3. Aria
3
ARIA
“ S o that’s it. Our brand-new stepbrother took one of the guestrooms on the first floor like he actually belonged here.” His suite was directly beneath mine. With that in mind, I stomped my feet, pacing at the foot of my bed. Immature? Of course. Funny how certain situations could make a person not give a shit about what was mature and what wasn’t.
“I think it’s cool.” Valentina’s laughter filtered through the phone’s speaker when I grunted at her ridiculous assertion. “We have a stepbrother now. We should be happy Dad seems so happy.”
The worst part was she had a point. I knew better. “Only because Dad can’t see the real Miles.”
“Oh? And you can? You have this huge amount of insight into him that Dad doesn’t?” The way she scoffed didn’t make things any better.
Gritting my teeth and stomping harder, I replied, “It’s hard to explain.”
“Since when have you had a hard time explaining something to me?”
That was the thing. I couldn’t remember ever feeling this disconnected from my twin. We practically shared a brain, or we had before some two-faced tech bro decided to get on a plane and insert himself into our lives. “This is complicated. I told you how he found me at the spin studio. Why couldn’t he have told me who he was? Why did he have to be so weird and creepy about it for weeks? He was starting to scare me.”
“Maybe because he was afraid you would react the way you’re reacting right now,” she suggested. “He probably wanted to wait until Dad was around so you wouldn’t rip off his head.”
“Yeah, I might still do that anyway.”
“I think you’re overreacting,” she said with a sigh.
“And I think you’re gaslighting me a little bit,” I retorted, spinning on my heel to walk back across my old bedroom. Ironic that I felt like a teenager again in this room, only this time, I wasn’t pissed off because Penelope Schwartz copied my idea for a topic on our final English paper. This was real, grown-up shit with actual consequences. “I told you that crack he made about the will and how Dad now has the son he wanted. That doesn’t strike you as being wrong?”
“I mean, yeah, it was in poor taste,” she agreed. “But you were acting all belligerent and whatnot.”
“How would you know? You weren’t there.”
“I can see you in my head. Your chin jutting out and everything.” She laughed while I checked my reflection in the mirror over the dresser as I passed. Sure enough, my chin was sticking out. “He was trying to get to you. That’s all.”
How easy would it have been to accept her explanation and move on? My pacing slowed as I realized I wanted to. It would’ve been simple to accept his arrival and intentions at face value.
The only problem was I had seen him before that meeting in Dad’s study. I had felt his… resentment? It was the closest thing to what had shone in his burning glare more than once at spin class and on the sidewalk. I’d seen it again in the hall outside the study. There was no explaining the sort of thing a person had to feel to understand.
“Miles Young?” she asked, and I grunted confirmation, waiting only a few moments before I heard Valentina’s sound of approval coming through the phone. “Well, I’ll say one thing. He’s fucking hot.”
It looked like we had both reverted to being teenagers. Groaning, I asked, “Because that matters?”
“Uh… yeah. It does. I have eyes. I’m allowed to appreciate what I see.” She mumbled something as though she was reading from an article. “Oh, he’s the guy who designed that new algorithm thingy. I remember hearing about that. And he’s big into AI.”
“Yeah, he would come up with new ways for humanity to be squeezed out, wouldn’t he? I’m telling you,” I insisted when she laughed. “There is something really wrong with the guy.”
“Listen. I hear what you’re saying, I really do. But Dad isn’t some senile old man,” she reminded me. “He doesn’t need you to protect him.”
“If you had seen the way he was smiling at Miles like he was proud of him, you would think differently.” The memory made me shudder in revulsion, the way I would if I had touched a snake. Funny, how bringing him to mind was that of a snake.
“Yeah, okay. I can see that being a little uncomfortable.”
“Thank you,” I mumbled.
I should’ve known she wouldn’t leave it there. “But think of it this way. After everything we pieced together about that Leila woman over the years, doesn’t it seem like he might not have had the best upbringing? Maybe that’s where Dad is coming from,” she concluded. “He feels sorry for Miles because he knows who his mother was. We don’t know what Miles might have gone through.”
It was unusual for her to be so willing to extend grace. Usually, she would have been at my side, demanding an explanation. Like why we’d never heard of Miles and what he thought he’d get out of worming his way into our family.
It didn’t take long for me to understand my mistake. “Mom already got to you, didn’t she? You already knew what happened before we got on the phone.” I groaned, slapping a palm to my forehead. It had taken hours to get a hold of my sister, and I had practically gone crazy waiting to fill her in.
“Why are you treating this like it’s warfare or something? Mom spoke to me,” she amended. “She gave me the bullet points. That’s where Dad is coming from. He feels sorry for Miles and wishes he could have been an influence in his life.”
“Why? He doesn’t owe Miles a damn thing.”
“How the hell would I know?” she snapped. “Man, you are determined to look for the worst possible explanation for all of this. There’s a good chance he doesn’t have any kind of ulterior motive at all.”
It was obvious I was talking to a wall. “Fine. Whatever you say,” I replied.
The sound of her groan was as familiar as my reflection. “Don’t be that way.”
Settling down on the foot of the bed, I asked, “What? I’m being unreasonable, so I’m going to let it go now.”
“If I thought you were actually letting it go, it would be one thing.”
“It’ll be fine,” I flatly insisted. “The end.”
“And then you shut down on me,” she said with a sigh. “Just give the guy a chance. I’d better go. I have a few more emails to send out before I collapse.” There was still tension on my side when we ended the call, wishing each other a good night.
In the entire world, there was nothing I hated more than being underestimated or overlooked. I had always been the quieter twin. I kept things to myself. And this was why. Sometimes, it wasn’t worth putting myself out there and speaking my mind.
I hadn’t been hungry at dinner—my stomach was in no shape to handle food. Now, though, I could’ve used a snack. From what I understood, Miles had come back from the hotel and was probably in the middle of getting settled. There was no reason we had to run into each other with his suite being far from the kitchen, at the other end of the first floor from the living room, dining room, and kitchen. I didn’t have to venture any deeper into the penthouse while he was around. He could have that entire half of the floor to himself, including Dad’s study. They could sit around and drink scotch and pat each other on the back or whatever it was men did behind closed doors.
I pulled a silk robe over my pajamas, twisting my hair into a bun on top of my head while padding barefoot down the stairs that opened onto the foyer. The memory of Miles laughing at me in that very spot was still clear and sharp. I turned my gaze away from the door, growling. Where did he get off being so smug and acting like he knew me?
The living room was dark, and only a few sconces lit the hall leading deeper into the penthouse. I could have done this blindfolded. Not much had made me smile that day, at least not since I’d found Miles sitting in Dad’s study, pretending he owned the place. I could smile at the memory of me and Valentina sneaking downstairs for a snack when we were kids, tiptoeing down the hall, trying like hell not to make noise.
The sound of the water suddenly turning on up ahead in the kitchen made me stumble a little. Shit. Was he in there? My heartbeat slowed when Mom’s soft humming followed, and knowing she was still up gave me a sense of peace the conversation with my sister definitely had not.
“Hey, you.” She smiled from where she stood in front of the stove, turning on the heat beneath the kettle. I had seen her there so many times over the years. The fact that she looked as young as she always had left me feeling ten years old again. If only. “Do you want some tea?”
“No, thanks. I figured I would grab a little something to eat.” Kissing her cheek on the way to the refrigerator reminded me how glad I was to have a little time back home. Even if it meant having to see Miles and constantly being reminded of how much he had creeped me out when he first came to town.
“Oh, good. You had me worried there when you said you didn’t want dinner.” Then she laughed softly and shook her head. “Here I am, treating you like a little girl again. It’s not easy to remember you’re all grown up.”
I didn’t feel so grown up. When was the last time I was this worried and uneasy? “I know you were talking to Valentina earlier.” I opened one of the cabinets, my eye on her. Her shoulders sank, then shook with soft laughter. She knew I had figured her out.
“Somebody had to tell her what happened today,” she pointed out. “I happened to get a hold of her before you did.”
“Was it true what you said about Dad?”
“It depends on what you think I said.” The woman had mastered the art of the no-answer answer. While it cracked me up when she pulled that shit with Dad, I wasn’t so amused now.
“That he felt bad for Miles?” I asked.
“It’s true. A lot of things happened back then before you were born. It was a lifetime ago,” she murmured while staring off over my shoulder, seeing the past. “Leila was no picnic. And considering Miles has no other family, it seems only right to your father to bring him into the fold.”
“I’m not trying to be selfish.” Hauling myself onto the counter, I unwrapped a protein bar and took a bite while Mom fixed her herbal tea.
“I know you’re not, sweetie. And I know you must have been shocked when you suddenly found out you have a stepbrother.”
He’s not my stepbrother . I didn’t want to come out and say it, knowing I’d only look worse if I did. “Are you sure you’re okay with it?”
“As far as I’m concerned, the more the merrier. One day, you’ll be an empty nester,” she predicted with a touch of sadness in her voice. “And it will make you very happy to have a new life under the roof. Trust me.”
Did it have to be this life? There was no way of getting my point across unless I flat-out told Mom how we had already started off on the wrong foot. How he’d sort of scared me a little. She would only wave it off, clicking her tongue, basically patronizing me.
“Give him a chance.” She picked up her mug and gave me a one-armed hug on her way out to the hall. “There’s always more than meets the eye. Don’t forget that.”
That wasn’t the problem. I knew there was more than met the eye with Miles. It was everybody else who needed to get their goddamn vision checked. What would it take for them to see? Did something awful have to happen? I didn’t want to think about it.
So, of course, it was all I could think about as I left the kitchen and turned down the hall. Not ten steps into my journey, a deep voice filled the air behind me. “Well, well. Look at you. Nice pajamas.”
Fucking hell. I’d have to ignore my hunger next time. Turning, I looked him up and down. “Nice jacket,” I countered. Nice everything, really. As furious and distrusting as I was, I could admit he looked good in a black leather jacket, jeans, and heavy boots. His hair had that tousled quality again, and it paired nicely with his smirk.
“Thanks. I’m on my way out for a ride. Do you like motorcycles?” he asked with laughter in his voice.
“I’ve never cared either way.” It wasn’t a lie. I wasn’t into cars either.
“Have you ever been on one?”
I rolled my eyes and muttered, “It’s not on my bucket list.” Wasn’t he on his way out? Why take the time to irk me?
“Perhaps I can change your mind on the experience.” He folded his arms, his smirk turning into a full grin. It was funny the way heat erupted in my core at the sight of it, though the way he deepened his voice didn’t hurt either. “You don’t know if you enjoy something until you try it. And then you might find yourself addicted. I’ve been known to have that effect.” I would’ve sworn his eyes went a deeper shade of green before narrowing with deeper meaning.
He’s hitting on me now? Following the rollercoaster of a day I’d had, there wasn’t much more of him I could take. “Careful,” I warned, meeting his gaze without flinching. “You shouldn’t talk that way to your stepsister. ”
“That’s right.” With a brief nod, he said, “That is who you are. It’s nice to hear you say it. Maybe you and I can get along after all.”
“Do me a favor and hold your breath until the time comes,” I replied. His soft laughter was as good as nails dragging down a chalkboard as he passed me, sauntering toward the front door like he owned the place. It was better to let him leave without trying to get in the last word since I was already risking my teeth by grinding them as hard as I did.
“That’s really amazing! You have a brother! You always said you wanted one.”
I was starting to believe everybody in my life was going through mass delusion. It was one thing for my immediate family to be completely blind, but I had expected better from Sienna. She was a public relations expert, for God’s sake. She had to know how two-faced and unreliable people could be. She had seen the worst of her clients for years. Yet there she was, all wide-eyed and eager to hear more about this supposed addition to my family.
“He’s only my stepbrother,” I reminded her with a groan. “Even then, does it count? Dad didn’t even know about him while they were married. We’re talking about a major technicality.”
“Obviously, that doesn’t matter to your dad. I think it’s nice he wants to bring Miles in and make him a part of things. Your dad isn't an idiot,” she pointed out. We had different opinions on that one. “He knows what he’s doing.”
“I’m not so sure. People do crazy things when they feel guilty.”
“Anyway, at least we know now why Miles was being all weird toward you before.” She looked at the clock on the wall, which stated we had another few minutes until class started. “Where is he, I wonder? I would like to meet him.”
Maybe he wouldn’t show up. It was bad enough I had to see him at home. It would’ve been nice to have an excuse for a reprieve.
It looked like my luck was shit all the way around. He hurried in with a minute to spare, smiling wide when he spotted me chatting with Sienna. He looked like a shark who’d spotted his next meal, or was I telling myself that because I didn’t want to believe he had good intentions? Dammit, I was letting everybody get in my head. I had to follow my gut on this.
Sienna had no such problems. “So you’re Miles?” She extended a hand as soon as he was close enough. “Aria told me all about you. To think, you were taking class with us, and you had this secret.”
The snarky, arrogant prick who had taunted me last night was replaced by the charming, affable guy I’d met in Dad’s study. It was like he had two personalities. “I didn’t want to come on too strong, too fast,” he explained as he shook her hand. “And you are?”
“Oh, sorry! I was too busy admiring that accent of yours.” She giggled before replying, “Sienna Black. Aria’s cousin.”
His brows shot up. “So we’re cousins! The family expands.” The prick even had the nerve to smile at me like he was daring me to be anything but positive. Considering rage was burning a hole in me, it was better to keep my mouth shut.
“Something like that,” she agreed with a laugh. “I’m sure we’ll get along fine, so long as you don’t think you can outpace me.” She patted the bike and narrowed her eyes in a challenge.
“I would never think of telling a woman I could beat her at anything,” he promised before they shared a laugh that made my skin crawl. Seriously? He was charming her too. It was almost enough to make me wonder if I was making all of this up in my head.
No. He’d given me a bad feeling from day one, way before I knew who he was. I wasn’t about to forget his nasty comments about Dad wanting a son to manage his money either. Nobody said something like that unless they were already thinking along those lines, plotting to take what wasn’t rightfully theirs.
I was not about to believe he had anything but bad intentions. All I had to do was find out what they were and how to stop him.