by Amanda Aksel
“Fuck,” she mouths, then returns to her normal tone. “My hair gets unruly and I want to be presentable at your brother’s wedding.”
“But I love when your hair’s unruly. It means I did my job.” I wiggle my brows, wishing I could wiggle my tongue around her enchanting pussy right about now.
She smirks.
“I guess I can wait. I just didn’t get my morning treat today,” I say, recalling how I woke up with a raging hard on in the middle of the night and again this morning. I don’t know what I’m going to do when she’s five thousand miles away next week.
“I didn’t either,” she says and I wonder if she woke up feeling as frisky as I did. “I’m really excited about today. I feel like I’m attending a royal wedding.”
I lean back into the leather seat, wanting to roll my eyes at what a show these big weddings are. “It basically is. The Duke and Duchess are attending.”
Her eyes shoot open. “Are you serious? Are you a royal too? Should I start calling you Prince Charming?”
I shake my head, thankful that I’m not a modern royal. “No, we’re not.”
“Will the Queen be there?” she asks.
I snicker. “No.”
Her pretty eyes grow worried. “Geez, I’m glad I wore this hat. Do you think I look all right?”
I kiss the tip of her nose. “You look perfect. But I also think you look perfect when you’re naked with wild hair.”
She takes in a deep breath, smiling like she’s relishing my words. What I wouldn’t give to turn this car around to go play with her under the sheets at home. I try to remind myself that this ridiculous monkey suit is for Mick. And I’d do anything for my brother. Even show up to his wedding with a smile and congratulate him on his nuptials, even though I think he’s making a huge mistake. My stomach churns thinking that an hour from now Davina will be the new Mrs. Bonnaire.
We arrive at the church just as the esteemed guests are filing in. Kate watches out the window, mesmerized by the array of fascinator hats.
“Oh, my God. Is that the guy from that movie?” She points to Geoff Westwood, a British movie star sporting a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses.
“Yeah, that’s him. Mick did his father’s triple bypass last year.”
“Whoa! That’s cool.” She presses her nose to the window as we wait to pull up. My phone buzzes in my pocket. It’s a text from Kent.
KENT: Where are you? Find me asap. There’s a major problem.
A major problem? Is Mick okay? Maybe he hasn’t shown up. That would be brilliant.
DREW: What problem? I’m pulling up now.
Kent doesn’t respond.
“Everything okay?” she asks.
“I’m sure everything’s fine.” I lend a reassuring smile. The car pulls over and we step out. Camera’s flash as Kate and I walk arm-in-arm inside. Angelic chamber music fills the room as the guests fill the pews. “I need to find my brother, so let’s get you seated first,” I say. Kate nods and peers around the room as I escort her to her seat near the front. But before I can find her seat, we run into my dad. His presence overpowers the room, or at least that’s how it feels for me. He darts a glance at Kate, then looks back at me with a half-smile.
“Andrew,” he extends his hand. “Good to see you.”
I shake his hand like we’re acquaintances. “Hello, Dad.” My stiff tone matches my stiff tuxedo. Kate’s fingers tighten around my arm. “Please let me introduce you to my date, Kate Golden.” I gesture to my lady in red.
My dad nods, extending his hand to her. “Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Golden, your name sounds familiar. Have we met before?”
She smiles wide, a little too wide, taking his hand in a polite greeting. “Not to my recollection.”
“Perhaps you know her work,” I cut in. “Kate designs luxury lingerie. She has a boutique on Mount Street.”
His face lights up as if he’s solved the puzzle. Then his expression changes, as if knowing who she is has created more questions. “So, you’re not a fashion model?” he asks.
Kate shakes her head. “No.”
“Well, you are certainly beautiful enough to be one.”
I hardly have a second to notice Kate’s blushing face when Kent rushes over panting and looking panicked. He darts his eyes to the back of our dad’s head and stops short, then waves for me to come over to him. I send him a subtle gesture to wait but Dad catches it and turns around.
“Kent, what are you doing out here?” Dad asks.
Kent straightens up, beaming at him. “I came to find—” He blinks with a slack jaw, staring at Kate. “What’s she doing here?”
I glance over at my date. They stare at each other with wide eyes, the blush disappeared from Kate’s cheeks.
“Kent, please don’t be rude. This is your brother’s date who is not a model,” Dad says looking pleased with himself.
“Brother?” Kate blurts out. “This guy’s your brother?”
I nod, glancing between my brother and Kate. “Yeah, I don’t—”
“Oh, my God.” Kate lowers her head and drops my arm, using her hand to shield her face.
“Do you know each other?” I ask her, then look to Kent for answers only to get silence and flared nostrils in return.
Kate drops her hand away from her face but doesn’t look at me. “He’s the investor I met with. Remember?” My heart plunges into my stomach.
“What?” I glare at my brother. Kent is the asshole from the lunch meeting? The guy I was ready to kill when I found Kate on the street?
Then Kate’s eyes burn into me and not in a passionate way. “I thought your last name was Blake.”
My dad scoffs. “That’s his middle name. Drew likes to pretend he’s not a Bonnaire. What exactly is going on here—”
“Bonnaire as in Bonnaire Capital? Bonnaire Enterprises? That’s why you offered me twenty million without blinking an eyelash?” Kate narrows her eyes.
“You did what?” Dad barks at me.
“Ye . . . Yeah,” I stammer. My face grows hot and I want to get sick all over the royal-red aisle rug. The look in Kate’s eyes is nothing less than the pain of betrayal. “I didn’t think sharing my family name really mattered.” And it wouldn’t have, unless she happened to meet with a venture capitalist who also happened to be my brother from my family’s company. But this is London. What are the odds?
Kate looks at me like she wishes she had a martini to throw in my face. She glances at my dad, then at Kent. “I should go.”
“Wait! Why?” I grab her hand before she can step back.
“I don’t belong here. Enjoy the wedding.” Kate rips her hand away and turns toward the exit, making long strides like she can’t get out of here fast enough.
I follow her down the aisle. “Kate! Where are you going?”
My brother grabs my arm, pulling me back. “Just let her go. We have bigger problems, Drew.”
The crowd fills in and I can no longer see her. I lift on my toes, peering over the guests with their damn hats.
“Drew!” Kent grunts, grabbing my arm again.
“What!” I yell back, catching a few glares from the guests nearby.
Kent looks left then right and leans in. “The wedding’s off.”
Dad approaches us with a clenched jaw as I try to process what Kent’s just said and what just happened with Kate. “I don’t know what is going on, but you two are making a scene,” he growls through gritted teeth so no one around can hear.
Kent shoots him an apologetic look. “Sorry, Dad.”
I dart my eyes at Kent while he puts on his innocent act. Does Dad not know what’s really going on with the wedding?
“Mick wants to see Drew,” Kent says, pulling me toward the front of the church, around the pews and away from our scowling father. “I’ll be right back.”
After everything that has just happened, I can’t seem to get past the words—the wedding is off. The only thing that makes me sicker than Mick marrying Davina is the idea
of him calling off his wedding twenty minutes before it starts. I want to go after Kate, grill Kent about how he treated her, but my brother needs me right now. I say nothing as I stay close behind Kent and call Kate’s phone. No answer.
We make it outside to the church garden in the back. Mick’s sitting on a bench, his head lowered in his hands.
I pat his shoulder. “Hey, Mick.” He looks up, tears puddling in his blue eyes. “Are you all right?”
“No, I’m not all right. I have to go out there and tell all of our family, five hundred of our friends, not to mention the fucking Prince, that there’s no wedding today because my fiancée is a gold-digging whore!” he shouts so loud that I’m pretty sure he doesn’t need to make the announcement again.
I squat down in front of him. “What happened?”
Mick leans back on the bench and takes in a slow breath. “I got jittery about the wedding. Cold feet. This bad feeling or something. So, when I got to the church I went to look for Davina so that I could at least talk to her before the wedding. When I found her, some twit was fucking her against the counter in her wedding dress. It was fucking Dom Wade!”
I twist my face at the unimaginable image. “Wait, Dom? Her gay best friend?”
“That asshole is not homosexual. I should’ve known. I never once saw him with another guy. And she was with him all the time. It’s probably been going on for years.”
I had a feeling something like this might happen, but I didn’t think it would be today, and I didn’t think it would be with Dom Wade. “Did she see you?” I ask.
“It was pretty hard to miss me when I screamed, ‘You bitch!’ at her when I walked in. She had the nerve to come after me, trying to convince me that it wasn’t anything. That she loved me and wanted to marry me.”
“Are you serious? Even after that?”
“Fuck my life right now.” Mick flings punches in the air then throws his face back into his hands.
“Oh, my God, Mick. I’m so sorry. What can I do?”
“Can you make it go away?” His voice is muffled in his hands. “Can you make it like this day never happened?”
I shake my head. “I wish I could.”
“I have to get out of here,” Mick says, wiping the last of his fallen tears. “Can you get me out of here?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
I call for Kent who went wandering off to speak to a woman dressed in a black suit. He looks over.
“I’m getting Mick away from here. Take care of this mess and call me when you’re done.” I demand in a chilly tone.
Kent looks away, resting his hands on his hips. “Dad’s gonna be pissed.”
“Who gives a shit what Dad thinks? Our brother just had his heart broken on his fucking wedding day. This is the kind of shit that destroys a man’s pride. I mean look at him.” We turn our attention to our brother who looks like he just got his ass kicked in an emotional boxing match.
“I hate this,” Kent says. “That fucking Davina. I hope I never see her again.”
“Yeah, where is she?” I ask.
“She ran off with her boyfriend. Hopefully, to the Western Isles of Scotland.”
Part of me wonders if I should be wishing Kent that far away. I’ll deal with him later.
***
Mick asks to go back to my place so he can get out of his tux. I have my driver pull around and meet us a block from the church. Mick drags his feet into my penthouse, stripping off a piece of his suit with every step he takes into the living room. By the time he reaches the sofa, he’s in his underpants and black socks. He lies face down on the couch.
“Let me get you some clothes,” I say.
“And a whiskey too,” he says, smearing his mouth over the cushion.
I hurry to my closet, trying Kate’s phone again. Still no answer. I change into my jeans and grab a pair for Mick, then stop by my bar for a couple of short glasses and a bottle of Macallan.
“How are you doing?” I ask, tossing him the pants, and fill the glasses with the sweet brown liquor.
“I’ll be doing a lot better after a few of these,” he says, taking one of the glasses. He chugs it like a frat boy and I cringe knowing that for the first time ever, I’ll have to babysit my big brother.
“Pour me another, would you?” he asks as he pulls the pants up to his waist.
“Sure.” I hand him my filled glass instead and reach for my phone.
DREW: We’re at my place. Get here as soon as you can.
KENT: I never heard so many gasps in my life. That was awful.
I clench my jaw thinking that it’s not as awful as the groom feels right now. Mick’s already thrown back his drink and is filling his glass to the brim. He sips from the top then stumbles over to the fireplace. “How do you turn this on?”
“Hey, Lucy,” I call out. “Turn on main room fireplace.”
A second later, flames erupt from behind the glass. Mick takes a swig of his whiskey, then sets it down. He picks up the pieces of his tuxedo off the floor and piles them up.
“What are you doing?” I ask, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.
“I can’t stand the sight of this fucking thing. I want it gone.” Mick opens the glass doors and chucks a piece into the fire. Then another and another. That’ll be fun to clean.
I pour a glass for myself and sit next to him on the floor. We watch quietly as what was supposed to be the happiest day of his life goes up in flames.
“You were right about her,” Mick says. “I should’ve listened.”
“Don’t beat yourself up over it, mate. The good news is that you found out before it was too late.”
“I wish there’d been nothing to find out. How could she do this to me? I treated her like a princess. I would’ve given her everything. Was it so much to ask for her to be honest with me?”
“No, of course not.” I say, wondering if not telling Kate my real name was really dishonest.
“I’ll never trust women again, Drew. I’ll be single for the rest of my life and die alone.” Mick’s a really good man. He saves people’s lives for a living. He doesn’t deserve this in the least. But part of me is grateful that he’ll be more careful next time. I hate that he’s hurting, and he’ll hurt for a while. But I know Mick, and eventually he’ll get over Davina and marry someone else, someone worthy of a great guy like him.
“You won’t be alone,” I say. “You’ll have me and Kent. We’ll be the Bonnaire Bachelors together.” I hold my drink up and he clinks his glass against mine, hinting at a smile.
***
Later that evening, Mick’s passed out cold and Kent and I are finally alone.
“I can’t bloody believe this,” Kent says.
“I can’t believe you hit on a potential client? Kate was really upset after that meeting. Why would you do that?”
“I was pretty upset too when I had to wipe vodka off my face. She didn’t have to throw it at me. It stung my eyes. Besides, why do you care so much?”
I ball my fists, feeling the same heat rise in my chest that I did when I found her on the street. “She’s my girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend?” Kent looks taken aback, and so am I.
I haven’t called any woman my girlfriend to my brother since I was nineteen. And I definitely wouldn’t say that about a woman I’ve only known for sixteen days. Oh, shit. I know exactly how many days it’s been since we met at the party. Maybe she is my girlfriend. I shake my head. She can’t be, even if I want her to. She’s leaving next week and I’ll probably never see her again.
“Not my girlfriend,” I say. “But I am sleeping with her so you better back the fuck off.”
Kent holds his hands up. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were fucking her.”
“Can you please not talk about her like she’s a cheap piece of ass?”
“Since when do you shag anything that’s not a cheap piece of ass?” he asks before sipping his drink. And in this moment, I wish there wasn’t some validity to what he’s aski
ng.
“Since now. And I want you to apologize too.”
“Are you mad?” Kent yells.
“Shut up, you’ll wake up Mick!” I whisper through gritted teeth. “And I’m serious.”
“Are you sure she’s not your girlfriend? I’ve never seen you get your knickers in a twist over some girl before.”
“Fuck you, okay! She’s a nice girl. She works hard and you led her on. Just apologize to her, would you?”
Kent sends me a dismissive wave. “Fine, okay.”
“I’m serious,” I say and rise to my feet. “Make sure Mick doesn’t get sick on my couch. I’ll be back later.”
“Going to see your girlfriend, eh?”
“None of your business, Kent,” I say and slam the door behind me.
Nine
KATE
Knock, Knock!
I had just turned down the covers when someone bangs at the door. I glance at the clock. It’s after nine and Beau is supposed to be out with the underwear model from the show. I peek through the peephole and see Drew in his jacket and black T-shirt. Pretty sure he’s wearing those ripped jeans that I love. Of course, he would show up after I dodged his calls all day. I chew my bottom lip. There’s so much I want to say to him and at the same time, I have no idea what words to use. Maybe I’ll stall, pretend I’m not here?
“I can see your shadow under the door, Kate.”
Well, so much for that idea. I unlatch the lock and open the door. “Hey,” I say, sullen.
“Hey, why didn’t you answer my calls?” Drew asks.
I lean against the doorway, purposefully keeping him out. “I need some space.”
“Space? What are you talking about? From what?” he asks like I’m overreacting.
“From you. We’ve been spending so much time together and I’m leaving next week. And when I found out that Kent Bonnaire was your brother, I felt like everything I knew about you was a lie.”
“It’s not a lie—”
“I know, but after everything else we’ve shared, I thought you’d at least tell me your real last name. I’m not gonna pretend that this whole thing hasn’t rattled me. And I don’t get rattled like that, not with guys.”