I’m even more curious about her past now. “Darius took you in after your parents passed away, then?”
“He was kind of a hero to me.” She smiles sweetly, and the love for Darius is there in the depths of her eyes. “When he heard that I would go into foster care if a family member didn’t step in, he came forward, without ever having met me before.”
This I didn’t know. I assumed Darius would be overprotective as her half-brother, now it appears he’s a father figure to her, too. “Why didn’t you meet him before?” I ask, wanting a full understanding of their family dynamic before our meeting tomorrow.
“Long story short, his mega-rich father made sure my mom couldn’t see Darius again, as revenge for divorcing him.”
I hear the distaste that fills her voice. And now I’m to beginning to see why Allie doesn’t value monetary things. Money ruined her family.
I listen intently as she continues. “Darius tried his best for me, but he was also a twenty-five-year-old guy who didn’t know what in the hell to do with a fifteen-year-old girl suddenly living in his house.”
“You seem to have turned out okay,” I state.
She laughs softly. “Thanks. I think so, too.” The sweet sounds of her amusement fade away with a long heavy sigh. “But because I’ve experienced both lifestyles, I learned I prefer living simply.”
“Why?”
She reaches for another broccoli and feeds me. “The thing that bothered me most is that once I had money, people started to look at me differently—wanting things from me.” When I cock my head, confused, she explains, “You know, they didn’t like me for me but because of the money I had in the bank.”
I silently nod, knowing the look she’s speaking of, because I see it daily. It happens when a person stops looking at you like you’re an equal. When a person gravitates to you for all the wrong reasons. When they don’t want to be your friend out of genuine desire, but because your friendship gives them something. I realize, for the first time, this is what I like about Allie: she doesn’t look at me like that.
She shrugs and adds, “I know it’s kinda weird and all, but I like being seen. I need to be seen for who I am.”
I stroke her bare knee again. “I don’t think that’s weird at all.”
“You don’t?”
I shake my head slowly. “No, I don’t.”
She gives me her sweet smile, a gleam in her eye. “Well, after I moved out on my own, I decided to stick to the life I grew up with instead of the life Darius could give me. Now I’m surrounded by people who see me, and love me for who I am, not what I represent.” She tosses a piece of chicken into her mouth. “That’s why I don’t reveal that we’re sister and brother.”
And until we’re serious, I can’t take that risk, is what she doesn’t need to say. “You don’t need to explain further,” I say, gently. “I understand.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.” I lean forward, dragging my knuckles across her warm cheek. “You’ll be put under a microscope the second the tabloids learn of you. And I’d give it less than twenty-four hours before they know everything about you, so yes, I understand why you want to protect yourself.” Because I protect my secrets too—only my reasons for doing that are far less pure than hers.
She leans into my hand. “I’m not saying never, okay? Just not right now. I need a little time to figure all this out and tell the people I need to about Darius.”
I nod, not needing to hear more. I get it.
“Wait…” Her head suddenly moves away from my hand, hard eyes probing mine. “If you knew about Darius, does that mean that he knows about us?”
&nb
sp; “He doesn’t yet, but I plan to tell him tomorrow.”
“But you don’t—”
I press my finger against her lips. “I do business with him, Allie. It’s out of respect, not because I need his blessing.”
She watches me for a moment and then kisses my finger before leaning away. “I guess you’re right. Besides, he’ll probably be thrilled about this.”
I sincerely doubt that. “How so?”
“Because you are rich so he’ll stop worrying I’m one step away from becoming homeless.”
I chuckle softly, understanding Darius’s point of view. I would love to give Allie a hired driver, ensuring she’s always safe. Give her a higher income to take away worries of money, because I can. To set her up in a house that I think she deserves. But I also like the fact that Allie doesn’t need any of those things to be happy, and I like that she doesn’t expect me to take care of her. There’s something very sexy about her strength and independence.