Page 10 of The Spare
“I visited.”
In my defense, I did have to go back to work after each visit. I could have stayed longer, but the global expansion was addictive. I faced a new challenge every day; it was thrilling. When I stopped, my mind would wander. It was best to keep moving.
“Three times.” Henry was terrible at keeping his cool. The Amari temper was not something to be taken lightly.
“I’m sorry.” We sat there a few seconds longer. Silence became more comfortable and tempting, but Henry deserved some explanation. “Look, Sutton Industries expanded faster than I could have expected. I shouldn’t have shut you all out.”
He nodded. “Then why are you back?”
Henry had the annoying talent of asking all the right questions. I was never supposed to be away as long as I was. The actual work of expanding Sutton Industries was done months ago. I was stalling. I wouldn’t need to go back until the new year, and then it was to transition operations back to U.S. headquarters. It would be a few months at the most.
When the invitation for the alumni gala came across my desk, it was decided. I’d never made a snap decision like that before. The invitation should have kept me away, but it drew me in. Her name was on it.
“No real need to travel. Most of the international offices are up to speed.” I hadn’t even decided to stay until Xander’s face made me feel like absolute shit yesterday. I could’ve stalled a while longer.
“I could have used a friend here,” he said so quietly that I almost didn't hear it.
“Are you okay?” He seemed different, more agitated than usual. I noticed more gray among the rest of his jet-black hair. We were the same age, thirty-four, a little early to be graying. He was stressed. Something was going on beyond what I knew.
“I don’t know.” He sat back down. “Dad and grandfather have been awful; their idea of grooming me to take over is probably banned by the Geneva Conventions.”
“Is that why you’ve been such a colossal ass to your sister?” I asked. In the past twenty-four hours, I’d heard the two exchange jabs about the company's future more times than I could count.
“She’s throwing a tantrum because she’s not going to be CEO.”
“Going to law school and becoming a partner instead of taking orders from you isn’t a tantrum,” I said mildly. Their competitive sibling dynamics weren’t new, but the vitriol was. “If anything, it’s a giant fuck you.”
His eyebrows furrowed, almost as though the thought had never crossed his mind. As if all the memories of him treating her like a spoiled heiress and not the intelligent and capable woman she was came to him all at once. He let out a loaded sigh, guilt working its way into his expression as he raked his hand through his hair. “Right.”
“This can’t be news. She graduated law school three years ago.”
He huffed another long breath. “Want to go play tennis or something?”
A quick stab of guilt hit me. It was our tradition. After graduating, we would use that time to work out some of our competitive aggression—a game of tennis, a round of boxing, or a chess match, anything to spend some time together. Our friendship spanned almost two decades, and the weekly tradition was hardly, if ever, missed. I didn’t answer. Instead, I got up and headed for the door.
Work would have to wait.
CHAPTER5
Marcus
“Would it kill you to put up a picture?” Henry’s voice asked from my doorway.
After the gala, I was back to working out of my old office in Manhattan for the first time since being away. I smiled at the intrusion. We used to interrupt each other’s days all the time.
“It might.”
“Well, I guess it’s good that it looks like a coffin in here,” he added, sauntering in and taking a seat.
My office wasn’t adorned with photos or personal effects. I considered a family photo once, years ago. It brought up too many memories, and I didn’t need a reminder of the past. It was easier that way.
“It’s an office, not a TGI Fridays.” I didn’t look up from my computer screen, quickly closing anything he might see.
He paused. “What the hell is that?”
“Your ‘trust-fund baby’ is showing,” I said. Henry and Sloan didn’t have a regular upbringing on the Upper East Side. I was hardly a man-of-the-people these days, but I grew up like a regular kid. On the other hand, Henry took his family’s private jet to boarding school in Switzerland.
He looked around wistfully. “I haven’t been here in two years.”
