by Nia Arthurs
Ariya bobs her head.
Chandra sighs and starts walking. “She hasn’t said much since Brendon dropped her off.”
“She seemed okay to me.” I shrug.
Not that I know much about children.
I think kids are cute.
Cleaning diapers and poop? That’s when things start to go downhill for me.
“That show’s super funny, but I only saw her smile once.” Chandra stares at me like it’s some grand conspiracy.
“Maybe it’s not that good.”
“Trust me.” She throws her hair over her shoulder. “It’s freaking great.”
“You watch kids shows now?”
“Not all of them are dumb, okay?” Chandra opens her bedroom door and ushers me in.
The room is wide, spacious and brightly lit. The vanity dresser is crammed with lotions, makeup and hair products. Heavy barbells are lined up neatly on the ground next to Ollie’s battered running shoes.
It’s an example of two opposite personalities co-existing in peace.
Cute.
Chandra closes the door and pulls me to sit with her on the edge of the bed. “Something’s going on, but Brendon didn’t give me any details.”
“How close are you and Brendon that he’d leave his baby sister with you?”
I’m not jealous.
I swear.
But I am curious. Brendon adores Ariya. He blew me off to take care of her the night we first met. I can’t reconcile that man with one who’d shove his beloved sister off on an acquaintance.
Chandra scratches her chin with a manicured finger. “We met once last year. Brendon lent us his Dad’s private jet so Cobie and Griffin could have a baby-cation.”
“What?”
“A baby-cation.” Chandra plucks at the hem of her cute, pleated blouse. “It’s when a pregnant woman goes on vacation before—”
“I know what it means.”
“Oh.”
I scoot closer to her. “You said Brendon’s dad owns a jet?”
“Yeah.” Chandra looks at me like it’s common knowledge. “His father is George Humes.”
My jaw drops. “George Humes of Humes Corp? That huge multi-billion dollar company?”
“Yup.”
“Wait… wasn’t George Humes in the news the other day for sexually assaulting a bunch of his female employees?”
“He gave an apology and stepped down. That’s why Brendon’s running the company now.”
It feels like someone punched me in the gut.
I’m so stunned I can’t stop blinking.
Brendon’s a billionaire.
He’s the son of a mogul.
A dirty, sexually assaulting mogul, but hey… money’s still green.
George Humes… he’s like royalty in the financial industry.
And that makes Brendon royalty too.
The gorgeous Brendon Humes, prince of Humes Corp, biggest M&A company in the Americas, wants me. He could have any botoxed actress or buxom model in the world, and he wants me?
That can’t be right.
“It’s weird,” Chandra says. Her voice pulls me back to the matter at hand. “What do you think is going on?”
“I have no idea.”
“You don’t?” Both eyebrows hike up. Liar.
Maybe. “It’s not like Brendon talks to me.”
She laughs. “Girl, stop playing.”
“He doesn’t. We met by chance at the wedding.”
Chandra screws her lips to the side. “You know damn well that Brendon couldn’t take his eyes off you yesterday. He was copping a feel at the photo-shoot too and you weren’t complaining. We all saw it.”
My cheeks burn.
I hop to my feet. “Did you hear that? I think Ariya’s calling.”
“No, she’s not.”
“I’ll check just in case.” I rush from the room, glad to be away from Chandra and her knowing eyes.
Brandon’s a dark fantasy that no one was supposed to know.
If I stay in that room one second longer, Chandra will unearth all my hidden desires and I won’t have any defense.
The fact that Brendon is a Humes is a giant revelation I need to unravel by myself.
But it’s made one thing clear.
We don’t belong together.
He’s too rich.
Too handsome.
Too… much.
Maybe it’s better to keep that door locked and not tempt disaster by sleeping with him.
Even if it is for one night.
I fall into the couch next to Ariya and rest my head on the back of the sofa. Despite everything Chandra just shared, I can’t resist the exhaustion that threatens to pull me under.
I settle into the curve of the couch to make myself comfortable.
Silence fills the room.
Did Ariya mute the TV?
The warmth of a small body edges close to me. A voice whispers, “Kayla.”
I open my eyes wide.
Sure, I don’t know much about kids, but they generally put ‘Miss’ in front of the name when talking to an adult, right?
Or am I just being old-school?
“Kayla, can I borrow your phone?”
“For what?”
“To play a game.”
“I don’t have games on my phone.”
She’s quick to reply. “I’ll download one.”
My mind is shutting down. Soon, I’ll be incapable of speech or function.
I dig around my pocket and pluck my phone. Handing it over, I turn away and try to get some rest.
My head is aching.
I just want to escape.
Darkness engulfs me.
I dance close to the chasm of sleep when a tugging on my sleeve jerks me away from the precipice.
“I thought you said you knew my brother.”
“I do,” I grumble. And I’m trying hard to forget him right now.
“Then why don’t you have his number?” She shoves my phone forward.
I sigh. Try to find the strength to string a cohesive sentence together. “Ariya…”
“I need to talk to my brother,” she says on the brink of tears.
The sound of her distress snaps me to attention. “Hey, hey. What’s wrong?”
She shakes her head. A tear slips down her cheek. I don’t want to talk about it.
I’ve had a few of those moments myself.
Leaning closer, I whisper, “I don’t know what’s going on, but everything will be fine, okay?”
Her little chin trembles.
Chandra strides into the room. Her eyes land on Ariya and sharpen. “What’s going on?”
“She’s worried about Brendon and her family.”
“He said he’ll call later.” Chandra smiles softly. “Why don’t you wait for him, hm?”
“Here.” I offer my arms to the kid.
I don’t really expect her to accept the invitation, so I’m surprised when she molds herself to me.
She smells expensive and pink. The girly version of Brendon.
I feather my hand over her hair. “Just forget about everything else. Your brother will be here soon.”
My hand motions start to slow.
Chandra says something, but I can’t make it out.
My eyes are burning.
Three seconds later, my body shuts down and I fall asleep.
Thirteen
Brendon
“She’s sleeping?” I tuck the phone closer to my chin.
“I just got home,” Ollie whispers. Fabric rustles in the background. A door squeaks loudly. “But yeah. From what I can see, Ariya’s conked out on the couch.”
It’s no surprise.
The kid was exhausted. She stayed up until I got home last night and had a hard time falling asleep after.
Looking into her eyes yesterday and admitting that I didn’t know where Mom was had to be the hardest moment of my life.
I failed to keep a promise.
But
I won’t stop until I make things right.
“Thanks for looking after her. There was no one I could trust her with…”
“I understand.”
“Tell Chandra thanks too.”
“Of course, man. It’s no problem at all.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I finish this meeting.”
“Take your time.”
I hang up. Face the P.I. I hired to locate Mom. The amount of money I spent on his retainer, Yumi better be good.
Ex-investigative reporter. Ex-detective. Now private eye. He came highly recommended.
“Sorry about that.” I reclaim the chair facing his desk. “Had to check on my sister.”
“No problem, Mr. Humes.” Yumi’s pinched expression tells me the opposite.
I don’t take his scowl personally.
Deep wrinkles carve his tan, liver-spotted skin. Perpetual frown lines frame his dark pink lips. I bet he has the same expression whether he’s pissed or ecstatic.
“My men are currently scouring the streets, checking security cameras and footage around Humes Corp HQ and your father’s personal estate. We’ve got a team of IT professionals tracking their phone signals. The moment your mother turns her cell phone on, we’ll know.”
“Thank you.”
“We will find her.”
It sounds like a promise.
Hopefully, Yumi’s better at keeping those than I am.
We shake hands.
I bow in respect. “Don’t let me down, Yumi.”
He dips his head.
I leave Yumi’s office feeling cautiously optimistic. I’m doing everything I can to find Mom—including hitting the streets myself, visiting her favorite stores and her old friends looking for clues.
Unfortunately, those avenues proved to be dead ends.
I climb into my car and get behind the wheel, pausing as I recall the fruitless visits.
Every one of Mom’s friends claimed they hadn’t heard from her in years.
Not months.
Not days.
Years.
Weird.
But I’m sure there’s an explanation for it.
One she’ll provide when I see her in person.
I shrug off my unease and drive to Ollie and Chandra’s apartment. My stomach growls as I take the elevator to their floor. I’ve been running up and down all day without stopping to grab a bite.
A meal can wait.
I’ll pick up Ariya first. She must have been worried all day not hearing from me. To be honest, my hope was to locate Mom before I saw her again.
The last thing I want is a repeat of the crestfallen expression she slanted my way when I told her Mom was still missing last night.
I brace myself for her tear-stained, puppy-brown eyes and knock on Ollie and Chandra’s front door.
It swings open.
Chandra grins up at me. Whispers, “Hey, Brendon.”
I nod hey.
“Come in.” She moves aside and gestures for me to pass in front of her.
I do, savoring the scent of chili as it flavors the air.
Chandra locks the door and turns to me, still talking quietly. “Ollie just made dinner. You want to join us?”
My stomach rumbles. Yes.
I ignore it and shake my head. I’ve infringed on their privacy enough. “I’ll just get Ariya and head out.” I stare sheepishly into her brown eyes. “Thanks for—”
“Save it. We may not see each other often, but you’re practically family. This is nothing. In fact, if you don’t visit with Ariya again soon, I’ll take it personally.”
Warmth hits my chest.
That invitation is so… sincere.
It’s not something I’m used to.
People have a habit of looking through me. Making their own judgments about who I am and who I’m supposed to be. The playboy billionaire. The corruptible nerd. The perfect son. The reflection of a Page Six, disgraced father.
Every interaction is an opportunity to take something.
Money.
Fame.
Notoriety.
In some cases, revenge.
It’s rare—so freaking rare—to meet genuine people.
When I do, it’s like drinking cold water on a hot day.
Even though Teale introduced me to Chandra (and her friend Cobie) years ago, I’ve kept my distance. In fact, today I only reached out from pure desperation.
“I appreciate that.”
Her eyes twinkle. “Let me take you to Ariya.”
“Isn’t she right there,” I swing my head and point, “on the… couch.”
Chandra’s grin turns mischievous.
I barely register her expression because most of my attention is skipping right past Ariya and snagging on the woman curled up in the sofa.
Kayla.
She’s stunning—black hair tucked up in a messy bun, long lashes still and slightly curled, long legs. Damn, those are tiny shorts. And she’s wearing Nike slippers. Those legs are all hers.
My eyes dip to Kayla’s lap. There’s a pillow on the side of her thigh and Ariya’s head rests on top of it.
The sight of Kayla and Ariya together…
My chest twists.
It does something to me.
Sends my dark thoughts skittering.
Gone.
It’s like every strain of this crazy day disappears at once.
Replaced with sunshine, rainbows, all that cheesy crap.
I blink twice. Turn to Chandra. “What’s Kayla…?”
“Her place flooded out.”
Her place? “So she’s staying here?”
“Yes.”
“With you.”
“I can make up an excuse to kick her out.” Chandra blinks innocently. “If you have a better suggestion.”
I do.
My place.
My bed.
She can finally spend the night.
But there’s so much going on.
Talk about bad freaking timing.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Chandra arches an eyebrow. “Is that something I need to report to you?”
“No. It’s—” I run a hand over my face. Seeing Kayla has my thoughts all over the place.
I want her. Yeah.
One hundred percent.
I’d love to peel off those shorts, run my hand up her thighs and think of all the things I could do to her.
There are too many ways I could get her to unwind.
But I also want to protect her.
Just like I protect Ariya.
And that’s a little too intense for where I am in my life.
“Forget it.”
I stride over to the sofa, intent on grabbing Ariya and getting the hell out of there.
But when I see Kayla up close…
Man…
She’s everything.
One arm curls underneath a pillow. The other rests beneath her soft cheek. She’s not wearing a stitch of makeup. The glossiness of her skin is supple, innocent. She’s freaking glowing.
Her lips are parted slightly. They’re brown. I didn’t know that before. Both times I saw her, she was wearing red or pink lipstick.
The natural shade of those plump lips are brown with an inner lining of dark pink.
So damn sexy.
Her nostril flares with every deep breath.
At least one of us is breathing.
Someone stirs.
Ariya’s thin voice mumbles, “Brendon?”
I glance to the left. Watch her sit up groggily and rub her eyes. “Hey, kiddo.”
“You’re here?”
I nod.
The sound of our voices wakes Kayla.
Her eyelids flutter up and down. She sees me first and a little smile curves her cheeks.
I find myself smiling back.
Then the moment passes.
Her eyes clear.
Then widen to twice their usual size.
She shoots up, her c
hest heaving.
“Brendon?”
The smirk climbs over my face despite my best intentions. I tilt my head. Fix my glasses. “Were you dreaming about me?”
Color climbs her cheeks.
So. Freaking. Adorable.
Kayla picks at the sleeve of her blouse. Her eyes flit to Ariya. Back to mine.
She says nothing.
I climb to my feet and hold my hand out to my sister. She’s still wearing the pajamas I brought her in this morning. Her hair is rumpled and her eyes are heavy with sleep.
“Come on, Kiddo. Let’s go home.” I heft her into my arms.
“Did you find, Mom?” she asks.
I stiffen.
Kayla’s eyes focus on my face. I can sense the wheels in her brain turning. Piecing things together. Picking me apart.
I pretend not to notice. “Not yet. But we’re working on it.”
“Oh.” Ariya stares at the ground. Nods.
The burning in my chest intensifies.
I hate disappointing her.
Ariya tucks her head into my shoulder and closes her eyes. She feels so frail and fragile.
I could freaking kill Dad for this.
Ollie peeps out of the kitchen. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay for dinner?”
“I, uh… it’s best if we head home.”
Green eyes sober, he strides forward. Claps me on the back. “If you need anything, just let us know.”
“Same here.” My eyes flit to Kayla.
She’s staring at her pink-painted toenails.
I wonder what she’s thinking.
I’d give anything to climb into her pretty little head.
“Actually,” Chandra reappears in my line of sight, “we do need something.”
Kayla jerks her head up and frowns. “Hey. That’s my bag.”
“I just realized that our couch isn’t suitable for sleeping.”
“What?” Kayla’s jaw drops. “I was just asleep on it like three minutes ago!”
“And,” Chandra continues as if she doesn’t hear a thing, “you have a huge house with lots of guestrooms. Am I right, Brendon?”
“That’s right.” I rub my chin to hide my grin.
I know exactly where Chandra is going with this.
Unfortunately, Ollie is clueless. He glances from me to his wife and back. “What’s wrong with our couch?”
“It’s horrible,” Chandra hisses.
He looks offended.
I chuckle but try to mask it with a cough. “I don’t mind. We’ve got plenty of beds.”
