Stepbrother Romance 2 - Consumed: A New Adult Alpha Billionaire Romance (3 page)

No ring.

I had a feeling there was more to this story than my mom knew. And yet I also had a sick feeling that it was at least partly true. Kent’s actions and words suggested he’d been warring with himself whenever we were together.

I needed to know the truth, all of it
.
Even if it hurt.

Eight hours later Mom and I were both exhausted. We’d met with an interior designer to go over renovation plans for the house and then toured several designer warehouses, checking out furnishings, kitchen cabinets, and flooring. Not another word was mentioned about Kent, other than to say that he would be paying for the renovations.
If
he was married, I’d make sure he didn’t pay a dime. Either I would pay for the repairs myself, or he would keep the house in his name until I could afford to buy it from him at a fair market price.

Or maybe there wouldn’t be any renovations at all. Maybe I would take the keys to his place, drop them off, and leave.

At least if I did that I would still have my pride.

If I wanted to buy a house, I would buy a house. On my own.

I didn’t mention these plans, but Mom and I battled anyway. Assuming I would be keeping the house, and letting Kent pay for the renovations, Mom insisted I gut the house completely and install all new high-end everything, from floors to ceiling. If I kept it (a big if) I would want to restore the house, keeping as much of the original structure and charm as possible. Not only did I feel that was the best way to go because it reserved the integrity of the house but also for financial reasons. Restoring would cost less than gutting and rebuilding.

But our disagreements, discussed in the warehouse, the designer’s studio, and even over lunch and dinner, never got ugly. She saw things her way; I saw things mine. We respected each other enough to voice our opinions without being unkind or disrespectful.

All in all, with the exception of finding out Kent might be married, it was a good day. Only because I’d finally had some one-on-one time with Mom. After dinner, she dropped me off at the house. I found the signed paperwork sitting on the scarred kitchen counter.

It was official. The house had been purchased. And with one signature, it would belong to me. Kent had already signed the documents transferring the deed. All I had to do was sign on the line below, in the presence of a notary, and register the paperwork with the court.

Of course, I wouldn’t be doing that. Not yet.

Not until I had some answers.

Kent Payne was a hard man to find. I hadn’t realized that until now.

It took me several days to catch him at home. Several long, frustrating days. That whole time, I drove around with all of my belongings packed into the back of my SUV.

When I finally did get him at home, I slapped the unsigned deed transfer paperwork on his dining room table.

He looked down. He looked at me. “What’s wrong, Shayne?”

“I just need one question answered before I can sign this. Only one. But I need you to tell me the truth.”

One perfect brow lifted. “Certainly.”

“Are you married, Kent?”

His eyes closed. His jaw clenched.

I had my answer.

Leaving the unsigned document on the table, I jerked around.

That was it. The house was his. I couldn’t stay there, not one night.

I couldn’t stay in his stupid mansion either. He was a cheater. He was a womanizer. He was a complete tool. I had to stay away from him. Far, far away.

If I could have, I would have left the SUV too. Because that belonged to him as well. It terrified me, how thickly he’d knotted our lives together, already.

“Shayne. Wait!” he shouted.

I didn’t wait. There was nothing he could say to change my mind.

With my heart thumping in my ears, I dashed out the door and down the walk. My focus was on my car. If I could get to it and get the hell out of there, I’d be okay. Eventually. I had no idea where I would go, but I’d be okay. At least I wouldn’t be accepting another gift (no doubt, with very thick and tangled strings attached) from a
married
man.

He caught me just as I reached my car, thanks to the ridiculously long walk from the door to the driveway. Holding my left arm, he spun me around. “Shayne, let me explain.”

“You’re married. I’d say that’s pretty self-explanatory,” I responded.

“Yes, technically I’m married. But—“

“I don’t want to hear anything else, Kent.” I swung my right arm, my palm making contact with his cheek. A satisfying slap echoed through the charged silence. “You asshole!”

Looking stunned, he stepped back, releasing the arm he’d been grasping.

Free, I jumped into my car, fired up the engine, and peeled away, sending gravel flying.

What an idiot I’d been. Blinded by his charm and mystery and money. I would never make that mistake again.

Never.

I steered toward the freeway.

I hoped Ransom had room for a temporary roommate. Because my options were limited: either I could sleep on her couch or I could live in my car. If worse came to worse, my car wouldn’t be a bad option. Not ideal. But it was summer. At least I wouldn’t freeze to death.

Starve, yes. That I might do. And stink, too. With this heat, it wouldn’t take long before I would need a shower.

Ugh. Being homeless sucked. I needed to find a job. Pronto.

I pushed the car to eighty, weaving through thick rush hour traffic on I-696. The whole drive I just kept replaying my conversations with Kent in my head and cursing myself for not listening to him. He’d told me, more than once, I was making a mistake by throwing myself at him. He had told me I couldn’t trust him. Still I hadn’t listened.

That was on me.

One hundred percent.

I was the idiot who hadn’t wanted to hear the truth.

Now I was paying the consequences. But hey, didn’t I deserve what I’d gotten? After all, I’d slept with some other woman’s husband. The idea made me sick with guilt. If I ever had the chance, I would apologize to her.

I turned into Ransom’s driveway at just after seven. My stomach was rumbling, despite how upset I was. Leaving everything but my purse in the car, I ran up to the door and knocked.

John, her fiancé answered. Slightly stiff, he stepped aside, welcoming me in. “Ransom went out to do some shopping. She’ll be back later,” he said, his gaze noticeably jumping from one thing to another while avoiding me.

If I was going to stay there, things were going to be awkward. Better to get the whole situation out in the open now. It was the only way I could even imagine staying with them. “Look,” I said, forcing a smile, “there’s no need to be weird around me. I’m happy for you. I mean it. You and Ransom are the most important people in my life—except my mom. Why wouldn’t I want you to be happy?”

I watched him inhale, exhale. “Do you mean that?” he asked.

“Absolutely.”

His jaw visibly relaxed. He motioned me into the house, but his arms remained crossed over his chest. He still wasn’t one hundred percent comfortable yet. I knew him well enough to be able to tell. “When Ransom and I first started getting…close…she told me you’d feel that way. But…I wasn’t so sure I could believe her.”

“To be honest, I don’t think she believed it either. After all, she didn’t tell me about the baby until April,” I admitted, leaning a hip against the side of the couch. “But she was right about me wanting you to be happy. I’m not such a bitch that I need everyone around me to be miserable just so I can feel better about my life.”

“Speaking of which, how have you been?” he asked as he motioned me to sit.

I shrugged and flicked my gaze at the couch, but I didn’t sit. I wouldn’t make myself comfortable yet. Not until I told him why I was there.

It would have been nice if I could have lied and told him everything was great. I really didn’t want him to feel more uncomfortable than he already did. But I was going to need his help, and Ransom’s. I couldn’t lie. “Actually, things are a little rough right now, which is why I’m here. I…” A big glob of pride blocked my throat. I swallowed hard to clear it. “I need a place to stay for a while, until I get a job.”

His eyes bulged. “What? I thought you just bought a new place. Ransom told me—“

“Yeah, that didn’t work out.”

Now his expression said what-the-fuck, but he just nodded. “Sure, you can stay here. As long as you need. Ransom will be glad to have the help. She’s been trying to get the baby’s room ready, but she’s having a hard time doing things.” A twinkle glittering in his eye, he shook his head. “I’ve tried to help her, but she refuses to let me do anything. She says I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”

I couldn’t help laughing. That was so Ransom. She never was one to hold back an opinion. “It’ll be fun doing the baby’s room with her.”

I could see the relief on his face. “I don’t know what happened with your house, but the timing couldn’t have been any better.” At the sound of the doorknob rattling, he pointed. “Speaking of timing…”

In strolled a very flush-faced, very surprised Ransom, plastic shopping bags dangling from her hands. “Shayne! What are you doing here?”

“I heard you needed some help getting the baby’s room ready.”

Ransom squinted at John. “You called her?”

John shook his head. “Nope. She came on her own. And she offered to stay. To help you.”

“Actually,” I corrected as I grabbed some of the bags from her hands and followed her into the kitchen, “I came to beg you to allow me to crash on your couch for a few days…or weeks…until I can find a job.”

“What? Wait.” She looked at John then at me…then at John again. “You said you got a house for your birthday.”

“Yeah. I
thought
I got a house for my birthday. Turned out there were a lot of strings attached to that gift.”

“Strings? From your mom?” she asked.

“No, the house wasn’t from my mom. It was from her husband’s son. Her husband’s
married
son.”

“Married?”

I nodded.

“Well, shit, girl! Of course you can stay. As long as you want. And you don’t have to sleep on the couch. We made a guestroom. Up in the attic.”

Relieved, I took a deep breath. I wouldn’t be living in my car. “You did?”

“Yeah. John kept asking me why I was so gung ho about finishing the attic, and I couldn’t give him a solid answer, other than to say I was nesting.” She ran her hands over her belly, like pregnant women tended to do. “I guess I knew you’d come stay with us. Even if I didn’t expect it.”

“I guess so.”

“Come on.” She waved me toward the hall.” I’ll show you your room. I did the drywall myself. Everything. You’ll be impressed.”

“I already am.”

She stopped at the foot of the stairs, grinned and gave me the biggest hug I’d ever had. Her belly jabbed me. I even felt a kick from the baby. “I’m just so fucking glad you’re here. It wasn’t the same, with you way the hell over there.”

“It wasn’t the same for me either. This is home. This town. It always has been. It always will be.”

“Good. Because I can’t deal with that man by myself. And soon there will be two of them. I just know this little guy,” she said, smoothing a hand over her belly again,” “is going to be just like his father. A real pain in the ass.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s a good thing I love them both to death.”