Chapter one
“So I said to him, sweetie, there’s not much in life I can’t afford, but my standards are what keep me rich.”
“Mmhmm.” I nod along as my baby sister details the latest disastrous date she was subjected to.
“He was the one who asked me out; therefore, he should pay. To imply that I pay simply because I’m a billionaire?” She scoffs. “Could you imagine what an actual relationship would be like? He definitely wouldn’t be a giver.”
“Ahhh, and that’s the end of storytime.” I wince as we pass through the doors to the private terminal.
I usher Beth in first while I drag her suitcase behind me. We’ll only be in Royal Harbour for two nights. I’m not sure why she needed a whole-arse suitcase, but I also know my sister, so I didn’t dare question her on it.
We’re travelling to pitch my new whiskey lounge to the owners of the biggest casino chain in Australia. They have a theatre connected to the premises here in Heart City that’s about to be knocked down. Instead of turning it into a car park, I want to turn it into an exclusive club. For that, I need my sister, who’s an interior designer, and my brother, who runs the family investment and business consulting company.
Speaking of, where is Caleb? I look around for our older brother, but instead, my eyes lock in on a woman sitting on one of the lounges.
Her legs are folded underneath her as she looks down at her phone. She’s wearing a pale yellow oversized jumper, and golden ringlets are piled on top of her head with a burnt-orange scarf.
I snatch the strap of Beth’s crossbody bag, dragging her back to me. “Beth, who’s that?” I hiss as I tip my chin to the woman.
Beth frowns at me. “Who? Isabelle?”
Fuck. That’s Isabelle? That’s the woman who Caleb put in charge of marketing for my new club? We’ve spoken on the phone a few times. She was so goddamn nice. I can’t handle nice. I just make things uncomfortable, and then people write me off as a dick. I’d rather just start out that way instead of ruining people’s expectations.
“That’s Isabelle?”
“Have you never met her?” Beth asks, then smacks my chest. “She’s a real sweetheart. You’ll love her.”
Of course, she’s a sweetheart. She looks like goddamn sunshine.
I watch as my sister crosses the room, calling out Isabelle’s name as she goes. She looks up, and holy hell, those eyes areblue. They’re so big and bright with a smile to match.
“Why are you standing here blocking the door?” I jump when Caleb stops beside me.
“Ah, I thought I left something in the car.”
He raises an eyebrow at me but doesn’t say anything more. It’s just before six a.m., we’re about to spend four hours flying across the country, and my brother is already in a three-piece suit.
“Did you manage enough beauty sleep last night?” I tease.
He came into my bar, The Wayside, last night, to sample a whiskey a local distiller had brought in for me. Before he was ableto leave and claim a full night’s rest, he ran into a redhead and left with her instead.
“Not exactly,” Caleb mutters.
My brother gets around.A lot.He’s not someone to settle down. He’s way too focused on building his company and furthering the reputation the Heart name carries in the business world. Our grandmother and her sister already earned billions with their mining company. Our grandfather started a successful investment company, which Caleb now runs. It’s a fortune that passed onto our dad, their only child, and again to my siblings and me. At the foundation of our wealth is family. There’s nothing more important.
Our name and financial status tend to attract less-than-honest people. Caleb’s been burned once before, and won’t let himself be taken for a ride again.
I have my own reasons for not letting people get close. I give in to my physical needs on occasion. Not often, and it’s normally only at a club where no one knows my face or name. Caleb is a lot more open and eager in his pursuits. He looks unusually torn and ragged this morning. Must have been a really late night.
“Good morning, Mr Heart. We should be ready for take-off in five.” Caleb nods to the flight attendant, then walks over to Isabelle, sitting beside her and smiling.
I wheel Beth’s suitcase to the door to the hangar, then make my way over to one of the lounges, further away from Beth and Isabelle.
“Gage, come meet Izzy.”Fucking little sisters.
I roll my neck and take a deep breath as I turn around and walk over to them. I do my best not to look like a total dick and offer Isabelle a small smile.
“Izzy, this is Gage,” Beth says, then leans into Isabelle’s ear. “I promise he’s not as scary as he looks.”
