“Yes. Yes. Whatever you’re thinking I’m on board. Just name a number and I’ll wire the money today.”
Aiden smirked and shook his head. Brody would pay a five-figure sum just for a good bottle of whiskey. There is no telling what he would do just to make the E the best party spot in all of Manhattan—again. Now all they needed was to get around their fathers. But how do you discreetly get one of the most abandoned buildings in the city on the minds of the socialites of New York as a happening party spot? They would need some help.
*****
Anna typed furiously on her keyboard. The emails were coming in so fast that her fingers were cramping as she tried to answer the needs of very demanding and very rich clients. She had raised her fledgling interior design company from a single desk in Rochester with her best friend and roommate Keith. Now she had a coveted brand with she and Keith in spacious, industrial offices occupying three floors in the Oynx, a massive building owned by the Sinclairs’, a fact they reminded her of constantly when they needed a favor for one of their many buildings.
“Ugh, what now?” Anna said, combing her dirty blonde, wavy hair from her face.
“What?” Keith asked, putting a cup of tea on her wide, glass desk.
He had been in her office, depositing more paperwork in her inbox. She had barely noticed him, which was quite a feat since he was over six-feet tall and his deep London-dialect laced voice boomed often in the office.
“The Sinclairs need something,” Anna said, leaning back on her high-back chair.
Keith’s dark skin crinkled at his eyes as he tried to force a surprised look. He knew as well as Anna that they owed half of their income to the reputation they got from indulging the Sinclairs. Now that the Sinclairs were in bed with the Montgomery-Wests, it meant more money, but also longer hours and more favors.
“So, what can we do for them?” Keith asked with a sheepish grin.
He sat across from Anna as she turned her flat screen computer monitor towards him.
“Who’s Aiden?” Keith asked, putting his black-framed, designer eyeglasses on his face.
“He’s a Sinclair,” Anna said with a crooked smile.
“Oh really? Isn’t he that party boy—the party boy?”
“One and the same. He wants a favor.”
“They don’t usually ask us directly though. They have like fifty assistants. I don’t think they’ve lifted a bloody finger in their lives. Why is reaching out to you directly?”
“Probably because he doesn’t want dear old daddy to know.”
“Perhaps we should stay out of rich peoples’ drama, hmm?”
Anna tented her fingers over her mouth, staring at a painting on her office wall.
“Anna? I don’t care much for that look on your face. We should not get involved with Sinclair business without information coming directly from the mouth of Mr. Sinclair.”
“This is Mr. Sinclair.”
“No, this is a Sinclair. Big difference. If he wants to hire us without his father knowing, then he is up to something reckless.”
“He wants to meet us.”
“We’re busy.”
“We’re always busy. Aren’t you curious?”
Keith pulled off his glasses and pursed his lips. Anna grinned back at him. She had such an appetite for adventure that she leapt at any chance to venture outside of her office. It was why she and Keith made such a good pair. He was very level-headed and great with numbers, while she was creative, bold and her recklessness, as Keith called it, was what got them on the contact list of some of the wealthiest people in the northeast. She did not take no for an answer.
“Let’s just see what he wants, Keith.”
“Oh, Christ, I hate when you get that look in your eyes.”
Anna jumped up, biting her bottom lip like a child up to mischief.
“Where are you going?”
“To get the architectural plans for the Excalibur. If it was built in the 1980’s we will have a lot of walls to knock down and God the carpet must be horrendous. Can you imagine the furniture?”
“You’re talking like we’ve already agreed to help.”
“Aren’t you the one always telling me to be prepared?”
“Your pretty smile doesn’t work on me, Anna Smith. We are partners, and we make decisions together or do you not recall?”
Anna’s lip set a hardline and her shoulders slumped. Keith was right and she needed to backpedal. Technically, she and he did need to discuss this.
“I think we should hear the little Sinclair out,” Anna said in a low voice like she was trying to calm him down.
“He’s not a little Sinclair. He’s a grown man and a wild party boy. He and his best friend plow through the Hamptons every season. They are notorious. I’ve lost count of how many times their fathers threatened to disinherit them.”
“Sounds interesting. And how do you know so much?”
“I’m a recovering party-boy myself and like you I’m almost thirty and my metabolism just can’t take it anymore,” Keith said, stroking his five o’clock shadow with a bitter expression.
“Oh, right. I forgot about your summers away. You’d come back with blood shot eyes and mean as hell.”
“Yea, well, that’s all behind me, thank you. All I know is those boys drink so much in one summer that if you lit a match around them in August, they would catch on fire.”
“Since when has an alcoholic client stopped us from cashing a check?”
“It hasn’t. Just tread cautiously.”
“We both will.”
“What?”
“I already emailed Aiden and told him that I—”
Keith raised an eyebrow at her, causing Anna to stop short.
“I meant ‘we’”
“Oh? What will we be doing with those lot?”
“Meeting them for a dinner meeting.”
Keith, rubbing his forehead, offered a curt nod, clearly not happy.
“This should be fun,” Keith said, letting out a deep sigh.
*****
Aiden woke to the sound of giggling in the hallway of his and Brody’s massive, Park Avenue penthouse. By the sound of it, there were at least two women. Aiden groaned and pulled a silk pillow over his head. The door slammed hard and Aiden jumped. He would have thought that after months of endless women eager for a good time, that Brody would be ready for a sabbatical.
“Shut up, Brody!” Aiden groaned, throwing off his duvet.
This is why he needed the penthouse in the E renovated. Aiden was getting to old for women traipsing out of his penthouse at all hours in the morning. He thought that by now he would be settling down and Brody would be joining. It seemed the closer that they got to thirty, the worse Brody’s partying got. The penthouse was Aiden’s way of keeping his friend, but also his sanity. Perhaps if he could make the E a pillar of New York high society party life, Brody would stay on his own or at least keep the parties several blocks away from where he slept. His father was right, Sinclairs had to man up eventually, but it was impossible with Brody treating their home like a brothel.
“Wake up, Aiden,” Brody said, banging on the heavy, wooden double doors leading to Aiden’s bedroom.
“Go away,” Aiden groaned, looking at his bedside clock.
It was 5:16am.
“I’m bored. They were flight attendants and had to go to Paris or something. Come out, cry baby, and have a drink with me. The night is young!”
“Go to sleep.”
“I have a key, you know. Just come out and have some coffee or something.”
Aiden’s face was mashed into a scowl as he rose from his European king-size bed. He slammed on the wall panel, causing the room to flood with ambient lights. His grey, industrial décor had a slight glow as Aiden’s eyes adjusted. He stormed towards the door, his feet echoing on the dark wooden floor, and flung the door open to see a red-eyed Brody, shirtless with pajama bottoms hanging low on his hips.
“What the hell, man?
” Aiden said, glaring at the tipsy Brody.
“Come on, you’re not sleeping are you? We don’t have to be back at work for another week. A week! I’m trying to have as much fun as possible before my dad nails me to a desk. Come on out, sleepy head. I have half a bottle of Balvenie just dying to be chugged.”
“No one chugs Balvenie,” Aiden said, walking out of the room.
It would be impossible to go back to sleep now. He was riled up and his mind was racing with all the things he had not said to Brody. He hated being dishonest with him, because he saw Brody as a brother, but right now his brother was being an idiot.
“Coffee,” Aiden grunted, putting on a stainless steel kettle and glass French press.
Brody shrugged noncommittally and pulled out a stool at the massive kitchen island.
Even as Brody shifted in the stool, Aiden could smell the alcohol fumes oozing out of his pores.
“Here,” Aiden grunted, sliding the ceramic mug of black coffee across the granite countertop.
“Yummy,” Brody said, slurping the coffee.
Aiden had made it strong by the tight-faced scowl on Brody’s face.
“Feel better?”
“Define better. Why are you so pissed?”
“I’m sorry would you be happy to hear random women shrieking in the hallway?”
Brody scoffed and drained his mug.
“Brody, we’re meeting the decorator tonight. She’s more of a property adviser. Dad uses her all the time. I don’t want to be exhausted or have you stinking of old whisky in the meeting.”
“Since when do you care if some decorator woman knows what we do?”
“I don’t. I just think we should be professional.”
“We’re rich. We can be whatever we want. And for the record, one of those girls wanted you, but you fell asleep like some old man.”
“We are getting older!” Aiden said, hearing his voice boom through the palatial penthouse.
You could hear a pin drop. Brody looked up at Aiden with a dead sober expression. Aiden knew that this is all Brody acting out because youth is fleeting, sex is fleeting, and every day he was getting closer and closer to being Mr. Broderick Montgomery-West head of Montgomery-West Real Estate instead of Brody the billionaire party boy. And this terrified him.
“I’m going to bed,” Brody said, hopping out of the leather stool.
“Oh, now you want to go to bed?” Aiden said, scoffing.
“Look, I don’t know what the hell got into you, but if I wanted lectures I would have stayed under my dad’s roof, man.”
Aiden threw his head back in frustration as Brody marched down the hallway in silence toward his room. Perhaps Aiden should just take care of everything himself. Perhaps he should just blindside Brody like his father blindsided his last two ex-wives with divorce papers.
The thought of divorce papers sent Aiden’s mind reeling. Papers. The Mongomery-Wests and Sinclairs had taken their decades long friendship from shared Christmases and family vacations to something more—professional. Major deals were in the works to unite both companies. Even though Mr. Montgomery-West thought Brody was an idiot, he still loved his idiot son. If Brody became angry with Aiden—no, Aiden could not let his mind go there. Brody was very sensitive and even though he advertised a laisse-faire attitude, when his feelings were hurt he could be spiteful. Aiden’s father would never forgive Aiden if the merger fell through because two men, possibly facing the end of their party eras, could not hold a serious conversation sober.
*****
Anna sat under the ambient light of the EastBlack restaurant’s best table. Soft jazz music bathed the restaurant in a rich sound that complimented the chandelier-laden room. The only thing richer than the deep cream room with its elegant square tables were the people eating eight-course gourmet meals. Senators, celebrities, heiresses all being served by waiters in tailored black and white suits.
“They’re late,” Keith grumbled, pulling his dress shirt sleeve back to stare accusingly at his gold watch.
Anna jumped, stopping her study of the room. Sure enough she and Keith were sitting across from two empty plush, white leather chairs.
“I know,” Anna said, sitting up straight.
“Then can I at least order my food since the plan is clearly to waste our precious time?”
“Wait—is that them?”
Anna stared ahead at two tall very handsome men. Both very different yet very striking in his own way. One was blond, lean with a wicked smile. He was flirting with waitresses even as he approached the table. The one with darker hair, who she figured was Aiden Sinclair, smiled at her and nodded a greeting. Women at nearly every table turned their heads to look at the broad-shoulder force of nature striding towards her. He was very much at ease as he unbuttoned his navy sports coat and pulled out a chair.
“I’m sorry for making you wait, Ms. Smith, Mr. Gulson,” Aiden said, extending his hand.
Anna took it and shook it firmly. Her cheeks felt hot and in this moment she hated her porcelain skin. Keith cleared his throat and drummed his fingers on the linen tablecloth as Brody sat.
“Mr. Sinclair, Mr. Montgomery-West,” Keith said with a thin-lipped smile, “I see our time does not mean as much to you both as it does to your fathers.”
Brody froze, seeming shocked by Keith’s rudeness and Anna forced a smile. Keith stared at them, face hardened and Anna could tell he was not having it.
“That was my fault,” Brody said with a sheepish grin.
“Oh, taking responsibility are we? How refreshing,” Keith said, raising his hand stiffly to signal a red-headed waitress.
“So, what can we do for you?” Anna said, stealing a quick glance at Keith.
Aiden smiled at her wickedly, seeming to appraise her, but he did not answer. Anna felt a tightness form in her groin as she met Aiden’s dark eyes.
“I believe my partner asked a question,” Keith said, looking up from the wine list over his dark frames.
“Are you usually so rude to your clients?” Brody asked with a scoff.
“You are not our clients,” Keith said, handing the waitress the wine list after ordering a bottle of Bordeaux.
“My father—” Brody said, raising his eyebrows, but Keith held up his large dark hands, silencing him.
“Your fathers are our clients. Why are you two here and not your fathers’ assistants?” Keith asked, tenting his fingers at his lips.
Anna blanched at Keith’s directness. He was usually like this but he seemed more irritated than usual. Keith’s respect for promptness was legendary and he was dictatorial with the management of their business, but it was Anna’s creative eye that added a certain flare to all of their projects. In her gut, she knew Keith was right, but she was so curious. Anna loved a good adventure and this, whatever this proposal was, was going to be good. It also helped that both of the legendary bad boys were absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous.
“What my friend means to say is, we respect our clients and we would hope that our clients would return the same curtesy,” Anna said, aiming for an impassive expression.
“Understood,” Aiden said, looking sheepish.
“So? Now that the formalities are taken care of. What is this about?” Keith asked.
“We have a project,” Aiden said, clearing his throat, and casting a casual glance around the restaurant, “My father is giving me the E—Excalibur.”
Anna cast a glance at Keith who was taking turns staring at Brody and Aiden with his eyebrows tightly knit together.
“That building is derelict,” Keith said flatly.
“That seems a bit harsh,” Brody said with a snicker, taking a sip from the wine that had been poured a few seconds earlier.
“We don’t have the availability to work an entire building,” Anna said askance.
“We don’t need the whole building,” Aiden said, smirking at her, his eyes darkening.
“Do tell,” Keith said, sitting up straight.
“T
he penthouse is all we want,” Aiden said, shrugging nonchalantly.
“Is the building up to code?” Anna asked, pulling out her navy notebook.
“Yes, it’s my father’s pride and joy. He kept all of the paperwork up to scratch,” Aiden said, nodding with certainty.
“We would need to see it, the paperwork, of course,” Keith said, offering a small smile.
“I will have my assistant send it over,” Aiden said, seeming to puff his chest out.
There seemed to be a standoff of testosterone between Keith and Aiden. Anna cleared her throat, trying to cut into the tense mood.
“What will be the purpose of the penthouse?” Anna asked.
“Partying,” Brody said with a toothy smile.
“Shocker. I suppose Anna and I would need to review our calendars,” Keith said, pulling his napkin from his lap and dropping it on the table.
It was clear to Anna that Keith had no intention of ordering a meal.
“Is that it then?” Brody asked.
Keith rose to his feet and Anna followed.
“We will be in touch,” Anna said, shaking Aiden’s hand and then Brody’s. Brody winked at her making her throat go dry.
“I was hoping we could have dinner together, but I understand we were late and your time is precious,” Aiden said, staring at Anna.
“Another time then,” Anna said.
And with a quick nod, Anna and Keith turned and left. Anna cautioned a quick look back to see Aiden and Brody were both staring at her.
“Over my dead body,” Keith said, holding the door open for Anna.
*****
Anna paced the plush, carpeted floors of her Upper West Side loft. Cars beeped their horns below but the noisy neighborhood scarce bothered her now. Her mind was filled with thoughts of two very different but very handsome men. Just the thought of how Aiden looked her up and down as she was walking away left an uncomfortable wetness between her legs.
Keith, however, was resolute in his no. What had Anna pacing was that Keith was not here. It was the weekend, days since the dinner meeting, and Keith was spending the weekend the way he usually did - with his sister in Rochester. Anna had all but given up on convincing Keith to change his mind. What she had not told Keith was that she had received another email from Aiden to meet her for dinner—again. Anna jumped hearing some crashing noise down below and then let out a deep sigh when she realized it was just a cab driver rear-ending a town car. No one seemed hurt but the drivers were screaming and shoving each other in true New York fashion. Anna smiled and shook her head at the spectacle developing four stories below. In the back pocket of her jeans, her phone vibrated wildly. She looked at her phone and saw a curious area code: Connecticut.
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