my legs for the next half-hour. If it weren’t for the fact that I’m ready to pop a vein, I’d think the massage was rather nice. Especially once her hands reach my thighs…
The sad part is that half the time I do end up with a hard-on, and she pretends it doesn’t even exist. As if anyone could miss it.
The routine has become the new norm, and as weird as it feels, I’m used to it now. I can’t really say I enjoy it. If I wasn’t in such agony and feeling so frustrated, having Lana’s hands on me would be amazing. She certainly has a way with her hands that I wouldn’t mind feeling in other places…
And she always manages to make me laugh, usually because I’m cheeky and she’s stern. I never really had a thing for a sassy woman before, but when she tells me off it makes me want to kiss her pink lips.
I’ve even got used to her little kid running around the penthouse. Luckily though, her daughter Olivia avoids mainly avoids my room like the plague. I was kinda on the fence about letting a kid live here. I mean, it is a fucking casino after all, but then again, it’s not like the penthouse is the bachelor pad it used to be, right? But if I carry on suffering this long journey to recovery it could be again. Well, someone needs to get some round here! For now, sleep is my only relief.
--
There’s a knock at the door, and I’m surprised to see Lana coming in after lunch. Usually, she waits for another half-hour or so.
“Hey there.”
I nod my head to her, jabbing my finger down on the power button of the TV remote. “What are you doing in here already? Judge Judy doesn’t start until two.”
“I have some errands I need to run today and thought I’d go ahead and check up on you. I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?” she asks, reaching for the clipboard on the dresser.
“Nope. Not a damn thing.”
I get the usual questions about my pain level, the fluffing, and adjustments of the pillows, and Lana sits down in the chair beside me, leveling a look at me. “And any discomfort now?”
I say the first thing that rolls off my tongue. “Not unless you consider not getting laid in a while a physical discomfort.”
She just rolls her eyes, already having learned that I’m not the most polite asshole in the world. But that’s what I dig about her—she hardly cares.
“I wouldn’t,” she says as though she knows how I’m feeling. Our eyes meet and she blushes, looking down at her notes again. I wonder about Lana’s private life. I mean, I know she has Olivia but having a kid doesn’t mean you can’t have a social life. She gorgeous and sexy and witty and gorgeous. Did I mention gorgeous? She should have men flocking around her. I’m about to ask her what her story is when she begins prodding my feet with her reflex hammer. She gets to my left foot, moving my toes around for a moment before running her finger up the arch of my foot and both of us nearly jump when my foot twitches. She meets my eyes, surprised.
“Do it again,” I say, hating the weird tingling I’m getting.
She does, and this time nothing. The frown on my face is the same on hers.
“Let me try…” she edges her fingertips to the side of my foot, brushing them lightly. I can feel it, and a muscle in my foot jumps, and we both laugh together.
“Well, don’t stop!” I say, watching with both pain and curiosity as Lana basically starts tickling my foot, the muscle twitching this way and that until finally my leg involuntarily kicks out and I nearly knock her over. “Fuck!” I yell out, sharp pain lancing up my back from the movement. I can’t help but laugh as I catch the look on her face, the widening grin.
“My bad,” she says, another laugh bubbling up from somewhere inside. Her expression if bright, her cheeks flushed with what looks like excitement. “Here, let me move this again.” She slips the pillow back behind my back, helping to alleviate the pain.
A sort of relief runs over me, my heart feeling lighter than it has since I came around from the accident “You know, I have to admit… I was starting to worry I wouldn’t recover.” I change course though as soon as I see the tell-tale signs of pity in her brown eyes. “Michael used to hold me down and tickle the shit out of me when we were kids. Just because he was the slightly bigger, older twin. I caught up in college, though. Never thought I’d miss being ticklish.”
Lana’s quiet, so I continue. “Of course, if he tries that shit now I would just deck his ass. Lay him right on out.”
When she still doesn’t say anything, I let my mind wander, getting ahead my mouth. “One of these days I’ll be hitting up the club, picking up some girl and making up for all the lost time.”
This seems to catch her attention, but she just groans instead of saying anything.
“What?” I say innocently.
She shakes her head; the curls I’ve been secretly wanting to touch bouncing around. “It’s men like you who make having a daughter so damn stressful. She’ll have to grow up and survive a world full of pretty men with only one thing on their minds.”
I snort, not missing the weird compliment. “Pretty?”
Lana shrugs but her cheeks pink a little more and I grin wolfishly.
“Just as long as Olivia avoids guys like me, she’ll be all right.”
Olivia looks at me, her head cocked to one side. “Y
ou act like you’re such a bad guy, Joseph, but you’re not. You’re just in a lot of pain, is all,” she shoots back, that same knowing look in her eyes. Lana thinks I’m ‘not a bad guy.’ The thought makes me feel uneasy, not because I want her to think badly of me, but the way she’s looking at me it’s as though she can see through my bravado, and I’m not sure I like that.
“Hey, it’s getting a lot better, obviously,” I say, pointing to my foot.
But she just shakes her head. “No, Joseph, that’s not the pain I’m talking about.” Her voice is soft as she looks away, grabbing her clipboard.
Something clutches at my insides. In the two and a half weeks we’ve known each other, I haven’t talked to Lana much about how I’m actually feeling, yet I get the distinct impression she can read it all on my face. “Am I that transparent?”
She’s surprised to hear me say anything, but shrugs. “No, not really. You’re just not a special case, is all. I’ve taken care of plenty of guys like you who get a brutal lesson in fragility. If you would just remember it in the future, you’d be fine.”
I hate how she acts like she knows me so well. “What, are you, my nurse or my mother?”
“Sometimes, it seems like you need both, so you tell me.”
Red burns behind my eyelids as I close them, holding my tongue from lashing out at her. Who the hell does she think she is?
Lana busies herself around the room, doing whatever the hell she’s doing—I don’t know because I refuse to look at her, but I hear her pause and sigh.
“I’m sorry, Joseph. I don’t know why I said that. Michael, he… he does the same thing when I mention your mother.”
The sympathy in her voice is jarring, but for some reason, it doesn’t bother me as much. “I know.” You say a single thing about Mom and Michael completely ignores you. Like she didn’t even exist.
BILLIONAIRE BROTHERS: A MFM MENAGE ROMANCE Page 4