Stepbrother Broken (The Hawthorne Brothers Book 2) (28 page)

“
There
’
s
nothing unconventional about us,
”
Danny says, flashing her a
winning smile. That grin would work on anyone.

The
receptionist relents, sliding a plastic key card across the counter.

“
Well, if you say so
…”
she purrs, charmed by my sandy-haired BFF.

“
Thanks, sweetheart,
”
Danny replies, snatching up the key and turning away.

The
second all our backs are turned, Danny slips and arm around Greg
’
s waist. I have to swallow a laugh as I hear the
blue-haired woman
harrumph
behind us.

“
If only she knew we were bringing
you to reunite with your stepbrother-professor-lover,
”
Danny remarks over his shoulder,
“
That would
really
get her blood boiling.
”

“
Maybe you can start keeping that
little detail to yourself, huh Danny?
”
I suggest, punching him in
the shoulder.
“
I hardly want that to be the
headline of our relationship.

“
Sorry,
”
he shrugs,
“
I can
’
t
help it if taboos are sexy as hell. And I
’
m pretty sure you two are gunning
for the record of taboos-per-relationship.
”

“
Great,
”
I mutter, trailing them across the motel parking lot,
“
Something to tell the grandkids.
”

***

By
late afternoon the following day, we finally start seeing signs for the city of
Seattle. This place is sometimes called the Emerald City, and I certainly feel
like Dorothy right now
—
hoping that my every wish will be
fulfilled by this bustling new metropolis. Of course, Danny and Greg are far
better company than any Tin Man or Scarecrow.

“
Holy shit,
”
Danny whistles, as our destination comes into sight,
“
This place is
incredible
.
”

And
indeed, it is. Maddie was not exaggerating when she said ReImaged booked the
coolest new spot in Seattle for the Asphalt launch party. The venue is a
sprawling, ornate old factory space, entirely renovated as a swanky, industrial
chic hotel. All of the original architecture has been preserved and perfected
with stunning interior design. Elegant copper touches, Edison bulb chandeliers,
and eye-catching works of modern art elevate the space from edgy to masterfully
wrought.

A
valet takes the BMW off our hands, and our motley trio is left on the curb,
gaping up at the hotel. I
’
m never stepped foot in a place half
as fancy as this. I
’
m suddenly self-conscious of my
grubby backpack and yoga pants.

“
Sophie!
”
I hear a familiar voice call from within the hotel.

I
look up to see Maddie hurrying toward me. She
’
s
rocking tall black heels, a bright red pencil skirt, and a silky white blouse.
I
’
ve never seen my big sister in work
mode. I have to say, I
’
m impressed.

“
I
’
m
so glad you
’
re here,
”
she beams, wrapping me up in a big hug.

I
hug her fiercely back, happier to see her than ever. I didn
’
t realize until this second, but I really need my big
sister right now.

“
And you
’
ve brought an entourage,
”
Maddie
observes, looking over at my friends.

“
Oh, right!
”
I say,
“
Maddie, this is my friend Danny.
”

“
Of course, I
’
ve heard all about you,
”
Maddie
says to my best friend, shaking his hand.

“
Ditto,
”
grins,
“
Though Sophie never mentioned that
you were a stone cold fox.
”

“
Easy tiger,
”
Greg mutters,
“
You already have a date for the
dance, remember?
”

“
This is Greg,
”
Danny tells Maddie,
“
My
chaperone.
”

“
Very nice to meet you both,
”
Maddie says, shaking Greg
’
s hand.
“
Come on inside and let me show you
around! I hope you don
’
t mind, I may have gone a little
overboard with your accommodations.
”

This
turns out to be the understatement of the century.

Maddie
managed to snag a few of the hotel
’
s exclusive deluxe rooms at the
last minute. Greg and Danny are happy to share, and peel off to get settled
straightaway. Maddie and I are on our own as she leads me down the hall to my
own room.

“
Here we are,
”
Maddie says excitedly, swinging open the door. I step
past her over the threshold and feel the wind rush out of my lungs.

This
isn
’
t a room at all. It
’
s a
suite
. A palatial living room opens up
before me, expertly decorated with a midcentury modern flare. A wide balcony
overlooks the water, and I spot a heavenly queen bed and full bathroom through
a door to my left. The kitchen is stocked with a full wine rack and
—
be still my heart
—
a professional grade espresso
machine.

“
Maddie
…”
I breathe, slowly spinning around at the center of the
room.
“
This
…
This
is
…”

“
Can
’
t
blame a girl for spoiling her little sister once in a while,
”
Maddie grins,
“
Especially when that little sister
’
s been having a helluva few weeks.
”

“
Somehow, I feel like those few
weeks are about to be overridden,
”
I tell her,
“
And it
’
s all thanks to you.
”

“
Hey, don
’
t thank me yet,
”
Maddie cautions,
“
I
’
m just getting your lover boy here.
You have to do all the real work. Although, I have a few more presents that may
help the effort along.
”

“
More
presents?
”
I laugh,
“
What are you
—
?
”

“
Look in the closet,
”
Maddie says, bouncing excitedly on the balls of her
feet.

I
make my way into the bedroom and ease open the closet. Hanging on the closet
door is the sexiest little red dress I
’
ve ever seen. The lush, structured
material is of the highest quality, and the ultra-low back is absolutely
breathtaking. With the sky-high gold stilettos sitting in their box on the
closet floor, this is the most high-end ensemble I
’
ve ever seen up close.

“
Is this
…
for me?
”
I ask Maddie, dumbfounded.

“
That it is,
”
she smiles,
“
It
’
s
all from Asphalt
’
s latest women
’
s line. I hope you don
’
t
mind, but I had to list you as a brand ambassador to snag this suite. So
technically, you
’
re here representing the company
tonight. I figured you wouldn
’
t mind putting in a night of event
modeling.
”

“
Not if it means I get to wear this
when Luke sees me again,
”
I laugh, gingerly touching
the exquisite dress.
“
Are you sure you
’
re not actually my fairy godmother instead of my
sister?
”

“
It
’
s
the least I can do,
”
Maddie tells me,
“
After what we
’
ve both been through, we deserve a
little magic, don
’
t you think?
”

“
Sounds about right to me,
”
I say, taking her hand in mine.
“
How have you been doing out here since you got back?
”

“
Pretty great, actually,
”
she says, walking me over to the cloud-like queen bed,
“
Ever since Cash got here, that is.
”

“
It
’
s
still so hard for me to picture you guys as a couple,
”
I say, shaking my head,
“
Opposites
attract, I guess.
”

“
Porters and Hawthornes attract,
apparently,
”
she laughs wryly.
“
I wouldn
’
t exactly expect you and Luke to
pair off, either. The upstanding, super star athlete and the rebellious, snarky
artist?
”

“
I know, I know,
”
I sigh,
“
But there
’
s a whole lot more to Luke than his golden-boy veneer,
I
’
ll say that much.
”

“
There
’
s
more to Cash than his tatted-up bad boy act too,
”
she
nods,
“
Who knows? Maybe even John has a
hidden self beneath that abusive asshole thing.
”

“
Ugh. Let
’
s not talk about John Hawthorne. Preferably ever,
”
I scowl.

“
Deal,
”
Maddie
replies,
“
Besides, there
’
s no more time for small talk. We need to get you
ready.
”

Chapter Fourteen

I
can feel the bass line of roaring rock music even before I reach the ground
floor. Each pounding beat vibrates up through my spike-heeled feet, sending
shivers of anticipation down my bare back. I smooth down the front of my
skin-tight red dress and give my artfully tousled hair a shake. I
’
m far more accustomed to dance clothes than body-con,
but any self-consciousness I may feel is totally trumped by sheer nerves.

This
is it
, I think to
myself as the elevator doors whisper open,
Moment of truth.

Drawing
back my shoulders, I stride confidently forward with as much swagger as I can
muster
…
and promptly smack into a solid
wall of leather-clad muscle. I very nearly tumble over in my sky high stilettos
before a firm hand catches me by the elbow, pulling me to standing. The first
glance of my aide
’
s familiar profile sets my head
spinning dizzily. For a second, I could swear it was Luke who just kept me from
sprawling across the carpet. But upon second glance, I see that
’
s not quite right
…

“
What
’
re
you, drunk already?
”
Cash grins, letting go of my
arm.

“
No, but that
’
s not a bad idea,
”
I grumble, shaking off my
near-spill.
“
What
’
re
you doing out here? Shouldn
’
t you be strutting your stuff on
the catwalk or something?
”

“
Maddie sent me out to wait for you,
”
Cash replies coolly, ignoring my jab,
“
She thought we should make our entrance together.
”

I
appraise Luke
’
s big brother, decked out from head
to toe in pieces from Asphalt
’
s new line of menswear. I
’
ve said it before and I
’
ll
say it again
—
Cash Hawthorne is easy on the eyes.
Not my type at all, but with just enough of a resemblance to Luke to make our
stint as Mr. and Mrs. Asphalt Denim pretty weird. Especially now that I know he
and my sister are an item.

“
I know,
”
Cash shrugs, reading my mind,
“
The four of us are gonna make for one pretty fucked up
double date tonight, huh?
”

“
So Luke is coming, then?
”
I ask excitedly, hurrying after Cash as he turns for
the ballroom.

“
Sure is,
”
he replies, shooting a glance my way,
“
And also, I have to say
…
called
it
. Your little
secret was no match for this big brother.
”

“
Yeah, yeah,
”
I mutter, rolling my eyes,
“
You
’
re a real super sleuth, Cash.
”

“
Just glad I could be of service,
reuniting you with your Casanova,
”
he replies,
“
I
’
m actually sort of surprised I got
a hold of him at all. Sounds like he
’
s been off on something of a spirit
quest.
”

I
imagine Luke roaming off on his own, trying to make sense of the hand fate has
dealt us. What if he
’
s already sorted out his conflicted
confusion? Landed on a solution that doesn
’
t involve me? I guess I
’
ll find out soon enough.

“
Here we are,
”
Cash says, stopping before an impenetrable-looking set
of steel double doors.

“
Ready?
”
I ask him, squaring my shoulders.

“
Are
you
?
”
he shoots back.

“
Not even remotely,
”
I laugh,
“
But what choice do we have now?
”

Cash
makes a big show of offering me his arm, but I take it gratefully all the same.
I could use the extra support as I get ready to face Luke again after three
long weeks that have felt even longer. Together, Cash and I step forward and
push open the heavy metallic doors. A wall of music and light hits me square on
as I step across the threshold. The dizzying array of sensation swallows me
whole, and the only thing I know for sure is that I won
’
t emerge from this event unchanged.

It
’
s almost absurd to call this place a hotel ballroom.
It
’
s more like a gutted and glamorized
factory floor, all exposed brick and smooth concrete studded with sleek
fixtures and minimalist furniture. A stunning glass and copper chandelier hangs
overhead, with tons of Edison bulb lanterns lighting the rest of the space.
Cash
’
s face is plastered everywhere,
along with the faces of Asphalt
’
s other
“
everyman models
”
. But there
’
s only one man I have any interest in laying eyes on
right now
…
And he
’
s nowhere to be seen.

Cash
and I make our way to the heart of the party, turning heads with every step we
take. The pounding hard rock music provided by the live band doesn
’
t quite drown out the murmurs that follow in our wake.
If only these gawking guests knew the true nature of my and Cash
’
s relationship. Then they
’
d really have something to talk about.

“
There you are!
”
I hear Danny call out from the long steel bar running
along one side of the room. He and Greg grab their martini glasses and rush
over to me and Cash, eyes agog. 

“
You look incredible!
”
Greg breathes, taking in my ensemble.

“
You two don
’
t clean up too badly yourselves,
”
I reply, noting their artfully distressed denim and
slick jackets.

“
And who
’
s your escort?
”
Danny asks, raising an
eyebrow at Cash.

“
Oh, this is Cash,
”
I tell them,
“
Luke
’
s
brother.
”

“
And the man of the hour, I see
…”
Greg observes, looking around at the larger than life
projections of Cash
’
s face all over the room.

“
That
’
s
me,
”
Cash laughs, shaking my friends
’
hands,
“
I
’
ve
gone from ex-military mechanic to model matchmaker in three weeks flat. These
Porter women will do a number on you.
”

“
By
‘
do
a number
’
you mean
‘
make your life infinitely better
’
, right?
”
I hear Maddie say as she
appears at Cash
’
s shoulder with an adorable
redheaded woman at her side.

“
Holy crap,
”
the redhead says, catching a glimpse of me,
“
You
’
re Sophie? Maddie
’
s little sister?
”

“
Guilty,
”
I tell her.

“
You
’
re
stunning
,
”
she gushes, laying a hand on
her ample chest,
“
I
’
m
Allie, by the way.
”

“
My own personal bad influence,
”
Maddie tells me.

“
Well, it looks like the gang
’
s all here,
”
Cash says, looking around at
our little circle.

“
Almost
…”
I murmur, glancing anxiously around the room. Still no
sign of Luke that I can see. What if he
’
s changed his mind about coming?

“
He
’
ll
be here, Soph,
”
Maddie says, taking my arm
and leading me toward the bar.
“
Come on. Brand ambassadors drink
free.
”

“
That is a mighty dangerous offer,
”
I laugh,
“
But it
’
s certainly not one I
’
m
going to turn down. Not tonight.
”

I
drink down my liquid courage and hit the dance floor with Greg and Danny,
determined to look every bit the breezy free spirit I don
’
t exactly feel like at the moment. Still, my mood can
’
t help but be lifted by the rocking music, dashing
company, and complementary liquor. By the time an hour has gone by, I
’
m hardly faking my enthusiasm at all
—
even if Luke has blown way past the point of being
fashionably late.

I
’
m sandwiched between Greg and Danny, bumping and
grinding like my life depends on it, when I catch a glimpse of Maddie flagging
me down from the edge of the dance floor. 

“
Soph!
”
she
yells over the blaring music.
“
Come here a sec!
”

“
Nooo, you
’
re gonna throw off my groove!
”
I crow, twerking ridiculously in her direction.

“
Are you gonna make me drag you off
the floor?
”
she presses, planting her hands on
her hips.

“
Ugh. Fine,
”
I pout dramatically, picking my way through the crowd
to her side. I grab a glass of champagne off a passing tray as I stop in front
of my sister.
“
What is it?
”

“
I want to show you something,
”
she says, grabbing my wrist and towing me across the
room.

“
What?
”
I
ask, struggling to keep up on my staggering heels.

“
The, uh, view from the terrace,
”
she says bobbing and weaving through the crowd.

“
It
’
s
the same view from my room,
”
I protest,
“
Come on. How am I supposed to drink and dance my
nerves away if you keep
—
?
”

“
It
’
s
just through here!
”
Maddie goes on, stopping in
front of a frosted glass door. I
’
m surprised to find Cash and Allie
waiting there for us, too. They
’
re both wearing wide, knowing
smiles as I approach with Maddie. 

“
What is this, a field trip?
”
I ask.

“
Not exactly,
”
my sister says, taking me by the shoulders,
“
We just wanted to give you two some moral support.
”

“
You
…
two?
”
I breathe, heart leaping into my throat.

“
That
’
s
right,
”
Maddie smiles, nodding at Cash and
Allie to open the doors,
“
Enjoy the view.
”