by René, Dani
As I mix the ingredients in the large bowl he’s set out, my stomach tumbles and the scent of the sugary sweetness makes me feel nauseous.
Ember lifts his gaze toward mine and shrugs, “I didn’t mean to offload all that on you. I’m sorry.”
“No, I mean, I asked. And I’m sorry that you’ve dealt with so much pain,” I tell Ember, feeling more and more at ease with him. As if I’m getting to know him on a deeper level and that calms me. But, as comfortable as he makes me, I notice there isn’t a spark between us like there is with Ash.
“Don’t be. You should feel comfortable with me, and I want to make sure you do.” Ember sets down the plates and watches me for a moment before saying, “We really do just want you to feel as if you belong here. Because you do.”
“Thank you. It means a lot to me.” The comfortable conversation continues about art and Ember’s love of the craft, and I smile as I continue with my task.
And I consider moving into this house.
Having them care for me.
But there’s a niggling in my gut that tells me to be careful.
Ash
Not even twenty-four hours have passed since we gave her the agreement, and I can’t get her off my mind. The tension of waiting has got me on tenterhooks. I’m not by any means a patient person—that’s my brother—but I know I can’t force her hand.
I’ve also never been so enamored, and I know Ember has noticed it. I realize she’s with him right now and I’m not sure if that makes me more tense or calms me somewhat. She’s inside the mansion where all our secrets are hidden.
Will she find them? If she does, will she run? Is forgiveness something she'll gift us? Or will the kitten’s curiosity take hold and see her agree to our terms?
“Mr. Addington.” Frederik saunters into the office as if he owns the fucking place. He knows he doesn't, and I believe he’ll soon see I’m the one in charge. “The meeting with Fletcher and Sons is tomorrow,” he tells me. “I’ll gladly sit in—”
“You’re no longer needed to run this meeting,” I tell him, shrugging on my jacket. “I’ll be taking it, and you will hear about the progress when I officially address the board in a month.”
Meeting his gaze, I can’t help but smile at the floundering idiot, and I don’t deal well with two-faced assholes. He stares at me for a moment, his mouth agape, and I want to laugh. But I shake my head in disappointment.
“Firstly, I’ve told you before, my father gave me the company. You may not believe I’m able to run it, but he did. And there’s one other thing I will tell you for free.” I lean in, closing the distance between us. “I won’t step down just because you think I should.”
“It’s been a long while since your father died,” he utters in a tone that makes my body rigid with anger. A smile lights up his old, wrinkled face which annoys me. As much as I loved our old man, there were many secrets he kept from us. And Ember doesn’t know what our dad hid away to ensure we’d love him unconditionally.
Sadly, the moment I walked into the office and I found his safe, I was in for a rude awakening. All those documents he secured behind a heavy metal door glared at me, and I knew there was no other choice. I had to be the one to take over. Once my father’s will had been read out, I knew he’d planned it. He knew I was the only one who could learn the truth and not hate him.
Ember being as empathetic as he is would never be able to forgive our dad for what he’d done in the past. He needs love and support, and to believe that Leonard Addington was a saint. All this time, I’ve hidden the truth to keep him safe, and I’ll do it till my dying day.
“That’s all for today, Frederik,” I tell the old man. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He turns away, heading for the door. He’s about to step out of my office, but he stops and holds the door handle. “Your father was always keeping secrets,” he utters. “Let’s hope you don’t do the same. They’re vicious things; they poison even the most innocent of flowers.”
He’s gone a moment later, and I don’t even try to unravel what he meant because that’s the thing about Frederik—he may have been my father’s friend for years, but he’s also the most secretive employee in this place. Hiding the Addington secrets has been his number-one goal, and he’s undoubtedly accomplished it to date.
Sighing, I settle back in my chair before pulling out my cell phone. Tapping dial on the number, I then hold the device to my ear. When I hear Ember’s rushed tone, I wonder just what he’s doing.
“What’s wrong?”
He chuckles. “Nothing. Kat and I are doing what you, and I used to do as kids,” he murmurs in my ear, and my mind starts whirling a thousand miles a minute.
“What do you mean?” I bite out without meaning to.
“Oh, she’s attempting to slide down the staircase balustrade. Of course, I had to teach her.” Ember’s voice is light, carefree, and my heart lurches for a moment.
It’s been such a long time since my brother has been happy that it’s rather frightening. Well . . . more like frustrating because I want to be with her, to teach her things she doesn’t know. And I realize amid my jealousy, it’s Ember who needs her most. He’s been my support all our lives, never having a girlfriend or other friends outside of our circle, perhaps having Kat there will take away some of the loneliness he must feel.
“Enjoy it. I’ll be home in an hour,” I tell him finally.
“Oh, that’s still a long while,” he informs me.
A soft giggle filters over the line and my heart aches. I have to be stronger than this. I should’ve just let them be, but the masochist in me wouldn’t allow it. I want Kat. More than I thought possible. “Yes. There are a few things left to tie up, nothing major. Tell the kitten I’ll be home soon” I hang up before my brother can tell me more about how sweet she is.
He didn’t want me to make contact with Katerina; he was angry I did. Now, he’s the one playing children’s games with her while I run our father’s company.
I put all my focus into the emails that need my attention and attempt not to think of home. Deep down, all I see is her. With every letter I type and email I send, it's Kat who grips me more than anyone ever has, and I wonder just what I'm going to do the moment she realizes why I'm in her life.
When I glance at the time, I notice I need to leave. I promised Ember an hour. It's time to go home and face her once more. I’m certain she would’ve agreed to dinner with us. I wish she’d just move in so I can keep an eye on her.
Sighing, I rise from my seat, wondering what I’m going to find when I walk into the house. To see her in the space, she should never have entered.
Our plan was simple—get the girl, fulfill our father’s wishes, and ensure that her life is filled with goodness.
Four years.
It’s a long time to promise something to someone. To take time out of your normal life and ensure they’re the one who receives your focus. However, I know if anyone can fulfill his promise, it’s Ember.
Me?
I’m not so sure.
I sigh before shoving my phone into my jacket pocket, grabbing my keys, and stalking out of the office. The moment I hit the garage, and I slide into my Maserati, I feel my blood begin to simmer. The tension in my muscles only makes my body ache in places I shouldn’t be aching; not for her. As I fly down the streets, I keep my mind focused on the road, rather than Katerina Nielsen.
The Bluetooth system in the car rings violently through the speakers. Tapping the button, I wait for my brother to say something.
“Are you on your way home?”
“Yeah,” I answer. My voice is tight with anxiety, and I know my twin brother will be able to hear it, and he’ll read into it.
“Dinner is almost ready. How far away are you?”
“Pulling up to the gates,” I tell him as the wrought iron slides open, scraping along the gravel. “Is there something wrong?”
“No, nothing at all.” He hangs up before either of us can say an
ything more.
I’m surprised by her allure. I have a feeling Ember is as well. After last night, I noticed his smile when she glanced at him. His affection toward her makes me confident my brother will enjoy having someone around while I’m attending company meetings.
Once I’ve parked the car, I exit the vehicle and enter through the front door. As soon as I step into the foyer, I’m assaulted by the scent of food. Spices whirl around me, reminding me that we have a guest.
Ember hasn’t cooked in years. We have staff for that. But I know how much he loves creating dishes for us to feast on with a lovely glass of wine to accompany the meal. I can’t help but sigh when I head into the kitchen to find Kat sitting on the stool at the kitchen counter. She’s pressing something I can’t see at first, but when she shifts, I notice they’re cookies.
“Ash,” she breathes, her stormy gaze meeting mine as her eyes widen, and her mouth pops into an O that makes more than just my heart thud.
My zipper feels much tighter than it was seconds ago. The spicy scent of cinnamon and sweet fragrance of sugar wrap themselves around me like a blanket when I reach her.
“How was your day?” Her question is genuine.
I’ve not had someone ask me that in so long, I’m unsure of what to say to her.
I had meetings.
I thought about her all day.
And I’ve been stressed wondering just what she’ll find if she were to wander through the house.
“Busy,” I tell her, allowing my gaze to drift over her body, noting she’s wearing a pair of shorts that should be illegal. She’s also dressed in a tank top that makes my cock harden considerably, reminding me of how long it’s been since I fucked someone. I haven’t had anyone in my bed for almost a month now. She’s been my focus.
“Oh, okay.” She seems disappointed at my response, and I realize she was trying to start a conversation, which I inadvertently knocked down. “We’re making dinner,” she informs me shyly as if I can’t see.
“Yeah, I figured from the smells wafting through the house,” I respond. Rounding her, I head farther into the kitchen where I find Ember watching me with a pointed glare. I know I'm an asshole, but this is our game. We play good cop, bad cop all the time.
“I didn’t think work was that much of a sore subject,” he tells me icily. The temperature in the room turns almost arctic, but when Kat shifts on the stool between us, I can’t stop my eyes drifting toward her.
She’s so focused on her little kitten cookies that she doesn’t notice the tension between us. Either that, or she’s ignoring us. Perhaps she’s not allowing herself to be pulled into the force that is the Addington twins.
“I’m going upstairs,” I inform them before heading out of the room.
A soft giggle follows me as I reach the second floor where our bedrooms are situated, and then I hear it—Ember laughing. It’s been years since I’ve heard that sound, and it only serves to frustrate me more.
I shouldn’t be jealous. This was our agreement—what we both decided to do. But why is it I feel like a man scorned by a lover?
She’s not mine.
Ember is my brother.
Even though this isn’t going to be forever, I wonder deep down if I’m going to be able to live a lie for the time that we have left.
Katerina
The air was thick with tension from the moment Ash walked into the kitchen to when he stalked out. He’s a force to be reckoned with, and I’m curious to find out if I would ever survive him. There’s a heaviness when both men are in the room, and it makes me wonder just what lies between them. Instead of getting in the middle of it, I tell myself to focus on my own problems.
Tomorrow I have an interview with the Dean, and he’ll let me know if I’m able to join classes, those are the only things that I will allow to fill my mind. I plan to sign the agreement tonight. I want to accept their generous gift, as long as I can stay at the house with Isobel. I’ll go to school and hopefully be able to pay them back soon.
“Are you sure I’m not imposing?” I question, licking the dough from the spoon which is sticky and sweet. Ember’s gaze lands on my lips. He watches me closely as I continue enjoying the sugary goodness.
“Why would you ask that?” he questions, but he’s distracted. His heated gaze trails over my lips and fingers, and then meets my own watchful stare.
Shrugging, I set the utensil in the bowl before I respond. “It seems Ash doesn’t want me in the house.”
“He’s always like that,” Ember tells me with a rueful smile. “He has a lot of stress at work, and when he’s been in meetings most of the day, he becomes . . .”
“An asshole?” I finish his sentence, causing him to smile. A gentle chuckle rumbles through his chest. “I mean, I’ve only been around him a couple of times, but . . . I don’t know, he seems . . .”
“Angry?”
I nod. Ember would know his brother better than I do. But he’s right; Ash radiates heated emotions that cause me to wonder what he’s really like deep down. I feel like he hides so much more than he shares. Then again, it’s only been a week since I first met him.
“My brother has spent his life being angry,” Ember tells me almost wistfully. He clears his throat, meeting my inquisitive gaze. “I don’t mean . . . I think he has a lot that bothers him. About my father, me, our mother,” he continues when I don’t respond. “We haven’t had it easy, no matter what this looks like.” He waves his hand around the huge kitchen that’s filled with silver appliances that all look brand new. The tiles look expensive, and I can only guess they’re of the finest quality marble, along with the garden that stretches outside for miles.
“Maybe I can talk to him?”
“If I thought that would work, I’d agree. But . . .”
I offer a small smile, realizing my mistake. Who am I to offer something like that? I’m only a girl they’re giving charity to. A pity gift that allows them to feel less guilty for having so much money. Ash said it himself; their father set up the scholarship program to give back.
I know we’re not friends or a couple. It’s almost like I’m only here because they feel sorry for me. Not because I mean something to them. My emotions have taken over like they always do, and sadness grips my chest. The coldness holds me, and I know it will never truly be gone. How can I ever be happy when I’m still so broken and tortured inside?
“Look, I’m wondering if this was a good idea,” I finally utter, toying with the cookie cutter that’s lying on the counter top. “Perhaps you can have the driver drop me home?”
Ember stills. He’s frozen to the spot when his green gaze meets mine. There are so many emotions flickering within the depths that they remind me of rustling leaves in a warm summer breeze. When he looks at me, I feel it right down to my soul. The difference between him and Ash is that one offers me warmth, where the other chills me.
It doesn’t matter which way I turn. I’m not sure how to trust either of them just yet. I’ve spent today getting to know Ember, but I still don’t really know Ash. And if I’m about to allow them to pay for my schooling, I’ll need time to learn who they are.
“We want you here. Not because we feel sorry for you, but because you’re . . . you’re special to us.” Ember’s insistence doesn’t sell me on the fact that I’m not some charity case to them. I want to do this, to believe it’s for my benefit, but there’s still a niggling feeling that eats away at me.
Shaking my head, I regard Ember before responding, “You don’t even know me.”
“We know enough about you to want you here, sweetheart. This isn’t a game; it’s something we spoke about, and allowing someone to have the future they were meant to means a lot to us, Kat.” Ember smiles, holding me hostage with a glimpse at those dimples that slowly peek out.
He closes the distance between us, his mere presence warming me up. He reaches for my face, cupping my cheeks, and holding me so I can’t turn away.
“But we also want to know yo
u.” His words are whispered, a promise, a balm that calms my erratic heartbeat. “I want to know you,” he tells me earnestly, and I swear there’s an electric current coursing through me in response.
“I’m not going to be a toy for you and Ash to fight over,” I tell him, my voice already wavering as the heat of him holds me hostage. I press my palms against his chest, keeping him at a distance. “I don’t . . . It’s not who I am.”
“I know.” He lowers his head as if he’s embarrassed. But when he lifts his gaze to mine, he tells me, “You’re intoxicating. What if you could have us both? Even for a short time?”
“Ember,” his name is a whisper, and I know I can’t be with him. He’s not the one that makes my heart flutter, and I attempt to step back, but I’m stuck between him and the counter.
“You’re so beautiful.” He leans in, the warmth of his breath fanning over my cheeks when his lips feather along my skin. I shiver in anticipation, as my eyes flutter closed, my lips part on a moan that falls unbidden from my mouth.
“I . . .” Ember’s voice is raspy when he finally swallows my objection. His tongue sweeps along mine as it duels for dominance. His lips are hot, molding to my mouth, and I can’t stop myself from twining my hands around his neck. I feel drunk, high on his nearness, and I forget where I am, who I am, just for a minute.
His body presses mine to the countertop. I feel every hard ridge of him, from his shoulders to his arms, to the taut hips that taper into a waistline most men would kill for.
His thigh pushes between mine as our kiss intensifies, and it feels like there’s a fire burning inside me. It’s as if he’s lit a match and dropped it on the coals, igniting me from the top of my head to my toes.
I push against Ember, my hands flat on his chest as he steps back, staring at me. “I can’t,” I tell him. The confusion that swirls in my mind is nothing compared to what’s in my chest. Just a couple of days and I’m here, torn between two men. But it’s not Ember who’s burrowing into my heart; it’s his brother.