26. Ryan
Ryan
“Wait,” Graham says, turning to his older brother with a scathing look. “What the hell is he talking about?”
“This is the girl, right?” I ask, flicking my eyes to Serena, whose mouth is open, but not producing any words. “The one who’s too young for you? Works for you? Should be off limits?”
“Damn fucking right she should be,” Graham snaps, taking a step toward Travis, who sits calmly behind his desk. “What were you thinking? You know she’s Alex’s ex-girlfriend.”
“Yes,” Travis says, his voice dropping into professional-CEO-mode. “I am aware of that, thank you, Graham.”
Oh—I’ve misread this. I thought we would all have a laugh about this, but I don’t know Graham all that well. He’s clearly more loyal to Alex than Travis is. Shit.
I stand, raising my hands, but Serena says what I’m thinking before I can, “Okay, just—calm down. We can talk about this?—”
“What is there to talk about?” Graham grinds out, jaw ticking. “Tell me you didn’t sleep with her, Travis.”
Travis sits completely still, arms crossed, staring back at his younger brother.
For all the time Travis spends going on and on about the differences between him and his family, Graham and Travis are a lot alike.
From what Travis has told me about his father—ruthless, taking down both his personal and professional adversaries—they’re probably both more like him than they think, too.
“Big words, coming from you,” Travis says, finally, tilting his head. He glances quickly at Serena, who still appears frozen. “Seems like the two of you know each other pretty well.”
“In a professional capacity,” Graham grinds out, and Serena makes a small noise in the back of her throat that immediately discredits that idea. I make an impressed face at her—so the girl knows what she wants, and goes after it.
I’m not bothered by it in the least. How could I be, when I’ve spent so much time sampling different sizes, shapes, and flavors of women?
Maybe it’s something like having a diversified pallet.
Travis, more strict and experienced, rigorous and serious.
I could see it being fun to unravel him, get him to let go.
Me—well, I’m a boatload of fun, and I come with the benefit of a lot of good food.
I’m not a chick, but it’s obvious what Graham’s appeal is.
Adventurous mountain man, buff, so big he’s the kind of guy they used to write ridiculous legends about.
“Right,” Travis rolls his eyes.
“It is right.” Graham is an unstoppable force, and Travis is an unmovable object. “Because the second I found out she was with Alex, I backed the fuck off. I know you’ve got some sort of superiority complex over him, but this is low, Travis.”
“Alright, guys, don’t forget about me,” I laugh, holding my hands up, trying to draw some of the fire. “I’m just as much?—”
“Alex isn’t your brother,” Graham says, without looking back at me. “So you don’t owe him shit.”
“Oh, and what do I owe him?” Travis lets out a cold laugh. “The same shit he gives me?”
“You owe him common decency. That’s what it means to be the older brother, man.”
“You have no idea what it means to be the oldest brother,” Travis snaps, his voice louder than I’ve heard before. I stand, circle around to the door, and make eyes at Serena, who’s still staring at the two brothers.
She shakes her head, quickly, when she realizes I’m giving her an out. When she doesn’t take it, I shrug a shoulder and shut the door, not wanting anyone passing in the hallway to get a juicy media bite of the brothers fighting. It’s the last thing they need right now.
“It’s all in the past now, isn’t it?” I ask, sidling up to them, trying to lighten the mood. “What Alex doesn’t know won’t hurt him?—”
“Well, he will know,” Graham snaps. “Because I’m not a fucking liar. I’m telling him.”
Travis laughs, “Of course you are.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“It means you subscribe to this rigid form of loyalty to a guy that doesn’t give two fucks about you, except when you can do something for him?—”
“Don’t talk about our brother like that?—”
“Why?”
“You might not like him, but he deserves at least the basic fucking level of familial respect?—”
“No. I know our father managed to indoctrinate you with all that shit, but you don’t owe anyone undying loyalty. And I certainly don’t owe Alex any fucking loyalty.” Travis heaves, throwing his arm out and in Serena’s direction. “Not after what he did to her.”
For the first time since coming into the office, Graham pauses, his eyes sliding in her direction. A few expressions pass over his face, and he clears his throat, bringing his hand up to the back of his head. Finally, he turns to Serena and says, “What is he talking about?”
She coughs, looks down at the carpet. “Nothing. It’s nothing. It was months ago.”
“It’s not nothing,” Travis sighs. “Alex fucked her over.”
“What is he talking about?” Graham asks, and just like that, Serena breaks. After standing here for the past five minutes, listening to the brothers fight over her, everything comes pouring out of her.
“Alex and I were together, obviously,” she says, robotically, like she’s talking about something that happened to a friend.
“He talked me into moving out of my room—I have a house with a couple of roommates—and in with him. I was working a lot to try and make rent, because I didn’t want him to, like, support me?—”
“Wait.” Travis sits up in his chair, gaze narrowing on Serena. “You were renting? Where did you live with him?”
“450 West Bryan street. Nice neighborhood,” she says, like she’s reciting the real estate listing. “Two-story, more on the modern side?—”
“Fucking hell,” Travis stands, runs his hands over his hair, then stands and crosses the room, opening two tall doors to reveal his bar set-up.
“Dry martini for me while you’re at it,” I call, knowing it’s wrong to enjoy this, but really, you can’t buy entertainment like this.
Travis uncharacteristically flips me off over his shoulder, and Graham asks, “What? Why did you interrupt her?”
Whiskey in hand, Travis turns around, leans against the counter, and gestures at Serena with the drink. “Because Alex was living in that house, rent-free. It’s an Onyx property. I let him live there while he was finishing school, so he could get his feet under him without access to the trust.”
Graham looks between his brother and Serena. “He was making you pay rent?”
Serena’s face has gone slack, and she swallows, looking between the two brothers, “He was nice enough to only ask me for a third. He… he covered the other two thirds.”
“That fucker,” Travis growls, but I sit up, holding out my hand.
“Wait, Serena, what else did he do to you?” I want to know what Travis knows—whatever it is that Alex did to this woman. I want to know why it is that she tensed up when we talked about exes. Actually, I want to know everything about her, but this seems like an especially important detail.
Serena takes a deep breath, looks down at her hands, and keeps going.