Billionaire Stepbrother: Autumn (Our Forbidden Year Book 2) (3 page)

“But, let me say one thing,” she continues as if she hadn’t left the room, “he’s not worth your tears.” Phoebe points at Lex in the photo and gives me a knowing look. Her warm brown eyes, which had been bright and jolly only a few seconds ago, are now deadly serious.

I gasp. “How? Shit, please, you can’t say anything…” I plead. Oh god, my stomach does a flip like a fish out of water, clinging to its last moments of life.

How could I be so stupid? What if she blabs? It’ll be in the papers, and I’ll be ruined… He’ll be ruined, and then he’ll never want me back.

She smiles, and her warmth returns. “Don’t worry your silly little head, of course I won’t tell anyone. Anyways, you’d be mad not to have at least a small crush on him; he’s drop–dead gorgeous. But he’s your step–brother, right? Totally off–limits now. Such a bummer.”

I force a false laugh, “Ha, yeah, totally off–limits.” So much for being able confide in her.

“I dunno, though. He’s not related by blood. If you had the chance, would you do it?”

“Do what?” I ask trying to keep my voice light.

“Pfft, don’t act coy with me, Missy! You know all too well what I mean. I bet you’ve even fantasised about it!”

Phoebe collapses against the back cushion of the sofa in a heap of hysterics, while I sit rigid, daring not to utter another word.

All of a sudden Phoebe goes quiet then bolts up to her feet.

“No. Fucking. Way.” She tries to make me meet her gaze.

I look away and take a huge gulp from my beer. My cheeks are on fire, betraying me, as I swallow and bow my head trying to hide my guilt.

“Oh, my god. You did, didn’t you? You and your brother did the nasty? You dirty little hussy!” she squeals with delight.

“Step–brother!” I correct her and clamp a hand over my mouth. The cat is truly out of the bag now.

Her giggles overtake her once more. Phoebe flumps back down next to me. My mind races with what to say; what excuse can I give?

“Did he hurt you?” Phoebe is sombre now; the giggles fade away.

“He dumped me,” I reply as the floodgates reopen.

“The bastard.”

You don’t know the half of it, I think.

In between sobs I manage to say “He just left me. And I couldn’t tell anyone about it. Our whole thing, relationship, whatever you want to call it, was secret. No one knows. Except you, now.”

Phoebe pulls me to her and gives me a big hug.

“It’ll be OK,” she hushes.

“No it won’t. I’ll have to see him again… one day.”

“Ah, but by that time you’ll be over him. You’ll have moved on; I’ll make sure of it.”

I don’t want to be over him, though…

Chapter Six

T
he music is so loud I can hardly hear what Phoebe is shouting, but with her overactive gestures and signalling, I get by.

“This place is awesome! Ooh, he’s nice!” Phoebe yells and uses the straw from her drink as a pointing device to single out a muscle–bound guy with his hair gelled back, wearing a white wife–beater shirt.

I wrinkle my nose and shake my head; too high maintenance, I think. He’d be the type to look in the mirror more than me.

Phoebe after hours (minutes) of convincing, made me promise we’d check out the hottest nightclub in London: Club Empire. And with my new name and connections, it had been a piece of cake to get us in the following Friday. She’s determined to make me forget about Lex; she’s made it her mission in life. I’m like her pet project.

“What about him?” she yelled, nodding towards a tall handsome specimen leaning against the bar.

I shrug noncommittally and attempt to hide a smile. Phoebe takes it as a positive sign and drags me towards her prey. I resist playfully, but she’s strong and pulls me along anyway. Might as well indulge her; you never know. It might be more fun to play tonsil–tennis than to wallow over what could’ve been.

We sidle up to the man, and I keep my eyes low and let Phoebe do all the work. God, why do I have to be so shy? It’s like Lex drained all the confidence out of me in four short weeks.

“Do you come here often?” Phoebe asks the guy, and I groan. She giggles and takes a sip of her fluorescent–pink drink.

He turns to us, looks us both over, and his green eyes flash, amused.

“Is that the best you can do?” he says, leaning down towards our ears so we can better hear him.

“Sadly,” she mock sighs, “it’s the best I can do, but my friend Aimee here can do a whole lot more if you let her,” Phoebe waggles her eyebrows and I want to look away. This is worse than worse, so bloody embarrassing.

He chuckles. “I’m Jake. You ladies look thirsty. What can I get you?”

“Oh nothing for me, thanks. I’ve just seen someone I know, erm over there… be right back,” Phoebe says. She trots off and gives me a not so subtle wink.

I shake my head as she leaves and turn back to look at Jake. What do I have to lose? He’s gorgeous, granted not someone I would’ve picked out for myself; he’s too much of a bad boy with his fake leather jacket and stubble to die for.

“What will it be then?” Jake asks, and I briefly look up at him, daring myself to make eye–contact.

“Jack and coke, please” I reply, barely audible.

“My type of gal,” he says smiling. Jake flags down the barman which allows me a chance to study his face. He has a strong side profile and a slightly misshapen nose – a bad boy who knows how to fight but has been hit a few times, too?

He catches me looking at him, and his mouth creases into a smirk. So cute in a knicker–wetting kind of way. The drinks arrive, and he hands me the glass. Our fingertips touch, and I’m surprised to feel a stirring within me. But as soon as I do, guilt envelopes me. I try to pull it together and tell myself it’s over with Lex, that I’m doing nothing wrong.

“Everything OK?” he asks with concern.

I nod. Enough with this. I take a long, slow mouthful from my drink and then place the glass on the bar. My hand reaches up to grasp Jake’s neck and pull him down to me. Our lips touch, and suddenly I want more. Jake responds and takes me around my waist, bringing me closer to him. His touch is different – the polar opposite of Lex. Softer. Kinder.

I relax into him, letting his tongue explore my mouth. After a few seconds I’m breathless; the club is hot and noisy, and I feel like I’m going to suffocate, but I keep kissing Jake and try to not to imagine that it’s Lex I truly want.

I hear my name and a gentle tug at my elbow. I shrug it off, losing myself in Jake’s arms and forgetting everything else.

“Aimee!” I hear more urgently.

I pull away from Jake’s kiss and feel his hot saliva trickling down the corner of my mouth. I wipe it away with the back of my hand.

“Aimee! He’s here,” Phoebe hisses into my ear.

I know automatically who she’s talking about, and I go cold, rigid in Jake’s arms.

I give Jake an apologetic look, smile and mouth the words, “I’ll be right back. Don’t you go anywhere.”

He nods and lets me disentangle myself from his embrace. “You better!” he shouts over the music.

Phoebe takes my arms and pulls me to the side of the bar where it’s a little quieter.

“Are you sure?” I demand. I look around, searching the club for Lex through the dancing, bobbing heads.

Her eyes are wide, startled. “Yup, it’s definitely him. They’ve cornered off an exclusive VIP area on the other side just for him and his, erm… sluts,” she spits. Phoebe watches me, and waits to see my reaction.

“I thought it best to tell you, before, you know, you saw or bumped into him. What do you want to do? We can go if you want,” she says.

My immediate reaction is to hunt him down and demand answers, but I resist the temptation; I really do not want to make a scene that could negatively affect both our lives.

“No, we’re staying. We came to have fun, and that’s what we’re going to do, whether we like it or not!”

“Ha! Awesome,” Phoebe replies.

“We’ll just keep out of his way, that’s the best thing,” I say trying to keep my shit together.

Phoebe glances at me, knowingly. “We need shots!”

Chapter Seven

L
ex will not spoil my night; I’m trying so hard to keep him out of my thoughts, so I keep Jake and his hot kiss at the forefront of my mind. I walk towards the bar, ready to make up for lost time. Lex lost the chance to influence me when he abandoned me.

Making our way through a minefield of drunk, happy people, Phoebe and I gradually regain our territory at the bar.

There’s a slowly filling void where Jake used to be. I turn my head, hoping to see him nearby.

He’s probably ditched me, I think. But then I spot him a few feet away, and I smile, hoping he sees me.

Two strong arms wrap around Jake’s chest. My smile fades as I realise what’s happening. Two gorilla–like men, clad in black suits and sporting ear–pieces and thick bushy beards are dragging Jake away. Throwing him out of the club.

I squeeze through non–existent gaps to get closer, to find out what’s going on.

Over the roar of the music, Jake yells to the bouncers, “What have I done? What’s going on?”

I follow as best I can; damn these fucking heels, as I nearly roll my ankle.

He’s getting farther away, and no one else is paying any attention, grinding obliviously to the music. And it seems like each clubber’s only goal is to prevent me from getting to him. It’s as if I’m caught in a violent torrent, trying to swim upstream.

“Jake!” I hear my voice calling out. It’s useless; as I stand on tiptoe to get higher, I can no longer see him.

Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, I feel like someone is watching me, piercing me. I can’t understand why, in a sea full of people, I feel put on the spot… singled out. But I can’t deny the sparks that surge over my skin; the prickle at my neck.

I spin around, and at once I see who it is.

Our eyes meet from across the room.

Lex.

His face is ablaze with mischief.

I lose the ability to breathe as hatred, lust and fear fill my empty lungs.

He winks at me.

Bastard.

Lex breaks eye contact before I can, dismissing me… releasing me from my trance. He places his focus back onto the woman lounging upon his lap. His hand strokes her long blonde hair, and I want to hurl.

Fucking bastard.

With fury I realise he must have seen me kissing Jake. And instead of facing me, he’d slipped his hand into his deep pockets and used his wealth to get Jake thrown out. All to spite me.

I force my way through the crowd towards Lex, with Phoebe trailing behind me.

The VIP area is in a secluded corner, on a small platform, filled with thick, plushy sofas and half–naked women draping themselves over the fabrics.

Before I can make it up the two steps with the full intention of charging at Lex, a solid mass of flesh blocks my way.

The guard holds his meaty hand up, and with several bulging skin rolls at the base of his neck, he looks over to Lex to catch his eye.

With an almost imperceptible shake of Lex’s head, I am denied entry.

“You fucking coward!” I scream, my face turning red… Hot tears stream down my face.

I try to push past the sentinel, but in one quick swoop, my feet leave the floor and I am thrown over his shoulder like a sopping wet towel. My fists pound against the man carrying me away, but I keep my gaze focused on the VIP area as I watch Phoebe get close to Lex now that the human barrier is no longer present.

I go still, stop my useless battering, and watch in amazement as Phoebe pulls back an open faced hand and swings it across Lex’s surprised face. Her mouth moves, and inaudible words fly out and meet their target, like darts against a board. Lex glares at her, humiliated, and she quickly turns on her heel and follows me and my captor out of the club, leaving a stunned Lex behind, cradling his cheek.

Chapter Eight