Tempted

Chapter 22

Colt

I sit at the bar nursing my pint. The one good thing about being in London – the drinking age. I need a reprieve. Between dealing with Taylor ignoring me, Bria’s mood swings, and managing Geoffrey’s unyielding demands on this never ending case, things have been intense.

I glance at my phone. Still no word from Taylor despite numerous texts and emails asking her to call me back. We really need to talk, but for some reason, she seems reluctant, and hasn’t been answering her phone.

I realize it’s Homecoming night and dial up Reis instead. “Hey man. You ready for the dance tonight?”

“Yeah. I just got Taylor’s corsage out of the fridge, she’ll be here soon.”

“You didn’t pick her up?”

“I know. I wanted to, trust me. But you know how she is. She insisted that was a stupid idea, and I could do little more than nod my head and obey. She’s staying the night here though, sleeping in your old room.”

“Cool. How’s Mrs. Lee?”

“A nervous wreck, waiting in the foyer with her camera ready and poised on the door. But hey, listen we’re dancing around this and we need to talk about what you’re doing to Taylor.”

Now I’m getting shit from my little brother too? Damn, this is not my day. “Just worry about yourself, Reis.”

“You’re fucking with Taylor’s emotions and we both know it. Come clean with her,” he says.

“You don’t know shit about my relationship with Taylor.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I’m there when she’s sad because you’ve done something stupid. I’m the one who’s there for her when she’s drunk and sick. And I’m the one she comes to when she wants to laugh. I’ve been the one comforting her when she runs into one of your ex’s.”

Fuck. I hate this. I hate that I’m not there for her. “Don’t get any ideas with me away. She’s not yours.”

“We’ll see. You’re not here for her.”

“I’ll be back eventually, don’t be a dumbass, Reis,” I growl.

He’s quiet for a second. “Why do you have to have this girl? You’ll fuck anything that moves.”

His assessment of me would have been true a few months ago, but Taylor’s changed that. It sucks to know that’s what he still thinks of me though. Some big brother I turned out to be. What if Taylor is better off with him? Someone her own age, who doesn’t have a shaky past, who isn’t running an international corporation, someone who can take her to regular stuff – like high school dances. Reis can give her things I can’t. “If that’s what she decides she wants, I’ll step away, but until then, no fucking way.” I won’t just hand her over to him.

“You can’t have it both ways, Colt You’re not here.”

Maybe it is selfish of me to try and keep her. If she really is interested in Reis, though it will kill me, I’ll walk away. “Treat her right tonight.”

“I always do,” he says, ending the call.