Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Right where you want us—for what?” I ask, already regretting the question.
“Money and power, boys,” Melanie says, as though imparting cosmic wisdom. “They’re the best drug on earth, and you three are my ultimate fix. I just can’t get enough.”
I turn my gaze to Alex because I can’t stand looking at Melanie anymore. We’re screwed and we both know it. No amount of threats will shake her off this path. But I’ll be damned if I’m just going to roll over and play dead. Short of confessing the entire sordid affair to Makayla in the next twenty minutes, I don’t see that we have any viable moves.
“I may not know how to hurt you right now, but if you go anywhere near Makayla again, I swear I will figure it out,” I promise.
“Revenge doesn’t suit you, Kellan. Stick to what you’re good at—lifting weights and getting head.”
If only we’d seen through her from the start and stayed out of her bed.
Alex tugs me toward the lodge. “She’s going to do what she wants and there’s nothing we can do to stop her.”
“But if you think you’re getting another penny from any one of us, you’re mistaken,” I add, making it clear that I’m not playing her game any longer.
“You might want to reconsider,” Melanie warns, lowering her voice to a theatrical whisper. “I can blow up this little lovefest. I can tank your company—imagine Bryan’s face when he learns you used his fiancée’s sister. And if that doesn’t scare you, your board will lose their minds once they know who they’re really in bed with.”
“Come on,” Alex insists, being the voice of reason for both of us.
He practically drags me away as I seethe with rage. And Melanie just stands there, smiling sweetly, holding one too many cards.
23
OSCAR
I’m chatting with the resort’s sommelier, hungry for insight on opening a winery. Earlier today it hit me: I want Makayla to succeed with every fiber of my being.
“As far as soil goes, it’s the single most important factor,” Henrik says. “Grow grapes in the wrong earth and you’re staring at a colossal financial failure.”
“I see. So we’re talking true Napa Valley soil.”
Still, my mind drifts to her—sated and asleep, naked and sprawled across the bed, sunlight streaming through the windows to gild her skin.
“If you’re focused on reds, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are your best bet,” Henrik says. “Pinot Noir can thrive, too.”
“What about whites? Plenty of people crave a fruity, floral Chardonnay.”
Makayla. She’s one of them.
“Oh, absolutely. California weather is kind to Chardonnay. And—mind you—always choose natural fertilizers; organic wines are all the rage. Depending on your fertilizer and the barrels you ferment in … you could easily rival the Italians and the French.”
“Where should we source the vines?”
Henrik shakes his head. “Oh, no—you want to plant young vines straight into the ground. Seeding can fail across entire acres; you’d end up with bald patches.”
I glance across the lobby just as my brothers stride in. Kellan and Alex are still in their ski suits, red-faced and sweating. The strain etched into their stony features isn’t from exertion. Something is very wrong.
“Can you excuse me for a moment?” I ask the sommelier.
He nods cordially, and I herd my brothers toward the base of the main staircase. The moment we’re out of anyone’s earshot, they both start speaking at once.
“We have to do something about Melanie,” Alex says. “She’s threatening to go public with everything.”
“She’s threatening to tell Kay what we ‘did’ to her,” Kellan says. “That’ll blow everything up, whether Kay believes her or not.”
“Not here,” I say quickly, pointing them toward the elevator.
We may be out of earshot, but not private enough for this conversation, so they both follow my lead. The doors slide shut, and for a moment we’re alone.
“Can we go back to the suite?” I ask my brothers.
“I don’t know if Makayla is up,” Kellan says.
Alex checks his phone and exhales in relief. “She’s at the spa getting a massage,” he says, flashing the screen at us.
“Good. Do you really think Melanie will talk now?” I press as the elevator glides into the second-floor hall. “Right this minute?”
Kellan shrugs—exactly the response I don’t want. My teeth grind as the urgency crystallizes. It’s all I can do to keep a lid on it until Alex swipes the key card and we tumble into the suite.
“So we have no time to deal with this?” I demand.
“We have an ironclad NDA,” Alex mutters, shaking his head. “I don’t know what got into Melanie—or what game she’s playing—but one word from her could destroy everything.”
“She said she’ll tell Bryan and Makayla if we don’t pay,” Kellan says, his voice raw.
“How much?” I demand.
Both Kellan and Alex look at me like I’ve grown two heads.
“You can’t be serious about paying her off,” Kellan snaps.