Lucian
Eighteen months later
Ipush open the door and am greeted with a thick cloud of smoke and the strong scent of tobacco. The blue light from the built-in aquarium shines around the dark room, and my brothers are sitting around the poker table.
“Lucian, what an unexpected surprise,” Malachi says, glancing up from his cards. “Kevin, bring my brother a Gurkha Black Dragon.”
“Have you come to join us?” Gage asks and pushes out the chair between them.
“I am not stopping, and this isn’t a social call.” I nod my head toward the window where outside the helicopter is waiting, the engine still on and the blades continuing their slow rotation.
“How’s life treating you?” Malachi asks conversationally, though I know he’s eager to get back to the game.
I smile big because this is going to feel good. “Save it,” I say, and toss a rolled-up magazine on the table from under my arm. The multi-coloured chips that Malachi had stacked so neatly fall to the floor, but Malachi does nothing to retrieve them. Curiosity washes over his face and his gaze is trained on me.
“Nice rack,” Gage says, his attention obviously on the busty blonde on the front cover.
Malachi regards the magazine with fading interest, a ghost of a smile tugging on his lips. “Thanks, butLondon’s Weeklyisn’t on the top of my list of reading material.”
“It should be,” I say, and take the cigar Malachi’s butler hands me. I light up and take a slow and controlled inhale. “Page twenty-five.”
Gage lifts the magazine and, licking the tip of his finger, begins to flick through. I lean forward and wait for Gage to locate the page, a page I conveniently folded in the corner. “You’ll be pleased to know the article hasn’t been written by our old friend, Darren Moore.”
“Article?” Gage wonders aloud.
I smile. “It would seem I’m not the only brother who makes headlines.”
Gage Calloway ties the knot with mystery woman in secret nuptials!is the title that is displayed on the double spread. Gage pales.
“My invitation must have gotten lost in the post,” I say.
“It would appear that mine did too.” Malachi side-eyes our brother. “Who is this girl? Have you even bothered to run background checks on her?”
Gage and Malachi talk amongst themselves. In the corner of my eye, I can see Alfred, one of Malachi’s butlers, enter the room. Josh is walking a few steps behind. I smile because they’re right on time.
Conversation stops, and Malachi stands abruptly. “I don’t know who invited you here, but you are not welcome.”
I raise my hand. “I invited him.” I was pleasantly surprised to learn from Natasha’s social media that she and Josh are currently holidaying in Scotland. The information presented me the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.
Malachi retakes his seat, and my brothers sit in silence.
“Thank you so much for giving me a second chance,” Josh begins when he is standing feet from me.
“A second chance?” I snort. “No, dear cousin. I only requested your company to return some of your belongings.” I reach into my pocket and pull out a small box. I rotate it in my hand several times before I pass it to him. “Here. Inside are all the cufflinks you bought me for my birthdays over the years. Like you, they are fake. I have no use for them, so thought you may want them returning.”
“Lucian,” Josh begins, but I turn my back on him and head for the door. A hand grabs my shoulder and I spin around and come face to face with Josh. He runs his fingers through his hair, once, twice, before taking a deep breath. “Will you let me explain…”
I consider myself to be a reasonable man, a gentleman. But once in a while a gentleman needs to get his hands dirty. I turn around as though I am continuing on my way, but instead of leaving I throw my arm back and slam my fist into Josh’s face.
My cousin stumbles and holds his hand over his nose. “Lucian, what the fuck? I’ll sue you for millions.” He turns to Malachi and Gage. “You both saw that, didn’t you?”
Malachi, whose face is as blasé as ever, shrugs. “I saw you fall and hit your face.”
Gage stifles a laugh. “Cousin, you are so clumsy.”
Josh turns to me, his eyes wide, as though he expects me to say something. And I would hate to disappoint.
“That’s the thing about family. We stick together and have each other’s back. But I guess that concept is foreign to you.”