32. Kian
32
KIAN
I ’m immensely proud of Kieran. Firstly, for standing up to our father and refusing to bend to his wishes. Kieran had a dream, a dream that he knew he could make a reality. He didn’t care that our father had his life already planned out. He knew what he wanted, and he’s worked his ass off every single day to get it.
He’s kind, caring, smart, determined, hard-working, and a kickass football player. He’s also the best little brother anyone could ask for, despite him being a bit of an asshole at times.
But none of that stops a little bitterness trickling through my veins as the entire room—Lorelei included—focuses every bit of their attention on him as he makes his speech introducing the foundation and the good it does.
Kingston is the boss. He’s the oldest who’s been handed everything.
Kieran is the headstrong one who carved out his own life and gives people a reason to talk about him other than the surname he was born with.
And then there is me.
The middle child.
My stomach knots. I hate that I feel like this.
I’ve had a good life. No, a great fucking life.
I’ve never wanted for anything. I had the best education money could buy. I’ve had the vacations, the experiences. Lived in lavish homes and driven fancy cars.
But despite all that, I can’t help feeling like I’m always overlooked.
I have never been anyone’s priority.
I’m just the one in the middle who’s expected to do as he’s told and toe the line.
Ripping my eyes away from the enigmatic man on stage, I turn to Lorelei.
She looks tense, and I don’t think it’s just because of the event, but also because of whatever she keeps looking at on her cell. I have a very good idea who’s putting that expression on her face and continuing to convince her that she’s not good enough.
I should have punched that motherfucker harder.
What I said to her earlier is true.
She is hands down the most beautiful woman here tonight.
And it’s not just because of how she looks. It’s what I know she hides inside underneath the chip on her shoulder and the sassy attitude.
She isn’t from this life, I get that. And I also understand the reason she views rich people the way she does. Hell, half the time she’s right. We are a bunch of arrogant assholes.
But there’s so much more to some of us than that. Or, at least, I really fucking hope there is.
With her fully distracted, I study her closely.
Her curly hair is pinned up away from her neck with pins encrusted with blue diamonds. Not that she knows that, of course. Just the pins in her hair tonight cost more than most cars. She’d lose her shit if she knew that our lunch date between her appointments earlier was to allow me time to get them delivered to the salon.
But it was worth it. And if I fuck all this up in the weeks and months to come, then she can pawn them and take the cash.
My chest tightens at the thought of her discarding them—me—so easily. But I know she could.
This is just a job for her.
Sure, she might flinch when I touch her and give me those “come fuck me” eyes every now and then, but I know she’s not feeling the pull toward me that I am to her.
It’s because she doesn’t want you…
Shaking my head, I force my eyes away from her. It’s unlikely, but she could become bored of Kieran and turn back to me.
Who am I kidding? As far as everyone around me is concerned, there is only one Callahan in attendance tonight. And it’s not the one sitting at this table.
I scan the room, taking in table after table, mentally working out how much money Kieran has raised from ticket sales alone, when my eyes lock on someone I was hoping not to see tonight.
And she’s looking right fucking at me.
Fuck.
Sasha smirks.
Dread seeps through me.
When I refused to add her name as my plus one tonight, I knew she wouldn’t let it go.
Before Lorelei started, Sasha may have been the one to be sitting beside me tonight. She would be the easy choice. I know what I’m getting with her. Taking someone new to an event like this is a risk.
Bringing Lorelei was also a huge risk, if the red flags waving above Sasha’s head right now are anything to go by. But while Lorelei might not feel like she belongs here, I’m confident that she can hold her own.
Her attitude, her awe to all of this is addicting. The way her eyes widened when we walked into this room earlier, full of amazement, was enthralling.
I love giving her these experiences. Taking her places and letting her see things she never thought she would. It’s like seeing a flower bloom for the first time.
Sasha is the first to look away. There was no way in hell it was going to be me. I’m not allowing her to think she’s won anything.
A round of applause erupts again, signaling that Kieran’s speech has come to an end. I look up as he hands the mic back, and the compere invites everyone to visit the auction lots in the room to the right before retiring for drinks and dancing in the room to the left.
No one moves as Kieran weaves his way back through the tables. Almost every person he passes stops him to say something or shake hands.
Pride for my little brother continues to grow, thankfully squashing my own bitterness down enough that I can ignore it.
“Good, huh?” he says, modest as ever before shocking the fuck out of me and pulling Lorelei in for a celebratory hug.
The fuck?
“Who knew you could deliver a speech with as much ease as you do a touchdown,” Lorelei praises, making something poisonous fill my stomach.
The second he releases her, I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her into my side. Where she fucking belongs.
He brought two dates. He has more than enough women for one night. He doesn’t need to take mine as well.
Mine .
That word hits me upside the head so hard the room spins around me.
When I come back to myself, I find Kieran grinning at me like an idiot.
“What?” I snap.
“Oh, nothing, Bro,” he teases, looking between me and the woman tucked into my side. “Thought you’d want to congratulate me, that’s all.”
“I thought we were stroking other people’s egos tonight.”
His smirk grows. “Oh, I don’t know. You certainly need something stroking.”
My grip on Lorelei tightens as the true meaning of his words slams into me at full force.
“We’re out. Congrats on another successful night.”
“Wait, you can’t go. I want to dance with your girl.”
I pause, fire flooding through my veins.
“Lorelei isn’t my girl,” I hiss. “She is my assistant.”
Before he can say another word, I lead her forward and toward the doors that will allow us to exit.
Lorelei moves silently through the crowds of people lingering around, probably waiting for a chance to speak to tonight’s star.
We move through the bar, thankfully everyone giving us a wide birth and allowing us to make a beeline for the main entrance.
I need to call Jamie to bring the car around, but I also have no intention of stopping. From the comments Lorelei has made about tonight, something tells me that she won’t object to making an early departure.
The doors appear before us and I pick up speed, but I’m not fast enough.
“Leaving so soon, Mr. Callahan?”
Fuck.
Lorelei stops dead. I’ve no idea if she recognized Sasha’s voice or if she can hear the venom in her tone just as easily as I can.
Before I can push her forward and pretend I didn’t hear anything, Lorelei spins around.
“Sasha, how lovely to see you. Kian didn’t tell me that you’d be here tonight.”
With a sigh, I also turn around. Just in time to see Sasha sneer at Lorelei.
“Could say the same about you.”
“Me?” Lorelei says, pointing at herself, a sickly-sweet smile playing on her lips. “I’m only here because?—”
“She’s my girlfriend,” I finish before Lorelei gets a chance to finish her sentence.
Lorelei’s body freezes in my hold, but she doesn’t immediately refute my comment.
Sasha rears back as if I just slapped her, although somehow, she manages to keep the fake smile on her equally fake lips.
“I see. Well, congratulations,” she forces out before turning her attention to me. “I didn’t think you were one to fuck your subordinates, Kian.”
Lorelei trembles and I squeeze her waist, silently begging her to keep a lid on it.
“We can’t always predict these things,” I explain tersely.
“Apparently not, seeing as I was meant to be here with you tonight.”
“I’m sure you found a wonderful man to put up with you for the event. He’s probably looking for you as we speak. Might want to run along.”
Sasha’s face turns beet red, and I just about manage to catch my laugh before it erupts.
“We should go, we have plans. Come on, babe. The car is waiting.”
Ready to make her escape, Lorelei bids Sasha a forced goodbye before spinning around and marching toward the doors.
“Lorelei,” I warn darkly as she pushes through them. Thankfully, the crowd and paparazzi from earlier have disappeared, leaving only the valet drivers behind.
“What?” she hisses, spinning on the balls of her feet and glaring me dead in the eyes. “Don’t you want her to witness the fallout from that? Am I meant to be the perfect, doting girlfriend now? What. The. Fuck, Kian?”
Tipping my head to the sky, I stare up at the dark, star-filled sky and pray for some strength.
Did I plan to say that? No, I really fucking didn’t.
Am I regretting it? Also no.
If it gets Sasha and the numerous others like her off my back for a bit, then, no, I don’t fucking regret it.
But then, I look down again and find Lorelei’s murderous expression that promises me a whole world of pain, and I begin to second-guess myself.
“It’s a smart idea. I’m surprised I didn’t think of it sooner,” I explain as I dig my hand into my pocket for my cell to message Jamie.
“A smart idea? Fuck, Kian. How was telling your…your fuck buddy that I’m your girlfriend a good idea?”
I continue typing and hit send before acknowledging her question.
Looking up, I hold her angry eyes for a beat. Dropping my cell into my pocket, I take a step closer to her.
Lorelei immediately backs up, but she doesn’t get very far, because the railings are still out from earlier.
“Think about it, Temptress. This is a win-win for both of us.”
“How is this any kind of win for me?” I open my mouth to respond, but she beats me to it. “I swear to God, if you try spouting some shit about increasing my social status by being photographed with you, then I will hurt you.”
Reaching out, I tug her purse from beneath her arm and flip it open.
“What are you doing?” she screeches as I pull out her cell, wake it up, and stare down at the screen.
I find exactly what I was expecting.
Spinning it around, I hold it up for her to see, not that she needs to. She already knows what’s waiting for her.
“That is why, Lorelei. He is why.”