by Lexy Timms
“I’m…Mark—”
He didn’t relent, kept up the rough pace and the firm circles over her clit, and with another thrust she was spasming tightly around him as she came, her yell muffled against the sheets.
If he was kind, he would have let her catch her breath after that, but Mark wasn’t feeling particularly charitable. And he happened to know that she wouldn’t have any objection to going another round. He pulled out, dropping onto his back against the mattress.
“Up. Come on. Erica. I want to see you.”
She looked at him, and for a moment he thought that he’d misjudged, and then she was swinging one leg over his hips so that she straddled him, lowering herself down onto his still-hard cock. Mark groaned, back arching, and reached up to catch her nipples between his fingertips, rolling them until they tightened further under the touch. Erica swore between her teeth.
“Love watching you ride me,” he said as she started to move, his hands sliding down over the rippling muscles of her belly and then back up again, cupping the weight of her breasts. “You are fucking gorgeous, Erica. Never thought anything else.”
Erica leaned forward over him, still rocking back against his cock, and Mark pulled her down closer with a hand on her back, arching up so that he could get one of her nipples between his teeth.
“And your breasts are perfect,” he said when he pulled back. “Filling my hands just right. Doesn’t matter what some chick down on the golf course has, babe. She doesn’t have me. You’re the one that I want. You’re—Fuck.”
He wasn’t going to be able to keep up the chatter, not with Erica so hot and tight around him, her nails digging little half-moon marks into his chest. It was just enough pain to make the pleasure sharper, and he’d already made her come once.
“Yeah,” Erica was saying above him. “Yes. Mark.”
“Close?” he bit out.
She just nodded, the motion a little frantic, and moved faster over him.
“Come on, then. Fucking come for me. Fuck.”
Erica didn’t need any more encouragement than that. An instant later she was arching with the pleasure, her entire body shuddering. Mark’s vision went white, and then dark, and pleasure hit him like fireworks.
In the aftermath, he lay panting against the mattress with Erica sprawled across his chest.
“Well that wasn’t a bad way to make up.”
She laughed. “No. I guess it wasn’t. If that’s the way we always get over a fight, I think we’ll be okay.” Her head lifted, and she gave him a brief, less-than-chaste kiss. “Right now, though, I think I need a shower.”
Mark watched her stand, and then she held out her hand, inviting him without words to follow. He didn’t need to be asked twice.
Chapter 9
“Have you seen this?” Alex demanded, dropping the tabloid onto the kitchen counter with a slap.
Jamie hardly looked up from where she was feeding the twins their breakfast. Things had been tense between them since the last argument. Alex still wasn't sure what he was going to do about balancing business and family, and it seemed that Jamie wouldn't be speaking to him much until he decided. She hadn't been outright hostile, but she'd been less than friendly, and they hadn't made love in days. He could argue that he wanted her back at work, but she was in no rush to get back. She was mad, even though she wouldn’t admit it.
Not that Alex blamed her. She obviously felt like he valued work more than he valued her and their children, and it was getting to her.
The trouble was, he couldn't make himself just give up the company. He didn’t want to. Nor did he think he had to. No matter what he did, he was going to lose something, and he was determined that it wouldn't be Jamie. But he didn't want to lose any more of Reid Enterprises than he had to, and the last few days had been too hectic to step back from. Which meant, of course, that to Jamie it just seemed like he hadn't made any decision at all.
“What is it?” Jamie said finally when Alex didn't say anything else, looking up from the little jar of applesauce that she was feeding the twins from in alternating bites.
“This,” Alex said tightly, tipping the magazine up so that she could see the cover: a picture of Nicholas standing on the green at Mark's country club, chatting with Mark like there was nothing wrong between them.
Jamie's eyebrows lifted.
“Can you believe that he would do this to me?” Alex demanded, looking down at the cover again. He shook his head. “I really thought that we were getting along, Jamie. We were brothers again. But now he's going around spending time with Nicholas, of all people. I don't know what I'm going to do.” It was the deepest kind of betrayal in his opinion.
“Maybe you should take a breath,” Jamie said. “And actually give it some thought before you do anything rash. Because you are brothers, and he does care about you. He always has.”
“Oh, right,” Alex said. “He's always cared about me so much that he and my father never did anything to try to get me back after I left.”
“They did, too!” Jamie retorted sharply. “Or don't you remember all the times that Mark called you and tried to invite you to things? And the fact that your father wanted to see you before he died? I can’t speak for your dad, but Mark has tried. In the years I’ve known you, he’s always tried. It seems more like you were the one who refused to speak to them.”
That hurt. Alex turned to look at his wife. “You're going to take his side over mine?”
“When you're being unreasonable,” Jamie shook her head, “yes. I am going to. Because guilty until proven innocent isn't how we play around here, and you of all people should know just how much the press can twist a situation around. For all you know, he kicked Nicholas off the property immediately after that photo. Or Nicholas set the whole thing up.”
“He didn't,” Alex said, voice flat. “I read the story. Apparently Nicholas has been playing there for almost a week now, and bringing plenty of his buddies with him. Probably the same buddies he's trying to steal out from under me in his desperate attempt to ruin the company I spent my life building!”
“Calm down,” Jamie said, standing up and setting the jar of applesauce on the counter. “You're going to scare Benton and Lilli.”
Alex froze with his mouth open, already ready with a retort, but managed to hold back and not say anything. He looked over at his children, who were watching him with wide eyes like they didn't quite believe what was happening. They were too little to understand what fighting was, but it was clear that they understood enough to be startled and maybe even upset by his tone. Alex immediately regretted getting so loud.
“Sorry,” he said more quietly. “I didn't mean to scare them.”
“Just take a minute and think about this.” Jamie crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the counter. “Your brother does care about you, whatever you may have thought at one time. And you know that he does because you've seen it every day since he's come back into your life. So don't immediately jump on the 'Mark is evil' bandwagon. Chill out and maybe actually try to talk to him before you decide anything, or you're going to regret it.”
She was probably right. Alex knew it. But it didn't make him anymore inclined to feel kindly toward his brother in that moment. Mark knew how he felt about Nicholas.
“Maybe,” Jamie suggested, sitting back down again, “he decided that letting Nicholas play at the club wasn't going to be a problem for you, since it doesn't actually affect your business. Or maybe not letting him play would cause more hindrance than help.”
Alex started at her. “Of course it affects my business,” he hissed, keeping his voice low. “That man has tried to destroy everything that I love. If you think that I'm going to just stand there and let my brother buddy up to him…”
Jamie lifted one shoulder in a shrug and let it fall again as she held the spoon out to Lilli from another jar. “Well,” she said, “Nicholas is spending his money there. Not making any. So maybe Mark figured that it wasn't wrong to
take a little money from a guy you dislike, especially for the sake of your business.” Her eyes lifted to his. “I'm not sure that you wouldn't do the same.”
Alex's hands curled into fists, and his jaw tightened until his teeth ached. “Seriously, Jamie? You think that I would betray my brother just to make a little bit of money? Are you really that convinced that I don't care about anything but work? Have I actually given you the impression that I'm that kind of person in the last few months?”
Jamie's expression softened. “Alex...”
“No.” Alex started for the door. “I'm not going to stand here and listen to this. I know I've been busy, but I'm not heartless. I thought that you knew that.” He shook his head. “You knew what you were marrying when you said ‘I do’. I haven’t changed, nor should I have to.”
Even as Jamie stood up he was walking out, the door shutting hard behind him.
He was out the garage and down the long drive in seconds, pulling onto the road and accelerating away. Alex didn't know understand how Jamie could even think that way about him. Even at his worst he'd coldly pushed her away because he'd been afraid that falling in love with her would be more of a liability than it was worth. Because he'd believe that his business was the most important thing in the world and he didn't have time for anyone else.
Maybe it wasn't such a surprise that she thought he was capable of feeling that way after all, and Alex curled his fingers tighter around the wheel of the car as he merged onto the highway that would take him out to Mark’s country club. He’d just gotten in from work, but he wasn’t going to let this sit and fester, and it was better to talk to Mark face to face about it. Jamie was right. He couldn't just stop believing that his brother cared because of one tabloid photo. The press had lied about him enough times that he should know better than to believe anything they said, no matter how many photos they had to back it up. When he and Jamie were dating, they'd tried to imply that Mark and Jamie were going behind his back, for fuck's sake. Why wouldn't they try to make the world think that Mark was now going behind his back with Nicholas?
He'd tried to keep the whole issue out of the press at all, but of course they'd gotten hold of it somehow. Probably with Nicholas' help. He would want everyone to know that he was going up against Alex Reid. And when he won, he'd want everyone to be anticipating it, waiting to congratulate him.
But he wasn't going to win.
Alex wasn't going to let him. And when the asshole lost, he might finally realize that all attacking Alex Reid was going to get him was trouble.
All of that, though, was something he was going to have to deal with a little later down the line, because right now the issue at hand was Mark, and whatever Mark thought he was doing with Nicholas. Alex’s thoughts turned the problem over and over as he drove, and he was still thinking about it as he pulled into the lot at the country club and walked up to the main building to find his brother.
Mark, it turned out, was in the kitchen, dealing with some problem. When he saw Alex, he turned to look at the man he’d been talking to and told him he was going to have to take a few minutes. The kitchen manager nodded and hurried away. Mark stepped out of the kitchen and, after a moment’s hesitation, led Alex out through the door and onto the lawn on the back side of the building, moving toward the vineyard that they were starting. It was a place that people probably wouldn’t be able to hear them arguing, and Alex knew that Mark must already know what he was there for.
Mark shook his head. “Look, Alex,” he said immediately, “I know what you probably saw, and I'm not going to say that it isn't bad, but I want you to know that it's not because I'm trying to undermine you, I swear.”
Alex paused. He’d been right. Mark had seen the tabloid, too, then, and he hadn't denied that he had been speaking to Nicholas. Willing himself to be patient, Alex took a deep breath and let it out again, and when he spoke he didn’t yell. “So what did happen, Mark?”
His younger brother's expression was contrite. “It's—” he started to say, and then stopped. “Okay, so what happened is that Nicholas showed up here, and I was going to kick him out.”
“But...” Alex prompted.
“But,” Mark went on, “then I realized that maybe that wasn't such a good idea. I know that you and he don't get along, and that he's been really terrible, but it's not like I'm helping him with something. I'm just taking his money. And he brings in a lot of other clients for the first time. If I lose him, I could lose a bunch of my clientele.”
“Because Nicholas’ connections are worth money?” Alex fumed. He wanted to punch his brother in the face. What an idiot!
“I honestly thought you would understand.”
Just like Jamie had said, then. He thought that he wasn't doing anything wrong. He thought he was running his business the way that Alex would. Alex ran a hand through his hair and spun on his heel, pacing away through the short green grass. When he turned again, he shook his head. “That's not what I would have done, Mark,” he said, and his voice came out harsher than he'd meant it to.
“Isn't it?” Mark asked. “I mean, I'm not saying that you're some kind of corrupt cutthroat, but you wouldn't risk your whole business just because someone you cared about didn't like a high-paying client. He comes here, he plays golf, he pays money. I don't know what kind of risk that puts you at.”
“It puts me at risk,” Alex snapped, “because he thinks that he can get to me through you! You're my brother. The only reason he's showed up to play here at all is that he wants to know if you're going to be a pawn for him.”
“Oh, it couldn't possibly be because my business is actually worth someone's time. I mean, it's not the great Reid Enterprises, so why would anyone want to actually come here without some kind of ulterior motive?” Mark’s voice rose to match his. “Obviously you're the much more interesting Reid brother.”
“I didn't mean it like that,” Alex said. “I just meant that Nicholas isn't the kind of person you can trust, Mark. He doesn't do anything just because he wants to. He does it so that he can get a leg up on the competition. Whatever he wants here, he's not just playing golf for the hell of it. You know what happened with Gina.”
“And you think I'm going to let him get to me the way that he did with Gina?” Mark asked. His voice was softer, but his expression said that he wasn't any less angry at the insinuation. “It's not like I'm letting him take me out to dinner and buy me expensive gifts. I'm not going to hand over your business credit cards to him.”
Alex sighed. “No, Mark. Damn it! You think I don't fucking know that? I'm not accusing you of being stupid, or whatever it is that you think I'm accusing you of. I'm just asking why the fuck you think it's a good idea to let a man who's trying to destroy your brother's livelihood hang out and play golf at your country club. Like there’s no problem. Like blood isn’t thicker than water.”
“Maybe because it's part of my livelihood,” Mark answered. “Just because I haven't been building Little Lake since I was eighteen doesn't meant that it's not worth something to me, or that it's not important. I care about it.”
Alex met his brother's eyes. “If that’s the way you really feel about it, that money for the country club is more important to you than the fact that he’s obviously trying to use you against me, then I think I’m going to have to withdraw my funding from Little Lake. You want to play ball? Be the big businessman? After all, you’ve got plenty now without me.” He turned and then swung back around. “I only shared it in the first place because we’re family.”
Mark’s expression went flat. For a moment he just stared at Alex, slowly shaking his head. “Fine,” he said. “That’s fine, Alex. If that’s the way that you feel you have to go about things, then I’m not going to say anything about it. Although, honestly, I feel like withdrawing funding from your brother’s business and definitely causing him financial hardship is something a little more concretely wrong than not throwing a man out of your business just because he’s kind of a dick.”
<
br /> “It’s more than that and you know it, Mark.”
“Haven’t you ever heard the saying ‘Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer’?”
If the situation hadn’t been so serious Alex might have laughed, but as it was he didn’t feel like laughing in the slightest. After all the work that they’d done to build a relationship, Mark was just going to throw it away like this. He honestly couldn’t believe it. Regardless of what he’d said to Jamie, Alex knew that Mark had always been the one pushing for them to reconcile. So why was it that he didn’t care now?
“I’m not going to listen to any more excuses,” Alex said. “You’re going to do what you want either way. You can start sending me payments on the loan I gave you at the first of the month. Consider yourself lucky that I’m not charging interest.” He turned and walked away.
Mark moved toward him, he heard the sound of the footsteps in the grass. But then he stopped. His brother had decided not to come after him. Apparently the relationship wasn’t that important after all. Shaking his head, Alex got back into his car and headed home, not once glancing back over his shoulder toward the brother he’d just left behind. Again.
Chapter 10
“Are you sure you’re okay, Jamie?” Christine asked for the second time.
Jamie looked up from the glass of wine she was staring moodily into and tried to find a smile for her sister. “Yeah,” she said. “I’m good.”
Christine shook her head. “I don’t really believe that, you know. I'm not stupid, Jamie.”
She sounded so much like the old Christine that Jamie turned to look at her sister, eyebrows lifted.
