Rekindling Love (British Billionaires Series) (11 page)

“
Maybe she loves him.”

“
Maybe she does. She habitually sees beyond the surface of people. I trust her instinct about people. I wish I could convince her to join the family firm, because that ability is a great asset to any legal firm, but she's happy doing what she does at the embassy.”

“
You're hoping she'll break up with Hank.”

Rupert studied Susan.

“
No I'm not. I want what's right for Imogen. If Hank can provide her with love and happiness, it's all I want for her. I want her to have a family. I want her and Hank to love each other like our mum and dad did – through the toughest of trials. I want them to have children to be loved as we were. If he can furnish her with all that, I'll be content. It's not like I'll ever stop being her brother, but I have to accept I won't always be the main man in her life.”

“
Rupert, why is family so important to you? It's like you invest every ounce of energy in your family and you have none left for anyone outside the Locke-Smythes. You're a hard shell to crack. Those girls never stood a chance of getting a place in your heart.”

With that in mind, I'm going to have my work cut out getting you to fall in love with me in the next ten days, thought Susan.

“
I had younger brothers. Twins. Lucas and Leith. I was three when they were born. I absolutely adored them. When I was six, our dad took the family to an island. It was the kind you see in the brochures. White sand, crystal clear waters, palm trees and almost no inhabitants. Except we'd have staff during the days to help with the cooking, driving us round the island and stuff. My mum was ill one day. Nothing serious. Nothing more than a tummy bug. Dad was too devoted to her. He couldn’t stop himself from fussing. Inevitably, he set off to check on her and asked our babysitter to drive us round the island in the safari jeep to keep us occupied. The three of us jumped in the open back of the vehicle while she took the steering wheel in the cabin. I never saw the clouds coming. I vaguely remember the sky darkening. I got frightened by the rain and thunder and lightning. Lucas and Leith were screaming and crying. We didn't know the strange lady driving us. I threw a massive tantrum, insisting she take a shortcut through the middle of the island to get us to the cabin.”

Please don't say it, please don't say it, prayed Susan.

“
The pressure of working for a billionaire and babysitting their brats, she sped up at my demand. The island wasn't developed. There were no roads. It was advertised as a paradise, a hide-away. It was so small, driving round the perimeter of the island on the sand was safe and convenient. I thought the safest thing was getting the twins home to mum and dad as soon as possible. I kept punching the glass screaming at her to hurry. She turned to look at me. She couldn't speak English well. I don't think she understood what I was saying. She looked back to see my face to try and understand my screaming and hit a rock. It was a light vehicle. It went sailing through the air. Mum and dad said they could hear the thud as it landed.”

“
Rupert,” reaching for his hand to offer comfort; his retraction was stinging to Susan.

“
The driver. She climbed out quickly, but not in time. I realized the only person screaming and crying was me. I couldn't hear Lucas and Leith. I just saw their bodies twisted and skewed. Unmoving. I remember she was black. I'd never been around black people. She was talking to me, calming me, soothing me with words I couldn't comprehend. She held me to her breast. I remember being surprised her skin was soft. My ignorant child's mind assumed it would be different because of the color. She held me so close. Her arms comforted me. They prevented me moving. I was cradled into her. I realize now, her firmness was because she didn't want me able to see the broken, dead twins. I howled. They said I howled. Wolves howl the loudest when a close companion is taken from them. My boys were gone. My baby brothers. Gone. When mum and dad eventually arrived, the woman was clutching me so tight they had to wrench me from her arms. But you see, she had no pulse. She'd climbed out of the car to protect me, not knowing her skull was fractured. I could see it as my dad lifted me. Her head had cracked open. Something had bled in her brain causing her to die. She died trying to make my life easier, when I'd made her final few minutes hell. After being so horrible to that poor woman, who had children of her own to hold and care for on a nearby island, in that state she prioritized me. To stop me seeing the toddlers. She was lightning fast out, because I saw them for perhaps a fraction of a millisecond. That glimpse was all I needed to brand it on my brain. The image is seared on there.”

It was as if Rupert and Susie were the only two people in the popular Michelin star restaurant. The curvy room had Rupert's head spinning and Susan felt dizzy too.

“
Susie, I need to go.” Red-eyed, Rupert's chest was heaving and his breath ragged. He was hanging onto his composure by a thread.

“
If you're going, I'm coming too.”

Robotically, Rupert stood and mechanically walked out of the restaurant and hotel without looking back for Susie. Susan threw down a handful of notes to cover the bill and ran to catch him and guide him home. Unable to say a word, it was Susan crying on his behalf. As a woman it was socially acceptable. Feeling his pain she broke down, her body racking in sobs, her make-up smeared by tears. She was surprised to find Rupert's flat was at the end of Broadway, not too far from her own.

Entering the elevator, silence descending, Susan braved breaking the ambiance. “Do you want to stop in on Imogen? Talk to her or even just sit with her?”

“
No.”

The monosyllabic answer and frostiness were hard for her already broken heart to hear. Entering his front door, he went straight to the drinks cabinet to pour a scotch.

“
Help yourself,” he said.

“
I could call Imogen,” said Susan, feeling hopeless.

“
Spend some time with her while I still can? No. I don't think so. Go. I was going to apologize for ruining your life, but now I think about it – you have a life Susie. I'm sorry I got it wrong at school. You've got your Broadway success. You'll get everything else you want out of life. My being an asshole has had no impact long-term, but if I hurt you or damaged you in any way, I do apologize. Just leave now. You've got your apology. We're done.”

Rupert's hand dropped from the bed, feeling around the floor. Locating the bottle of Scotch he went to lift it.

“
No!”

Fluttering his eyelids, he saw his sister sitting cross-legged at the end of the bed like an angry goblin, dressed in a Thai satin nightie with her infamous cow slippers. The absurd slippers would make it arduous for him to take his verbal beating seriously. To stop from laughing, he scanned the room. Imogen was right. The house might be clean and minimalistic, but the gray bedroom was as soulless as his living room. The king-size bed was mounted to a white headboard, secured against charcoal walls. The chest of drawers was white and his built-in wardrobe was in a separate room. The deep gray one-meter square tiles made the place feel as though it were a prison.

“
No more drinking. Not spirits and not on your own.”

“
What day is it?”

“
Thursday.”

He shut his eyes, hoping the darkness would block the thumping pain in his head.

“
There's water and aspirin on the bedside table.”

“
Thanks.”

“
Don't thank me. Thank Susan.”

“
Why?”

“
Because she called me to scoot over here, because you ousted her from the house. She shot over to the twenty-four hour chemist to make sure you had something to help with the hangover.”

“
Thanks, Susie.”

“
I love you, Rupert, but you can be a selfish git.”

“
What time is it?”

“
1:30 p.m.”

“
No work for me today.”

“
No, Rupert. You've definitely got the day off.”

“
The joys of being a Company Director.”

“
Indeed. Sadly a coveted position I don't hold at the embassy.”

“
Are you on your lunch break?”

“
No, I've been here since you passed out last night. Susan kept me company. She had rehearsals this morning. I have no idea what her vocals will be like today, poor lamb.”

“
She's not a poor lamb. She's out for revenge.”

“
Rupert that's an awful thing to say. That's not in Susan's nature. You take that back.”

“
Or what?”

Her hand fixed on his big toe. She yanked and twisted it as violently as she could.

“
Ouch, alright I take it back. I'm in no mood for sibling games. You're thirty, Imogen. I don't need physical pain for you to get your own way.”

“
It's not about me getting my own way. It's about you pulling your head in and seeing what's in front of you.”

“
If you're talking ‘bout Susie, I see her very clearly and I know her games. First, she interrupts my life to remove every decent woman and potential partner from it. Then last night she starts— “

“
She starts what?”

She started nothing, thought Rupert. The only one who started anything was me. What possessed me to confide in her about Lucas and Leith? I've never even told Imogen that story. What was I thinking, confiding in a woman who has done nothing but cause me trouble since she arrived? I've been begging like a dog for her company and for what? To break down in public so she can make a fool out of me like I did her? Giving away any information on me is giving her ammunition. I've got enough on my conscience without a seductive temptress trying to tear my heart in half as well.

“
Rupert?”

“
What?”

“
Susan starts what?” quizzed Imogen, confused.

“
Nothing. You were right. I'm hung over, feeling bad about my behavior and blaming the first person to come to mind, who for once isn't you.”

“
Do you want me to cook you a fry-up? A proper English breakfast? Black pudding and fried bread as well?”

“
Go on, how can I say no?”

Rupert was grateful she left the room, not because he was hungry but because he had the sudden dawning realization that he might be in love with Susie. Might be falling for her. Why had he cut every woman out of his life at Susan-Marie Thompson's suggestion? He'd fallen for her once. Could he want to rekindle the romance with the brassy, fat girl with a heart of gold from fifteen years ago? Was she still the same girl? Was he still the same boy? Love was one complication too many. He loved his family. That caused enough heartache and pain. To include someone else in his heart was too trying. Doing good was better executed in his professional life than his personal. His personal life was in ruins. If he wanted to do Susie a favor, she'd have to go down the same road as Liz, Jacqui, Jasmine and Mikaylah.