Joshua scowls at the piles of clothes on my floor as he picks his way across the room. “I’m going to schedule the cleaning crew to come here on the daily,” he says, shaking his head and grimacing. “How can you live like this?” He perches on the edge off my bed, surveying my messy room with obvious disgust.
“It’s not all my doing this time. Anais didn’t lift a finger while she was here.” Thank fuck, she moved into her new apartment yesterday.
“You let her sleep in your room?” He jumps up, glaring at my bed like it’s infested.
Hell, it probably is.
“Of course not. I put her things in the guest room, but she did what the fuck she wanted while I wasn’t here.”
“I hope you kept tabs on her.”
“I’m not a moron.” I send him daggered eyes. “I had a couple of guys watch the camera feeds twenty-four-seven while she was here. Apart from trashing my place, eating all my junk food, and binging on reality TV, she didn’t do jack.”
“I still don’t trust her.”
“Same,” I agree, tossing my shirt onto the nearest mound of clothes on the floor.
Joshua rolls his eyes. “Cristian called.”
Now it’s my turn to eye roll. “He’s worse than any pussy.”
“He said you told him you love Elisa and you’ve fucked it all up.”
My mouth hangs open. “I didnotsay that.”
Joshua grins. “You so did. It’s about time you admitted the truth.”
I flip him the bird again—’cause I’m mature like that. “I’m not admitting anything.”
“You confronted me when I was in denial about my feelings for Gia, and now it’s my turn.” My twin tips dirty clothes off the chair by my window and sits down. “I’m a judgment-free zone, brother. Talk to me.”
I pull off my jeans and flip them onto the floor, sitting on the side of my bed in my boxers. I rest my head in my hands as my stomach churns violently. The nasty taste in my mouth reminds me I consumed half a bottle of Macallan last night. “We have to be at Cartier soon,” I say, remembering the appointment and why my brother has shown up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning.
“Nice try, but it won’t work. We have plenty of time.” He crosses one ankle over his knee as he smiles. “Spit it out.”
I heave a sigh. Joshua is a stubborn prick when he gets something into his head. Might as well do this now. “Did you know she has a boyfriend?”
“Gia mentioned something about him, yeah.”
I glower at my twin. “And you didn’t fucking say anything to me?”
He shrugs. “What was the point when you were still in denial?”
“I hate this shit.” I flop down on my back. “I don’t know what I feel. I don’t believe in love. You know this. I have feelings for her, but I don’t know if it’s love. Lately, it’s getting harder to be around her and not want to hold her and kiss her. When I’m jerking off, it’s always to images of her. She is consuming my thoughts, and my head is a bigger fucked-up mess than usual.” I sit back up. “I fucking hate the thought of that preppy prick putting his hands anywhere near my Lili.” My hands ball up of their own volition. “See?” I hold them out. “I want to pummel the douche into next year.”
“I don’t think it’s serious with him.”
“Yet.” I stand and pace the floor. “As soon as he realizes how amazing she is, he’ll try to put a ring on it.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“I don’t know. I think it might be too late.” I rub at my stomach. “I did something stupid.”
“Wow, shocker right there.”
“J,” I grit out. “Not fucking helpful.”
His expression sobers as he lowers his foot to the floor. “Cristian told me about those girls and what you said to Elisa. I also know Alesso put the thought in your head, and I’m pissed at him for interfering even if I understand why he did.”
