BRANDON“Care to tell me what’s going on?” I ask Jason as soon as we are in my library and I am behind my desk. Cassius occupies the chair across from me and looks at the Wolf.
Jason lifts his palms in surrender, taking the seat to the right. “Whoa, whoa! Believe me, I had no idea until recently.”
“Alayna said the same, but that’s it? It’s just a coincidence?” I ask suspiciously.
“Exactly. Like a fluke.”
“A damn twisted coincidence,” Cassius comments. “How did you find this out?”
“From the twins,” I say. “They were looking further at her connection with Annette and found this instead. I spoke to them in the office, and I can’t fucking believe it.” I’m still having a hard time processing it all.
Cassius seems stunned. “The twins are here?”
“Yes, they’ll probably knock on your penthouse later, I guess, but they have somewhere else to go first.”
He scowls. “You didn’t just offer up my house, did you?”
I wave a hand in dismissal. “We have women here; who knows what Cary might do.”
He tenses up and curses under his breath. “They’ll turn my place into a cabaret!”
I sigh. “You’re free to choose any room you like and stay here, Cass. Whatever. But anyway...” I shift my eyes back to Jason. “What’s your side?”
He pauses. “What?”
“Does she know or not?”
“Of course she doesn’t. I can’t hurt her like that,” Jason says firmly.
“Fair enough, but eventually we’ll have to tell her.” I can’t afford to hide anything else from her, especially something as sensitive as this. It’ll affect her a lot.
“Yes. EventuallyAlayna told me a little about them—how they were supposed to be siblings and how they suddenly left Lawrence and only reunited now. Jason might have found out about her when I asked for his assistance. But the twins gave me quite thorough information, which was when the siblings were still using Alayna’s family name. They grew up and were born in the same town, attended the same school, and of course, lived in the same home.
But I know there’s something more to discover.
“I don’t like any of these setups,” Cassius says, shaking his head. “Alayna’s been through a lot of shit because of the things we’re hiding from her.”
“Not for long, Cassius. We will tell her everything once this complication is resolved.”
“Whatever you say.”
“But now that we’re all here. Jason, I think you have something else to tell me; let’s discuss it now. What’s the update?”
Jason returns to his usual tough stance—to being a Wolf. He clasps his hands together. “Phoenix and I finally came to an agreement. In a matter of time, we’ll be able to find your cousin. Probability is eighty-five percent, as Phoenix’s birds confirmed that there are Greeks in Mad Man’s lair.”
“Good.” I’ve heard about Mad Man; he’s the one associating with the European mobs. “I’ll personally introduce you to my other cousins. They’re the ones tracking Alfio and his sons’ activities in Greece, which I believe I’ve already told you. What else?”
“Mad Man holds the Buffalo and Yonkers operations. Soon Phoenix will organize an underground auction, and he is sending them an invitation. We will lure the bad cousin since I think we have items he’ll hardly resist, thanks to the information you sent us.”
“It’s from the twins. Which item?”
“It’s the rare Pink Star diamond necklace stolen from an A-list celebrity and a sixty-carat diamond ring once owned by a wife of the Earl of Monmouth in the 1860s.”
“But what if he doesn’t bite?”
“He will,” Jason assures me. “Phoenix will do anything for the Florida shipment. It’s more valuable to him than any jewel. Besides, I will be sending Arianna to the auction. She’s very “Good. That’s good.” I did hear from Constantine that our uncle and his sons are chasing rare items on the black market. It’s not because they’re collecting them; they are using them to bait the elites into their illegal gambling operations or selling them off at a much higher price. They are very much fond of preserving their wealth at any cost.
“But there’s something else you should know, though we need the twins’ presence. They have plans. Legal“About Annette?” Cassius asks.
“Yes, and the other accomplices. They brought more information, and it sounds like a concrete plan,” I answer and glance at Jason. “But we need Alayna’s cooperation because it’s likely that she met my father and was unaware of it. Jason, I hope you can understand, but she might not answer me.”
He frowns. “You want me to talk to her?”
“Yes.”
“Instead of just telling her?”
“I’ll be present.”
“Oh, no, no.” He shakes his head, laughing grimly. “How am I supposed to just convince her? She isn’t supposed to know about me.”
“I’ll do the convincing; you’ll just have to be present.”
“But why do you think she won’t tell you?”
“I have a feeling. She barely even told me about Annette before.”
“She has mixed feelings,” Cassius concludes, looking up at me. “Annette is still LuciaI clench my fist. Just what the fuck is the extent of their discussions? And the fact that he knows more about her than I do? Everyone Guilt ignites inside me. I wanted so much to protect her; I didn’t know I was growing so ignorant about her.
“But what makes you so sure she will answer me?” Jason asks.
“You’re her brother if that title really has a weight to her, which I’m sure it does. I only thought of this tonight, and you know why and how. We will tell her you are helping me, but less about the, uh, mobster part.”
Jason pauses for a moment as though considering, but eventually, he nods. “Let’s try, though these things need more convincing explanations. Alayna is smart. She thinks in a very perplexing way.”
“You really are her brother,” I say, almost smiling. “That’s exactly how her mind works.”
“And she often assumes things whenever we act clandestinely,” Cassius adds, shooting me a glare. “You can’t read her very well, can you?” He sounds as though he’s picking a fight, but Jason must’ve sensed this and interjects.
“We should go back before she suspects anything. I’m only supposed to be a director “Actually, I deliberately called you here so she would really“Aha.” Jason lets out a playful grin. “That sounds like a plan. I hope I’m not stealing this preciousI return his grin. “No, it’s all right.”
Nevertheless, all this coincidence thing isn’t adding up in my head. We’re practically talking about his foster sister. The Wolf is someone she grew up with; her family. The Wolf might find it hard to separate work and family matters.
Cassius swiftly stands with a furious expression. “Is there anything else we ought to talk about? Because I’m out.”
“That’s all for now. Do you have somewhere else to go?”
“No. I meant this conversation, but I’m staying here. It’s better than spending the night with the twins,” he replies, scratching his head. “Although I have more business here. I’ll speak to Alayna if I still need your permission?” he asks derisively. “It seems you two have sorted things out?”
I try not to seethe in front of Jason and compose myself as much as possible. Cassius will more than likely ask Alayna about us, but I guess this is the time he’ll finally accept that she’s mine.
“Yes, Cassius, we did. And of course, you don’t need my permission.”
“Then I’ll be heading out first. Jason“How about you, Jason?”
“I have a meeting at Rutherford early tomorrow, but we shall see Alayna again tomorrow,” Jason replies.
We head out of my library, and I can now hear Alayna’s pleasant laugh reverberating in the halls as we walk. In the living room, Cassius is already standing by her side and Arianna Valentine to her left.
Alayna embraces her foster sister. “Please come visit again. I’m missing you already.”
“Of course we will, Sis. I’ll give your regards to Chris,” Arianna says, squeezing Alayna against her.
“Laynie.” Jason hugs her as well and gently rubs circles on Alayna’s back. “Let’s keep in touch, okay? You know my number, right?”
“Mm. I know, and I will,” she promises.
They release each other, and two security men follow them to the door—men who are his Wolves as well. Arianna sweetly blows Alayna a kiss as she heads out.
I glide a possessive arm around Alayna’s waist and pull her to me. “I’ll go to my room, but hurry up, okay?” I whisper in her ear and nuzzle her temple.
She looks at me in surprise. “What?”
“Cassius wants to speak to you.”
Her eyes grow even rounder. “What? Right now?” she whispers sharply and looks behind her at Cassius, who is waiting impatiently.
“Mm. I’ll wait for you, okay?”
She sighs. “Okay.”
I stop next to Cassius. “Please, don’t make it hard on her, at least,” I ask.
He catches my arm. “We both know who’s the expert at that“I know.” I take his hands off me and move away, leaving them alone in the living room. I know my mistakes, so this is why I’m giving them space to talk. But this is the last time I’m going to let him be so close to her. The next time he tries anything, I won’t be so tolerant.
ALAYNAI sit back in the living room, thinking about how I should tell Cassius. How am I going to explain to him that I can no longer give him an answer? That I’m sorry for making him wait? I’m only going to sound like a total bitch if I do, and I can’t hurt him like that. He’s been through a lot, too.
But when Cassius lifts his head, his expression is both firm and disappointed. “What happened?”
I shrug. It takes me a moment to reply. “I’m sorry.”
He simmers under this breath as his eyes begin to fill with tears, though he’s preventing himself from revealing too much emotion. My knees turn feeble at the sight of him like this. Guilt eats at me for leading him on. Nonetheless, he has every right to know.
My throat burns. “Um... We spoke, and...”
“You still believed in him.” His voice cracks with resentment, sending shivers down my spine. He doesn’t even have to say anything. His expression already says it all.
“Yes.”
“You love him.”
I nod.
“You see, I didn’t even have to ask, but I did.” He crosses his arms and scratches his chin. After a long pause, he smiles grimly. “You really don’t have to explain. I knew you’d always come back to him.”
He shut his eyes, and I take the chance to reach out for him, but I keep my distance. I don’t know what to say either.
“He has hurt you. He’s the reason why you’ve broken down. He left you.” I quiver at the bitterness in his voice, the regret and loss. His words prick my heart.
Because he was there to listen to me, to make me feel better when it all happened.
“But still...” He opens his eyes. He just sits there, drinking the situation in. He has been very considerate and patient with me always, and this is what I always feared: hurting him because I can’t return his love.
“Please, Cassius, just get mad at me. Tell me everything I deserve because it’s my fault that I let this go on—”
“It’s not your fault,” he cuts me off, but his tone is much softer now. “It was my choice, right?”
I breathe out, deflating into my seat. The calmness of his answer somehow makes me feel ill because I don’t deserve his kindness.
He moves next to me and slightly pulls me toward him, tenderly rubbing my back. He would always cuddle me before, but now he releases me. “You don’t have to feel guilty about anything. I told you I’d support you whatever”—he breathes deeply and searches my eyes—“your decision was, right?”
My lips tremble. “But it’s not...” I could have told him to stop. I could have rejected him. I could have avoided him a long time ago, but I didn’t. I let my selfishness control me because I felt better when he was around. I led him on.
He should get mad at me, say the nasty words I deserve, but he doesn’t. He just keeps on being the considerate man, understanding me even though I’m at fault. I couldn’t tell my heart who to love, and I hurt the person who gave me attention when I was lost. How could I ever hurt such a pure soul?
“You should get some rest, and me too, for that matter.” Finally, he stands up and affectionately strokes my hair. “Goodnight, Alayna.”
The air goes cold when his presence moves away. My eyes don’t even dare follow him. And suddenly I feel immobilized. I bury my face in my hands, and the weight in my chest finally explodes.