by C. A. Harms
“We’re good,” he adds, quickly turning back to face me. “I said what I felt, and now I’m over it. Do I think you’re an idiot? Yes, but I guess you’ll figure that out one day on your own.”
I don’t say anything in return just smile at him, wondering when he become so vocal and straightforward.
“ I need to get back upstairs, we just ordered pizza.” He takes a step back.
“Drinks tomorrow night?”
“Uh,” he pauses once more, and I can’t help but be curious as to why the guy seems so nervous. “Yeah sure, sounds good.”
We say a quick goodbye and I start to push open the door just as I hear the security guy’s voice echo through the lobby. “Mr. Reynolds sir, the little girl that entered with you and the woman earlier dropped this near the elevators.”
I look over my shoulder and watch as the man passes Alec a frilly purple scarf, and something about it seems very familiar. So familiar that my stomach aches with a sense of déjà vu.
Chapter 12
Brynn
“Will you stop pacing?” Katelynn laughs from the chair she’s comfortably lounging in only a few feet away. “You’re gonna burn a hole in the poor man’s floor.”
I don’t justify her comment with any in return, only a simple glare before going right back to nervously walking the length of Aric’s living room. This was a bad idea—a very stupid, and careless idea. What the hell was I thinking allowing him to persuade us to come over for pizza and a movie? Oh I know, the twelve year old who was currently flipping through the channels and sipping on the soda Aric had given her only moments before the doorman announced Alec was here. As in here, in the same damn building I was currently in, in his brother’s apartment.
This was a horrible idea.
I spin around, my heart racing when I hear the sound of the door opening, and quickly press my hand to my chest. Aric instantly freezes in the doorway with a look of interest on his face. His eyebrows lift in curiosity as a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Expecting someone else?”
“Not funny,” I say, and he chuckles. “Again, not funny at all.”
“I don’t know.” He looks toward Katelynn and I follow his gaze. “What do you think, kid? Pretty hilarious, right?”
“She’s been pacing since you walked out the door.” The moment she rolls her eyes I want to throw something at her. The two of them are having far too much fun with my nervousness.
“He’s gone,” Aric assures me, and I don’t miss the thank god that falls from Katelynn’s lips. Aric seems to get a real kick out of Katelynn, and I’m beginning to think allowing the two of them to become friends may have been a mistake. They are way too alike, and one of Katelynn is plenty. But I can’t help smiling when I see them together. Aric treats her like a little adult, as in he seems to really and truly value her opinion, and her friendship. Seems weird really. Just a few weeks ago I was with Alec, or maybe I wasn’t, I still haven’t completely figured that part out. But now here we are in the younger brother’s place, hanging out as if we’d been friends for years.
“Pizza’s getting cold,” Katelynn announces, and I move across the room to sit on the floor near the coffee table in the center of the room. Aric’s place was small, yet cozy. You could definitely tell he was a guy living alone, and the decor was most definitely slim to none. His bed was on a platform that steps up off his small living room and he had no kitchen table. I imagined he ate a lot of meals on this very floor, or on the couch like most single men. Even though his Alcove apartment was small it was bigger and brighter than ours.
“Who got olives?” I turn just in time to see Aric wrinkle his nose offensively as he stares down at a slice of pizza he holds in his hands.
“That would be me,” Katelynn states proudly, taking a large bite with a smile tugging at her lips. Her eyes focus on him as she moans appreciatively. She’s a heckler, as she absolutely loves to prod and poke at anyone she can. He made it far too easy for her.
“I hate olives,” he adds, picking off black olives one after the other, shivering as if they are the nastiest things he’s ever touched. “They’re foul.”
“Well I like them,” she says around a mouthful of pizza while taking another bite. As she chews she watches him with one brow arched. He, of course, is still picking at his pizza and dissecting it carefully refusing to miss even the smallest black olive.
“Dude,” Katelynn finally says gaining his full attention. “Man up and eat the damn pizza.”
“Katelynn,” I warn, wondering where and when she’s gotten such a potty mouth.
“I know,” she waves her hand in front of her, “I know. But really, look at him.” And I do, trying my best not to laugh. Aric looks like a lost little boy as he sits there looking back at my twelve year old sister. “You look ridiculous, man, I’m not gonna lie.”
“You’re a brat,” he offers.
“So,” Katelynn shrugs, “and you’re a baby. Just eat the pizza.”
It was hilarious to watch them go back and forth, and I’ll admit I was secretly proud of how she held her own. I did that, I helped her find that strong girl inside herself. When my mother left us she was so scared, and a bit lost. But now here she was going head to head with a grown man and I quietly wonder why I can’t be that way.
“Give me your phone,” Katelynn holds out her hand to Aric, and he holds it tightly to his chest protectively. “Seriously, playboy, I’m not planning on calling one of your many call girls, I just want to download an app.”
“My call girls?”
“Yeah.” She rolls her eyes at Aric. “One nighters, call girls, playthings, whatever it is you call the many woman I’m sure are programmed in your phone.” When he looks at me I shrug my shoulders telling him silently that he is completely on his own. When he glares as if to thank me for being no help I lounge back further into the comfortable cushions of his couch and watch the scene play out.
The movie had long ago ended, we’d finished off the entire pizza, and apparently my sister was not yet ready to end our evening.
“Give it.” She still holds her hand out and wiggles her fingers before him.
“Okay,” he finally agrees, “but no reading any of my texts.”
“Pig,” she mumbles when she takes his phone and starts tapping away on his screen. “Why are guys such dirty freaks?”
“What guys do you know that are dirty freaks?” Aric asks, going all big brother mode on her.
“All of them,” she says, still working away at whatever it is she is doing on his phone. “On television, at school, you, and even that jerk brother of yours.” I feel my stomach tense instantly. “You all have one track minds, are selfish, and think girls shouldn’t take offense when you say or do something stupid.”
“You’re something, you know that?”
“Yeah,” she says as if this isn’t news to her. “I’m smart.”
She finally looks up at Aric and then over at me. “We’re playing Heads Up.”
“What the hell is Heads Up?”
“You’ll see.” She holds the phone to her forehead and a countdown is taking place on the screen of his phone. “When the word pops up on the screen you have to do your best to describe it, without actually saying the word. And I have to try guessing.”
We’ve played this a few times, and Aric looked skeptical. I remain quiet watching, and then when the first word pops up on the screen, silence sets in.
“Mute? Zombie?” Katelynn says sarcastically, and Aric rolls his eyes which only makes me laugh. She seems to be able to bring out the immature side of him so easily.
“Okay, smartass.” He slides forward and rubs his hands together. “A dangerous mammal, one that will rip you to shreds.”
“Shark?”
“Be more specific please.” He narrows his eyes staring back at her and I cover my mouth with my hand to hide my smile. “What kind of shark?”
“Great white shark?”
He nods his head and she f
lips the phone down making it switch to the next one.
“It’s black and white—”
“Whale?”
“No.” He waves his hand shutting her up and she laughs. “It’s on land and lives in the cold.” He stands and begins waddling. “Short little legs and it hobbles when it walks.”
“Penguin.”
“Yes.” He claps his hands together and now he’s really getting into it.
This goes on for about an hour as they take turns passing it back and forth with each round. When they offer to let me play I decline having more fun watching them then actually participating.
I look at my watch and realize it’s close to eleven, and that we really should be going home. Of course neither of them are ready to end their battle of charades, but when I stand and start cleaning things up they realize the fun is over.
“She’s such a downer.” I glare back at them when I hear Aric whisper to Katelynn as they follow behind me both carrying cups and plates. “Old lady’s ready for bed.”
I choose to ignore them, continuing to clean up our mess from the evening.
I still find myself smiling at the two of them while they continue to hassle one another, taking every chance they are given to tease the other. It wasn’t like a grown man and a twelve year old child, these two were on the same level, a battle of wills it seems, and neither one was willing to let the other have the last word.
With our jackets on and me nudging Katelynn out the door, Aric decided it best to walk us out. This to me only means more time for the two of them to irritate the other. By the time the elevator arrives on the main floor and we are stepping out into the lobby they have my head spinning.
“You two are making me feel dizzy.”
Both of the them stop mid sentence, look at me, and then look at one another. I thought for sure they would just pick back up where they’d left off, only they both burst out in laughter and I shake my head wondering which one was the child and which the adult.
Aric places one arm over each of our shoulders and lead us out of his building toward my car. With a fist bump and hug for Katelynn and a kiss on the cheek for me, he safely tucks us both inside my car. As I pull away from the curb, he remains in the entryway just beneath the awning until I can no longer see him.
“You chose the wrong brother when you decided to date a Reynolds man.” I stare ahead wondering if maybe she wasn’t right, but knowing deep down that even if I had been able to choose, most likely I still would have picked Alec.
Chapter 13
Alec
I felt as if the blood in my veins was boiling. My chest was on fire as I fisted my hands at my sides, feeling my fingers digging into the leather seat below.
The moment I saw that purple scarf earlier I just knew. Something inside me wouldn’t let me walk away without confirmation as to whether my feelings were warranted or if I was simply being paranoid. Yet here I was, staring out the side window watching my brother with Brynn and Katelynn.
The way he led them from the building, sharing hugs and fucking kisses, as if they’d been this happy little family saying goodbye. With each passing second it grew harder not to climb out of the backseat of this fucking car and demand to know what was going on.
When I see the headlights of Brynn’s car light up and Aric begin to back away an entirely different rush of emotions took over. He wasn’t making sure they made it home safely and that thought infuriated me. He should be following them, driving them himself, whatever. But what he shouldn’t be doing is watching them leave and going back inside.
“Warren, follow that car.” He simply nods, as he’s learned to not question my direction or actions for that matter.
The drive only managed to fuel the inferno burning inside me. I felt duped, cheated somehow. My brother had moved in on Brynn, and though I’d pushed her away this still wasn’t right. My heart may have feared our connection but damn it, she was still fucking mine. Not his!
“Would you like to be dropped off near the front entrance, sir?”
“No,” I say as he begins to slow to a stop, “keep going and circle around. I just want to ensure they get inside safely.”
He doesn’t hesitate doing as I ask and once the girls both enter the building I lean back and lift my phone from my coat pocket.
“Now I need you to drive me back to my brother’s place.” I don’t even look up as I pull up my brother’s phone number and hit send.
My hands shook as it rang. “Twice in one night, you miss me?” The chipper happy tone of his voice pissed me off.
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” I ignore him when he starts to interject. “You should let your doorman know that this time I will be coming up. Now that your company has left there should be no reason as to why you feel the need to keep me away.”
I end the call and continue to focus on the road ahead.
My mind wondering just how long this had been taking place. I knew that day in my penthouse it was the first time they’d met, but since then had they been seeing each other? Had this been the plan all along when she decided that she could no longer deal with the lifestyle I’d chosen? Was it more of finding an interest in him versus not being able to fulfill the needs I’d laid out before her?
The doormen offers me clearance as I move past him without any pleasantries. I was on a mission and doing my very best to control the urge to beat the shit out of my brother.
As I step off the elevator and onto his floor I pause for a few seconds, simply taking one deep breath after another. My heart ached so bad I felt like it was being squeezed tight. I don’t like feeling like I’m in the dark. I don’t like feeling as if anyone, especially my family, is keeping secrets from me.
I step up to Aric’s door but before I can knock it opens and he stands on the opposite side. Still wearing the same clothes I saw him in earlier, and when he said goodbye to his new friends.
“Is there something you wanna tell me?”
The smug look on his face opens up all the anger and irritation inside me, and before I can stop myself I have his shirt gripped in my hand and I’m backing him up against the wall just inside his place. The sound of the small table holding a plant and whatever else skids across the floor as the weight of our bodies move it out of our pathway.
“I asked if there something you want to tell me?”
“And again, I’ve got nothing to say.”
“So the fact that you’ve just spent the evening with Brynn and Katelynn isn’t something you want to share.” He shakes his head still wearing that same smug, coy as fuck look on his face. “How long has it been going on?"
“Why does it matter?” He begins to push against the weight of my hands. “I don’t owe you an explanation. I can spend time with whomever I choose, and last I heard you made yourself perfectly clear when it comes to Brynn.”
“You don’t know shit.”
“Oh no?” I’d never been at odds with Aric. We’ve always been close, but at this point I had never felt so distant from him. “The way you treated her the day in your penthouse, or the next night. The decision you made to spend the evening with another woman gave her the only confirmation she needed to know that what could have been between you two never would be.”
I grip his shirt tighter and lean in closer. “You don’t know what took place.”
“I know what she told me.” He too leans in showing he doesn’t fear me in the slightest. “You decided she wasn’t worth your time.”
He finally uses the weight of his body to push me off him and I stumble back, quickly righting myself.
“I’m gonna ignore this little outburst of yours, because I’m guessing by now you’ve realized you’ve fucked up.” Aric squared his shoulders and his hands that hang at his side are fisted much like my own. “But this is your one and only free pass, Alec, that’s a promise. Next time there won’t be anything that stops me from tossing your ass out of here.”
We both continue to stare at one another
, heavy breathing, tension within us as we both fight the anger pooling between us.
“I don’t owe you an explanation but just so you know, this is only the first time since you fucked up that I’ve had them here at my place. And each time I’ve seen her, it has always been them, as in Katelynn and Brynn together.” The expression on his face softens for the first time since he opened his door. “You’re the one that pushed away two very special people. Those girls, god, Alec, they’re amazing. I don’t mean it in the way your head’s trying to convince you of either, I mean they’re fun, and sweet. Those two, they could have been the ones that brought back the brother I once knew."
His words made my chest ache to the point where it felt difficult to breathe.
“They’ve held the ability to give you back the life that bitch took. But instead of embracing it, instead of seeing the gift you were given, you do what you always do. You pushed, only this time you pushed so hard you nearly broke her. I may not know the details of everything that took place between the two of you, but I can see the hurt in her eyes each time you or anything to do with you is brought up.”
I wanted to lash out, tell him he had no idea what he was talking about, but I couldn’t. Because everything he’d said was true.
So instead I turn around and walk out without looking back.
Chapter 14
Brynn
“You look like shit.” I look back through the reflection of the mirror and feel nothing but hate. “You’re more likely to scare the men away versus gain any good tips. But then again, that could be very beneficial to the rest of us.” Raine offers a wink but I can see the vicious gleam in her eyes. She was loving the fact that Alec had chosen her all those nights ago.
He hasn’t been back to Erotic Nights since but it did nothing to ease the victorious smug look she had worn every night since he took her upstairs.