Billionaire Stepbrother: Spring(4)

One drama at a time.

“Phoebe, take a breath and tell me what’s happened.”

She struggled to get the words out as she fell apart again, but I managed to hear, “… gonna get kicked out—”

“Kicked out of where? Your flat?” I frowned, trying to make sense of her mumblings.

“No… School!” she cried, as another violent sob took her over.

“What are you talking about? You have fantastic grades. What on earth has happened?”

Her wailing was beginning to grate on my nerves; there was no way I was going to get any sense out of her like this. So I did the only thing I could do, being so far away from her: I yelled at her.

“Phoebe Kildare, you will stop crying right this minute!”

I heard a sudden stifled choke as she held back her cries and stopped making a racket. I smiled and took a deep breath myself.

“Now, tell me what’s happened. We can figure this out together.”

***

I came off the phone to find Lex inside, on the next level down below the sundeck, sitting on the U–shaped couch in the yacht’s lounge, nursing what looked to be a rather stiff drink. He took a sip, regarding me as I sat down beside him. He sucked air between his teeth as he swallowed the burning liquid.

His blue eyes were distant, as if he had the whole world piled heavily upon his shoulders.

Why can’t I give him what he wants? I sighed, not knowing where to start and was grateful when he prompted me.

“What was that all about?”

“I think I need to go home,” I replied and pried the glass from his hand, taking the last swig of whiskey for myself. I probably shouldn’t have just said it like that, and I berated myself for being so inconsiderate.

When I looked back at him, his forehead was crumpled into a frown, and the side of his jaw pulsed. I waited for him to ask more, to ask me why, but the questions never came. It looked like he was doing his best to keep his cool, but his face was more sad than angry.

When no inquiry came I attempted to explain.

“Phoebe needs me. She’s in trouble.”

His face inclined as he chewed over my words.

“The same Phoebe that almost broke us apart? The same Phoebe that thinks I’m scum?”

“That’s not fair, Lex.”

Ever since that night at Club Empire, when Phoebe had so boldly defended my honour by giving Lex a good slap, he’d never been able to stand her. Not to mention the time she came around with the full intention of seducing him so that I would, she hoped, see sense and dump him. Simply put, he didn’t trust her.

“I know you don’t like her, but she’s my best friend. I know this getaway was so we could get to know each other properly without any prying eyes or interference, but she’s going through some real shitty stuff right now, and I’m all she’s got.”

We sat in silence and I listened to waves as they sloshed up against the hull of the boat, trying to figure out a way to make him see sense.

“Look, I’m going to go with or without you,” I said as I took his hand. “I can’t leave her in the lurch.”

“I understand,” he grumbled, “but you’re not going anywhere.”

“Lex! We’ve been over this… You know I’m yours, but you can’t control every single part of my—”

“Will you let me finish?” He smirked as if he’d just baited me.

I held off my anger and waited, nodding for him to continue. The next thing that came out of his mouth almost made me fall in love with him all over again.

“I was going to suggest that we fly her out to us, to you. Maybe some time away from whatever’s going on will do her some good?”

My mouth dropped open. Finally the generous and kind man that I knew, who had done his best to bury himself under snark and arrogance, was coming to the surface.

“But if you don’t like the idea…” he trailed off, teasingly.

“No! I love it,” I replied and threw my arms around his neck and smothered him in kisses.

Lex was amazing and proactive, and with a couple of phone calls he’d managed to organise all the transport that was necessary to get Phoebe to our location that evening.

While we waited for her arrival, the crew got the yacht underway and we travelled the short journey, a few miles down the coast, to Monaco and docked in its stunning harbour. Glittering white vessels surrounded us – yachts and ships of varying sizes – and I could only imagine the combined wealth of all these ships put together; billions just floating upon the water.

I wasn’t the only one to be stunned. A couple of short hours later Phoebe stepped on board The Pearl to join us. Lex held out his hand to steady her as she followed him up the wiggly gangplank.