by E. L. Todd
He walked to a black Bugatti, and the doors immediately unlocked when we drew near.
“This is what we’re driving?” I asked in surprise.
“Yep.” He opened the passenger door for me.
“Whoa. I’ve never been in one of these.”
“Now you will. And you’ve been warned…I drive fast.”
“Good.” I sat down then looked up at him. “Why would you own this car if you didn’t?”
He smiled then shut the door before he joined me. The engine roared to life with power, and then he was out of the garage and onto the road, headed for the tunnel to get out of the city. The roads and sidewalks were busy with people, but once we got out of the chaos, he could really floor it.
I examined the dashboard and felt the leather seats. “I feel like a race car driver.”
“You got a license?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll let you take it for a spin later.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I’m not doing it for you. I want to watch a sexy woman push my girl to the limit.” He kept his eyes on the road and pulled off the flirtatious comment with no effort. One hand was on the wheel, while the other rested on the console between us. He was definitely in his element, a sexy billionaire behind the wheel of one of his toys.
“Do you have others?” I dealt with rich people all the time and had never met one who didn’t own at least two fancy cars.
“A few.”
“Are they in the garage?”
“One is. The other is at my place in the Hamptons.” Now he’d put himself on display entirely, sharing his life with me freely, not censoring anything. It didn’t seem like he was showing off his ridiculous wealth, just being honest.
“Is it on the beach?”
“Yep.”
“So, you’ve got two places on the beach?” I asked.
“Well, this place actually belonged to my parents, so I wouldn’t call it mine.”
“But you inherited it.”
“Technically, Renee and I both inherited it. The plan was to sell it and split the cash. But neither one of us want to sell it. So, it just sits there.”
It was sweet that they cared more about their parents’ legacy than money. “Do you visit often?”
“I haven’t been since they passed away.”
“Oh…I didn’t realize that.”
“It’s fine.” He kept his eyes on the road. “It doesn’t matter how much time has gone by, it still hurts. The seasons change, but the scar on my heart never fades. But to avoid thinking about them or not going to my childhood home so I don’t have to feel that pain…it would be like trying to forget them. I certainly don’t want to do that.”
“Yeah…”
We made it through the tunnel and eventually onto the open road. He got on the freeway and pressed the gas hard, pushing the car far beyond the speed limit.
“Oh my god, we’re going so fast!” I raised my hands in the air even though the top wasn’t convertible. “What are we at?” I leaned over the center console to see the dashboard.
“One twenty.” He grinned, still driving with one hand.
“Wow, it’s so smooth. But you’re going to get a ticket.”
He shrugged. “I don’t care.”
“Woo-hoo!” I waved to all the cars we passed as he weaved in and out of traffic.
“Wow, you really are fearless.”
“No. I just don’t get scared.”
He kept going, moving farther away from the city so the highway was more open. It was incredible that we were pushing the car at such an intense speed, but the car remained so smooth, absorbing all the bumps in the road and gliding like a plane in the open skies.
I got comfortable in the leather seat and looked out the window, watching the landscape pass by, the tall trees and vegetation that were absent from the city. The only landscape available near me was the occasional park. The rest was all skyscrapers, sewer grates, and fire hydrants.
I loved the city. But I also loved the wide-open spaces.
He broke the silence. “What’s new with you?”
“Well, I found out my sister has the hots for Charlie.”
“No surprise there.” He grinned. “He was dominating that court like he was about to get drafted into the NBA.”
“But she said she knows she can’t, because of Kat.”
“Did you tell Charlie?”
“No.”
“Why not? He’s your best friend.”
“And she’s my sister. I’m so well connected to everyone that I can’t be loyal to one person without being disloyal to another.”
“If the guy has been into her for so long, I still think a heads-up would be nice…”
“And then what?” I asked. “He asks her out? We just forget about Kat?”
He sighed as he considered my questions. “I know the situation is complicated, but sometimes we all just need to be mature about things we aren’t happy about and accept them.”
I glanced at him, wondering if that statement applied to himself and our breakup.
“Maybe Kat needs to learn to accept this.”
“That’s a little harsh since she’s still in love with him.”
“No offense, but that’s not Charlie’s problem. Maybe seeing him move on will help her move on.”
“Or just rip her apart…”
“What if Denise and Charlie are perfect for each other? Like, get married someday perfect for each other? But it never happens because of a relationship that’s been over for months? That doesn’t sound right. If Charlie just wanted some ass, this would be a stupid idea, but from what he’s told me, she’s the real deal.”
“Yeah, I know.” I wanted him to be happy. I’d never seen him feel this way about someone before. Women were a dime a dozen. They were there just to keep the sheets warm. He was happy with Kat, but he never talked about her the way he spoke about Denise. And if there was a chance for him to have that, of course, I wanted it to happen.
“Maybe you should talk to Kat.”
“I…I don’t know.”
“You have to start somewhere. Because these two people not being together because of this other person sounds unfair.”
“Well, Denise said she had the hots for Charlie, would do a one-night stand if Kat weren’t a problem, so I’m not sure if she actually has real feelings for Charlie or if she just wants some D.”
“I guess that does make a difference. But I think you should tell Charlie. It sounds like, no matter what you do, there’s going to be drama, so you may as well put everything on the table.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“I’m always right. Wise beyond my years.”
“Yeah…okay.” I rolled my eyes.
He slowed the car down once he approached a property secured by a large gate with iron bars. A brick wall surrounded the area, masked by the trees and bushes that discreetly hid it from view of the road. He pulled up to the security keypad and typed in a code.
The doors slowly swung inward, revealing a paved road that led to a two-story house with unobstructed views of the water.
“Wow, this place is beautiful.”
He drove forward down the path. There was grass on either side and, along the edges, blooming hydrangeas in colors of blue and purple. There were pink roses too, deep green bushes, and tall oak trees that cast shadows across the lawn. He parked at the entrance to the garage and killed the engine.
“Not a bad place to grow up.”
“Yeah, it could have been worse.”
We left the car and walked to the rear, where a large backyard with a lawn and a stone deck stretched before us. Patio furniture was outside, under the big umbrellas, and there was a gorgeous view of the water, the sound of the waves loud because they were only feet away.
“Do you mind if I take pictures?”
“No.”
I pulled out my phone and snapped some shots.
“Pic
tures taken on a phone are good enough for the New York Press?” he teased.
“Honestly, these cameras are just as good as those big ones—and not as heavy.”
He slid his hands into his pockets and stood in the sun, looking even sexier under the natural light, his eyes taking in the landscape of his childhood home.
I watched him for a moment, knowing he had no idea I was looking at him. “Did you have birthday parties out here?”
He snapped out of his thoughts and turned back to me. “My sister had tea parties out here on the weekends when she was young. The girls would get all dressed up with big hats and have tea and sandwiches.”
“What about you?”
“Squirt gun fights.” He grinned. “My birthday is in the summer.”
“Oh, when?” It was summertime now.
He didn’t answer and turned to the back door. He pulled out his keys and opened the double French doors that led to the house.
“Why aren’t you answering me?” I followed behind him.
“Because I know you.”
“What does that mean?”
“I know you’ll make a fuss over it.”
“Will not.” I followed him into the house, seeing the living room with the white couches, the artwork of seashells and sandy beaches. There was a gray rug underneath. The rest of the house was in the same style, like a beach cottage. “Come on, tell me.”
He moved forward into the dining room, where the family portraits were. “Fine.” He gripped the back of one of the dining chairs and looked at me. “Saturday.”
“As in, a week from today?” I asked in surprise.
He nodded. “Turning thirty-one.”
“You got plans?”
He shrugged. “The guys will probably want to go to a club or something.”
“The guys?” I asked. “As in Jeremy and Nathan, or billionaire guys.”
“Billionaire guys.”
My eyes narrowed on his face. “That’s why you were at the same club that night, huh?” He’d come to my rescue when I least expected it, and he’d been dressed in a nice suit.
He held my gaze and didn’t blink. “Yeah.” He turned to the wall where the family portraits were.
I came to his side and looked at the pictures of his family, his grandparents on the far left, his parents’ wedding photo, and a few of Dax and his younger sister. “You were so cute when you were little.” I examined a picture of him when he was a teenager, maybe fifteen. I looked at other pictures, seeing him grow into a young man with a college diploma. “Must have broken a lot of hearts on the way…”
“Not proud of it.”
I looked at the photos of his sister. “She’s beautiful. Looks just like your mother.”
He nodded in agreement. “She does.”
“You look like your father…but a little like your mother.”
“Yes. They were good people.” He stared at their wedding photo. “My grandparents came from California. My grandfather was a fisherman and got a job at the docks. But he was also a genius, working on computers at night. No college degree.”
“I love stories like that—the American dream.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you have aunts and uncles?”
“I do, but they’re in California. They send a Christmas card every year, but we aren’t close.”
“Your mother’s wedding dress is beautiful. Do you think your sister will wear it?”
“Not sure. She’s never talked about it.”
“Is your sister married now?”
He shook his head. “Not yet. But it won’t be long.”
“What does that mean?” I held up my phone and took a few pictures.
He turned to the kitchen and grabbed a couple glasses and filled them with water from the fridge. He carried them back outside to the patio. It was a beautiful summer day, a slight breeze in the air, and the waves were ferocious.
I followed him and joined him at the table. “Do you do that a lot?”
“What?”
“Leave the room without answering a question.”
He took a drink and licked his lips. “I answer questions when I feel like it.” He gave me a gentle smile, telling me he was teasing me. “My sister has been seeing this guy for a while, and I met him the other night.”
“What did you think?”
“Good guy. He’s playing basketball with us this week, actually.”
“Oh, so you really like him.”
“I don’t know him well enough. But I can tell he’s in love with my sister, and that’s all that really matters to me.” He took a drink. “I think she was afraid to introduce us because she feared I wouldn’t like him.”
“I hope you don’t do the stupid older brother macho bullshit thing?”
He chuckled. “No. I guess she just really values my opinion.” He stared into the glass for a while. “At the end of the night, we spoke in private, and she basically told me that it’s important to her that I be close with her future husband since Mom and Dad are gone. When I was married, I was really distant because I was in a dark place. Without realizing it, we drifted apart. She’s afraid the same thing will happen. Made me realize how much that divorce ruined me, affected all my relationships, even my relationship with you.” He lifted his gaze and looked across the yard. “My sister has a strong spine, she’s a tough woman, so I didn’t realize how much she needed me. I didn’t realize how alone she felt. She wants to bring our family closer together, so she didn’t want me to meet him for as long as possible.”
“That’s sweet…” My eyes softened. “What’s he like?”
“He’s good-looking, likes sports. He’s a cardiologist. He was the one that insisted on meeting me. That told me he was serious about her. He seems laid-back and confident, which I like. He didn’t bend over backward and kiss my ass. No performance, no humble bragging.”
“And you don’t want your sister’s boyfriend to kiss your ass?”
He shook his head. “I want her to be with a man who doesn’t give a shit what anyone thinks of him.”
I smiled. “That’s really nice.”
“He didn’t seem to change his behavior around me either. He called her baby. He teased her. Stuff like that.”
“What would you have done if you didn’t like him?”
He rested his hand on top of his glass. “Nothing.”
“Really?”
“I don’t have to like him to respect her choice. Now, if he were some abusive jerk, that’s a totally different story. But that’s pretty hard to pick up on during an initial meeting. But I don’t think that will be a problem with William.”
“Is this the first boyfriend you’ve met or something?”
He nodded. “Other than high school boyfriends, yes. You know, the first serious one. And she told me she sees herself marrying him, so I think he’s the one.”
“Does she seem happy?”
“She was such a nervous wreck at dinner that it’s hard to tell, but I’d imagine so.” He drank from his glass and continued to look across the yard.
“I’ll interview her next. See what she dishes about you.”
“She’ll take my secrets to the grave.” He gave me a slight smile.
“You have secrets that need to be taken to the grave?” I teased.
“A real man always has secrets.”
“Care to share?”
He chuckled and let his gaze wander across the yard. “Alright…but you’re going to judge me for this.”
“I really doubt it. I’m not a judgmental person.”
“When I was in college, I had a fling with one of my mother’s friends. Renee caught me.”
“Whoa, what?” I straightened in the chair and cupped my mouth. “You did not.”
“She was younger than my mom, obviously,” he said with a chuckle.
“But she wasn’t twenty.”
“No…more like thirty-five.”
I laughed. “Did your mother ever find ou
t?”
“Nope. Renee never told her.”
“What if she had?”
He shrugged. “My mom probably would have cut that woman out of her life.”
“Do you still see her?”
“Last time was at the funeral. But she’s in her forties now and married.”
“Wow. I guess she taught you a few things.”
“Actually, yes.”
He was good at fucking, and he must have learned it somewhere.
“Quite a secret, huh?”
“Yeah. I’m impressed.”
“You got any secrets? Something you haven’t even told Charlie?”
“Wow…we’re having this conversation while drinking water.”
He relaxed back into the chair, his elbow propped on the armrests. The shade of the umbrella covered us both, and it was a nice color on him, making his tanned skin seem even darker. His fingers rubbed across his temple as he glanced back at the house. “My father used to collect scotch, but I’ll never get us home safe if I open his storage.”
“True. We’ll stick with the water.”
“Now, tell me.”
I grinned in embarrassment, unable to believe I was going to share something I’d never even told my best friend. I didn’t tell Kat or Denise either. “So, you know I kinda have this casual relationship with the mafia?”
“Yes.” His eyes narrowed at the serious subject matter.
“Well, they had this big get-together at one of their restaurants, and they invited me. I met one of their guys, and we hit it off. We saw each other for a couple weeks, but when he became too attached, I ended it.”
“You slept with a guy in the Italian mob?”
I nodded.
“And Charlie doesn’t know?”
“Oh, he’d kill me. My sister would too.”
“So, I’m the only person in the world who knows.”
“Yep.”
“You really are fearless.” He gave me an incredulous look, but it was filled with a hint of affection.
“Look, I don’t want a boring funeral. I want people to talk about my fling with the Italian mob, the fight I had with an Iraqi soldier, how I kicked some guy’s ass in an alleyway. I want my death to remind everyone how much I lived.”
He stared at me for a long time, letting those words sink in. “I respect that. But that also means you plan to tell people about this affair.”