Tangled Web (14 page)

“You missed home,” he whispered.
 
I looked up at him and felt my tears leak
over my cheeks.
 
Nathan was quickly out
of his seat, picking me up and seating me on his lap.
 
He rested his chin on my head and began
rubbing my arm.
 
I quickly wiped my
eyes.
 
I couldn’t believe I was sat here
crying on him.
 
“You don’t have to hide
your tears from me,” he whispered, kissing my forehead gently.
 
I leaned up and gave him a gentle kiss on his
cheek.

“That’s sweet,” I whispered.
 
He took my hand in his and placed gentle kisses on my knuckles. It was
one of the sexiest things he’d done to me so far.
 
If Nathan kept his act up, I’d be falling for
him faster than I currently was.
 
I
smiled at him while stroking the side of his head.
 

He grasped my wrist and pressed a soft kiss to the palm of
my hand. “Let me be your tour guide this weekend.
 
Let me show you our city.”

“Promise to show me all the good parts?”
 

He grinned as I said this.
 

“Not like that,” I said, rolling my eyes.
 
“I’d love it if you could come with me,” I
whispered.
 
He looked at my lips and
leaned forward.
 

“Wait,” I said, leaning away from him.
 
He acted as if I was taking his favourite toy
away.
 
“Can we take this weekend to get
to know each other?
 
Just Nathan and
Chloe.
 
Just me and you.”

“Me and you it is,” he said, pressing his lips to mine.

Chapter Ten

The end of the working day approached and I began wondering
what time Nathan would be ready to leave.
 
As everyone else began filtering out I decided to head on over to his
office to see if I could convince him to leave with me.
 
It was just past 6pm and I was hoping we
could grab some food on the way home.

I grabbed my phone to send a quick text to Chase telling him
to be safe on his way home.
 
I was hoping
the trip would calm him down and make him realise how ridiculous he was
behaving over Nathan.
 
My reply back was
immediate.
 
“Just boarding the plane.
 
Some
extra business came up.
 
See you
tomorrow.”
 
He didn’t sound too
bad.
 
No matter what’s happening in our
lives we always find the time to check in with each other.

I popped my phone in my bag and made the short journey over
to Nathan’s office.
 
As the doors opened
I wished I’d just gone home by myself.
 
Instead of Nathan’s sweet smile greeting me I was met by loud angry voices.

“Are you for real?!
 
You decide to invite that whore into your bed and you just expect me to
be okay about it?”

“Watch your fucking mouth!
 
You do not talk about her like that!” Nathan’s booming voice replied.
 

Why did I have to come over here?
 
I could’ve just gone home by myself.
 
As I made my way towards the office I noticed
that Nathan’s back was to me and he was putting something in his
briefcase.
 
Adam looked straight at me with
a look of utter disgust.

“She’s just using you,” Adam coaxed.
 

I couldn’t believe he would sink so low as try to turn
Nathan against me and stir up trouble while I was in the same room.
 

“She’s a Johnson at the end of the day.” He smirked.
 
“No way is she as pure as you think she is
with a family like that.
 
They probably
rent her out for business.”
 
The grin on
his face was pure evil.
 

Nathan slammed his briefcase closed and began putting his
jacket on.
 
I could see the tension in
his shoulders.
 
Nathan wouldn’t take much
more prodding before he would snap.

“Nathan, I’m not saying don’t screw her when the need
arises.
 
Obviously she’s good in bed
otherwise you wouldn’t keep going back.”
 

Nathan’s fists clenched at his sides when Adam said
this.
 

Adam grinned a full-on white beaming smile when he saw this
as well.
 
“Or is this about something
else?”
 

I frowned in confusion.
 
Nathan must have had the same expression because Adam quickly
continued.
 

“I have to wonder if the most attractive quality about your
dear Chloe,” he paused, “is the fact that she’s a Johnson?”
 

I was openly glaring at him now.
 
That man was pure evil.

“That’s enough!” Nathan shouted.
 
“You don’t know anything about her!
 
I’m with Chloe because she makes me feel
things I’ve never felt for another woman before.
 
Our relationship has nothing to do with you
or this business.
 
I may need to consult
you in the office but I don’t need to consult you or anyone else when it comes
to Chloe or anything else in my private life.”
 

I had never heard him sound so cold.
 

“Like you said, brother, Chloe is mine.
 
I am determined to keep her that way!”
 

That quickly wiped Adam’s smirk off his face.
 
I wanted to high-five Nathan.

Nathan turned around and froze.
 

A part of me was glad he didn’t fall for Adam’s lies.
 
The other part of me was scared he secretly
did.
 

Nathan walked straight up to me and took my hand. “Ready
love?” he asked.
 
I loved that Nathan
could still be sweet to me even after Adam’s stirring.

“Where are we going?”

“Wherever you want to.” He gently pressed his lips to
mine.
 

Adam made a vomiting noise when he did this which I chose to
ignore him.
 
At the end of the day Adam
was one of the first people in this town that was going to have a problem with
me being with Nathan.
 
It was something I
would have to become accustomed to.
 
Looks like me and Nathan both had brothers that wouldn’t understand.

“I don’t care where we go.
 
Just as long as you feed me,” I teased.
 

That made him smile.
 
He threw his head back and laughed, throwing his arm around my
shoulders.
 

Stepping into the elevator, I looked back at Adam and found
him scowling at us.
 
I smirked at him
which caused him to glare at me.

Quietly staring into each other’s eyes at the dinner table
set for two at Valentine’s, the whispers and stares didn’t bother me as
much.
 
My hand was currently being held
by Nathan and he was stroking patterns into the palm of my hand.
 
Blissful was how I was feeling.

“You handled Adam pretty well,” he said.
 
He looked hesitant.
 
Nathan obviously thought that Adam’s little
trick would work.

“Well, I have experience in dealing with arrogant older
brothers,” I explained.
 
He smiled when I
said this.
 
“Besides, we knew it was
coming.”
 
He couldn’t look at me.
 
He just kept stroking the palm of my
hand.
 
“Right?” I prompted him.

“Right,” he whispered, nodding his head.
 

There was something else going on here.
 

“It’s just,” he continued, still not looking at me, “Adam
usually gets what he wants.
 
He has a way
about him.
 
If he wants something, he
gets it.”

“So?” I gently asked.
 

He took my hand in both of his and squeezed. “So I think
he’s pissed that I got to you first.”
 

I opened my mouth and closed it.
 
Was Nathan telling me that I was a game?
 

“When I first saw you in that club I wanted you.
 
No name.
 
No company.
 
I just wanted you for
me.”
 

He bit his lip which wasn’t helping.
 
I wanted to bite that lip.

“Why does he get everything he wants?” I asked.
 
I was getting the impression that Adam was
higher up in the business than Nathan.
 
Weren’t they both entitled to their father’s company?

“Adam’s older and has been working for the company
longer.”
 

 
That still doesn’t
tell me why Adam was so conceited. “But you’re both heirs to the Walker
fortune,” I reiterated.
 
He frowned when
I said this.
 
“I’m sorry, I’m just trying
to understand your relationship with your brother better.”
 
I thought my relationship with Chase was
complicated.

“I’m adopted,” Nathan said.
 
He sounded so bitter.
 

I felt sucker-punched. I quickly placed my other hand on top
of his.
 
That must be so hard for him in
the perfect family.
 
I’m sure Adam
continuously reminds him of that.
 

“So, technically, Adam thinks he’s entitled to more of a
share of our family’s estate.”
 

I was disgusted.
 
Didn’t Adam care about family?
 
Or
did it all come down to money?

“I’m sorry, Nathan,” I whispered, bringing his hand up and
placing it on my cheek.
 
His fingers
gripped the loose strands of my hair by my cheek.
 
I gently brushed a kiss on his palm and held
his hand to my face.

“I want you,” he said, placing his hand underneath the
table.
 
As he moved I realised what he
was doing.
 
He was adjusting
himself.
 

My eyes shot down to his lips and he quickly grinned.
 
“Behave, Mr. Walker,” I chastised, moving my
hand back from his grasp as the waiter appeared with our meals.

I tucked into spaghetti.

“Damn, woman.”
 
I
looked up and Nathan was smirking at me.
 
“You’re turning me on the way you’re eating that spaghetti.”
 

I giggled as he said this. “What?” I sniggered.
 
“I’m messy when to comes to spaghetti.”
 
I wiped my lips with a napkin and pushed my
plate to the side to indicate I was finished.
 
As the waiter collected our plates Nathan poured me another glass of
wine.
 
“Are you trying to get me drunk?”
I chuckled.

“Nope,” he said, popping the p.
 
“I just think you’re going to need some
liquid courage.” He looked over my shoulder.

“Why would I need...?” I asked, turning around.
 
I looked towards the front of the restaurant and
saw my worst nightmare.
 
My father walked
towards us, his eyes completely fixated on my table.
 
Here we go.

“Chloe, can I speak to you?”
 

Why did we have to come here for dinner?

“Sure,” I replied.
 
I
could feel my temper rising already and he hadn’t even started on me yet.

“Can I give you a ride home?” my father asked, looking at
me.
 
As I went to open my mouth Nathan
stood, extending his hand to him.

“Mr. Johnson,” he greeted him civilly.
 

My father looked at Nathan’s hand and turned so his back was
partially blocking hm.
 
How rude.
 
Nathan was really trying and he just shut him
down.

“Dad,” I started.

“Chloe, I need you to come with me,” he said, indicating
towards the exit.
 

I stared up at him petulantly.
 

“Now!” he snapped.
 

Right, like I was going to go anywhere with him with that
attitude.

“No.” I turned my head and immaturely ignored him.
 

With his jaw clenched, he leaned his hands on the table and
loomed over me. “I don’t know what’s going on here but I want you to get up and
leave with me.”
 

My eyebrows shot up. “Are you kidding me?!” I snapped.
 
His nostrils flared when I said this.
 
“Why?
 
All because I’m sat at the same table as Nathan fucking Walker!”
 
I’ll admit I should have been a bit quieter
and not cause a scene in the middle of a crowded restaurant.
 
I should have been more tactful but I had
officially flipped my lid.

What the hell was the big deal?
 
Why was everyone trying to make this so
difficult?
 
When you meet a guy and hit
it off it shouldn’t be this traumatic.

“Now listen here...” my father continued.

“Oh piss off!” I snapped.
 
I shot up out of my seat, grabbing my jacket as I went.
 
“Come on Nathan,” I said as I passed
him.
 
Nathan was quickly on my
heels.
 
All the whispers seemed to be
getting louder and it made me angrier.
 
The icing on the cake was when I looked up and saw Adam with a big
shit-eating grin plastered to his face.

He must have seen my glare and smiled wider.
 
“Trouble in paradise?” he mocked as we
passed.

“Shut up, Adam,” Nathan replied.
 

Adam laughed at Nathan’s reply as if it pleased him.
 
We were almost clear but Adam had to open his
mouth again.
 
“Oh, I spoke to Chase
earlier.”
 

Nathan tensed when he said this and I immediately turned
around.
 
Nathan seemed to get really
anxious over the subject of my family.
 
What the hell was he talking to my brother – who is supposed to be his
bitter enemy – about?
 
No prizes for the
correct answer.

As I threaded my fingers through his Nathan pulled me to his
side and looked at Adam.
 

“Might have mentioned you were blissfully happy with his
little sister.”
 

Adam grinned at me.
 
I
wanted to kick him between the legs.
 

“I must say he didn’t sound too thrilled.”
 

What an ass.

Before Nathan could reply I quickly spoke up. “That’s
fucking great!” Nathan’s head shot in my direction while Adam just cocked an
eyebrow at me.
 
“That’s one less thing I
have to worry about.
 
So glad I have you
around to do that for me,” I smirked.
 
I
leaned up on my tiptoes and quickly pressed my lips to Nathan’s.
 
As Nathan’s eyes closed I looked at Adam.
 
He was openly glaring at me now.
 
I pulled back from Nathan and smiled.
 
“Time to leave,” I whispered.