The Billionaire's Kisses: Billionaire Brothers (9 page)

Amy kissed Adam goodbye on the landing, and told him she’d meet him back downstairs because she needed to freshen up. She stood in the huge bathroom and grinned at the ornate mirror, unable to hide her excitement and affection for Adam. She reached up and fondled the beautiful pendant around her neck, feeling honoured that he’d chosen to give her something of sentimental value, rather than something expensive – which would’ve been far too easy. Her excitement bubbled and she laughed out loud. She didn’t want to allow her heart to unwind into him, but the truth was he was wonderful, his family were adorable… even this bathroom was amazing. The floor was marble, the bathtub was big enough for two, and the general vibe oozed luxury. But none of this mattered, not really. Amy wasn’t particularly impressed by money. She needed it to pay her rent and bills like everyone, but all she really wanted was for this glorious feeling of affection to go on forever.

No, Amy. You’re going back to London tomorrow night. Enjoy it while it lasts. Don’t get sucked in. You’ll get hurt.

But why would he give me the pendant, if his
heart
didn’t like me a little bit?

Amy inhaled deeply and vowed to get a grip. She took one final glance in the mirror, then she stood up tall and strode in her heels towards the ostentatious staircase. The sound of the party continuing below whooshed excitement into her body, and she couldn’t wait to get back there, dancing and mingling with Adam’s lovely family. She rested her hand on the wooden bannister, feeling like a 1940s movie star, about to descend the staircase in a Hollywood classic. As she lowered her foot onto the first step, she realised she could hear Adam, Dylan, and Joseph chatting boisterously at the bottom. She blushed. The other two had probably just heard her loud orgasm. But she was proud of the fact that she enjoyed sex this much. It was a new experience for her and she suddenly wanted to tell everyone. Maybe she’d go down there now and make a few suggestive remarks.

She moved her foot to continue her descent, when Adam’s voice said, “Yeah, she sure is special. I’ve never met anyone like her.”

“She’s pretty,” Dylan said. “And fun. I like her.”

“She’s wise,” Joseph said. “Reminds me of Ivan.”

Amy grinned. Her heart soared with pride. She was hidden from sight here, so she decided to stay and listen, desperate to hear what other compliments these gorgeous brothers might bestow upon her. She craned her neck so she could just about see all three men through a gap in the bannister. She felt naughty spying like this, but she was dying to know what Adam might reveal to his brothers about her.

Dylan frowned at Joseph. “In what way is she like Ivan?”

“Well,” Joseph said. “She won’t take any shit from either of you two for a start.”

Adam grinned at his younger brother. “And
you’ve
got her wrapped around your little finger, I suppose?”

“No,” Joseph said. “And I didn’t have Ivan wrapped. He just… we just got on.”

Dylan rested his hand on Joseph’s shoulder. “I know it’s painful, kiddo. I miss him, too.”

Joseph gazed down at the ground. He snapped himself out of it. “And Amy’s a great dancer.”

“
You
sound more taken with Ms Carter than Adam is,” Dylan said. “Shame she’ll be returning to London tomorrow night.”

“Maybe if you fire her,” Joseph said, “she’ll stick around in New York for a bit longer. You’d like that wouldn’t you, Ad?”

Adam shrugged. “Sure would.”

“Well, you won’t need to fire her,” Dylan said. “I’ve been looking at the figures again with Preti and we’ll need to lose the back-office staff in six months from now.”

Amy’s spine prickled with worry as she continued to listen.
Lose
the back office staff?

Adam’s expression dropped to concern. “But we assured her we wouldn’t do that.”

“I know, but Adam, this is business. It’s what Preti suggests, and I agree.”

“But what about the contract? We promised Amy we’d honour her requests.”

“Adam, what’s got into you? We’ll sign the contract as agreed for a guaranteed retainer of six months, but after that, we’ll need to lose all the back-office staff. Including your lovely Amy. Sorry. It’s a shame because I do genuinely like her. And I can see
you
do, too.”

Adam’s demeanour stiffened. “Sure I like her. But business is business. I’ve never known Preti to let us down, so if that’s what she thinks, I guess that’s what we’ll need to do.”

In her hiding place, Amy’s cheeks flushed with humiliation. How dare he pretend to care for her, then plot so casually against her behind her back? What an asshole!

“We need to keep the shareholders happy,” Dylan said. “They don’t care about our dead brother or our little side projects. This is business.”

“And it’s for Ivan,” Adam said. “
He
made a huge sacrifice, and so others will need to be sacrificed, too.”

The three men started to talk about their plans for a memorial plaque for Ivan, but Amy couldn’t concentrate on what they were saying. Her ears thumped as the blood pumped cruelly through them; her mind blurred with betrayal. She felt like a piece of paper, torn in two. It was like Adam had ripped out her core and trampled on it. She felt physically sick – as if he’d punched her. How stupid to think he cared for her! This was worse even than finding her ex-boyfriend fucking his assistant, because she’d fallen out of love with
him
months ago. But this… was she was more upset with herself for believing Adam’s charming bullshit or with
him
for being such a bastard? But she’d known he’d been a bastard right from the start. Why was she surprised now?

Amy gripped the bannister for support and realised that she needed to get out of here now. She wanted to go back to her hotel; back to London. But Adam was technically about to become her boss. And apparently he was planning to make her redundant! What a fucking asshole. She wanted to kill him. But she couldn’t make a scene here – not at his parents’ wedding anniversary party. But obviously she couldn’t stay here – how the hell was she going to contain her simmering fury?

Amy realised she couldn’t hear the brothers talking any longer. She glanced down through the gap in the bannister and saw an empty piece of wooden floor where they’d been standing a moment ago. Plotting her downfall. She assumed they must’ve gone back into the grand hall, so she crept down the stairs into the hallway, feeling her mind swirl with painful embarrassment. She was delicate and flimsy, like a squashed insect.

When she reached the bottom step, she staggered and rested against the bannister.

Adam’s mother strolled out of the kitchen carrying a bottle of Champagne, which she almost dropped as she saw Amy’s limp sweat-drenched body. “Amy, what’s the matter, dear? Are you feeling unwell?”

Amy forced herself to be polite. “Yes. I think I’ll go back to my hotel.”

“I’ll get Adam.”

“No, please. I don’t want to see him. Will you please tell him I’ve gone? Tell him I’m feeling very sick and ill.”

“Of course. Come on, I’ll help you to the car. His driver will take you back to your hotel. Are you sure you don’t want to see Adam?”

Amy bit back her tears. “I don’t want him to see me like this. I’m sure you understand.”

“Yes, I understand. Come along, dear; it’s okay. You’ll be okay now.”

Amy grasped Adam’s mom’s proffered arm, wishing she could break down into those maternal arms and tell her the truth about her bastard son. But of course she couldn’t. She pulled her steely cloak back around herself – cursing herself for ever letting it drop – and reminded herself that yes she
would
be okay – as long as she stayed away from the back-stabbing double-crossing Adam Quinlan from now on.

Amy climbed out of the car and jogged in her heels up the hotel steps, wanting nothing but peace, solitude, and the contents of her minibar. Her body throbbed with dismal humiliation and stormy anger. She’d spent the entire car journey back here churning over what she’d heard Adam saying to his brothers about letting her go. It was the dismissiveness of it all that hurt so much. It’d all happened so fast – in mere seconds her delusion that Adam might care for her had been sliced with sharp shears – like snipping the strings of a marionette. Now Amy’s mind flailed in a lonesome wasteland, unsure of how to deal with this.

Why the hell had she allowed him to get under her skin? She’d been so determined not to let it happen, precisely because she knew she’d get slammed in the chest with Adam’s unfeeling iron-fist – and now she was paying the price. 

She stepped through the ornate door into the hotel lobby, and her dream of tranquillity exploded. It was like Times Square at rush hour. Businesspeople and tourists swarmed everywhere, like buzzing insects in an electric storm. She braced herself, then strode across the lobby, but a crowd of sightseers blocked her way as they lined up with their tour-guide. She glanced around for an alternative route and set off again, squeezing past chattering bodies and cursing this assault course of a journey to the elevator. The artificial lights dazzled her weary psyche – it was like being swept around in a hurricane. 

Amy pushed through the lively bustle and towards the sanctuary of the elevator, determined to get to her room, so she could have a calming shower and get shit-faced. Everything would be fine. She’d coped with worse than this. Sure, her heart was broken and her job was at risk, but so what? She would simply stay away from men from now on, and she’d easily find a new job; a job she truly loved. She just needed to get through this pain and survive, exactly as she had so many times before.

She halted at the elevator door, but the sound of a man shouting her name made her body tense up like an steel rod. Obviously this was going to be Adam, chasing after her and begging for forgiveness. Would she give it to him? No, definitely not… Well, probably not. It depended what he had to say for himself.

He called her name again, drawing close behind her now. She spun on her heel, ready to confront him for being a bastard. But she recoiled as she realised it wasn’t Adam.

Standing calmly in the eye of the hurricane around them was Tariq Shard.

He was staring intensely, but smiling gently. Fear gripped Amy’s body, eclipsing her other jangling emotions. Tariq was obviously here for her. But why? Perhaps the time had come to hear him out – the Quinlans were liars, and – after all – she
was
here to protect the interests of Grafton Techs. But her emotions were raw, and she didn’t know if she could handle more bad news right now. What if he told her something terrible and she humiliated herself by breaking into Adam-induced tears? Or worse – what if he
was
a murderer? No, she wasn’t going to give him any time this evening. If it was
that
urgent, Tariq could speak to her tomorrow. She’d had enough of men for tonight.

She turned back to press the elevator call button. 

“Ms Carter,” he said. “I’d like to talk to you. I mean you no harm.”

“I’m not interested. Leave me alone.”

Amy stared at the elevator doors, willing them to open. Her heart thumped in her throat. Maybe she should call Adam to let him know Tariq was here?

Tariq spoke again. “I was just wondering which one of them you’re sleeping with?”

Amy’s anger snapped. “How dare you!”

He smiled sympathetically, and Amy chastised herself for falling for his trick to get her attention.

The elevator doors swished open and a couple of businessmen deep in conversation strode out. Amy pulled herself up to her full height. “Good night, Mr Shard.”

“There’s something you need to know about the Quinlan brothers. Something important.”

Amy willed herself to stride into the elevator, but her feet were seemingly frozen to the floor. The doors swished shut, and she cursed her curiosity. She didn’t dare look at Tariq, so she stared ahead, but they both knew he’d piqued her interest.

“I’d like to tell you everything about Adam Quinlan, Ms Carter.”

Unable to resist, she turned to face him. He was dressed in a fine suit, and he was cleanly shaven – chin
and
head. His bulk and height made him look like a model or a football player, but his face was gentle and kind. That awful scar on his face sullied his appearance, and sympathy twisted inside Amy’s chest, but she pushed it away – she’d already been duped by one man in New York; better not make it two. 

“What of Adam?” she asked.

“Let’s sit down over there. Don’t worry, we’ll be out in the open – seen by everyone in the lobby. You’re in no danger.”

Amy clutched her purse for protection and strolled with him back to the leather couch where a few party-goers were posing for a selfie. The party-goers drifted away, so Amy sat down cautiously, feeling relatively safe with the throng of people around. And Tariq actually seemed pretty harmless. He was well-mannered and softly spoken. Not actually a thug, as she’d been led to believe.

Tariq sat down too, keeping a respectful distance between them. He rested his hands in his lap and spoke with emotion in his voice. “I’ve known Adam my whole life – I’ve known them
all
my whole life. Our fathers were in the army together – we were all firm friends before Ivan died.”

“From what I hear,
you
killed Ivan.”

Tariq’s brow crumpled with pain. “I didn't intentionally kill him, you have my word. I started the fire and I’ll be charged for that. But it wasn’t murder. I never would’ve caused Ivan harm.”

“Look, what's this got to do with me?”

“I need to know how you feel about Adam.”

“I hate him. I think he’s an asshole.”

Tariq smirked knowingly. “Really? He’s already got that far under your skin, huh?”

Amy clenched her hands in her lap. “My patience is running out, Mr Shard. What do you want?”

Tariq absent-mindedly scratched himself on the arm. “I was wondering, do you know how Quinlan Senior made his first few million after he left the army?”

“No, but I’ve got a feeling you’re about to tell me.”

“It’s not a pretty tale. Quinlan Senior invited my dad to get involved, but it was too sordid for him. He was good friends with Quinlan Senior by then, though, and they remained friends despite Quinlan’s shady dealings.”

“What shady dealings?”

“The shady dealings of the head of the family you’re getting mixed up with.”

“I’m not getting mixed up with them. It’s just business.”

“Sure, okay. Well, just to let you know – in case it ever becomes more than just business – Quinlan Senior made his first million by running guns for a drugs cartel – that’s the truth. You can ask Adam or Dylan – they’ll confirm it.”

Amy forced herself to remain cool at this revelation. “Well, I’m surprised to hear that. I met Mr Quinlan tonight and he seemed very nice. And anyway, that gun-running stuff was obviously a long time ago. And it’s nothing to do with Quinlan Brothers now.” The thick air squeezed tightly around Amy as the stark realisation struck her. “Or is it?”

“No, I don’t think Quinlan Senior’s involved in the drugs or guns anymore. But really, I guess, who knows? Anyway, there’s something else I need to tell you about the Quinlan family. Can I show you something?”

“Am I going to be able to stop you?”

He chuckled kindly. “I want to show you the very last photo that was taken of Ivan.”

Amy’s insides writhed with apprehension, as if Tariq was about to pull an AK47 on her. Did she really want to see this? He rummaged in the pocket of his jacket and grabbed his phone, then he held it up to show Amy the screen.

Her gaze fell on the photo, and shock zoomed in to replace her wobbly confusion about this odd scenario. The picture on Tariq’s phone showed a youngish man bound and gagged with a red silk ribbon, lying on a metal-framed bed in a cheap hotel room. He was an attractive brunette and – even though he had his eyes closed – it was plain to see he was a Quinlan.

A tourniquet of terror gripped Amy’s muscles. “You
did
murder him?”

“No, no, no, Ms Carter.” Sadness swept over Tariq’s face. “Ivan and I were lovers; he was the love of my life.”

Amy couldn’t pull her gaze away from the photo now – what the hell was going on?

Tariq spoke with affection. “This was a game we enjoyed. Asphyxiation… Look, you can see my handprints on his neck. We always knew how far to go – it was a mutual pleasure of ours.”

Amy’s mind buzzed with bewilderment. “How do I know this is even Ivan? I don’t know what he looked like. Why are you telling me this?”

“I can show you more if you like?”

“No, please...” Amy composed herself. “Mr Shard, I’m terribly sorry that you’ve lost the love of your life, but I really don’t see what this has got to do with me. I’m tired. If you don’t mind, I’d like to sleep.”

“Ms Carter, I won’t lie, I want Grafton Techs for myself. You were my idea. You’re supposed to be mine, but Ivan told his brothers about you, and they stole you. Just like they stole my blueprints.”

“Yes, but –”

“Come and work for me.”

Shock burst out of Amy in the form of laughter. “Work for you? Mr Shard, Grafton Techs is going to Quinlan Brothers whether we like it or not. The contracts are pretty much done and if we
don’t
sign them, they’ll just take us over in an aggressive manner.” And wouldn’t that be typical of Adam, Amy now realised. The humiliating conversation she’d overheard back at the party trickled into her mind, and she sat up tall, hoping to retain some dignity. “But call me in six months, though. I’ll probably be in the job market then.”

“Well, okay. But until then, how would you like to be a spy for me?”

“What? Why would I do that?”

“I’m wondering where your loyalties lie. I think you like Adam a lot. So if you don’t spy for me, I’ll tell the world about Quinlan Senior’s gun-running past; the family name will be ruined. How much do you care about Adam, Ms Carter? Enough for his father’s name to be dragged through the dirt? And maybe I’ll even show the papers these little photos of my dearest Ivan – wouldn’t
that
make you spy for me?”

“Go ahead; Adam’s family isn’t my business. Why should I care?”

“Well, maybe I’m wrong and you don’t care for him. Let’s see what you decide, okay. You have until 5pm tomorrow – that's when you're leaving New York, right?”

Amy furrowed her brow. “You just said you loved Ivan. Why would you do this to his memory? To his family?”

“All those years I wanted to be with him, but we had to keep it a secret. His father – old Quinlan – isn’t the liberal-minded man he’d like to think. Ivan was closeted all his life.”

“They didn’t know he was gay? None of them?”

“No. And this will be my revenge for him unless you do as I’m requesting. I’d do anything to get my hands on Grafton Techs, just as Adam would.”

He smirked knowingly. Was he suggesting that Adam had only slept with her as part of the negotiations? To make sure she toed the line? Amy suddenly didn’t doubt it.

She glared into Tariq’s deep brown eyes. “But I don’t understand. What
is
it that’s so vital about my company? I mean, I know we’re good, but…”

“It’s a race to get our technology out there, Ms Carter. We’re on the cusp of something revolutionary. The Quinlans are using you and all your staff, but I’m determined to win this. If you spy for me now, I guarantee you a job whenever you need one. And I’ll even give you a share in the profits. Let me know your decision before you leave New York. Okay?”

Any opened her mouth to ask for more information about this mystery technology, but Tariq suddenly stood up.

“Thank you for your time, Ms Carter. I’m so glad we had this chat. I look forward to hearing your decision tomorrow afternoon. Goodnight.”