Page 35 of In the Heir (Westerly Billionaire 1)
As good as can be expected. I haven’t seen much of anyone besides Mom and Nicolette. Everyone else is MIA. How are you?
Okay. Alisha took a deep breath. Brett is with me. You and I have never had secrets. I didn’t know how to tell you, but I also don’t want you to find out from someone else.
Rachelle didn’t write a response.
Alisha continued, I know you’re not happy about it, but there’s something I need to say. Please, just listen for a moment. Alisha took Rachelle’s lack of answer as permission to go on. With shaking hands, she typed: I didn’t mean for anything to happen between us. Honestly, nothing really has, because neither of us wants to hurt you. You need to know that about your brother. He loves you so much. Your happiness is important to him. You may not see it, and he may not know how to show you, but he would do anything for you. I’m okay that you’re angry with me, but don’t be with him. This was my fault, not his.
All I asked was for you to not be with him now. Right now. While my family is falling apart.
I know. And that’s why we haven’t done anything. I swear we haven’t. We’ve spent time as friends, but it hasn’t gone further than that.
But you’re on a cruise together now?
Yes. She could have defended herself. She could have explained that Brett had joined her on a cruise that she hadn’t invited him on. But no. She refused to do that to Brett, and she wasn’t all that certain that Rachelle deserved an explanation.
There was a long pause. Then Rachelle wrote: If you’re looking for permission to fuck him, just do it. I don’t care anymore.
Rachelle’s harsh words cut through Alisha and tears filled her eyes. She dropped the phone beside her. Her gut reaction was to hit back, but that wouldn’t make any of it better. Not for her, Rachelle, or Brett.
She picked up her phone and called Rachelle. If their friendship was about to come to an end, it wouldn’t be because she hadn’t fought for it. As soon as Rachelle picked up, Alisha said, “You do care. You’re angry. This sucks. I know. Guess what, it sucks for me, too. Do you think you’re the only one hurting right now? I love you, all of you. I’m sorry that Spencer found out about his father the way he did. I wish I could go back and not agree to the fake engagement. You have no idea how much I regret going to see your grandmother. But I don’t regret Brett. He has been the only good in all this.”
Rachelle’s voice was thick with emotion. “You like him. I get it. But did you have to do this right now? No matter what Spencer says, he’ll feel like he lost to Brett again.”
“No, he hasn’t. They’re not in competition. Or they shouldn’t be. They’re brothers. And I’m not some prize that someone won or lost. Spencer and I were never really engaged. You know that. You came up with the idea.”
“So now this is my fault.”
Alisha shook her head. “It’s no one’s fault. Sometimes shit just happens.” Thank you, Brett, for helping me see that. I’ve been drowning in an ocean of guilt that I heap on myself. Not everything is my fault. Sometimes shit happens. You can let it hold you down, or you can fight it off and stand back up. “I love you, Rachelle, but I deserve better than this. I’m not asking you for permission to do anything because I don’t need it. I’ve always thought of you as my sister, which should mean that we support each other through the tough times. That’s what friends do. Call me when you remember that.”
Alisha hung up and covered her face with her hands. Maybe she’d made the situation better. Maybe she’d made it worse. But she was done hiding bruises—physical or emotional.
Brett paced the length of the suite’s living room, hating how he’d left it with Alisha. One more look from her, one touch, and he would have kissed her with all the pent-up fire within him. Instead, he’d done what he’d never respected anyone for: he’d retreated.
He told himself it was for her, but it was also for himself. The way she made him feel scared him. It was too intense, too beyond his ability to control. If he gave it the power to, it might consume him.
So I ran.
Deciding that a shower might help clear his head, he removed his shirt and shorts, but continued to pace in his boxer briefs. He should just knock on her door. Fuck everyone else and how they felt. Whatever he and Alisha did was none of their business. It shouldn’t stop them from doing what they both wanted to do.
I feel that way, but Alisha doesn’t. That’s what matters.
That’s why I’m here instead of there.
He called his sister and was surprised when she picked up on the first ring. “We need to talk, Rachelle.”
“About Alisha, I’m guessing,” she said, then sniffed. “I know you’re with her.”
“I am.” Something in her voice made him ask, “Are you okay?”
“Not really, but what did you call to say?”
“You can talk to me, Rachelle. It doesn’t matter about what.”
She made a sound like she was about to cry, then held it back. “It’s nothing you don’t already know, but it’s hard. I just got off the phone with Alisha. But you probably already know that.”
“No, I said good night to her a while ago. What happened?”
“We argued about you.”
His gaze flew to the connecting door. Was Alisha as upset as Rachelle sounded? “Alisha didn’t invite me here. In fact, she has told me on several occasions that she couldn’t see me because it would upset you. I couldn’t stay away from her. If you’re angry with anyone, be angry with me.”
Rachelle sniffed again. “The only one I’m angry with is myself. I just keep making mistake after mistake. Things are bad here, Brett, and every time I try to help, I seem to make it worse. Alisha and Spencer’s engagement was my idea. Look how that turned out. Mom barely comes out of her room. Spencer said he’s done with all of us. I’ve never seen them like this before. Nicolette came home drunk the other night. She told Mom she had no right to keep that kind of secret from all of us, and she wants a paternity test done because she won’t believe anything Mom says from now on. I know none of this was Alisha’s fault. I told her to stay away from you only because I was afraid if Spencer found out you were with her, things would get worse. I’m not sure they can, though.”
“Alisha is a loyal friend to you.”
“I know that.” She let out a shaky sigh. “I don’t know what to do, Brett—about any of this.”
“Do you want me to come home?”
“No. A week won’t make a difference. But maybe you could come see Mom when you return? I can’t reach her.”
Brett wasn’t sure he could either, but he’d try. “It’s all going to be okay, Rachelle. Families survive worse than thi
s all the time.”
“Do they?”
He had no fucking idea, but he said what he knew she needed to hear. “Absolutely. I’ll come see you when I return, but right now you need to call Alisha back. She thinks she can lose you over this.”
“She won’t. She’s my best friend. I love her. I’ll always love her.”
“I’m not the one you need to say that to.” He hung up, walked over to the connecting door, and laid his hand flat on it. He couldn’t force his sister to do the right thing, but he hoped she did. Either way, he wanted to be there for Alisha. He raised his hand to knock on the door but lowered it when he heard her phone ring. Normally, he couldn’t hear her in her room, but standing at the door, he could. He told himself to walk away, but stayed where he was.
“Hi.”
A short pause. He couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, but that didn’t stop him from hanging on Alisha’s every word.
“I’m sorry, too.”
A long pause.
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. Of course I understand.”
Silence.
“I love you, too.”
Pause.
“I promise. I’ll call as soon as I get home.”
Her voice rose in surprise when she said, “He did? What did he say?”
Brett held his breath.
“I know I said I didn’t need your permission, but I won’t do anything if you think it’ll hurt you or Spencer. You’re my family.”
Nothing could have dragged Brett away from the door just then.
“Are you sure? I don’t even know if he’s still interested. I’ve turned him down so many times.”
Would knocking on the door and yelling, “I sure as hell am!” be wrong?
“I’ll tell you how it goes. Yes, I’ll keep those details to myself, but do you think I should wait until tomorrow to talk to him? He said he had work to do.”
No e-mails here. Not a single one I care enough to read.
“I can’t just knock on the door and tell him that you’re okay with us being together.”
Yes, you can. In fact, saying it naked would be even better.
“You’re funny. Yes, I’ll call you tomorrow to give you the G-rated version of what happens. Love you.”
