Playing the Player: Falling for Best friend's sister. (The Hartford Brothers Book 2)

by JA Low

  “I’m done with her. You girls can be friends with her, but I’m done,” Audrey says.

  “I’m Team Audrey,” Rainn adds.

  “I agree what Dior has done is messed up. I’m not sure if I can be friends with her either.”

  “Are the comments bad?” Audrey asks cautiously.

  “Most of them are Team Audrey,” I tell her.

  “And of course, there is that one percent who are trolls,” Rainn adds. “But you know to ignore them.”

  “Why did they do this to me? Why hurt me like that? I’m a joke now.”

  “Audrey, no. You are not a joke. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Nothing,” Rainn tries to reassure her.

  “But it’s bad, isn’t it? The entire thing has gone viral, hasn’t it? I can’t stay here in New York. I just can’t,” Audrey says, panicked.

  “We can go upstate to my family’s farm or down to Florida,” I suggest.

  “What about Bali? We can go to my family’s home there. Get massages. Zen out,” Rainn adds.

  “They all sound great guys, but I think I want to go to London and see my brother.”

  “Yes. I’m in for London.”

  “Me too,” Rainn agrees.

  “You girls sure?”

  “Yes,” we both say in unison.

  “I can’t thank you both enough.”

  “We’ve got you, babe,” Rainn reassures Audrey.

  32

  Remi

  “Morning ladies,” Stirling calls out to the girls who are milling around waiting to board the private plane. They all turn and give my brother bright smiles; they all look excited to be jetting off to London. Wonder if Nell is going to be excited to see me. Probably not. The dynamic between us has changed, not that I’m complaining, but she is literally using me like I’m a walking, talking live dildo. Again, not that I’m complaining, I’ll take Nell any which way she wants me.

  “Oh shit.” I hear Nell’s voice. Watching her reaction to seeing me join her girls’ trip makes me smile. Her face falls, her brow crumples, and those doe eyes glare angrily at me. “What the hell is he doing here?” Nell asks through gritted teeth.

  “Have no idea,” Audrey tells her. A panicked look falls across the blue eyes as she looks between Nell and me.

  “What are you doing here?” Nell comes right out and asks me.

  “Couldn’t miss coming to London with you ladies,” I tell them, pulling down my aviator glasses and sending a wink Nell’s way, which I know annoys the hell out of her. Gosh, she is so easy to annoy. I love it, it gets my dick hard.

  “Remi’s got some event to go to in London and asked if he could hitch a ride when he found out we were going,” Stirling explains to them. Thanks, bro, for having my back.

  “More the merrier,” Audrey says, smiling back at Stirling. Aw, it’s cute the crush she has on my brother. I know he’s not unaffected by her, the girl is gorgeous, he’s not blind, but I also know he is loyal to a fault, and his best friend and business partner Rhys is Audrey’s older and overprotective brother. Guess he’s just going to keep checking her out from afar like he’s always done.

  “I knew I liked you,” I tell Audrey. As I sling my arm around her shoulders, my brother delivers me a scowl and I sure as hell know Nell is sending daggers into my back. I can almost feel them. “Heard what happened with your boyfriend,” I tell Audrey as we make our way to the private plane. Was a dick move. Also, I can’t believe he did it with Dior too. I had my run in with that girl. Yeah, she’s hot but plastic. But to do that to this gorgeous little creature beside me who is such a wonderful soul is disgusting. “You could do so much better,” I tell her, honestly. I’m not blowing smoke up her ass.

  “Thanks.” She sighs softly.

  “You know who’s a good guy? My brother,” I add. She stiffens slightly underneath my touch, but I let her go to bound up the stairs to the plane, being my charming self to the crew before taking my seat.

  The girls settle into their flight, taking the mandatory selfies before we take off. Once everyone’s settled in, it’s time to take off. It’s a smooth assent into the air and moments later the crew are handing us refreshments for the journey.

  “Don’t think Nell was happy to see you?” Stirling states.

  “She never is.” I chuckle, taking a sip of my whiskey. Hey, it’s five o’clock somewhere. “So, Audrey’s single again.” I grin, placing that little seed in his head that at least one of us should get the girl.

  “I know. What a dickhead. Rhys and I were ready to fly to Bora Bora and kick his ass for what he did to her,” my brother answers angrily.

  My eyes narrow on him. “Just to help Rhys out? No other reason?”

  Stirling looks appalled by my question. “She’s like a little sister to me.”

  “Please, Audrey is a smoke show. There are no little sister vibes there whatsoever. But I get it; you have to tell yourself whatever you need to, to get through hanging out with her.”

  “It’s not like that and you know it,” he argues.

  I grin. “You’ve always gotten along. And now Rhys isn’t here, you can hang out.”

  “We’re friends, just like you and Nell.”

  I burst out laughing. “Nell and I are not friends. She tolerates me because of her family.”

  “And what about you? Do you tolerate her because of her family?” Stirling asks.

  “I tolerate her because she’s hot.”

  “You’re a dick. No wonder she can’t stand you.” My brother punches me in the arm. Yeah, I kind of deserved that.

  “Look, Nell’s upset because I am the one that continues to rock her world and not Miles, the brother she wants.” I shrug my shoulders and try to stop the stress tick in my eye. They seem to always bump into each other around town. Manhattan is huge; it’s statistically impossible for them to keep accidentally running into each other.

  “Are you insane? You know, messing with the boss’s daughter is a huge problem. How long has this been going on? What the hell are you thinking? You could lose everything you have worked for if he finds out,” Stirling whisper yells at me angrily.

  “You don’t know anything about us.” I point my finger at him, and that’s my fault, I don’t run to my brothers to tell them every little thing that happens in my life. “There’s a long history there. She isn’t even interested in me, anyway. Not when Saint Miles is around. I don’t understand what she sees in Miles, anyway?”

  “Maybe because he’s a successful doctor, and you’re a polo playing playboy?” my brother answers with a chuckle.

  “You’re a dick, you know that?” I say, glaring at him. “Miles isn’t interested in her.”

  “Maybe not. But why are you interested in her? And do not say it’s because it’s just a little fun.”

  “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Try me, Rem.”

  So, I tell him. I tell him about the fucked-up relationship Nell and I have created for each other.

  My story must have bored him because not long after it, my brother falls asleep. Dick.

  “More shots!” Rainn calls out to the crew.

  “And turn the music up,” Nell adds.

  At what point did the girls go from selfie taking to instant nightclub? I swear I closed my eyes for five minutes and I woke up to girls gone wild. Not that I’m complaining.

  “Fuck men!” Audrey screams as she knocks back a shot.

  Now I see what’s going on. Revenge.

  “Yeah, fuck men!” Nell screams, raising her shot glass high in the air, and when she throws it back her brown eyes land on me. Okay, sweetheart, I get the point. But do not put me in the same category as Dior and David; what they did is fucked up. I’m just stupid. I leave the girls to do their thing because they are trying to help their friend get over her heartbreak. I play on my phone and try to ignore the commotion beside me.

  Stirling wakes up in a daze and takes a couple of moments to focus on the chaos that is happening. He rubs his
eyes again as he stares in confusion at the girls.

  “You woke up just in time.” I turn to him and grin. “Maybe I should have brought some dollar bills with me.” He elbows me for that comment.

  “How long have they been going at it?”

  “Started off as a couple of glasses of champagne. Then Audrey asked for shots, and now here we are. Do you think I should ask Nell for a lap dance?” I joke.

  “Once you put on a parachute because she will push you out of this plane if you do,” Stirling tells me. He’s not wrong. “Do you think we should stop them?”

  “Are you fucking insane?” This is better than porn. “Stirling, they are grown ass adults. If they want to bump and grind on each other, it’s their prerogative to do so. They are letting off some steam.” My brother just frowns as he looks over at the girls.

  “I’m going to go freshen up,” Stirling tells me. Probably a good idea; he looks like he might have an aneurism.

  “Remi, come join us?” Audrey calls out to me. I look over to where Nell is seated and the fire that is burning in her eyes at me tells me I’m the last person she wants to come sit with them.

  “Sure thing,” I say, sending a wink in Nell’s direction, who shakes her head at me.

  “We’re playing truth or dare,” Audrey adds. Oh, this sounds like fun. “It’s your turn,” Audrey informs me. “Truth or dare?” she slurs. Wow, okay, we’ve reached this point of the night it’s probably all downhill from here.

  “Truth.”

  Audrey’s eyes widen, surprised at my choice. I watch as the wheels begin to turn in her head as she tries to come up with a good question. “Oh, I’ve got it. Do you still love Nell?”

  “Aud,” Nell yells at her friend, who’s two sheets to the wind, and doesn’t notice.

  “Yeah, Remi. Do you?” Rainn asks, elbowing me in the side. I look over at Nell, who looks like she wishes the ground would swallow her up.

  “She was my first love. That love never dies,” I tell them all honestly.

  “Aw. Remi, that’s sweet. See, you can be sweet, you don’t need to be a dick all the time,” Audrey mumbles before taking a swig of champagne from the bottle. “Stirling!” Audrey squeals seeing my brother walk back from the bathrooms. “We’re playing truth or dare. It’s your turn.”

  “I’m okay. You guys play it amongst yourselves,” Stirling tells her. I know my brother is feeling uncomfortable, but he could at least take the stick out of his ass for a couple of minutes. Audrey’s face falls at my brother’s rejection and today of all days, he needed to give her one little thing.

  “Stirling’s no fun. But I am,” I say, turning their attention back to me. Don’t worry, ladies, I can pick up the slack.

  “I’ve got emails to catch up on,” Stirling adds, shaking his phone in the air. He’s such a moron.

  We continue with our games, ignoring my brother and I try to catch up to their level of drunkenness.

  “I dare you to give Nell a lap dance,” Rainn points at me. Oh, hell yeah, thank you, Rainn. You’re my girl.

  “Ewww. No,” Nell squeals while crinkling up her face.

  “She’s worried she’s going to like it,” I tell the girls.

  “Doubt it.” Nell rolls her eyes at me.

  Rainn fiddles with her phone and next thing you know, the Magic Mike anthem “Pony” starts blaring throughout the plane. I jump up and gyrate and shake my ass against all three girls, making them squeal and laugh.

  “Go Remi, go Remi!” The girls chant. If you insist, I think as I rip open my shirt and swing it in the air above my head. I throw my shirt into Nell’s face, which makes her laugh. Audrey and Rainn are clapping and screaming for me to keep going, so I do. I jump into Nell’s lap and begin rolling my crotch all over her. That she is laughing and smiling makes me so happy. I turn around and wave my ass in her face and she gives me a couple of slaps across the ass. I know I shouldn’t be turned on, but oh boy I am. Unfortunately, the song doesn’t last long, but it’s long enough for me to bend down and plant a kiss on Nell’s lips when she least expects it, which makes her friends holler even louder.

  “Now it’s his turn.” I point in my brother’s direction.

  “No. No. No,” he stammers.

  “Audrey, give that man a lap dance!” Rainn screams out. My brother is going to kill me for this. And I can see he is protesting, but Audrey isn’t taking no for an answer and gives my brother a lap dance. I can see it on his face, he is loving it but is also freaking out because he is loving it.

  “I think that’s enough, don’t you?” my brother says, shutting Audrey down halfway through the dance. The entire plane falls silent and then Audrey runs to the toilets in tears. The girls follow her.

  “You’re a real jerk sometimes,” I tell him.

  “How am I the bad guy here?”

  “She was just blowing off some steam, that’s all. You’re an uptight asshole, aren’t you?” I take a seat next to him. Buzzkill.

  “Rhys would kill me if he found out.”

  “Fuck Rhys. This was nothing but a bit of fun. It’s not like you’re fucking her in front of everyone,” I yell at my brother. We both sit there in silence, seething, but I notice a twitch on my brother’s face. Oh shit. “Unless you want to fuck her?”

  “What? No. And keep your fucking voice down, would you? What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “I see the way you look at Audrey.”

  “I don’t look at her in any way.”

  “Shut up, bullshit. You want her. And it’s getting harder for you to hide it. Well, from your brother anyway.”

  “Nothing will ever happen between Audrey and me. I promised Rhys.”

  “When you were fucking teenagers,” I tell him. I mean, I made the same promise to Dom. Didn’t stick to it in the least.

  “I have too much to lose. I can’t.”

  “Even if she’s worth it?”

  “I won’t ever find out if she is,” my brother tells me sadly.

  “Fair enough.” I understand so I don’t push him anymore and pull out my phone because Stirling will not talk to me anymore about Audrey.

  Eventually the girls come out of the toilets, and they ignore Stirling and me. Hey, I’m not the dick here. Audrey is curled up against Rainn, and they are whispering to each other until Audrey falls asleep. I stretch myself out and head back to the bathrooms to relieve myself after one too many champagnes and to freshen up. There’s a knock on the bathroom door and I open it, but before I realize what is happening the door slams shut again and the lock clicks. Nell’s lips are on mine and she is pushing me up against the plane’s sink. There is more room in this bathroom than a commercial plane, but still, it’s a little cramped. Who cares? Nell’s lips are on mine.

  “What do you need, baby?”

  “Please, just fuck me.”

  33

  Remi

  I’ve been in London for work, my contract with the Garcia Team is coming up for renewal, and some of the best European teams have been headhunting me. I’m a little unsure as I don’t want to jump ship because Nacho Garcia has been a mentor to me all my life, plus there is also the Nell factor. She would probably hate me so much more than she already does.

  “Hey, brother, long time.” Rhys greets me warmly. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him. Stirling takes a seat beside us at the restaurant in silence. I’ve called this meeting with the two of them because I trust their business knowledge and I know I can trust them to keep what I’m going to ask them a secret.

  “What’s with the secretive meeting?” my brother asks me as the server pours water into our glasses.

  “Let’s order first,” I say, looking up uncomfortably at the server lurking around our table. The boys catch my drift and place their orders so we can have some privacy. “Right, so I’m not here in London for a modeling shoot,” I tell them both. The guys nod their heads and let me continue. “I’m being headhunted by some of the richest polo teams in the world,” I explain to th
em.

  “Wow, that is amazing, brother,” Stirling says, slapping me on the back proudly.

  “I know. Thanks. It’s a dream come true, but…” I let out an exhausted breath. “I feel disloyal even having these meetings behind Nacho’s back.”

  “Nacho has done wonders for your career and has been an amazing mentor for you, Rem. But if you don’t think you can progress in your career with his team, then you must consider other options. Nacho will understand this. He has been in this world for a long time,” Stirling suggests to me. I know he’s right. It’s hard.

  “Have there been any offers that are tempting you?” Rhys asks.

  “They are all amazing, offering me everything and anything I want, but something doesn’t feel right,” I confess to them both.

  “Is it because you’re worried about change or something else?” Stirling asks, and I can tell by the way he is looking at me he is asking me if it’s because of Nell. Partly, she is a consideration, but not the whole reason for my hesitation.

  “With Nacho, he is teaching me about so much more other than polo. He is helping me create a career after the game. And I know if I go to another team, all they want from me is to win and make their team the best. They aren’t helping me build connections for after I retire. I mean, I can’t do this sport forever.”

  “That’s really smart thinking, Rem,” Rhys praises me.

  “What do you want after polo?” Stirling questions me.

  “Funnily enough, Dom has been asking me if maybe I might be interested in one day partnering with him to run his family’s business.” He was drunk when he asked me first, but we’ve had many conversations since. “Dom isn’t interested in the polo playing side like his father is, he is more interested in breeding the polo ponies.”