Graeme didn’t want to do either.
He actually felt sorry for his brother.
Almost.
He looked around the office as though backing down to Cullen’s demand.
His brother was a man, not a kid, he reminded himself. Not a teenager who needed to be watched over, or a young man grieving the loss of a wife.
A wife, not a mate, Graeme reminded himself. Cullen hadn’t lost his mate, but if he didn’t get his head out of his ass fairly fast, then he just might end up doing that now.
Cullen sat down slowly. “Don’t you ever listen?” he growled, pushing his fingers through the overly long dark hair that was already fading to the more natural dark brown and blond strands.
“Listen to who?” Graeme smirked. “You? Why would I do that? You never say anything I actually agree with.”
Cullen doubted anyone said anything his brother agreed with.
Running his hand along the back of his neck, he tried to tell himself that fighting with Graeme never accomplished anything. Even as children Graeme had inevitably won their disagreements.
“Tell me why you’re here or get out,” Cullen breathed out roughly.
The last thing he wanted to deal with was another of his brother’s little games.
Graeme’s disagreeable grunt only irritated Cullen further.
“As I said, Cat’s worried and asked me to check up on you,” Graeme stated then, a small frown appearing between his brows for no more than a second, as though he was not exactly certain why Cat’s request mattered.
Everything about Cat mattered, though. From the moment Graeme had stared into the face of the four-day-old infant Cat had been when they were no more than eleven, nothing had mattered to Graeme but Cat. Her existence was everything. It had driven the far-too-intelligent, too-animalistic Graeme to actually find enough sanity to survive.
Though Cullen doubted the meaning of survival some days when it came to Graeme’s life in the years before he’d returned to find the woman he’d given up when she was no more than twelve years old. Survival these days was looking pretty good for the too-calculating, beyond-genius-level Bengal Breed Cullen knew as his brother.
“She shouldn’t worry. Is that all you wanted?” he gritted out when Graeme said nothing more.
Settling back more comfortably in Chelsea’s chair, his twin let a small, amused smile curl his lips.
“Well, Cat did want to have friends over for dinner, and she does consider you a friend,” he grunted, as though he couldn’t figure out why. “I came to extend the invitation. Be there tonight around seven.” With that order in place, Graeme rose from the chair as though preparing to leave. So certain Cullen would just follow his orders that he didn’t even pretend to ask a damned thing.
“I’m busy.” Seven this evening his ass. “You should have tried a little advance notice.”
Graeme’s eyes narrowed, his powerful body easing back into the chair.
“That would have only given you an advance warning and allowed you to simply not show up with only the flimsiest of reasons,” Graeme pointed out logically. “I checked your schedule. You have nothing planned for this evening other than returning home as you usually do after leaving the office.” Mockery filled his expression again. “That is, if you leave the office. Tonight you can show up for a decent meal and a little social chitchat.” The last was a primal growl. “If I have to do it, so can you.”
For a moment, Cullen stared at his brother in amazement.
“Since when do you indulge in social chitchat?” he asked, wondering if the guests had any clue about the monster they were actually chatting with, if such a thing happened.
Graeme’s expression became a glare. “I am no longer a monster, brother,” he informed him. “Cat has tamed the beast.”
And he actually sounded proud of that, Cullen noticed.
“That’s all well and good for you. I’m excessively proud,” Cullen sneered. “But like I said, I’m fucking busy.”
If anything, Graeme’s glare darkened. “If you aren’t there and on time, I will find you before the night’s out and make you wish you were there.” The green of his eyes darkened, nearly overtaking the pupil before Graeme pulled back the monster he claimed was tame. “This is for Cat. I will not have her hurt because you didn’t show up. Are we understood?” Strong canines flashed in Graeme’s savage smile as he came slowly to his feet, his gaze never leaving Cullen’s.
It was almost amusing. The creature Graeme had become during those years of unbridled fury was so much a part of his twin that there was no hiding it. The fact that it was indeed under control now amazed Cullen.
“Forget it. I’m busy,” Cullen reminded him, really not fazed by the beast. Graeme wasn’t dangerous yet, just a little put out.