Wicked Surrender (Hollis Brothers Book 3)

by Linda Verji

  Her friends traded looks as if they both knew she was trying to change the topic. Instead of taking London’s cue, Misha reached across the counter to take hold of London’s hand. “I’m sorry.”

  “You don’t have anything to be sor-” London choked on the words. She tried to smile, tried to push the rest of the words out but instead, the worst thing happened. She started crying.

  In an instant both her friends were at her side, hugging her. Anguished sobs wracked her body as all her hurt feelings rushed out. It almost felt as if they were drowning her, killing her.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” London sniffed against Shakira’s shoulder. “It wasn’t like I didn’t know that we weren’t in a real relationship. We were just supposed to be having fun. I’m so stupid.”

  “You’re not stupid.” Misha rubbed her back. “Being in love with him isn’t wrong. What’s wrong is him not noticing what he has.”

  “I should give him a piece of my mind,” Shakira said, her voice ringing with anger.

  “No. No.” London lifted her head to glance at her friend. “He didn’t deceive me. I’m the one who started asking for feelings that were never on the table. Besides, the last thing I want to do is start something between you and Zeke. He’s your brother-in-law. I don’t want you getting involved.”

  “Just one talk, London,” Shakira insisted. “One talk. I won’t even-”

  “No.” London shook her head vigorously. “Don’t you dare confront him, Kira.” She whipped her head towards Misha. “And you too. I don’t want either of you going to Zeke with this. This is between he and I. You got it?”

  Both women just stared at her.

  “You got it?” she insisted more forcefully.

  “Yeesh. Fine.” Shakira lifted her hands in surrender.

  “Okay, mama. We won’t say anything,” Misha agreed before she burst into sudden laughter. “I didn’t know that you had so much bass in that little body of yours.”

  That drew a reluctant chuckle from London. “That’s because you’ve never been on my wrong side. You should’ve seen me using it on Zeke yesterday.”

  Shakira grinned. “Did he shake in his boots?”

  “Almost.” London described everything that had gone down the previous night to her friends. By the time she was done both her friends were laughing.

  “Oooh chil’, you went in.” Misha whistled. “Now I feel bad for Zeke.”

  “Don’t feel bad for him.” London pouted as she bumped her friend’s shoulder. “He broke my heart.”

  “Ain’t that the truth,” Shakira agreed. Her eyes lit up suddenly, “You know what? Go pack your bags.”

  “Pack my bags for what?” London asked even as Shakira pulled her to her feet.

  “You’re coming to stay with me,” Shakira said. “You shouldn’t be alone right now. I’ve got the guestroom all ready for you, and lots and lots of ice-cream in my fridge. By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be over that bastard.”

  “Hey. Hey. Hey.” Misha tugged at London’s other arm. Given that she was almost a foot taller than London and more voluptuous, her tug was more like a yank and London went sprawling into her. “I got ice-cream too. And I have a guest house.”

  “You’re not slick, lady!” Shakira kissed her teeth as she pulled at London’s arm. “You just want her at your place because your house looks like a hurricane went through it and you’re hoping that she’s still in a cleaning mood.”

  “What?” Misha’s eyes widened in faux shock. “I would never turn a hurting-friend into my maid. But if London wants to ease her heartbreak with cleaning therapy, it’s not my place to stop her.”

  “Mm hmm. Cleaning therapy,” Shakira snorted even as her eyes danced with amusement.

  “Ladies. Ladies. You don’t have to fight over me.” London pulled her arms from both women and started towards of the door. “Either of you can have me.” She paused to throw them both a wide-toothed grin. “As long as you offer me the right price.”

  “Is she trying to make us bid for her?” Shakira traded a shocked look with Misha.

  “I think she is,” Misha said. “The little bitch.”

  “I’m waiting for the bids. Offers for a fully funded shopping trip will be accepted.” London threw over her shoulders as she exited the kitchen. “And don’t even think you can withdraw the initial offers. No backsies.”

  “I don’t want you in my house,” Shakira yelled at her anyway.

  “No backsies,” London yelled back. She stopped at Amani’s door, knocked then thrust her head around the door. Her two housemates were both in there, seemingly busy at Amani’s computer. London said, “Hey, guys. I’m heading out with Shakira and London. You might want to sort out the kitchen. It’s kind of soapy and I know how you guys looove to clean.”

  “What?” Amani and Farah’s protests followed her out of the room. “Looondon. Looondon. Come back here.”

  Grinning widely, London headed to her room to pack up. Suddenly life didn’t seem so bad.

  A GRAY CURTAIN seemed to have descended over his life. London had spilled in like a bright ray of sunshine into the gloomy room that was his life, and now that she’d walked out of it the murky drapes were firmly back in place.

  “Mira, are the reports from South Africa in yet?” he spoke into the intercom, his voice almost as numb as his emotions.

  “Not yet, Mr. Hollis,” his assistant said.

  “Let me know when they get in.”

  “Um, sir… uh!” Mira paused.

  “Something you want to say, Mira?” he asked.

  “Uh… sir, it’s already eight p.m.,” Mira stumbled over her words.

  “It is.” He turned his wrist and glanced at his watch only to find that it was indeed several minutes past eight. He hadn’t even noticed how time had flown. But just as that realization struck so did another. Mira was still here. No wonder she was stuttering. “Mira, you can go home”

  “But Mr. Hollis, you’re still here,” she protested.

  “Don’t worry about me.” Zeke shifted some files on his desk then ordered, “Just print out the reports from Malaysia for me then call Phuong. Tell him I said he should take you home.”

  “Okay.” Her relief was palpable over the phone. “Thank you, sir.”

  Thirty minutes later, Zeke was all alone in the building save for the cleaners and security. He didn’t need a therapist to tell him that he was depressed or that he was trying, quite unsuccessfully, to use work to cure an incurable disease. No, he knew it damn well! But what was he supposed to do? Pine over London? He was already doing enough of that every night when he slept.

  Besides that, staying in the office was a good way to avoid seeing her. Contrary to his expectations that the Xin Monsters would quit Landa-Heron because they were now recording artists, they’d kept on performing every evening. Which meant that London was at the hotel right now. There was no way he could go there and risk meeting her in the lobby because he already knew what would happen. She’d ignore him. And that would hurt even worse than the parting words she’d left him with. No, he was already hurting enough. He didn’t need the additional pain.

  He was still deep in paperwork when hours later the landline rang. The moment he picked up the security guard said, “Sir, your brother, Nathan is down here.”

  Nathan? He tilted his wrist to check his watch. Eleven eighteen. What was his brother doing here at this time of the night? His brow furrowed in confusing, he said, “Send him up?” A couple of minutes later there was a knock on his door. “Come in.”

  The door swung open and Nathan emerged. “So this where you’re hiding?”

  “I’m not hiding. I’m working.” Zeke looked up from his paperwork. Judging from the suit he was wearing it seemed that Nathan had also just come from work. “Isn’t it too late for you to be out and about?”

  “I don’t have a curfew.” Nathan crossed the room to sprawl onto the seat across Zeke. “So this is your plan?”

&n
bsp; “My plan?”

  Nathan studied him keenly. “To avoid London.”

  Shock rippled through Zeke. How did his brother know about London? Or was he just fishing? Maintaining his cool façade, he said, “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re not fooling me.” Nathan wagged his finger. “You know damn well what I’m talking about.”

  Zeke was quiet for a moment then he said, “She told you guys.”

  “She told Shakira,” Nathan confirmed. “What did you expect? They’re best-friends.”

  Zeke sighed. “If you’re here to white-knight for her, or whatever, I’m not in the moo-”

  “I’m not white-knighting for her,” his brother cut him off. “I’m white-knighting for you.”

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  “It means I’m looking out for you.” Nathan watched him. “You told her you don’t have feelings for her but we both know you were lying.”

  Zeke didn’t even bother telling his brother that that wasn’t even what he’d told London. Instead he said, “Nathan, this doesn’t concern you.”

  “Yes, it does. I’m your brother and everything about you concerns me.” Nathan sat forward in his seat. “You love this woman, Zeke. And judging by how miserable she’s been this last week, it’s obvious that she feels the same way about you? So why are you letting her go?”

  I don’t love her, Zeke wanted to say. Yet his heart wouldn’t let him utter the lie. So instead he said, “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Try me.”

  Steepling his fingers over his mouth, Zeke said, “You wouldn’t understand because you don’t have the future of this family resting on your shoulders. I don’t have the luxury of walking away from it like you did. I can’t. I make even one wrong move and our whole family goes down. Whether I love her or not, the fact is that London is a wrong move. I can’t afford to love her.”

  “So you’re doing this for the family?” Nathan sat back in his seat. When Zeke nodded curtly, he chuckled. “You make us sound like the mafia.”

  “We might as well be,” Zeke agreed, a reluctant smile tilting his lips. “And mother is the Don.”

  Nathan thought on that for a moment. “You say you’re doing this for the family. But who exactly is this family?”

  “Mother, You and Danny of course.”

  “You think either Danny or I want you giving up the woman you love for us?” Nathan’s eyebrows shot up. “I don’t care about any Landa-Hollis legacy. I can build my legacy myself, thank you very much. And I can certainly do it without my brother sacrificing his happiness for me. I bet if I ask Danny he’ll say the same thing.”

  Zeke sighed. “And your point is?”

  “My point is that you’re not doing this for us.” Nathan sat back in his seat, his eyes firmly fixed on his brother. “Which leaves only Mother. Are you doing this for her?”

  “No,” Zeke denied. But the truth rang in his mind. Yes.

  “That woman has you twisted in all the wrong ways.” Nathan shook his head, his mouth screwed in distaste. “If she cared so much about the legacy why did she get married - how many times? Three times?”

  “Four times,” Zeke corrected quietly.

  “Four times.” Nathan continued, “Apart from Dad, the other three were all her choice - men she wanted to marry. She only cared about the legacy when Grandpa was alive. The moment the old man kicked the bucket she was off Vegasing with anyone she wanted, not giving a damn about this esteemed legacy of theirs. And now she has the balls to do the same thing Grandpa did to her to you? Bullshit!” His piercing gaze cut into Zeke, “Get this straight, Zeke. This legacy stuff she’s selling you? All bullshit. All she really cares about is having you under her thumb. Getting you to do exactly what she wants. And you’re playing right into her hands.”

  “You don’t get it,” Zeke defended himself. “This has nothing to do with Mother. It has everything to do with the people watching us. Those same people who can make our stock prices plummet because I said the wrong thing about the newest political movement. Those people who’d stop coming to our hotels because I am dating a woman who has no problems being a phone-sex operator.”

  He took a breath before continuing, “You say I’m not doing this for you and Danny but I really am. If I make a wrong move, you might find your sponsors at Extreme Expressions walking out on you because you’re related to me. And Danny’s in an even worse position because Creative Urban’s part of Landa-Hollis Investments so he’s directly affected by any changes to our bottom line. Then there’s everyone who works for us, who depends on us for our livelihoods…” He shook his head. “No, I can’t. You’ve worked too hard to be where you are. And it’s my job to protect you.”

  “No, it’s not,” Nathan refuted quietly. “You’re our brother, Zeke. Not our father. And even if you were, we’re grown men completely capable of taking care of ourselves and our families without you sacrificing yourself - as is everyone else who works for you. They’re responsible for their own families. It’s not your responsibility to put food on everyone’s table. You’re not even capable of it, and no one expects you to be. So get off that cross because no one wants you on it. If you don’t want to be with London - fine! But don’t use us as your excuse.”

  Nathan’s words sank into Zeke’s psyche. Was it possible? For so long, he’d known exactly who he was and what his role in their family was. He’d spent his whole life meeting their expectations, taking care of them, protecting them. Could he forget it all? Let it all go so he could be happy? No. No. He couldn’t. He couldn’t just ‘get off the cross’ because his mind kept on playing the faces of everyone who depended on him. It was too selfish.

  “No one’s going to blame for being selfish for once,” Nathan said as if he could read Zeke’s mind, further adding to the confusion circling within Zeke’s thoughts.

  Seeking some respite from the confusion, Zeke changed the subject. “Have they started recording?”

  “Have who started recording?”

  Zeke shot him a narrow-eyed look because he was sure his brother knew exactly who he was talking about.

  Nathan chuckled. “Yes, they’ve started recording. Vicker’s even given them an advance for their album.”

  Zeke was silent for a moment then confessed, “Mother was the one who organized it all.”

  “What?” Nathan’s surprise reverberated through the whole room as he stared at Zeke. “Are you sure?”

  Zeke nodded. “She confirmed it.”

  “You need to tell London.”

  “But what if she refuses the offer because of its origin?”

  “Then good for her.” Nathan leaned forward. “Zeke, you know as well as I do that nothing, nothing Mother ever offers is for free. Eventually she comes to collect.”

  “She won’t,” Zeke reassured. “As long as I keep away from London.”

  “Don’t be an idiot.” Nathan leveled a narrow-eyed gaze at him. “You really think Mother will be okay with London getting famous or rich without knowing who’s really behind it? And even if she manages to resist the temptation to gloat, who’s to say she won’t try something underhanded to hold back London’s career growth. She’s already got Vicker in her pocket who’s to say she won’t use him again.”

  His brother was right! Zeke couldn’t believe he hadn’t even thought so far. Usually he could predict his mother’s moves, but lately he’d been deplorably off his game. Not to have seen this coming was plain stupid. “I need to tell London.”

  Nathan shot him a sour look. “Didn’t I just say that?”

  CHAPTER 24

  The next morning, Zeke rang Nathan and Shakira’s doorbell. At first there was no answer so, feeling antsy - antsier than he’d expected, he rang the doorbell again.

  “Coming.” He heard Shakira call from the inside. Hardly minute later, the door swung open. His sister-in-law glared at him. “She doesn’t want to see you.”

  “Not even a hello, Kira?” he asked. All he
got was a raised eyebrow. He supposed he should’ve expected it. London and Shakira were notoriously loyal to each other. As he recalled, London had made Nathan’s life a living hell when he’d messed up with Shakira. Running a hand over his hair, he said tiredly, “This is important.”

  Shakira started, “If you’re here to hurt her again-”

  “Kira, who’s at the d-” London came to a screeching halt when she spotted him. The silence that descended over the room was so sharp it could have cut through a rock. Her shock and anger pulsed in the room as did the hatred with which she stared at him for that long moment. As suddenly as she’d swept in, she swept out of the living-room, heading back in the direction she’d emerged.

  “This is important,” Zeke repeated to Shakira before he skirted by her then followed London. He found her in the guestroom seated on the bed. The moment he emerged through the open door, her gaze snapped towards him.

  “Please get out,” she bit out, her eyes shooting fierce sparks of angry at him.

  “We need to talk.” He closed the door behind him.

  “We said everything that needed to be said,” she countered. “You and I-”

  “This isn’t about you and I,” he cut in as he crossed the room to settle on the settee directly opposite her. “This is about my mother.”

  Her face creased in obvious confusion. “Your mother?”

  “My mother-” He paused before adding. “- and your contract with Vicker.”

  “What would your mother have to do with my contract with Vi-” Her voice trailed off as her eyes lit up in sudden thoughtfulness. Zeke saw the moment the truth hit her, the moment she understood exactly what he was trying to say. She opened her mouth then closed it.

  “She’s the one who sent Vicker,” Zeke stated what they both now knew. “I’m sorry.”

  An awful silence settled into the room and it lasted for several minutes, each minute of which Zeke’s guilt grew. There was no denying that he was the cause of everything London was going through.