“Or you hadn’t been obsessed with the Kings?” she adds, grinning.

  “Yeah... If I hadn’t been so fascinated with that story,” I mutter, grappling with melancholy.

  A nostalgic look slips onto her face as well.

  “I don’t know what would’ve happened,” she says. “I guess we would’ve run into them one way or another.”

  “You... most likely.”

  A soft smile tickles her lips.

  “Maybe. Or perhaps none of this would’ve happened.”

  She looks around as if snippets of her life and her memories are hidden behind the creamy walls and shiny mirrors.

  “I don’t want to think about it,” she murmurs as she looks down, her eyes grazing her bump.

  Her gaze is drenched in sadness as she looks at me.

  “Sometimes, I ask myself as well... What would’ve happened, had I not run into James here, in New York, that year after I left home? There are so many ifs, and so many crossroads, and quite a few little moments when life could’ve switched tracks, and this and that and the other one would’ve never happened,” she says before she runs her hand across her brow. “I’m so happy that I didn’t know much back then. Had I known how badly I screwed up, I would’ve never had the courage to go on.”

  She pauses.

  “That’s why I think life is weird,” I say. “I guess what’s meant to happen, happens anyway,” I say, my gaze trailing blank across the room. “It’s hard to believe that the events of that night changed our lives forever.”

  A chuckle leaves my lips as I shake my head in disbelief.

  “It’s so hard to imagine that we hid in James Sexton’s bedroom that night. Do you remember?” I ask, smiling as I shift my eyes to her.

  A soft grin tugs at her lips.

  “How could I forget? It was the best summer ever.”

  “My heart was pounding so hard.”

  “It was fun.”

  Her eyes narrow with a smile as she relives that memory.

  “I don’t know what shook me the most. The fear of getting caught or the excitement,” she says.

  I breathe out another laugh.

  “You wanted to get caught.”

  She chuckles too.

  “Yeah...You’re probably right.”

  “Of course, I’m right. You wanted to spend the night with him.”

  Lifting an eyebrow, she flashes a naughty smile.

  “I would’ve been with him that night had he said ‘yes’ to me.”

  “James Sexton...” I murmur, my mind wandering away for a moment.

  James Sexton who messed with her life story, and in a way with mine, and here we are, both of us... She ended up with him while I’m head over heels in love with his brother.

  He warded off quite a few men who could’ve been with me as if he knew I was meant to be his brother’s.

  He didn’t even know he had a brother at that time.

  And he sure didn’t know how to keep the men away from Rain, and yet, the result is all the same.

  I laugh quietly, no longer looking at her.

  “What?” she asks, touching my elbow.

  I look at her, shaking my head softly.

  “Nothing.”

  “What are you thinking about?”

  Her eyes dart back and forth as she registers the shift in my expression.

  I’m on the brink of confessing to her, but then I remember Tiago’s words and his hope that he could be in better terms with James. And I know how much it means to him.

  I also know that once we tell them the truth, everything would be out of our hands. Nothing can control people’s reaction. They could be surprised, and angry, for sure taken aback by the fact that we have kept it a secret for so long.

  To a degree, their trust would be shattered.

  In me, and for sure in Tiago.

  I could try to explain to them, and I’m sure Rain and James would ultimately understand, but Tiago is too new in their lives. And chances are, they would judge him the harshest.

  “Is there anything you’d like to tell me?” she asks again, looking at me a bit suspiciously.

  I regain my focus quickly.

  “No. Nothing. It’s just that...” I ponder for a moment, trying to come up with a story.

  Something valid, credible.

  “For a moment, I remembered how we lost touch with each other when I started college, and you got your first job here, in New York.”

  A shadow flits through her eyes.

  “Did you feel that too?” I ask.

  “Yes. Crazy times, huh?”

  Embarrassment flickers through her voice as she moves her eyes away from me.

  “That first year of college brought a big awakening to me,” I say.

  She shoots me a side glance as she rights a few hangers, prompting me to continue.

  “Being in school, having a boyfriend, and dealing with all that adult life crap made me see things differently. I had everything I wanted, and yet, I didn’t feel the way I thought I would. Up until that point, I had dreamed about my future. Ignorantly, I thought that life would be new beginnings, exciting moments, and unforgettable experiences. It was so far from that, and I quickly started to regret what I had before.”

  As memories flash in front of my eyes, I smile again.

  “And then, I spotted you in front of that posh hotel, all dressed up, looking like a million bucks, I thought to myself... ‘Rain figured things out and she has everything she wanted. I so want to be like her.”

  “And yet, you were so wrong.”

  “I was, wasn’t I? That’s why I'm saying it again... Life is strange. Despite all the back and forth and the struggle and not having the slightest idea what we were doing, everything turned out to be great in the end. After all this time we are still here, and when we look back, we can tell that we were on the right path all along. Had we not been on it, we would’ve never gotten to this point or found the happiness we wanted.”

  A soft smile pushes to her lips.

  “I feel the exact same way,” she says, tears glinting in her eyes.

  15

  EVE

  We walk out of her spacious closet a few moments later.

  She locks the door and tosses the key back in the glass bowl before we turn around and make the trip back.

  I catch Tiago’s eyes flickering at me as we near the table.

  The moment pulls away from me at speed light when his date asks him something, prompting him to shift his focus to her.

  I pick up my glass of wine from the table and strut away, heading to a corner couch in the living room.

  “Would you like to dance?” a male voice asks a few moments later as I set my empty glass on a coffee table.

  I swivel my head and lift my gaze to meet David’s eyes while he stretches his hand out confident that I’d say ‘yes’.

  “Sure.”

  I push off the couch and link my hand with his before we join the other couples dancing not far from us.

  We twirl slowly, laughing and talking, the music keeping us good company.

  Several times, I feel the heat of a stare on my back, but every time I glance over my shoulder trying to locate the source, I find no one’s attention directed at me.

  Ashton Blackmore invites Andrea to dance, and a second later, Tiago’s seat is empty. Discreetly, I move my gaze around, scanning the room, and searching for him.

  He must’ve stepped out, or perhaps he’s talking to James who’s missing too. Maybe they are in a different room.

  The song ends a moment later, and I begin to tear away from David when a man’s hand lands on my shoulder.

  “May I have the next dance?” Tiago asks as David retreats smoothly.

  I turn around.

  “Uh... Sure.”

  I act surprised, unnecessarily since David has already left.

  Tiago’s hand wraps around mine as he spins with me slowly.

  “Where’s Andrea?” I murmur, avoiding his eyes.

  “Last time I checked, she was with Blackmore.”

  I lift my gaze.

  He observes me through his lashes, a soft smile clinging to his lips.

  “Hey...” he says softly.

  “Hey,” I mutter in a quiet voice as well, my fingers secretly kneading his pecs through his shirt, my gaze trailing down.

  “Is everything okay?” he asks, squeezing my hand gently to make me shift my eyes to him.

  “Yes.”

  My voice shakes a little as our eyes connect again.

  “It’s been a little crazy lately. Today at the store... And this evening, not being able to talk to you.”

  “You’re talking to me now.”

  I breathe out a chuckle.

  “You know what I mean,” I say in a clipped voice as James and Rain walk past us.

  He nods slightly, aware that they are looking at us.

  Soon, they near the table and lower in their seats, shifting their focus to their guests.

  “I feel bad,” I say.

  “Something happened?”

  “Nothing happened,” I say reassuringly. “It’s just that, I wish we didn’t have to hide.”

  He remains quiet.

  “I know it’s better to keep things this way, but I’d love to be able to tell them the truth.”

  “We will,” he says, squeezing my hand affectionately.

  I tip my gaze up and study his striking eyes for a few moments.

  “How was your day?” I ask.

  A slow smile creases his lips.

  “You mean after I made you come in that fitting room.”

  His words roll off his tongue, lined with shades of lust and sultry nuances. The effect is guaranteed as I begin to softly pulse between my legs.

  “Mmm-hmm,” I purr.

  “I had lunch with David and Ashton.”

  “Really?”

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  “Since when are you so fond of David? I thought you hated his guts.”

  “I still do,” he says sincerely. “That’s why I wanted to get to know him better. See, what he’s up to.”

  He smiles, playfully.

  “And?”

  “He’s exactly how I imagined him, secretive and cold.”

  “But you knew that.”

  He laughs.

  “Frankly, I wanted to see if he had something for you, still.”

  “And?”

  “He didn’t talk about you. Not a word.”

  “As if you’d tell me if he would.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  I don’t believe him.

  I flick my hand up, gesturing at him.

  “He’s no competition for you.”

  “I know,” he admits, confidently. “The other reason I wanted to have lunch with them was to erase that initial impression that I walked out of the fitting room.”

  “I don’t think they noticed.”

  “Yeah... They probably didn’t.”

  “Did James say anything to you?” I mutter just as James shoots us a glance.

  “No. Why? Is he looking at us?” Tiago asks, registering the direction of my gaze.

  “Yes.”

  The music shifts again.

  Smoothly, Tiago takes a step back and does a clipped nod that looks formal from where James observes us.

  I get the hint and toss Tiago a half-assed smile before I walk away from him and head back to the sofa.

  A moment later, Andrea joins Tiago and they both head to the table.

  “Is everything okay?” Rain asks, nearing the sofa and handing me a plate with a slice of chocolate cake and a dessert spoon. “I think you need more chocolate,” she says, smiling as she slides onto the couch next to me. “Who knew that the younger brother turned out to be this stunning man?” she mutters as we both watch Andrea fawning over Tiago.

  A smile tolls on Rain’s lips. A frown creases my brow. The good thing is, she doesn’t notice.

  “What are you talking about?”

  She moves her eyes back to me.

  “He was nothing like this when I met him last year.”

  “How was he?”

  She shrugs.

  “I don’t know. A bit of a player...”

  A soft smile brushes her lips.

  “The first time I met him, I accidentally bumped into him in James’ suite in Monaco. I was convinced that the man who opened the door was James. Within moments I was in his arms, not realizing that he wasn’t. When I did, I pulled back at once, but I felt so stupid. I wanted to make James a surprise, so I was dressed for the occasion, skimpy lingerie under a trench work, the works. Sure enough, I was flashing it to the wrong brother, not to say that he was shirtless, right out of the shower, I believe.”

  Not much different than what happened to James and me last night.

  I would never admit to that, so I stay mum.

  “What did James say?”

  “He warned his brother to stay away from me.”

  A small smile creases her lips.

  “Later on, Tiago told James that he’d get his act together if he met a woman like me.”

  My jaw locks.

  “He did?”

  “Yup. I think he said it to fuck with James and also flatter him. I think it worked.”

  She looks at Tiago and Andrea again.

  “I don’t know if the woman who keeps him company tonight is that kind of girl. All I can tell is that he seems to be on his best behavior,” she says.

  My eyes hover over them as well.

  “Do you think that she might have something to do with it?” I ask as I ponder over her words, my mind spinning theories.

  Am I someone like Rain? Can I affect a man that much?

  No way, I am. I know that I’m not.

  “She’s an interesting woman,” Rain says in a quiet voice.

  “What makes you say that? Did you talk to her?”

  I shoot a glance at Rain.

  “Yes.”

  I swivel my head and give Andrea a double-take, trying to look at her with fresh eyes as Rain continues.

  “She’s ambitious and polished. And she genuinely likes him.”

  My stomach curls up in a ball.

  I have a hard time to swallow the last piece of chocolate cake.

  “She’s set to start a business before she graduates college. Her escort thing is a side gig from what I understood, yet she makes good money for someone who only works occasionally, and mostly on the weekends.”

  “You mean for accompanying men at all kinds of events in the weekends?”

  My blabbering sounds stupid.

  She swings her eyes at me and looks at me as if I haven’t heard what she just said.

  “No one pays thousands of dollars merely to have company.”

  “Really?”

  I sound awkward.

  “Really what?”

  “The thousands of dollars and weekends. That’s a lot of money,” I gasp, struck with a revelation. “She must be good, huh?” I mumble nervously.

  “You think? Of course, she is. And I have a feeling that she’s very good at providing the girlfriend experience too,” she says, ticking her chin in Tiago’s direction.

  My teeth grit.

  “Hmm...” I croak.

  “Why do you sound so, um... intrigued?”

  “Um... No reason. I just mulling over what you just said.”

  My eyes almost bleed as I take in Andrea and Tiago.

  From where I sit, they look like a lovely normal couple.

  Their smiles, small gestures, and body language seem to be in perfect synch.

  They’re both engaged in a lively conversation with James and another couple as well as Lex and Ashton Blackmore. Not far from them, David talks on the phone.

  Rain’s fingers brush my wrists.

  “Breathe, Eve. You look so tense, you worry me.”

  “Huh...? What?”

  “You look as if you’ve got food poisoning.”

  Poisoning it is, but not from the slice of cake that was delicious by the way, but from the jealousy that floods my system.

  No matter how much I tell myself that I can trust him, I can’t say the same thing when it comes to her.

  He looks relaxed. At ease.

  How do I really know that he never slept with her?

  I chose to believe him because he seemed sincere, but is that the truth?

  “Eve?”

  “Yeah. No. I don’t have food poisoning.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “Nothing.”

  “You look like you swallowed a spoon.”

  I laugh, trying to remove the thought from her head that I might be affected by that woman.

  “I’m fine. I was thinking about that woman and James’ brother. I don’t know why to be honest. It’s interesting what you just said.”

  I keep droning on while she watches me, puzzled.

  “You’re weird,” she says, chuckling.

  “It’s probably the wine,” I say, running out of excuses.

  “That must be it,” she says as one of the staff members approaches us and requests Rain's assistance on a matter.

  “Excuse me,” she says, rising to her feet. “I’ll be right back,” she adds before she walks across the room and vanishes through a side door.

  Automatically, my eyes start roaming over the dinner table.

  Nothing has changed since the last time I look in Tiago’s direction. The men are still very much involved in an animated dialogue while Andrea moves her eyes around the table from time to time, but mostly has them set on him.

  One could say that she was paid to do that–– to worship him, but this is way much more than the money can buy, and I can tell the difference.

  I start to fidget in my seat, frustrated and without options.

  I’m itching to get his attention somehow, even talk to him if all possible.

  Rain returns to the room and stops at the dinner table, and I have no other choice but to join her. My seat is taken, so I have to sit next to Tiago and Andrea.

  Not only that I had the chance to study them from afar, but now I hear the woman’s sultry cooing and his words addressed to her.

  Oh, yes.

  She singsongs and touches his arm, and asks question after question, making him turn to her every time she wants an answer from him and also to get a glimpse of his beautiful eyes.