Chapter 16 Zack
ZACK
My entire body is vibrating with rage, as her phone rings out for a third time before cutting off once again.
Fuck. Why the hell isn’t she answering her phone?
I mean, I know why, we aren’t exactly on speaking terms right now, but still it pisses me off.
What if it were an emergency and I needed to get in contact with her?
Clearly she knows that's not the case, considering she has just seen me, and apparently a bullshit, half-assed wave is enough to count as contact between us.
We’ve never been like this before, a fact I know is my fault, and it kills me.
We’ve always been close, because from the second I found out the twins existed, I was aware of what they had already lost. I knew then, even at my young age, that I wanted to always be there for them, and I have been, or at least I’ve tried to be.
Now though? Now things are completely different.
For the first time in my life I don’t know what is going on with her, or how she is doing, and it puts me on edge like never before.
What the hell was she doing here and with Joey fucking Grant of all people?
The guy is a King, and worse, the son of a damn senator.
There is no good reason I’d want him around her, especially when she looked dressed for a date, and Joey was looking at her like he wanted to figure out her every secret.
A skill I know he is more than capable of, if what Logan told me is to be believed, and a rush of grief slams into the center of my chest.
Logan should be here, if he were he’d have already put fucking Joey in his place. In fact, he would have been by her side to ensure he never even got close to her, not without him there to have her back. It’s just another reminder of how I’ve not only let her down, but him too.
Sighing, I slide my phone back into my pocket and try to calm my racing heart, but the rage is unlike anything I have ever felt.
A rage I shouldn’t feel, not in the way I’m feeling it, not when it means something it can’t.
Something sick and twisted that can never see the light of day, but here I am, feeling it anyway.
Feeling defeated I storm back to the table and plaster a fake smile on my face, greeting the two men I invited out for a business dinner. “Sorry about that, gentlemen,” I greet them, sliding into the chair across from them, and they both happily wave me off.
Mark and Kevin Stevens are brothers who run a small tech firm together, and are looking for investors so they can expand.
We had an initial meeting last week and I really liked what they had to say, so I decided to invite them out to dinner so we could talk more.
Although right now, I wish I could tell them both to fuck off so I could go after Lily, and find out what the fuck is going on.
“Oh it’s no bother, Mr. Royton, I imagine a man in your position can never afford to turn his phone off,” Kevin replies, trying to make a joke, but I’m in no mood.
“A man in my position can afford anything,” I reply with a clipped tone, stumping them both, before I curse inwardly and smile. “Now, let’s see if we can make you two into men like that, shall we?”
It’s a piss poor attempt at erasing my cocksure joke, one I never would have let slip out if I weren’t so focused on Lily and that god damn dress she had on.
Thankfully, the two of them laugh it off before the waitress comes to take our order.
They both choose some of the best steaks on the menu, not surprising since I’m sure they aren’t used to places like this, and I ensure to pick the perfect wine to pair with it.
They are more than grateful for my input, and because I already know I’m too in my own head to make small talk, I let them take the floor in talking about their business.
I try to listen intently, I really do, offering nods and smiles in what I hope are the right places, but my mind is lost to what is quickly becoming the bane of my existence.
The last time I saw Lily she was screaming at me to get out of her apartment, and though she wasn’t drinking like usual, she still looked as if grief had a hold of her.
Tonight though she looked different, and I’m not just talking about the fact she was dressed up.
She looked as beautiful as always of course, but it was her eyes, they were lighter than they had been last year, and I don’t quite know the reason why.
I don’t know why she looked better, I don’t know why she was out when she has barely left the house in the last year, and I certainly don’t know why she was with the fucking senator’s son.
And I wish I could say it wasn’t my fault, that whatever is happening between us is just a bump in the road and things will be normal again soon, but I can’t.
We can’t take back what we did, and despite what I said, I know we can’t ignore it either, so where does that leave us?
Unable to help myself, I pull out my phone and type out a quick text, keeping my eyes half on my phone and half on my dinner guests.
Zack - Really? You’re going to ignore me?
I send it to Lily without a second thought, before dropping my phone face down on the table and focusing back on dinner.
Again, I’m only half zoned in, but I manage to keep up with everything they are saying, offering up comments and questions where I see relevant, but still not giving them my one hundred percent attention.
I know I’m going to have to schedule another meeting with them to run through everything I have missed, but right now I only care about Lily.
Her response comes thirty-minutes later.
Lils - That’s rich coming from you
Zack - Why the fuck were you with Joey Grant?
Lils - Are you asking as my brother? Or as the last guy I fucked?
Her response has my jaw grinding and my dick hardening.
Fucking brat.
Zack - I’m asking as the guy who is going to kill him if you let him touch you
She reads the message instantly, but no response comes, and thanks to yet another fucking question from one of the men across from me, I am forced to put my phone down once more.
I answer question after question rapidly from each of them, giving them shorter responses than I usually would, and as I wait for her to respond they both keep talking.
“So our projections are optimistic, especially if we can secure some additional funding,” Mark states with a firm smile, and honestly I’d pay him ten million right fucking now if they would both stop talking.
My phone vibrates again, and I snatch it up to read the message before even responding to him.
Lils - Careful now, that doesn’t sound very brotherly to me
Zack - Stay away from him, Lily, or you won’t like the consequences
Keeping my phone in my hand, I reach out and down the rest of my drink, watching my screens as the typing bubbles dance across it.
Lils - Hmm, that’s funny because I think I’d like them too much
I almost choke on my whiskey when my eyes scan her words, so much so that I have to cough to clear my throat.
“You okay, Mr. Royton?” Kevin asks, and I lock my phone and reach for my water.
“Actually I’m not feeling too great, can we pick this back up next week in the office?” I ask, not really making it sound like a question, considering I’m already rising to my feet. “I’ll have my assistant reach out tomorrow and make the arrangements.”
The two of them delight at my offer, smiling widely and rushing to stand so they can shake my hand. “That would be great, Mr. Royton, thank you.”
I accept both their handshakes and then gesture toward the table.
“Please, enjoy the rest of your meal, the tab has already been taken care of, order whatever you want for dessert.” I’m walking away before they can even respond, not caring how unprofessional I seem, not when my sister thinks it’s okay to fucking taunt me.
My car is already waiting at the curb by the time I exit the restaurant, and I only tip my head at my driver as he opens the door for me and lets me inside.
The second I’m sat I try calling her again, sure she will answer this time given the texts, but my call is rejected almost instantly.
When I try for a second time it won’t connect, and I wonder if she has turned her phone off or blocked me.
Both options piss me off, and I toss my phone aside and loosen my tie.
What the fuck is she thinking trying to rile me up?
We can’t be this, we can’t have this tension and these blurred lines between us, doesn’t she get that?
She’s my sister. I’m her brother, her protector, the person she should be able to count on for anything, so why isn’t it enough?
The thought causes the rage to burn inside of me once more, so pissed at myself for putting us in this position, and even more so for enjoying it.
The moral compass Max eluded to has been smashed to fucking pieces, and I hate myself for it.
How the hell are we supposed to go back to being siblings, when the thought of another man being near her has me ready to kill?
Thanks to the New York City traffic, the drive back to my penthouse takes longer than I want it to, and by the time I’m strolling inside toward the elevator, it’s late.
I’m about to enter the code to my floor when another idea hits me, and before I can stop myself, I hit the number for another floor.
I haven’t really spoken to Max since he told me to fix things with Lily, something I quite clearly haven’t done, but right now I’m too pissed off to care. I’m banging on his door five minutes later, not caring about the late hour, or the fact I didn’t call.
When he opens the door, I note the way his hand is tucked behind his back to where I’m sure his gun is resting in the band of his pants. “Oh, it’s you,” he sighs, relaxing instantly, his hand dropping from behind him where I know he usually keeps his gun.