Hopeless (17 page)

“Tori.”

Jay couldn’t help but laugh. He knew how
his brother felt about the newest addition to Luc’s label. He couldn’t stand
her and it seemed the feeling was mutual. “What’d she do this time?”

“She started off by tellin’ me I couldn’t
hold my liquor…”

Jay glanced at the crystal glass Mike was
gripping in his hand. That explained the drinking. “Go on. What else did she
say?”

“She started goin’ off about the women I
date… like it’s any of her goddamn business who I go out with. Every time I
pass the checkout stand at the grocery store, I have to see her smug mug
starin’ back at me with some new boy toy hangin’ off her arm. It makes me
sick.”

Jay had never known his brother to pay
attention to tabloid gossip. “You know you can’t believe everything you read.
Just ‘cause those rags say Tori’s datin’ a different guy every month doesn’t mean
she is.”

Mike reached for the bottle again, but Jay
snagged it just in time. “Man, you need to slow down with this stuff.”

Mike all but growled when Jay held the
bottle just out of his reach. “Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?”

“Man, what’s your problem tonight?”

“Nothing. I gotta get some fresh air.”

Jay watched him throw the patio door open
and stalk outside as he stood there trying to figure out what the hell he was
missing.

Victoria stepped inside and smiled at Jay.
“Hey there. I was hoping I’d get a chance to talk to you.”

It didn’t matter they’d spent all day
together, Jay would be happy to spend all night with her as well. “You have any
idea what’s got my brother in such a mood?”

“Uh, I think it might have something to do
with Tori.”

“I figured as much. What’d she say to him?”

Victoria climbed up on the stool at the
granite breakfast bar. “She was just teasing him.” She sipped carbonated water
through a straw. “I don’t think he liked it.”

“Yeah, he’s always been like that. He can
dish it out, but he can’t take it. Pussy…”

She laughed as she pushed against his
shoulder. “You’re nasty.”

“What? I’m not lyin’.” Okay, maybe he was
exaggerating a little. He didn’t think anyone would ever use that particular
word to describe his gun-wielding brother.

God, he loved to make her laugh. “You
havin’ fun tonight?”

She practically lit up when she responded.
“Everyone’s been so great to me. You were right when you said they’re just like
you and me.”

Jay was relieved to know she felt at ease
with his family and friends. He wanted her to acknowledge how easy it would be
for her to find her place in his world. “I’m glad you’re gettin’ along with
everyone. Figures my brother would leave you to fend for yourself though.”

“I’m not by myself. I’m with you.”

She peeked up at him through her long
lashes as she sipped her drink and his heart clenched. He wanted to be the man
by her side every day and night, but how could he let her know how he felt without
scaring her off?

Before he had a chance to plead his case,
his half-sister, Brianna, came barrelling through the patio doors and launched
herself into his arms. “Daddy just told me about your present. Thank you, thank
you, thank you.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his
chest. “You are the best big brother ever.”

Jay chuckled as he squeezed her tighter.
“Just make sure you tell Mike that, baby doll.”

Victoria smiled as she watched the scene
play out. “Mind if I ask what he gave you to warrant such an honor?”

“He’s arranged for me and my friends to be
picked up by a limo…” She squealed as she jumped up and down. “And we’re goin’
to the hottest…” She fanned her face. “I mean the hottest club in the city.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow at Jay, who
shrugged his shoulders.

“Oh my God, I have to go and call everyone.
They’re gonna die when they hear about this.”

“Isn’t she a little young to be going to
nightclubs?”

He laughed. “This is a teen hangout, for
underage kids. Trust me, it’s just music, dancin’, and soft drinks. A buddy of
mine owns the place, and I’ve given the limo driver strict instructions to hang
around all night. She’ll be fine. My own old man and Lexi are totally on board
with the idea.”

Her eyes softened. “You’re so sweet. You
just made her day; hell, I’d venture a guess you made her year.”

“The friend who owns the place is one of my
black belt students. He’s working on his second degree now, and I’ve given him
a lot of private, one-on-one instruction. He wanted to repay me, so he reserved
this V.I.P. room for the kids. Bri doesn’t know yet. I thought I’d let it be a
surprise when they get there.”

“She’s right, you know. You are just about
the best big brother ever.”

“I love her. If I can do something to make
her birthday memorable, why wouldn’t I, right?”

Victoria lowered her head and Jay
remembered she’d never celebrated a birthday before… no presents, cake, cards,
friends to help her celebrate the passing of another year. He’d do anything to
wipe the slate clean and replace her painful memories of the past. “Describe
your ideal birthday celebration.”

She frowned, creating a crease between her
arched eyebrows. “I’ve never thought about it. What’s the point? You know I
don’t celebrate birthdays.”

“Fine, call it whatever you want. What’s
your ideal celebration look like?”

She closed her eyes. “Fine, I’ll play
along.” Her full mouth tipped up at the corner. “We’re on a rooftop terrace.
There’s a table for two, champagne, a thousand stars in the sky, and fireworks
going off in the distance.” She sighed, as though she was so caught up in her
vision she forgot where she was. “Music… dancing…” She grinned. “It’s a warm
night, so there might be a blanket and some soft pillows…” She blushed as her
eyes flew open. “Sorry, I guess I was getting a little carried away.”

He reached for her hand across the counter.
“You know my favorite part of your fantasy?”

She bit her lip as she looked down at their
joined hands. “No. What?”

“I was in it. You said
we
. Did you
even realize that?” He didn’t want to push too hard, but he knew if he allowed
her to retreat again, she would.

“No, I guess it just sort of slipped out.”

He came around the counter and positioned
himself between her legs as he cradled her face in his hands. “It’s what you
want... to be with me. I know it is. I don’t understand why you’re fightin’ it.
Why are you here with Mike, pretendin’ you’re into him when we both know you’re
not?”

She closed her eyes as she drew a deep
breath. “Don’t do this. Please.”

“I was watchin’ you two together tonight,
and it’s so damn obvious. You may like him as a friend, but you two’ll never
have the kind of connection we do. Tell me something, are you usin’ my brother
to try and make me jealous?” He didn’t want to believe she could be so
manipulative, but it was the only explanation that made sense.

She pushed against his shoulders, forcing
him to take a step back as she slid off the stool. “Nice to know you think so
highly of me,
boss
.”

He grabbed her wrist. “Vic, wait… I didn’t
mean to offend you. I’m just tryin’ to understand what the hell’s goin’ on
here.”

“I’m your employee, end of story.”

“That’s not all there is to it and you know
it.” He ran his other hand over his head. “Look, you’ve been runnin’ hold and
cold since I met you. Why?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I
thought I made it pretty clear how I feel about you.”

“Yeah, you did.” He looked her in the eye,
sliding a finger under her chin when she tried to look away. “The day in the
elevator.”

“That never should’ve happened.”

“Like hell.”

He was trying to rein in his frustration,
but he wasn’t used to women shutting him down. In fact, he was usually the one
trying to slow things down before his girlfriend started picking out engagement
rings or making noise about moving in together, but he knew he’d love to hear
those words slip past Victoria’s sweet lips. Logically, he knew it was too soon
to start thinking about forever, but he needed to know there was a chance for
them to build a life together.    

“You don’t even know me, Jay.”

“I’ve gotten to know you better in the past
couple of days than women I’ve dated for months.” He tried to slip his hand in
to hers, but she pulled back, just out of his reach. “We work. Admit it.”

“I can’t.” She took a step back. “Stop,
please.” She turned away.

“Where the hell are you going?”

“To find your brother. I need to get out of
here.”

Jay was just falling asleep when his eyes
flew open.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

He laid there listening, praying this was
just a bad dream and he’d wake up any second.

“Oh God, oh Mike…”

Oh, he was going to kill his brother. Jay
jumped up without bothering to reach for the T-shirt at the end of his bed. He
threw his door open, causing it to ricochet off the console table positioned
behind the door. He couldn’t care less about broken furniture when the only thing
on his mind was busting his brother’s head open.

He pounded on Mike’s door, planning to give
him ten seconds before he split the panel with one well-placed kick. That was
one of the advantages of being a martial artist; he routinely broke wood for sport.

“What the hell…” Mike opened the door a
crack and Jay forced his way inside.

“What were you thinkin’, man?” Jay asked,
getting in his face. “It wasn’t enough to go out with her? You had to bring her
home and do her here, in your apartment, knowing damn well I could hear
everything?”

Mike put his hand up. “Listen, you’re way
off base.”

Jay was standing close enough to smell the
stench of alcohol, not that it excused Mike’s behavior. He knew, with aching
certainty, their relationship would never be the same again. “Of all the women
you could have had. Why her?”

“It wasn’t her.”

Jay turned around to see Tori standing in
the hallway, wearing one of Mike’s button-down shirts. Thankfully, it brushed
her knees. “What the hell—”

“Are you happy now?” Mike asked, walking
into the adjoining kitchen.

“No, hell no. What are you doin’ sleepin’
with Tori?” He followed him into the kitchen and scowled when Mike reached into
the overhead cabinet for a bottle of pain reliever. “You’ve been seein’ Victoria,
yet you take off with someone else?”

Jay left his father’s house right after his
argument with Victoria, so he wasn’t exactly sure how it had happened, but the
fact Tori wound up in his brother’s bed tonight told him everything he needed
to know about Mike’s relationship with Victoria.

Mike popped two pills into his mouth and
reached for bottled water inside the fridge. “Tori said she was headin’ in my
direction and wouldn’t mind givin’ me a lift. We took a little detour and ended
up at Jimmy’s…” His eyes traveled to Tori, who was standing just outside the
door. “Let’s just say I had a few too many shots, and I made one hell of a
mistake.”

Tori’s eyes flashed and her mouth fell open
before she snapped it shut again. “You made a mistake?” She snorted. “Hell, you
give new meanin’ to the word.” She turned on her heel and stormed down the
hall.

“That was harsh,” Jay said, wincing when
she slammed the bedroom door.

“It never should’ve happened.”

Jay didn’t care about his brother’s regret
right now; he had his own problems. “Tell me what’s goin’ on between you and
Victoria, and I want the whole goddamn story. Don’t leave anything out.”

Mike tipped the water bottle up to his
lips. “I like her a lot, but we’re just friends. There was never anything
between us; we both knew that from the beginning.”

Jay was relieved to hear his brother wasn’t
harboring any feelings for Victoria, but it still stung to know they’d set out
to deceive him. “Then why’d you pretend there was?”

He shrugged. “She thought it would be
easier than trying to fight this thing between you two.”

Jay turned around, glancing out the wall to
wall window in the dining room. The view was what had sold him and Mike on the
penthouse apartments. Right now, he didn’t even see the breathtaking view of
the city as his mind tried to process Victoria’s motives for leading him to
believe she was falling for his brother. “That’s what I don’t get… why the hell
is she tryin’ to fight it? I’m crazy about her, but she keeps pushin’ me away.”

Mike shoved his hand into the pocket of his
black athletic shorts. “You got me. I haven’t been able to figure it out
either.”

Jay turned to face him. “And what was your
excuse? Why’d you agree to play along?”