10. Jake
Jake
We had brunch overlooking the ocean, the salty breeze lifting strands of Ven’s dark hair as she sipped her orange juice while the rest of us had mimosas. She looked gorgeous in her blue bikini top and floral skirt. The cobalt seemed to enhance the natural glow of her skin.
At the surrounding tables, multiple people kept looking at her.
Not quick glimpses, they were full-on, unabashedly staring at her.
More than once, I’d caught a man watching her with smug curiosity.
Every time it happened, I leaned over and kissed her.
That would get the bastard to drop his gaze, but it always came back to her.
All I wanted to do was throw Ven over my shoulder and carry her back to the suite for a repeat of the night before. The only thing that stopped me was Yara and her threat of bodily harm when I least expected it.
After brunch, my sister and Ven went to enjoy the spa, and I dragged Warren to the golf course.
Since he’d sat down to eat earlier, I’d noticed he was tense.
He kept glancing at his phone. The ringer must have been off because I didn’t hear a single notification.
Thankfully, Yara was too excitedly talking to Ven about the day to pay attention to the growing storm cloud over him.
I waited until we were on the green before bringing it up. “What’s up with you, man?”
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I told Jude not to come yesterday.”
When he didn’t elaborate, I snorted out a laugh. “Yeah, I’m going to need more than that, Warren. Why did you tell him that? And what does that have to do with Marsha blowing up your phone every thirty seconds?”
For a long moment, he stared at the white flag in the distance, his teeth grinding. A group of men worked their way past us, but neither of us moved to start our game. We’d been friends since infancy, so I knew when to give him time to sort through the bullshit in his head and when to push him.
Exhaling heavily, he finally turned to look at me.
“Jude’s been seeing someone. He kept saying it’s serious, but he wouldn’t tell anyone who the woman is.
All he would say was that he was going to surprise your family at the wedding.
Which was beyond stupid to begin with. It was supposed to be our day, and he was planning on stealing Yara’s spotlight to announce his relationship. Possibly even an engagement.”
“That’s my little brother for ya. Always was an attention whore.”
Warren shook his head, his frustration and anger growing. “I’d already had my suspicions, but yesterday when my assistant January was making all the last-minute arrangements, she discovered the mysterious girlfriend’s identity.”
Revulsion hit me at the same time the answer did. “Marsha.”
“Yup.” He popped the p with a humorless laugh.
“As soon as January dropped that little bomb on me, I called him. Told him if he was bringing my sister, not to bother showing up. We argued, threats were made. Some idle, some not. He finally relented because, all in all, he does love Yara and cares about her happiness, deep down.”
That much, I wouldn’t argue about. Jude did adore Yara. Enough to put her above his sick competition with me, though? That, I was unsure of.
“Does Marsha know you’re getting married this weekend?”
He shrugged. “Jude said he didn’t tell her what was happening.
He told her we were celebrating the new deal and having a long weekend.
Which meant you would also be here with us.
He must have wanted to rub her in your face more than he wanted to steal attention at the wedding itself.
From the endless texts she’s been sending me, Marsha thinks you found out she’s dating your brother and you are so jealous that you banned them from coming.
” His mouth twisted in disgust. “Every text she’s sent asks about you, and it’s so fucking gross, man.
And deranged. I know my sister has issues.
She and I have never been close, but this is the first time it has fully hit me that she might need professional help. ”
“That sucks. I’m sorry you have to deal with her bullshit, War. Is there anything I can do?”
He shook his head. “Nah, it’s not your problem.
All this wedding stuff and the mom drama has been a lot for Yara.
She’s been stressed and barely eating, because every time her mother sees her with a fork in her hand, Miranda says something vile about needing to fit into the wedding dress. And then last week—”
I put my hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze when his voice broke. “Tell me.”
“Yara has been talking about babies. We want a family sooner rather than later. And damn it, I want to give her everything she’s ever dreamed of.
She had a doctor’s appointment, and she explained she wanted to go off her birth control so we can see what happens.
” He raked a hand through his hair in agitation.
“From what her last set of labs showed, her doctor cautioned Yara to wait. She warned her that a pregnancy right now would be considered high-risk.”
That didn’t make sense to me. Yara was healthy, wasn’t she? “What? Why?”
“Her weight. She’s malnourished and stressed to the max.
She drinks more than she eats. That’s never been a secret.
I just never thought about it much. All the women I’ve ever known are the same way, including my own mother and sister.
I simply didn’t factor that into our plans to expand our family. ”
He swallowed hard twice before he could speak again, his voice cracking.
“I should have paid more attention. It’s bad.
Seriously bad. She’s been losing her hair, Jake.
She has bald spots that she’s been covering up with hair clip-ins.
And I had no idea. I don’t know what to do.
It’s my job to take care of her, protect her, but I’ve been failing. ”
My stomach knotted at the realization of what my baby sister was going through.
But from where I was standing, there was only one solution.
“You have to get her away from there, Warren. Our mother is toxic. There has to be distance between them—real physical distance—or she’s going to destroy Yara once and for all. ”
I grabbed the back of his neck, squeezing hard. Anger, fear, and grief swirled around inside me for my sister and friend. “Come to LA with me. We don’t have to be on opposite sides of the country to run the company.”
“I don’t know if Yara would want that,” he said with a grimace.
“Who the fuck does she have in Vermont, Warren? I mean, who does she trust besides you? Who does she need other than you?” He stayed silent, the answer obvious.
No one. Not her friends there. Not our parents or our brother.
Just him now that I was in LA full time.
“You love my sister. You’re pissed at yourself for not taking care of her.
Well, start doing your fucking job, motherfucker.
Get her away from the people pulling her down, stressing her out.
Come to California with me. I can be there for her, and so can Ven. ”
Still, he stayed silent, hesitating. He needed to stop that shit fast before it ruined my sister completely.
“Yara starves herself because of our mother, but I didn’t question it until I actually saw her enjoying food for the first time last night.
That wasn’t because of you or me, man. And it had very little to do with the ocean air.
She was comfortable with Ven. She was fucking happy, more than I’ve ever seen her in her life.
That had a lot to do with her best friend. ”
His shoulders dropped, a choked sound escaping his throat. “I’m going to talk to Yara about it after this weekend is over and we’re home.”
“Warren, don’t fuck this up. You only get one chance at living happily ever after. Her goddamn health is on the line right now.” I double-tapped him firmly on the cheek. “Do not make me regret letting you marry my sister, asshole.”