Chapter Eighteen
MORGAN
The minute the elevator doors close, he turns toward me, backing me against the wall and stepping so close I’m forced to tilt my head back to look at him.
“What the fuck?” His words are a low growl, but there’s hunger mixed with confusion in his gaze, and I have to force my body to fight its natural reaction to him.
“I’m having the same thought right now,Danny.” Any trace of the friendliness and professionalism I presented in AJ’s office is gone.
The only reason I was able to hold myself together back there was because I’d had two hours to mentally prepare. If I hadn’t seen that picture of him ahead of time, there’s no way I would have been able to keep that first interaction professional.
“It’s a childhood nickname. No one calls me that but Max, and a few of my friends from home,” he says, and while I’ve never heard of Danny being used as a nickname for Aidan, I guess it makes sense. So he didn’t technically lie to me about his identity, he just left out some very important details. Which, to be fair, I guess I did too. “Did you know who I was, back in Bermuda?”
The scoff rips out of my throat so quickly it surprises me. “No. Being my stepbrother is bad enough, but if I knew we’d be working together?—”
“You sure?” He drops his head toward me, his voice low and... angry? seductive? I’m not sure I can tell the difference right now. “Because even being my stepsister didn’t keep your clothes on?—”
His words are like a slap across the face—a sharp and painful reminder of how easily I’d given myself over to him despite all the times I said we couldn’t go there again. Those ugly feelings from yesterday, the ones that made me feel like I let Danny use me just like I’d let Carter use me, rear their ugly head again. So, I clap back.
“Fuck you,” I spit out, my words an angry whisper shout in the small elevator.
“Is that an offer?”
“God, you’re such an asshole. I willnevermake that offer again, especially since you’re one of my dad’s clients?—”
“What?” His head rears back. “You’re Carson Kaplan’sdaughter?”
“The one and only,” I say. “Oh my god, and do you know what the worst part is? I came home from Bermuda and told all my friends I’d had sex with my stepbrother, thinking I’d never see you again.”
“Why is that an issue?”
“Aside from the fact that they’re all going to know it’s you?”
“Why would they know it’s me? It’s not like I’m going to meet your friends.”
“You already know some of them! Lauren, the head of marketing? She’s my cousin. Drew’s fiancée, Audrey, Colt’s fiancée, Jules, Hartmann’s wife, Eva? Three of my best friends. AJ? Also a good friend of mine.”
I watch him connecting the dots but can’t tell how he feels about it. “I don’t know Audrey, Jules, or Eva?—”
“Exactly, because you’ve been MIA for the last year. Meanwhile, these people, including your teammates, are like family to me.”
“You don’t have to tellanyof them I’m your stepbrother.”
“What? How would I hide that?”
“I think we can easily keep that piece of information to ourselves until our parents’ inevitable split.”
“But . . . I’m a terrible liar.”
“The way you just pretended like you had no idea who I was back in AJ’s office means we both know that’s not true. I think you can lie just fine when it’s convenient for you.”
“There is absolutely nothing fuckingconvenientabout this situation,” I say as the elevator dings.
“Any other lies you told me in Bermuda that I should be aware of?”
“I didn’t tell you a single lie in Bermuda...unlike you.” I think about the way he redirected the conversation at dinner after the wedding so that Max wouldn’t talk about him being a hockey player. Makes me wonder what else he might have lied about.
I push past him, heading straight to the elevator doors and turning slightly to fit through them before they’re even halfway open. I can feel him close on my heels as we walk along the rubber mats that line the rink, and while there’s no one nearby, I still drop my voice very low when I say, “We’re done talking about this.”
