by Tia Wylder
“I am dressed, dad,” he insisted, gesturing to the vibrant green t-rex shirt he wore with a pair of matching dinosaur pajama bottoms. “I’m dressed for business! I’m gonna be a fun boss, unlike you and mom,” the young boy grinned, bouncing away from the bed and towards the door. “Mom also told me to tell you that she laid your clothes out in the bathroom. See you at breakfast!” Klaus called, slipping out of the room. He sang loudly and out of key as he descended the stairs, some awful made up ditty about take your child to work day. Jackson could have killed the person who’d come up with such a day for his place of work, but mused he would then be a widow. He chuckled to himself as he slipped out of bed, grabbing a quick shower and getting dressed before meeting the rest of his small family at the dining room table. Klaus was stuffing piles of hotcakes into his mouth, and Svetlana rose from the table to greet Jackson with a tender kiss. Klaus pretended to gag between his bites of pancakes, nearly choking in the process.
“Easy, easy,” Jackson chuckled, thumping the young boy on the back.
“He takes after you. Both of you eat like pigs,” Svetlana teased, moving to her own breakfast of scrambled eggs. Jackson and Klaus exchanged a look before turning to Svetlana and loudly oinking like pigs. They continued until she erupted into giggles, holding her hands up in surrender. “Alright, alright! I get it. No wonder this place seems like a pigsty,” she grinned. The three fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying their breakfast until Svetlana’s phone began to chime. She drew it out of her pocket, swiping the screen to read the message. “Ugh. Melissa says the office is already in crisis mode. Looks like you’ll be getting an early start as future boss of daddy’s business,” she hummed.
“Mommy and daddy’s business. You hold just as much of a share as I do at this point,” Jackson murmured, rising to his feet and putting their dishes in the dishwasher.
“Who is Melissa, mom?” Klaus inquired absently, already distracted with his own personal tablet; though he was more interested in racing games than organizational skills.
“She’s your mom’s personal assistant. Like what your mom used to do for me,” Jackson grinned, nudging Svetlana in the side. “Here’s hoping we don’t have a repeat scenario,” he murmured under his breath, just loudly enough for Svetlana to hear. She rolled her eyes, chuckling under her breath before shifting away from the table.
“Alright boys, get your bags. Klaus, is that what you’re wearing? I told your father to get you dressed,” she whined.
“He said he wants to be a fun boss,” Jackson retorted. Klaus smiled proudly, hesitating for a moment before grabbing a small blanket off the couch before they slipped out the door.
“I think a fun boss would wear a cape,” he declared, tying the blanket around himself. Jackson and Svetlana exchanged a look, and as Jackson fastened the young boy in the back seat, Svetlana slipped into the driver’s seat.
“That’s your son” Svetlana said drolly.
Jackson chuckled before tousling Klaus’ hair. “What? You don’t want to claim him? He’s your son too,” Jackson riposted.
Klaus bubbled with amused laughter as the older man got in the passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt. Within moments, they were going down the highway towards the office building where their story began.
As Svetlana pulled into the parking lot, Jackson wasn’t awfully surprised to see her young, blonde assistant waiting for them. Svetlana breathed a sigh, slipping out of the car and approaching the younger woman.
“What does mom do here? I know she used to be your assistant, but she seems to do a lot more, now,” Klaus murmured, causing Jackson to give pause as he made to unfasten his seatbelt. The older man smiled genuinely, looking in the direction Svetlana had gone.
“When we got married, it didn’t feel right for your mother to be my assistant anymore. She could offer the company a lot more. Now, she runs things alongside of me, and profits have never been higher,” he hummed, opening Klaus’s door and allowing the young boy to hop out. The two circled around the car, with the young boy gripping his father figure’s hand tightly.
“Melissa, honey, I got here as quickly as I could. You know we agreed that I could bring Klaus in today, to show him around a bit. He’s eager to take his place as future head of company, and it’s never too soon to get a head start on business know how,” Svetlana explained exasperatedly as the two males stepped up behind her. The younger blonde assistant fretted, looking over her tablet before seeming to notice Klaus. Her expression brightened, and she crouched in front of the young boy to get a better look at him.
“Oh, Svetlana! This is little Klaus? He’s such a handsome little boy,” she cooed, and Klaus reddened in embarrassed delight. Svetlana cleared her throat, and Melissa rightened herself.
“Yes, that’s the man of the hour. He’ll be in the office with Jackson and I for most of the day, so I trust you won’t mind helping keep an eye on things,” Svetlana gave her an alert gaze. Melissa smiled, saluting awkwardly before seeming to realize that was a foolish gesture. She awkwardly dropped her hand to her side, smiling nervously at her bosses.
“Of course. Anything for you, Miss Wethers. I’ll go fetch coffee for Mr. Wethers and yourself, and maybe a carton of milk for my future boss…?” She trailed off, obviously eager to please. Jackson chuckled, resting a hand on the younger woman’s shoulder.
“Relax. She won’t bite your head off. She saves her really hissy fits for when she’s home alone with me,” he grinned. Svetlana snorted, hiding a smile behind her hand. Melissa gave a reinforced smile and nodded before shuffling away. They watched her go, and as they made to follow, Klaus reached out to take Jackson by the hand.
“Dad… when I’m in charge, I’ll get an assistant like her, right?” The young boy inquired. Jackson hesitated before nodding. “Great. I want one just like her,” Klaus asserted with adoration in his eyes. Svetlana rolled her eyes in exasperation as Jackson erupted in laughter.
“Like father, like son,” she muttered, leading them to the office. Jackson couldn’t argue that fact, but then again…
He wouldn’t have it any other way.
*****
Two Brothers
Chapter One
I leaned over my homework, frowning in distaste and confusion. The longer I stared at the words on the page, the less sense they made.
“Em, can you help me with this?”
I looked up to see my mother struggling with a huge bag of groceries. Leaping up from the table, I grabbed the bulging paper bag from her arms and set it down on the table.
Mom eyes brightened showing a slow smile. “Thanks, honey. I feel like such an idiot. I completely forgot – Jack invited the boys over for dinner tonight, and I somehow thought it was going to be this weekend instead.”
I smiled sympathetically. “I’m sure everything will be fine. You need any help?”
Mom narrowed her eyes and looked down at my homework. “Looks like you’ve got some work of your own,” she said. “I’ll manage. Thanks, honey – you’re so sweet to offer.”
“Trust me,” I rolled my eyes. “I’d rather be doing anything but physics.”
“Jack is so proud of you,” Mom continued. She reached into the bag and set a box of fresh pasta on the marble countertop. “He really thinks you could go somewhere,” she added. “Ever thought about working for Empire?”
I bit my lip. Jack Wilson, Mom’s husband, was the CEO of one of New York City’s most powerful consulting firms – Empire Mesa. While the thought of working for such a company was tempting, I couldn’t lie: Jack made me uneasy. Not because he was a creep or anything like that. But he and Mom had gotten married when I was sixteen, and sometimes I still felt like he only saw me as a little kid. Jack and Mom were so in love, sometimes they forgot that there were other people in the world.
“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “I’m still thinking about humanitarian stuff, you know. Maybe something like the Serenity Corps.”
Mom nodded. “Sure, honey.”
But she wasn’t looking at me – she was furrowing her brow and staring into the pantry – and I would have bet anything that she’d already stopped listening.
As my mother bustled around the kitchen and began putting together the ingredients for her famous homemade marinara sauce, I bit my lip and leaned over my physics homework. The problem I was working on had stumped me for hours, but I finally thought of a potential solution. Gripping my pencil tightly in my hand, I started doing some calculations to solve the first steps.
Bang!
I jumped and gasped in surprise as the front door slammed shut.
“Yo!” A loud male voice penetrated the kitchen.
Mom wiped her hands on her jeans. “Jack, honey? Is that you?”
There was no reply. Seconds later, Damien Wilson strode into the kitchen with his thumbs hooked in his belt loops. He cocked his head to the side and gave me a sarcastic grin.
“Hey, sis,” Damien smirked. “Long time, no see.”
“I’ve been busy with school,” I blushed. “Besides, I’m your stepsister,” I added under my breath.
Damien ignored me. He made a beeline for my mom, wrapping his muscular arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug.
“Mom! That smells incredible!”
My mom flushed. “Oh, Damien,” she clearly enjoying the attention. “You’re such a charmer!”
Damien chuckled. I rolled my eyes. Of course, he’s a charmer, I thought. You’re a woman, aren’t you?
I blew my bangs into the air with a sigh of frustration as I leaned down over the paper once again. My concentration kept breaking – I couldn’t focus for more than five seconds without being interrupted by Damien’s sly comments or Mom’s bright laughter.
“Guys,” I gritted my teeth. “Mind keeping it down? I’m really trying to finish this – I have to go back to school later, and I’d like to turn it in.”
“Sorry, Emma,” Mom blushed. “We’ll be quiet.”
Damien looked at me and smirked. He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side, staring at me for so long that I wondered if there wasn’t something on my face.
“Having trouble?” Damien swaggered over to the table. As he got closer, I smelled a blend of musky, expensive cologne and my cheeks flamed red.
“No,” I lied. “I’m fine.”
Damien pulled a chair up and sat down next to me. I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm, but it wasn’t easy when I was so close to his huge frame. At twenty-five, Damien was one of the hottest guys I’d ever seen. His brown hair was pushed back over his forehead, and his dark eyes sparkled mischievously as he grabbed my paper and held it out of reach, smiling smugly at me. He was only four years older than me, but I felt like a perpetual little kid whenever he was around – even at my age, Damien had been poised, cool, and so alpha that I never felt relaxed around him.
“Ahhh, little sis,” Damien rolled his eyes. “I don’t think you’re anywhere close to finishing this.” He let out a wolf-whistle. “You must be really distracted, huh?”
While heat was rising inside of my head, I faked a smile and lied. “I was just getting started,” biting my lip so I wouldn’t start grinning like a fool. “I told you – it’s hard.”
Damien nimbly plucked the pencil from my hand. When his fingers brushed against mine, I blushed again. Suddenly, I felt overly self-conscious. I really should’ve worn something nicer today, I thought, looking down at my dark-washed jeans and peasant blouse. I look like such a fat slob!
“I bet it’s hard,” Damien smirked. “But it’s simple, really,” he narrowed his eyes and focused on the problem. “Here, calculate the acceleration rate.” Rising an eyebrow, Damien slide my calculator to me.
I bit my lip and punched in a few numbers.
“No,” he let out a heavy sigh. “That’s wrong – that’s the velocity.” He grabbed the calculator, deleted my formula, then entered a new one. “So, you take this, and divide by x,” Damien added. “See?”
I frowned. He was right – but unlike my ancient professor, Damien had somehow made the advanced problem much more understandable. Just as I was about to thank him, Damien pushed his chair away from the table and stood up with his chest puffed out.
Like a peacock, I thought, trying to summon the disdain I knew I should feel. But I couldn’t help it – when Damien was around, it was impossible to tear my eyes away from him. Everything about him was so striking that I could barely remember my own name. I didn’t get it – sure, Damien was hot. But it was something more than just looks that attracted me (and no doubt, likely countless other females.) Damien had charisma, charm, a winsome personality. When he was paying attention to me, it was like the world stopped spinning.
Or maybe just started spinning faster.
“So, dinner with the fam, huh?” Damien raised his eyebrows and grinned. “Can’t wait.”
“Yeah,” I stared at my hands. “I’m sure it’ll be fun.”
Damien smirked. “Mom, you have to tell me what you put in this sauce,” he winked at my mother, leaning over the stove. “It smells amazing.”
I rolled my eyes as Mom’s cheeks turned bright pink.
“Oh, Damien, you’re so sweet to compliment an old lady,” her eyes sparkled. “I just hope your father likes it.”
“I’m sure he will,” he chuckled. “Can I help with anything?”
“No, I’m fine,” she stretched her neck a bit. “But I’m thinking of running upstairs and taking a quick shower – do you mind watch over this?” She looked at us and gestured towards the boiling pot of sauce. “I wouldn’t want it to burn.”
“I don’t mind,” I quickly slammed my physics textbook close, sliding it into my messenger bag. “I was just about finished with homework, anyway.”
Mom smiled again. “That Damien,” as though he wasn’t in the room. “What a nice young man.”
“Right,” I forced a smile. “I know.”
Mom waltzed upstairs, swinging her hips from side to side and singing under her breath. As soon as she was gone, Damien opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. He grabbed a second bottle, then jerked his head at me.
“You want?”
“I really shouldn’t be drinking before dinner,” I flushed. “Wouldn’t want to get tipsy.” At least, not around you, I thought. I can barely keep my head straight when I’m sober!
“Good girl,” he smirked, sticking the second beer in the fridge and slamming the door. He held his bottle to the lip of the counter, then made a fist and knocked against the cap. It popped off with one smooth motion. He then lifted the bottle to his mouth and started drinking hastily.
I licked my lips. I’d never been comfortable around men before, especially not men like Damien. His neat little trick with the beer bottle reminded me of just how awkward I really felt.
“So, little sis,” Damien mocked as he flopped down into a chair across from me. “How are things?”
I flushed and shrugged, swallowing hard. “They’re fine, I guess.”
Damien smirked. He raised his eyebrow and let his eyes travel the length of my body, lingering on the round curve of my bust.
“Filling out, I see,” Damien teased. “You know, you should really watch what you eat. Wouldn’t want to gain those senior fifteen.”
My face heated up uncontrollably. Could he stop teasing me?
“But let me guess,” Damien continued in a silky voice. “You don’t care what other people think of you, right? Least of all your stepbrother, am I right?”
I shook my head, feeling prim. “No, it’s not that,” I defended. Damien’s eyes were still glued to my breasts, and I squirmed on my seat. “I just…I don’t know, we don’t really know each other, do we?”
He busted out laughing. He tilted his head back and poured half the beer down his throat, drinking without even tasting it.
“Let me clue you in,” Damien said. “When you get to be older, say, twenty-five…things change a lot,” he smiled slyly. “You’ll get there, E
mma.”
“I don’t really get what you mean,” I swallowed hard. “What are you playing at?”
Damien gave me a long look before setting his beer down on the table and getting up, walking closer. When he was right beside me, close enough where his leg brushed against mine, he stopped and looked down.
“Well, I helped you with your homework, right?” Damien grinned. “So maybe, you could do something for me in return?”
“Oh,” I bit my lip. “Um, like, pay you? I don’t have much cash, but—“
Damien put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. A hot thrill of arousal ran through my body, and I shuddered. My heart pounded, and my breaths came hot and heavy as he leaned close.
“Adults sometimes do things for each other,” Damien purred, pressing his face close to mine. “You know…very adult things,” he added.