by Bella Andre
“Are you actually trying to convince me to trust him?”
Lola opened her mouth to deny it, even though she’d just been fervently pressing his case. Acting as though the praise from his coworkers, and dancing in his arms at the restaurant, and getting lost in his passionate kisses had somehow erased his wrongdoing.
So much for washing sense into her brain in the shower.
Lola stood, regret in every cell of her body. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come to you with this plan. And I definitely shouldn’t be trying to convince you to work with him again.” Had a secret part of her been so distraught at the idea of never seeing Duncan again that she’d been searching for any reason, any excuse to keep him in her life? Even if it meant convincing Moira to give him a second chance? Lola’s chest clenched tight as she stood before the woman who meant so much to her. “I know I keep asking for your forgiveness, but I hope you’ll give me another chance to get things right. I won’t see him or speak to him again, I promise.”
Before she could say anything more, Moira pulled her back into her arms. “You’ve got to stop beating yourself up. I adore you, Lola. I always have. And I always will. No matter what.”
A few minutes later, Lola left through the side gate, deliberately bypassing the main house because she wasn’t up to answering questions from her parents. During the walk to her studio, she reminded herself over and over that it was time to get on with her life. No more wallowing in misery. No more moping over a guy.
Once she was at her desk, she opened an email window and typed in Duncan’s address.
Subject: Not interested
Duncan,
I spoke with Moira. She is not interested in taking your funds or hearing your apologies.
Lola
She hit Send and watched the message disappear from her screen. Now their relationship was really and truly over.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Duncan’s heart sank as he stood in his kitchen, coffee mug in hand, and read Lola’s email.
Though he was hugely disappointed by Moira’s response, he didn’t blame her for refusing to associate with him and his money. How could he when it was exactly how he felt about his brother? Even worse, now that Moira had refused to accept his funding, he would no longer have any connection to Lola, however peripheral.
Renewed fury rose up inside of him at the damage Alastair had wrought on so many lives. When Duncan had first uncovered his brother’s crimes, Duncan had been both stunned and angry. Then, when Alastair had gone even further by breaking into Duncan’s home and destroying his corporate paperwork and hard drives, his fury had not only grown bigger and hotter, but he’d also realized that this was something even their blood bond couldn’t withstand. He’d cut ties with Alastair completely that day.
Now, however, he couldn’t let another day go by without knowing whether Alastair’s henchman had told him about Lola. Because if Duncan’s brother realized how much she meant to him, would Alastair lash out at her as well? Would he try to hurt her in order to hurt Duncan?
Ready to pay his brother a long overdue visit, Duncan poured his coffee down the drain, grabbed his wallet and car keys, and was just about to head into the garage when the doorbell rang.
From the silhouette through the stained glass, Duncan was able to guess who it was. His instincts were confirmed when he opened the door to find Alastair standing on his front step, his face wreathed in a wide smile. Had Alastair always looked so small? Had Duncan always towered over him the way he did now?
As a child, given their ten-year age gap, Alastair had seemed larger than life to Duncan. But his brother now seemed diminished in so many ways, from the lines on his face, to his slightly hunched back, to his shoulders and the narrowing of his chest. Yes, his suit was bespoke and he had access to the best aesthetician in Boston, but neither of those things could turn back the clock.
“It’s been too long.” Alastair said it as though they were old friends who hadn’t seen each other simply because their lives had gotten busy. Not because one of them was cheating, lying scum.
As Duncan stepped out and closed the door behind him, he was glad for the large trees and thick shrubs in front of his house, which would shield their conversation from neighbors who might be nearby.
“You’re not going to invite me in?” Alastair asked.
Like hell. This wasn’t a social call. Duncan wouldn’t pretend that it was.
Ignoring the question, he said, “I already told your employee to pass on my reply to your offer. But if you mistakenly thought you could change my mind by coming here in person, I’ll say it again: I’m not interested in working with you, now or at any point in the future. Whatever relationship we had ended five years ago. And don’t send anyone else to my office or home to try to convince me. From this moment forward, I will not tolerate your presence, or the presence of anyone who works for you, in any aspect of my life—professional or personal.”
His brother’s expression barely changed, but Duncan thought he could see the strain behind Alastair’s outwardly confident demeanor. After all, his brother never left his penthouse office for a meeting, not when he always wanted to make sure he had the home court advantage. The fact that he had come to Duncan’s home today proved how far the power dynamic had shifted between the two of them. Duncan was no longer the little brother, in any sense of the words.
“Why don’t you invite me inside for a cup of coffee and we can catch up and dispel any misunderstandings?” Alastair suggested.
But Duncan knew how his brother operated. If you made the mistake of giving him an inch, he’d take a whole hell of a lot more than a mile. He’d take absolutely everything from you, without losing one second of sleep over his actions, no matter how nefarious.
“I’m not going to play games with you.” Duncan would repeat himself one final time to ensure there could be no misunderstanding. “I’m done with you and the family company.”
At last his brother’s smile fell, leaving only a calculated rise of one eyebrow. “This is because of your new girlfriend, isn’t it? My employee who went to the fashion show last night couldn’t say enough about her abundant…” He paused before adding a very lecherous sounding, “…appeal. After looking her up online, it seems her name fits her well. Lola. I can see why you’ve fallen in lust with her. With a face and figure like that, she’s every man’s wet dream. I’m disappointed that you seem to have fallen for her hook, line, and sinker, though. No doubt she’s after your money and connections, just like women always are. She probably thinks if she gives you a few great blow jobs that you’ll hand her everything on a silver platter. I tried to teach you better than that, Duncan, but I know firsthand it isn’t always easy to think with the right head when infatuation strikes.” He gave Duncan what was probably supposed to be an understanding look. “If you could see the forest for the trees, you’d know that the only move that makes sense is for your company to merge with mine. Of course I’m happy for you to remain CEO of the subsidiary company.”
Duncan’s hands threatened to bunch into fists at the confirmation that his brother had in fact set Lola in his sights—exactly what he’d feared would happen when he’d spotted Alastair’s henchman at the fashion show. He forced himself to relax his fingers. And he didn’t let himself growl at his brother not to so much as speak Lola’s name, either. That was exactly the game Alastair wanted to play, and Duncan wouldn’t lower himself to his brother’s level.
Once upon a time, they had played on the same team, two kids reeling from the sudden deaths of their parents, just trying to keep their heads above water. But those days were long past. Ever since Alastair had changed from a boy intent on protecting his brother to a man intent on always coming out on top. Duncan had walked away from the business five years ago, but their emotional bond had disintegrated long before that.
And whether or not Duncan ever got to see Lola again, hold her again, love her again, he would protect her from Alastair. At all costs.
“You have two choices,” Duncan told his brother. “You can stay out of my life. Completely out. Or you can continue your current course of action and pay the price.” A price that would start with Duncan talking to the FBI.
Surprise flickered on his brother’s face. No one threatened Alastair. No one dared. Until now.
Quickly reassuming his customary arrogance, he said, “As we’re brothers, I’ll pretend you didn’t just say that.”
It was meant as a warning. But Duncan had a warning of his own to impart. “I promise you, I mean every word.”
For the past five years, instead of instigating an ugly legal battle against Alastair—a battle that would have been made even more difficult given the number of professionals in Boston controlled by his brother—Duncan had used his time, energy, and wealth to atone for Alastair’s crimes with the people who had signed up to work with Brilliant Funds.
But things were different now. For Lola, there was no battle too long. And no risk too high.
“What would you do if you lost your power?” Duncan asked in a low, steely voice. “If everyone who you thought respected and worshipped you turned on you instead? Who would you be then?” He let an unspoken no one linger in the air between them.
The small flare of worry in his brother’s eyes would have been imperceptible to anyone but Duncan. Of course, Alastair was full of bravado as he said, “It’s a moot point. No one would dare be so stupid as to try to destroy me. Especially not my brother. A brother I’ve always gone out of my way to look out for, both back when we were children and as a wealthy adult who is a ripe target for gold diggers. So, despite any harsh words that have come between us, my door will always be open for you, and your company. Whether next year, or five years from now, I have no doubt you’ll eventually see that our bond as brothers—and as a brilliant business team—can never be broken.”
Alastair’s response couldn’t have been clearer. He not only wasn’t planning to stay out of Duncan’s life and business, but as he assumed Duncan’s ‘infatuation’ with Lola had scrambled his otherwise sharp business brain, she had a bullseye on her back now too.
“Next year,” Duncan said, “you’ll be behind prison bars.”
And then he walked back into the house and left his brother standing on his front step, waiting for a reconciliation that would never come.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
On Wednesday, when Lola met Ashley for lunch, though they talked about everything but Duncan, Lola remained terribly distracted by thoughts of him. After they ate, they headed to her studio so that Ashley could pick up some fabric for a display in the café window.
Lola was unlocking the door, silently going back over every single second she’d had with Duncan, when Ashley said, “I’m planning to cut off all my hair on the right side and then dye what’s left green and pink.”
At last, Lola’s brain registered what her sister was saying. “You’re going to do what?” Of all of them, Ashley had the best hair, hands down. It was thick and lustrous, and chopping it off would be a crime.
In lieu of saying anything more about her hair, Ashley simply said, “Do you think it might help to talk about it?”
Lola groaned. “Sorry. I know I haven’t been good company today. You shouldn’t have to put up with me right now. No one should.”
“Are you kidding me? For ten years, you’ve listened to me complain about Kevin’s father. The least I can do is be there for you now, even if all you want to do is throw things, then eat a gallon of ice cream. I have some plates I really hate. We could find a brick wall and let them loose, then stuff ourselves full of cookies ‘n’ cream.”
After years of protecting herself from men who wanted only to get her into bed, Lola still couldn’t believe how badly she’d screwed up by choosing to risk her heart with Duncan. She had promised herself she wouldn’t waste any more of her life moping over him. She’d done a rotten job of holding to that promise thus far, so she would have to hit the restart button and try again.
“Thanks, Ash, but really, I’m fine. I just need to focus on my work, like I should have been doing the whole time, and it will be like it never happened.”
“But it did happen. You fell in lo—”
“No.” Lola wouldn’t let Ashley finish the word. Tamping down on her foolish, misplaced emotions, she forced herself to say, “He didn’t mean anything to me.”
The words were barely out of her mouth when the man she’d just claimed didn’t mean anything to her, the man she refused to talk about, the man she would never admit she’d cried over, appeared in the doorway to her studio.
And that was when she knew for sure that no matter how hard she’d tried to scrub him from her heart over the past few days, she hadn’t succeeded even the slightest bit. Not when she had to reach for the nearest piece of furniture to hold herself up on suddenly shaky legs.
“Lola, I know you don’t want to see me again, but—” He suddenly realized Ashley was in the room. “Ashley, hello.”
“Hello, Duncan.”
As he turned back to Lola, his eyes were more intense than she could ever remember seeing them. Even more intense than when they’d almost made love the night they’d stayed up holding each other. She shivered remembering how much she’d wanted him. Shivered again at how much she still wanted him.
“Could we speak in private?” he asked.
“Whatever you have to say to me—even though there isn’t anything left to say at this point—you can say in front of my sister.” Ashley’s presence meant Lola couldn’t possibly make the mistake of throwing herself into his arms and kissing him the way she had in Boston.
She shouldn’t even be thinking about his kisses when he would surely be able to read her thoughts in her eyes and flushed skin.
“I’ve come to warn you about my brother.” His voice brimmed with concern and protectiveness—and something that sounded far too much like love for her peace of mind. “Alastair has made it clear that he wants to be involved in my life again. I’ve told him to stay the hell away, but he’s not inclined to listen.” Duncan took a step forward, moving close enough for Lola to smell his woodsy aftershave. “After one of his employees saw us together at the fashion show on Monday night, Alastair now knows who you are and what you mean to me. I believe he may try to hurt you to get to me.”
Despite the way Duncan had deceived her, hearing how vicious his brother could be made her ache for him. That couldn’t change her response, though. “I don’t need anyone to protect me. I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can. I’ve never doubted how strong you are for a second. But Alastair doesn’t play by the rules. The thought of anything happening to you—” His expression twisted with pain. “It would kill me, Lola.”
She was doing everything she could to keep her heart closed, impenetrable. To remind herself that it didn’t matter what he felt for her, because she felt nothing for him. But it was getting more difficult by the second when there were a million things she wanted to say to him, a million questions she wanted to ask, and a million kisses she wanted to give him.
Still, she forced herself to be curt and to the point. “I’ll be fine.”
He stared at her for a long moment, one so heavy with emotion she could have sliced through it with one of her cutting shears. “You mean everything to me, Lola.” His deep voice resonated with emotion. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be the man you needed me to be.”
It wasn’t until the door closed behind him that she finally let her breath go on a ragged exhalation. Shell-shocked, she lowered herself into the chair she’d been holding on to for support.
“You should go after him,” Ashley suggested in a gentle voice. “It’s obvious you two need to talk.”
Lola shook her head. “We already said everything we needed to say to each other in Boston on Monday.”
“For all your many gifts,” Ashley said, “you’ve never been a compelling liar. It doesn’t matter how many times you swear yo
u’re fine, or tell me that Duncan doesn’t mean anything to you. It still won’t make either of those things true. Which is why you need to go talk with him now, if for no other reason than to try to get some resolution for yourself. Until you hear him out, we both know you’re going to lie awake wondering what he could possibly have to say to justify what happened to Moira and her company.”
Lola’s heart wanted nothing more than to dash out the door after him, but her head held her back. “I promised Moira I was done with him. If she finds out I’m meeting with him again…” She shook her head. “I’ve already hurt her so badly. I can’t hurt her again.”
“You never meant to hurt Moira,” Ashley countered. “People fall in love every day. Sometimes, the man who seems right isn’t. But then sometimes, the man who seems wrong turns out to be the right one after all.” She paused before adding, “It seems to me that you owe it to yourself to hear Duncan out and find out once and for all if he really is the wrong man for you. Or if maybe, just maybe, he could be the right one.”
Lola didn’t have another rebuttal in her. She’d tried so hard to be strong. Tried even harder to shut down her heart.
But it was so damned hard to fight against her feelings for Duncan.
Ashley took both of Lola’s hands in hers. “You know how strong my bad-guy radar is. But even though I was suspicious of Duncan at first, the truth is that once I met him, my radar didn’t go off. Even after Moira told us who he is, the shocking thing is that I still didn’t get a bad feeling about him. Which is why I have to wonder what role Duncan actually played in destroying Moira’s business? Because I have a very difficult time imagining him willfully harming anyone. Especially you.”
