London Bound: New Adult Romance (Chase Brothers)

by Malone, Nana

“Of course. I want you to succeed, and I’m glad you’ve taken my advice and dome some work on some portraits.”

  Quietly, he studied her images frame by frame, taking his time. She wasn’t looking forward to another verbal flaying from him. But she’d worked hard on these and needed his feedback.

  She’d taken a whole string of London’s street performers. The dancers and the musicians and the singers. Most of the locations had been simple enough. All she had to do was sit on the tube long enough, and she’d catch someone playing or singing. She always tipped heavily, unlike many of the Londoners.

  With a few, she’d also been lucky enough to catch the movement of the trains behind them or the hustle and bustle of moving commuters blurring out the landscape. These shots were good. They were better than good. Her favorite was of an old man playing the violin as uniformed school children raced around him at the park. She’d caught the sea of burgundy uniforms in the background of the photo.

  When he was done, Xander sat back and studied her. His first words weren’t about her photos though. “I wanted to see how you were doing.”

  She frowned. “I’m fine.”

  “Well, I know about the shit with the paparazzi. Is it getting in the way of doing your work?”

  She sighed. So this was about Alexi. “No. I’m fine. And as you can see, my work hasn’t suffered. Save that one assignment.” She stiffened her back. “Is this the part where you tell me I should probably stay away from your brother? Or did you have something school related to discuss?” She clamped her jaw tight as she seethed.

  He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay, look. I was out of line to tell you to stay away from Lex. I, uhm, was surprised that you knew him. And I sort of reacted. I won’t lie that you intrigue me. Probably more than you should.”

  “I thought you had a very firm policy against sleeping with your students.”

  He chuckled and leaned forward. “Yes, well. In case you haven’t guessed, I’m pretty good at bending the rules to suit myself.”

  Abbie folded her arms. “Honestly, I’m not sure why I fascinate you so much. I’m just a girl. A prickly one at that. You’re Xander Chase, I’m sure you don’t want for women.”

  “I am Xander Chase. And you’re right. A woman in my bed isn’t something that’s particularly hard to come by. But finding one with a brain and a heart and inner strength with attitude to spare, well, it’s a bit difficult.”

  Abbie shifted uncomfortably in her seat and wished she had her camera in her hands. She’d never had to turn down so much male attention before. She met his gaze. “Alexi.”

  He nodded. “Yes, Alexi.” Xander’s smile was faint and a little sad. “He’s my brother, and I suspect you love him.”

  She squared her shoulders. “I’m not a toy you can fight over. Besides, you’re my professor. I came here to learn from you. You can make or break my career, and I need you.”

  His jaw ticked. “You make him happy, so I’ll be the teacher you need. Your work today was exceptional. I expect it to keep improving. No more hiccups?”

  She shoved the swell of pride into a box to examine later. “No more hiccups. I’m here to work.” Then, she added, “I also expect to be treated like any other one of your students. No more random acts of flirtation and no more singling me out. The others are beginning to notice.”

  His eyes narrowed imperceptibly and he crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair. “Random acts of flirtation?”

  Oh no. He would not do that guy thing where he made her feel like she was being crazy. She’d sensed something there. “Yeah, like at the club and at the pub the other night.”

  He nodded slowly. “Fair enough, I can manage that.”

  “Thank you.”

  Xander indicated his computer. “Your photos. They’re excellent. Some of them are really exquisite. I think you have a real knack for portraits.”

  Abbie had to keep from grinning like an idiot as the warmth of his praise swept through her. “Really? You’re not just saying that?”

  “Really. I don’t blow smoke up anyone’s arse, no matter how nicely they ask. Now go on. I suspect you have something far more interesting to do with your Saturday than sit in this cramped office. I’ll see you in class on Monday.”

  As she stood and walked out, Abbie could feel him watching her.

  * * *

  Later that afternoon, Abbie attempted to tug her hand out of Alexi’s. “I’m not sure about this. This is your time with your family. I feel like I’m intruding.”

  He squeezed her hand. “Would you relax? You were invited.”

  Abbie chewed her lip. “She didn’t invite me specifically. She just said she’d like to meet me sometime.”

  Lex paused and turned to face her as they stood on the steps of his mother’s Notting Hill townhome. “She’ll love you. And would you stop all that nonsense? You are my girlfriend.”

  His girlfriend. She loved the sound of that. But there was a tightness around his mouth. Something in his bright smile was a little off. Like he needed this visit to go well. Abbie still couldn’t let it go. “Maybe we should take some time, you know, let me meet your mother on a different day. Another time.”

  He only laughed. “You’re my girlfriend. I want to tell everybody I know. I want to show you off. And it’s important to me that you meet my family. Can you do this for me?”

  Abbie shifted from foot to foot and tucked one of her braids behind her ears. “I’m just not very good at this stuff. Parental units make me squigy.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not even sure that’s a word. I doubt that would hold up in scrabble.”

  “Oh, but I think it would. Like Beyoncé, I’m adding words to the dictionary. You’ll see. Before long it’ll be in Webster’s.”

  His response—kissing her soundly on the mouth. He lingered before pulling back. He started to speak, then paused. Looking as if he might say something. Then paused and seemed to rethink before finally saying, “She’ll love you. I know it.”

  Abbie nodded, wanting to trust him. Besides, after her own parents, how bad could Natasha Chase be?

  Lex let them into the spacious townhome without ringing the doorbell first. Abbie tried not to stare or touch anything as she stepped into the marble foyer. Bright paintings hung on the walls, adding bold splashes of color to the otherwise stark white of the interior. Two curving staircases framed the entrance, leading to a landing nearly obscured by the lavish chandelier. Abbie craned her head up and gasped. The ceiling had been painted with a heaven-scape of pink and orange clouds.

  “Wow, it’s beautiful.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” At the banister at the top of the stairs stood Natasha Chase.

  Abbie gaped at her. Her dark hair hung to her waist in beautiful waves, and she wore minimal make up. She’d dressed much as Abbie had, with skinny jeans and a body-hugging sweater. Though, instead of boots, her feet were bare.

  Lex squeezed Abbie’s hand. “Mum, I have someone I’d like you to meet.”

  Natasha glided over with a beaming smile for her son. Abbie tried not to feel bereft at the loss of his warm, reassuring hand when he let go to hug his mother. Instead, she slapped what she hoped was an intelligent, put-together-girlfriend smile on her face.

  Natasha hugged her son tight before stepping back to scrutinize him. “You look happy, Lex.”

  “Well, that has a lot to do with Abbie.” He reached out his hand for her, and Abbie automatically took it. “Abena Nartey, this is my mother, Natasha Chase. Mum, this is Abbie.”

  “Why don’t you come in and have a seat?”

  After Natasha had dispatched the maid for tea, Abbie fidgeted on the snow white couch with Lex. I can do this, I can do this, I can do this. How hard could it be? All she had to do was sit there and smile and answer some questions. She cleared her throat. “Your home is beautiful, Mrs. Chase.”

  Natasha waved her hand dismissively. “No, dear, I insist you call me Natasha.”

 
Abbie gave her a tight smile. She wouldn’t be calling her anything then. After all, her strict cultural upbringing dictated the only appropriate address as Mrs., or Auntie for an elder, particularly her boyfriend’s mother. But she’d deal with that later. Right now, she had to get through this.

  “So my son tells me you’re a photographer.”

  Abbie nodded slowly, and Alexi squeezed her hand in encouragement. She forced herself to breathe. “I’m studying now under your son Xander.”

  Natasha laughed. “Oh Xander, that naughty little upstart. He doesn’t visit as often as he should. I do hope he hasn’t been giving you a hard time. He’s sort of notorious.”

  “I will tell him when I see him next class.” She liked Natasha Chase and could see where Alexi got his heart from. “You must be very proud. His work is extraordinary and inspiring.”

  The older woman beamed. “I am proud of him. I’m proud of both my boys. They’ve been through so much and have turned out so well.”

  Abbie could feel her smile falter. Alexi had only told her about his contentious relationship with his father. Was there more he’d left out? Calm down, you two have no more secrets. When you’re alone, just ask him what she means.

  Abbie coughed. “I uhm, I—”

  “You don’t have to search for the tact response, darling. I know Alexander can be a handful.”

  She cleared her throat. “Yes, I noticed. But he really is an excellent teacher.”

  Alexi squeezed her hand. “Stop putting her on the spot, Mum.”

  Natasha laughed. “I’m sorry, darling, I’ll behave.”

  Abbie squeezed his hand. “It’s okay. I’m fine, I promise.”

  “So what do you two love birds have planned for the afternoon?”

  Lex looked at her, his gaze full of promise and fun. “I dunno. Abbie needs some photos for class, so I was thinking we’d meander around Notting Hill for a bit. Maybe head down to Oxford Street eventually and do some shopping.”

  Abbie wrinkled her nose. She wasn’t really in the mood for shopping. Especially with him. No need to fit into that gold digger stereotype. “Actually, Lex, why don’t you hit the shops on your own? I might head to Hyde Park.”

  He just rolled his eyes. “Mother, have you ever met anyone who’s allergic to shopping? Abbie refuses to go with me. And every time I drag her along, she spends the time taking pictures outside the shops. It’s crazy.” The ringing of his phone interrupted him. He looked down at his cell, then caressed her knuckles with his thumb. “I’m sorry, I have to take this.”

  While Lex took his call, his mother regaled her with stories of Alexi and Xander as young children and their antics. “Even then, though he’s the younger one, Lex was so much more serious. If there was trouble, it was almost always Xander.” A shadow crossed her beautiful features then flickered away just as quickly.

  The sound of footsteps from the back of the house had Abbie turning to see who was coming. A tall, imposing man with a confident stride walked in, clutching his phone in a death grip.

  Natasha stood quickly. “Abbie, meet my husband, Reginald.” To her husband she said, “I didn’t expect to see you until much later tonight. Lex is just visiting with his girlfriend.”

  Abbie studied the older man. It was easy to see where Alexi and Xander got their physical genes from. Their height, the broad shoulders, their lean, trim forms. Alexi even inherited the silver gray eyes of the older man. Abbie suddenly wondered what it would be like to photograph all three of them together.

  Although, the longer she studied the man, the more apparent it became that both Alexi and Xander got their smiles from their mother. Because this man did not smile. At all.

  “Where is Alexi? I need to speak with him.”

  Natasha’s voice wavered slightly. “Reginald, don’t be rude. You can at least say hello to Alexi’s guest.”

  The older man turned his gaze on her, and Abbie wanted to shrink into the furniture. The look of hatred on his face was enough to make her bristle. Alexi had said his father was unpleasant, but she hadn’t expected something like this. Fantastic.

  “You’ll forgive me if I don’t bother with Lex’s dalliance of the moment. There are so many you see. I can’t be bothered to learn all their names.”

  Natasha Chase’s face went bright red, then very pale. “Reginald, that is unacceptable. You apologize immediately.”

  Abbie squirmed in her seat. She made an attempt at escape. “Uhm, I’ll just go find Alexi and see what’s keeping him. If you—”

  The older man’s sharp voice cut off her attempted escape. “You think you love my son? You’ll soon realize he’s not who you think he is. He’ll betray you, just like he’s betrayed me. I had to find out today that he’s sold a software company right out from under me. If he’ll do that to his own father, imagine what he’ll do to you, a nobody.”

  Suddenly unable to breathe, Abbie blinked rapidly to ward off impending tears. No wonder Alexi avoided his father. The man was toxic. “This seems like a family discussion, I’ll—”

  “No. My wife wants me to play nice. Then let’s have a chat about my son.”

  Natasha put a hand on his arm. “Reginald, don’t. Leave the poor girl be.”

  “You wanted me to play nice, I’m playing nice. I’m going to tell this young lady.” The gaze he slid over her body told Abbie he considered her anything but. “About my son.”

  Well, she certainly wasn’t going to sit here while the asshole tore Alexi down in front of her. “With all due respect, Mr. Chase, I don’t need to hear what you have to say about Alexi. I know him.”

  The older man’s brows rose. “Then he’s told you everything about himself?”

  “We don’t keep secrets from each other.”

  Reginald Chase laughed. Except the sound was cold and thin instead of rich, booming and warm. “Is that so? Then you don’t mind shacking up with a thief and a murderer who let his brother take the blame for a murder he committed?”

  Everyone in the room froze. Natasha stood with her mouth agape. Reginald’s face was a mask of contorted fury, and out of the corner of her eye, Abbie could see Alexi’s stricken face as he stilled in the doorway.

  No. No no no no no. She tried to swallow. Tried desperately to breathe, but even her lungs were frozen. It was only when the room started to spin that she managed to drag in a breath.

  It wasn’t true. She’d just gotten caught up in some family dynamics that were frankly none of her business. The man Reginald was talking about, that wasn’t Alexi. Except when she finally had the faculty to move her head and glance in his direction, he stared at her, a mask of horror and guilt stamped on his face.

  Oh no. There had to be an explanation. It couldn’t be. “Alexi, is this true?”

  He shook his head, his eyes wide with horror and grief. “Abbie, I need you to listen to me for a minute.”

  She could see the truth in his eyes. But she didn’t want to believe it. She needed the words. “Is it true?”

  “Yes, but—”

  She shook her head. “No. You’ve been keeping this from me.”

  “I tried to tell you then…I couldn’t find the right time…” His voice trailed.

  “No. When you have something important to tell someone, you just do. You don’t lie to someone you care about.”

  “Abbie—” He reached for her.

  “Alexi, don’t.” She shook her head trying to think. “I-I need to go.”

  With her shoulders back and her head held high, she strode out of the living room into the foyer. She took her coat from the hall closet.

  As she slid it on, Alexi tried to hold her coat for her. “Let me help you.”

  She deliberately stepped out of his reach. “No, thank you. I have it.” She didn’t meet his gaze.

  He ran his hands through his hair. “Abbie, don’t do this. I can explain.”

  “Do what? Refuse to be lied to? You swore to me there was nothing else to tell me. And though I find it impossible to th
ink you could ever hurt anyone, clearly you’re still hiding something. I’m not dealing with secrets or lies anymore, Alexi.”

  He reached for her hand. “Look, I’m coming with you. Just give me a minute. We can talk.”

  She tilted her head up to meet his gaze. “Alexi, I need you to tell me. We already covered this. No more secrets. No more lies. What is it you’re hiding?”

  His hands shook and he shoved them into his pockets “Abbie, I’m sorry, I can’t. I—”

  She held up a hand even as she felt her heart tearing into pieces. There wasn’t anything he could say that she wanted to hear. She tipped her chin up and leveled a stare at him. “I’m leaving.”

  * * *

  After watching the woman he loved walk out of his life, Lex stalked back into the living room and rounded on his father. “Are you fucking happy now? She’s gone. She won’t ever be coming back. Thanks to you, I blew it.”

  His father glowered at him. “Don’t you mean thanks to you? You’re the one who shoved that nonce off the top of the stairs. You’re the one who let Xander take the blame. And you’re the one who didn’t tell your little girlfriend.”

  Even as he balled his fists to strike the old man, his mother shouted from behind him, “That is enough. Reginald! You might be angry with Lex, but you had no right. He’s your son. Don’t you think he deserves some kind of happiness?”

  His father’s face turned first red, then purple. “My son? My fucking son? No son of mine would have sold a company that’s rightfully mine out from under me. No son of mine would wait and let me find out by reading the fucking Times!”

  Lex had had enough. “You forget, Old Man, that you were the one who pushed me into a corner. You’ve been threatening to cut off my trust fund ever since Uni. I had to make another way for myself. And I did. I don’t need you or the fucking money.”

  “Stop being a spoiled brat, Alexi. Do you know how this makes me look in the industry? A multimillion dollar deal like that, and it happened under my nose. You signed a non-compete like every other employee.”

  Lex chuckled mirthlessly. “What? You think that’s not the first thing I thought of? I’m not a fool. Take Back the Night is in no way related to any of the software you build at CET. And I had my lawyer look over my non-compete specifically. It stated that I would not enter or engage in any business that is in direct conflict with the Chase technologies umbrella. CET has no lifestyle products, direct apps, or games in any way related to the entertainment space or sector. And also in my non-compete, it states that any and all documents or code authored by me is property of CET. Well, you’ll be happy to know I didn’t write a stitch of that code. Oh, I meticulously reviewed it, and it’s my brainchild, but I didn’t write it.”