A Billionaire Gentleman (The Holden Brothers Book 1) Page 4

  “Good.”

  I glanced at Aurelia and found her eyes on me. She wasn’t flirting with me, and I wasn’t flirting with her, but something about her drew me in, making me want to…protect her. It was an odd feeling, and not one I’d really experienced before.

  As the youngest, I was always the one being looked after, protected, coddled. It was nice to have someone who didn’t look at me that way. Not yet, at least.

  Who knew what it’d be like when she got to know me better? After all, if my own family barely thought I could do this, why would the Kanes be any different?

  I pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the job at hand. I’d never prove my family wrong if I kept whining about it. I needed to just do the damn job.

  We made it to three of the five properties Dad had given me, taking thorough walkthroughs of each of them. Considering how many tens of thousands of square feet and at least a dozen acres in land we had to cover, we accomplished a lot. We were heading back to the car after the third property when Dad texted me, asking me to invite the Kanes to dinner.

  “I think we’ve covered enough for today,” I said. “Unless you’d like to continue.”

  Ronall shook his head. “No, you’re right. It’s been a long day.”

  “If it hasn’t been too long, my dad would love for both of you to come to dinner at his house. He’s been looking forward to reconnecting with you.” I added the last part, but considering Dad had gone to such lengths to make sure Ronall and Aurelia found the right house, I didn’t think it was too far-fetched.

  Something crossed Ronall’s face, gone before I could identify it, but I wondered if it had something to do with why I’d never heard of the Kane family before. I hadn’t asked Dad about it, but I’d been curious about it since he’d told me about them moving back.

  “What do you think, sweetie?” Ronall asked Aurelia.

  She nodded, brushing back some hair that had fallen across her face. It’d been like this all day. Ronall would include Aurelia in the conversation, but she barely spoke. He wasn’t mean and didn’t act like she was stupid, but I definitely got the impression that her dad treated her like she was a kid.

  “That would be great,” Ronall said to me. “It’ll be nice to catch up with Walter. Will you be staying too?”

  “I actually still live with my dad.” Aurelia gave me a curious look, and I added, “I just finished up my MBA and moved back here for good. I haven’t decided what sort of place I’m looking to get.”

  “Is it difficult because you don’t know if you’ll be moving in alone or with a girlfriend?” Ronall asked. “Or boyfriend, I suppose. I shouldn’t assume. No one knows these days.”

  “No girlfriend or boyfriend,” I said with a slight smile. He didn’t sound like he was being judgmental, just commenting on something he didn’t quite understand. “My last girlfriend and I broke up a while ago.”

  “Better to break up when you’re dating than waking up one day and realizing that you married the wrong person,” Ronall said.

  Neither he nor Aurelia had mentioned a wife or mom, and Dad hadn’t said anything either, so I didn’t know if Ronall was a widower or if his statement came from experience and there’d been a divorce. It wasn’t really important, but it did make me wonder about that comment.

  “True.” I did agree with his statement, but I’d replied more because I was uncomfortable with the silence following it than any need to express a real opinion.

  “Has your dad ever thought about getting married again?” Ronall asked.

  “Not that I know of,” I answered honestly. “But he doesn’t really talk to my brothers and me about stuff like that.”

  “He never was one to show what he was feeling.”

  Ronall sounded more like he was talking to himself than adding to the conversation, and I wondered again at the relationship that existed between my family and his. Had my parents and the Kanes simply fallen out of touch when the Kanes had moved?

  It wasn’t like they’d parted ways back when the only options for communication were phone calls and the US Postal Service. Dad might not have been the most technologically savvy person I knew, but he was hardly a troglodyte. It would’ve been easy for them to reach out to each other at any time.

  “Does your grandfather still live in the same house?” Ronall asked, shifting the conversation.

  At least I knew the answer to this one. My brothers and I had heard more than once how Grandad had bought the house for Grandmom a few years before she passed. I think one of the reasons Grandad loved Cynthia so much was because she never complained about his insistence at keeping the house. Grandma Rachel had tolerated it, but even I knew it had been one of the things that had always bothered her.

  “He does,” I said with a smile. “It’s just him and Cynthia there now with the staff, but I don’t think he’ll ever want to downsize.”

  “My father is the one who told him about the house before it went on the market. They were friends, Father and Jude. Your grandfather saw him almost like an older brother, and I called him Uncle Jude when I was a kid. I don’t think I would’ve gotten through those first few years after Father died if it hadn’t been for Jude.” Ronall unbuttoned the top button of his dress shirt. “Your family was like the extended family I’d never had.”

  How did I not know any of this? When Dad had said “old family friend,” I hadn’t realized he’d meant something like this.

  “My boys called your parents Auntie Cher and Uncle Wally.” Ronall’s mouth quirked into a smile. “Davin used to follow my boys around everywhere. He couldn’t say Maverick’s full name, so he called him Marick.”

  “I didn’t know that’s where the nickname came from,” Aurelia said.

  I wondered if she knew more about our family’s history than I did, or if this was all new to her too.

  “Does Davin still live here?”

  My eyes still on Aurelia, I answered the question. “Yes, he’s actually the CFO at the company now that Dad’s CEO and Grandad retired.”

  “I’m surprised Jude retired. I used to think he’d be running that place until he was a hundred.”

  “You’re not far off,” I said dryly. “And he’s still involved. The two of us will be doing some traveling soon.”

  “I don’t need to ask about Damon. Aurelia’s a huge fan.”

  Color flooded her face. “Dad,” she protested softly.

  “Nothing to be embarrassed about, sweetie. He’s a talented young man.”

  My brother’s music career was a safe topic as there really wasn’t much there that could surprise me. I kept our conversation there until we arrived at the house, and then I was able to relinquish the conversation to Dad.

  I barely hid my relief as I stepped back to walk with Aurelia. Ronall looked a little stiff at first, but as soon as Dad had smiled, whatever it was on Ronall’s mind seemed to disappear, and the two immediately started filling each other in on the last two-and-a-half decades.

  Dinner went pretty much the same way, with those two dominating most of the conversation. Occasionally, they’d ask Aurelia or me a question, but for the most part, they left us to eat in peace. It wasn’t until we were heading for the sitting room that Dad pulled me aside. I assumed it was to ask about how things had gone today, but he surprised me.

  “You should take Aurelia out.”

  Thinking I had to have misheard him, I asked him to repeat himself, but he said the same five words again, so I tried a different question. “Like on a date?”

  “Why not?” Dad asked. “She’s a nice girl, and I’m sure she’d like a chance to see the city without her father taking her around. Help her get acclimated. Get to know her. Maybe the two of you will hit it off.”

  I wasn’t sure if my dad was trying to play matchmaker…or if it’d be more accurate to refer to it as pimping me out. Not that I’d ever say something like that to him. We didn’t talk about sex in our family, and we certainly didn’t joke about anything sex relat
ed.

  Ever.

  Grandad had given Davin ‘the talk.’ Davin had talked to Damon. I’d gotten most of my knowledge from listening to the two of them growing up.

  “You’re back home for good now,” Dad continued. “It won’t hurt you to start looking to settle down.”

  Okay, so it was serious matchmaking. Dad was trying his hand at an arranged marriage. I stifled a sigh. I wasn’t some playboy, dating a different woman every night. I didn’t see why I was the one he was coming to with this.

  Aurelia glanced up from her plate, her eyes meeting mine for a few seconds before turning back to the food she was pushing around on her plate.

  Yes, I had to admit, I knew why I was the one he’d come to. Aurelia was definitely not the sort of woman who’d fit with either of my brothers. She’d be safe with me.

  It seemed like Dad had finally found something he trusted me to do more than anyone else. I wasn’t going to screw this up.

  Seven

  Sofi

  It was getting easier, like Pasha had said it would. Nearly a full week of rehearsals for two hours a day after the club closed, then home for a few hours of sleep before getting up to do whatever needed to be done, and then back to the club for a full shift.

  We got bonuses for practice hours, but it wasn’t even close to minimum wage. And it would last until I was confident that I knew every step, which meant the longer it took me, the more the others would resent me for making them come in during their time off.

  I hadn’t talked to anyone about their lives outside of the club, but some of the others had pictures of children in their sections, so I assumed at least a few were also mothers, and I felt awful that I was taking away their time with their children. I’d worked extra hard, and Sanders had declared today would be our last practice.

  So, yes, easier.

  Except it was really only the dancing itself that was easier. The rest of it was still hard. Being up on that stage, knowing that men were watching us, not because they were impressed with the athletic ability it took to do what we did, but because they wanted our bodies. They wanted to see as much as we would give them, file it away to get off to later.

  Or, sometimes, get off to now.

  “Sofi, there’s a customer asking for you.” Sanders leaned against the wall next to me, everything about him completely at ease with being in a room full of half-dressed women. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen him in here, and it wasn’t the first time I’d noticed that he didn’t leer at any of us. If anything…

  My observations screeched to a halt as I processed what he’d said. “What?”

  “Someone wants a private dance.” He straightened and stuck his hands in his pockets. “He wants that costume.” He gestured to the skimpiest one.

  Big surprise there.

  “I’ll help her get ready,” Pasha said. Sanders nodded and headed back out to the club floor while she picked out a sheer wrap from the rack of general use accessories. “The key to a good dance, if you don’t want any of the extras, is to put on a couple of these layers, so you have to take them off to get to what they want to see.”

  I nodded, not trusting my voice to stay steady. My pulse was racing, and my chest was tight. I’d never had a panic attack, but I had a bad feeling that, if I didn’t get ahold of myself right now, I was about to have my first one and end up getting fired on top of it.

  “Breathe, Sofi.” Pasha kept her voice low, but all of the other women knew what she was doing.

  Calming the newbie before sending her in for some sweaty old leche to ogle and grope.

  “It can be harder one-on-one,” she said. “Without the lights, you can see them. And they’re closer.”

  “Don’t sugarcoat it,” I muttered, annoyed.

  She laughed. “Better now? Not freaking out?”

  I grinned at her when I realized what she’d done. “Thank you.”

  She nodded. “Now get changed and get out there before he decides on someone else. As much as you may think you want him to, just remember that you’ll get a nice bump in your check. I’m sure you need it.”

  I hadn’t told her why I was here, but it wasn’t too much of a stretch to guess that I needed money. Most of us here did.

  She was right, though. I had to do this.

  I finished changing my clothes, and Pasha helped me arrange the extra wraps, then showed me where to go. The man was already inside, sitting in the shadows. I took a slow breath and then reminded myself that this was for Dallas.

  And that meant I could do this because I could – and would – do anything for my child.

  I walked through the beaded strands that hung in the doorway and hoped I looked sexy rather than silly.

  “Hey there.” I sounded like an idiot but pressed on. “Do you have a song preference?”

  He shook his head, thick tongue sticking out to wet his lips. “Something sexy.”

  Duh.

  I didn’t say it, though. I just walked over to where the song selection was and pushed the button for the first song that I knew. I hadn’t practiced for anything solo, but if I closed my eyes, I could pretend I was just goofing off like I’d done sometimes in high school. Dancing with my friends. Laughing. Joking.

  I managed to make it through the first minute without actually acknowledging what I was doing, but then I heard the squeak of the man shifting in his seat, and the illusion was broken.

  My eyes opened when his hand brushed my thigh. He tugged the scarf I’d just released onto his lap, drawing attention to the erection tenting his pants. I looked away immediately, but his grin told me that he’d seen me notice it.

  “Like what you see?” He dropped his hand, and I didn’t need to look to know he was grabbing himself.

  I just smiled and turned, making my movement away from him seem like part of the dance. Unfortunately, he took the response as encouragement and took the opportunity to grab my ass.

  Making a scolding noise, I wagged my finger at him, hoping he’d take it as flirty. If he grabbed my boobs, however, I’d be seriously tempted to break his hand, and that would probably not go over well with my probation officer.

  I needed to play smarter and nicer if this was going to work. And it had to work.

  “Come on, baby, let me see those big tits of yours.” He grabbed my hips.

  I put my hands over his and danced backward until I was out of his reach.

  I could do this.

  I could.

  I was.

  Eight

  Deklin

  I was going on a date. I’d been home for a week, and I was going on a date.

  Aurelia had been surprised when I’d asked her to go out with me tonight, even looking to her dad, but as soon as he’d smiled, she’d accepted. I didn’t know if she wanted to go out with me because she liked me, because she was bored, or because her dad apparently thought it was a good idea, but I figured the worst thing that could happen was that the two of us would find out we annoyed each other and make an early night of it.

  I doubted that’d be the case, though. Something about her drew me in, and I thought it was the same for her. The two of us had a connection despite the fact that I wasn’t attracted to her. At least, I didn’t think I was.

  What did it say about me that I actually had to think about it?

  I shook my head and smoothed out a non-existent wrinkle in my short-sleeved dress shirt. I really needed to stop overthinking things. Aurelia seemed like a nice young woman, and if nothing else, the two of us could use a friend. Most of the friends I’d had growing up here had faded into the lives they were living now. I expected my college friends would go the same way. I didn’t mind, though. I wasn’t really that close to any of them.

  I’d always been too busy feeling like I had to prove myself to take the time to make real friends.

  Maybe the worst-case scenario here was that I’d end up with a friend.

  “You’re wearing that?” Dad’s question was mild, but the look in hi
s eyes was anything but. He’d perfected the art of making more of a single question.

  I sighed. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing, Dad?”

  “That depends on where you’re taking her.” He leaned back from the table. “That’s hardly the appropriate attire for a five-star restaurant, and I certainly hope that you’re not taking her somewhere less than she deserves.”

  “I thought I’d show her around the city, and it’s a bit warm to be in a full suit.”

  Dad shrugged, but I knew what he was thinking. He wanted me to impress Aurelia, to show her the elite life that she and her father could expect here. Basically, he wanted me to do things exactly the same way he would have done them. Because that was the best way.

  “I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone,” I said. “Have a good night, Dad.”

  I could’ve had a driver take us around, but I didn’t want the day to be like that. I wanted us to spend the evening just getting to know each other. It’d be nice to see who Aurelia was when she was away from her father and able to relax. Not that I thought he was hurting her or anything like that. No, I’d been able to see how much he loved his daughter. I just had the impression that she wanted to be perfect for him.

  I knew all too well what that was like.

  Aurelia was waiting in the lobby of the hotel, looking nervous and timid as she paced by the valet stand. She wore a dress that had been clearly tailored for her, but the style was far too old, too serious. She looked more like she was going to work at some stuffy business rather than going on a date. Even if this wasn’t some sort of exciting romantic thing, I hoped she thought we’d at least have some fun.

  “Aurelia, it’s good to see you again.” I smiled at her and held out my hand. I didn’t shake hers this time, just lightly grasped her fingers and squeezed. When she took her hand back, I let it go and gestured for her to come with me.

  We were in the car before she spoke.

  “This is a nice car.” Her voice was soft but not weak.