Page 109 of The Rebel Billionaire

“Brooke, how are you finding it working for my grumpy arse older brother?” Enzo asks.

Although he was raised Stateside and was only four when our grandfather retired, handing the reins of St Clair to our mother, Enzo, like me, speaks with a British accent. His years at a British boarding school having rubbed off on him too.

Brooke shoots me a grin, one that lands straight in the centre of my chest. I arch an eyebrow and smirk as Gabbi playfully grips Brooke’s forearm.

“You don’t have to lie. You’re in a safe space,” she tells her seriously.

“Hey, I’m not that bad,” I say, making everyone around the table laugh.

“Darling, you are the epitome of professionalism. Meticulous in every way. I was bad, but you take perfectionism to a whole new level,” Mother chimes in.

“And as a leading shareholder, I’m making you a lot of money,” I add.

“True.” She smiles. “I’m not complaining.”

“Brooke?”

“He’s not so bad when you get used to him,” she says, shooting me a sideways glance, her eyes sparkling. This is the most relaxed I’ve seen her since she started working for me. “And the job is amazing. I’ve learned so much.”

“Do you think you’d like to go into fashion after this?” Father asks.

“Er, I…” Brooke recovers, straightening her shoulders. “It’s something I’ve always been fascinated with,” she admits, but I don’t miss the look she shoots my mother.

What the hell?

Was I right all along? Are they colluding?

“You’re in the right place if Sandro ever lets you go. I’m not sure Callie will be coming back. Once she has her baby, I can’t see her wanting to leave it,” Father says, shooting Mother one of his looks. The fact that she went to work, left us with a host of nannies and eventually sent Enzo and me to boarding school had never sat well with him. Not that he was willing to stay at home and raise us. It would be called a double standard today. Back then, Mother was a pioneer. One of the leading women in fashion.

“And that will be her choice,” Mother says quietly, shooting Brooke a smile. “When the time comes, you’ll have a decision to make.”

Brooke drops her gaze, and I question once more what it is between them.

Mother catches me watching and plasters on a smile. One that doesn’t fool me. She knows I’ve seen. She also knows I’ll stop at nothing to protect my loved ones.

What are you up to?

I should trust her. Whatever she knows, she wouldn’t risk everything we’ve worked so hard to build for an outsider.

Avril breaks the silence.

“Now we’ve eaten, can we play Charades?”

CHAPTER 32

HARPER

Christmas dinner with the Bianchis is more fun than I expected. Alex’s family is like my own. Enzo reminds me of Caleb. To the outside world, he is fun and frivolous, while underneath it all, he’s searching for something. His obvious devotion to his daughter reminds me of Eli.

Gabbi is like me. She has fought hard to be heard in a family full of dominant males, despite it being ruled by a matriarch. But then our family’s no different. My father may have been the figurehead, the one who went out and made the money, but Mum was the backbone, holding it all together. It’s probably why everything didn’t completely fall apart when Dad died—well, for some of us.

Avril leads Charades. As there are seven of us, we split into boys versus girls.

It’s Gabbi’s turn. She twists herself into all sorts of shapes, throwing her arms around.

“Snow,” Avril shouts, earning herself a thumbs-up.

“Time’s running out,” Enzo shouts a little too enthusiastically.