Addicted (A Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance)(25)

Who am I trying to convince? April or myself?

“I hope you’re right, Vicky.” April really didn’t believe me, and a small part of me wondered if I didn’t believe it myself. “But wait . . . didn’t you find out that the guy is like your stepbrother or something?”

I shrugged. “Yeah? So?”

“So? Isn’t that like kind of . . .”

I rolled my eyes at her insinuation. “Oh please, we’re not related. Heck, we were total strangers until not so long ago.”

“I guess you’re right on that,” April conceded after a moment of thought. “But either way, it’s still going to make everything even more difficult. Besides, Vick, Christine owns your soul.” Her eyes seemed to say to me what she wouldn't say, maybe it’s for the best.

“But that’s the thing . . . maybe I can get out of my contract.”

April shook her head, taking a quick nibble on her celery stick. “Are you kidding me? Christine has like an army of lawyers. You’d never get out of it. I don’t care what Tyler is telling you. Once he knows you’re that much of liability, he’d drop you like a hot potato.”

“You think so?”

April nodded. “I know so.”

“Hey bitches!” chirped a familiar voice. Gabe came walking up to our table with a tray of food. Unlike April, he actually had food on his plate, a big fat hot dog and a side of fries. Gabe was as skinny as a rail, but he could eat as much as he wanted without getting fat. It was so unfair. So, so unfair.

Animated as a cartoon, Gabe sat his tray down on the table and then took his seat. “Hey Vick, you're like my fucking bitch of the hour! I hear you totally told Christine off.”

I held in a groan. I really didn’t feel like talking about anything right then, least of all my confrontation with Christine. “You heard right.”

“Hell yeah!” Gabe picked up his hot dog and took a huge bite out of it before asking me his next question with a mouthful of food. “Tell me exactly how it went down. I want all the details!”

I shook my head and picked up my bagel, only to find my stomach turning. I had absolutely no appetite.

“You don’t wanna know.”





Chapter 13





Tyler





After Victoria had left, I’d taken a hot shower and started getting ready for work. I was buttoning my last cuff when Jonathan appeared at the top of the stairs.

“Is there something wrong, Master Locklin?”

I turned away from the mirror to regard the older man with irritation, who was peering at me with a look of concern. “What did I tell you about calling me Master, Jonathan?” I demanded. “It makes me sound like a damn slave owner.”

I turned back to the mirror and rolled my shoulders, examining my appearance. There was a sparkle in my eye and a glowing flush to my skin. I knew I was handsome, but there was something more going on here. I looked . . . alive. More alive than I could ever remember.

It’s Victoria, a voice in the back of my mind said. She’s done this to me. It was scary, the way she made me feel. Even scarier, the way she made me lose control of rational thought.

What was I thinking, offering her something like that?

What the hell did I know about fashion? Better yet, I don’t even really know what she knows. How could I offer to fund such a thing? I was supposed to be a damned businessman.

I’ll just explain to her later that I didn’t really mean what I said, I thought. Much later.

“I’m sorry Mast-, umm, Tyler,” Jonathan replied, breaking me out of my reverie. “It’s a terrible habit, I suppose. Call me old-fashioned.”

“Well get with the times. This isn’t the 1800s anymore.”

“You’re right, sir. I’ll try to be more thoughtful of that in the future.” He paused. “Will we be taking the customary drive to Armex headquarters?”

I shook my head, turning away from the mirror and walking over to the bed to shoulder on my business coat. “No. I want to head by the Locklin estate. I’d like to pay my father a little visit.”





* * *



“I trust your relationship with Victoria is over,” my dad said as I stood before his desk in his study. A steaming coffee mug was before him, right beside the morning newspaper he routinely read before being chauffeured off to his office at Armex.

I did my best to hide my grin. “No. As a matter of fact, it’s not.”

Dad’s head snapped up sharply. “What did you say?”

“Our relationship, it’s not over. It’s only just begun.”

He pushed the paper across his desk and narrowed his eyes at me. I could tell he was pissed off, though he was doing his best to hide it.