I’m about to take a hot bath with Jenna when my cell phone buzzes from the bedroom.

“Start without me. I’ll join you in a bit.” I kiss her on the forehead and step out of the bathroom. If it happens to be a business call, I doubt I’ll be joining her anytime soon, but we can always catch up later.

“Don’t stay too long.” She turns on the faucet.

I pick up the phone from the nightstand and frown at it. I don’t recognize the number. Usually I’m not one of those people who answer unknown numbers, but this time the driving urge to pick up the call is overwhelming.

I step out onto the terrace with the cell phone still buzzing in my hand. If it’s important, the person will not hang up.

Outside, looking out at the ocean, I finally tap the green button and press the phone to my ear. I’m expecting it to be a business call, but the voice that comes through the line sends a shiver down my spine. It’s him.

“Travis?”

“It’s me, bro.”

My twin brother, Travis, is the stain on my life. Hardly anyone knows about him and I kill almost any story that surfaces about us.

Even though we’re brothers, we’ve only known about each other for three years, as he was my single mother’s dirty little secret, a secret she took with her to the grave. We will never know why she chose to keep me instead of Travis.

If it weren’t for my business doing so well and my face showing up in the papers, he wouldn’t have found me.

At first I was excited to meet him after he contacted me out of the blue, but my excitement fizzled when he showed up claiming everything I have belongs to him, that if our mother hadn’t thrown him into an orphanage as a baby, he would’ve had the kind of life I do. And for that, he wanted to be compensated. A few threats and blackmails after that and I decided maybe it’s best we stay away from each other. But now that he had discovered me and my wallet, he was not going away without a fight. In the end, I gave him a shitload of money to make him disappear from my life before he ruined my reputation. Still, even though he didn’t show up in person, he constantly contacted me from some prison, asking me to bail him out or asking me for more money.

“What do you want?” I regret answering the call. “If it’s more money you want, you’re not getting it.”

“You think that’s the only reason I call you?” I detect a slight slur to his voice.

“Yes, that’s exactly why you always call.” I grind my teeth together. “This time you’re not getting anything.”

“Come on, brother. I picked up the phone because I missed you.”

I massage my temple. “You don’t have a relationship with me that would cause you to miss me.”

He clears his throat. “Maybe I want one now.”

“I doubt that.” I close my eyes briefly, then open them again, frustrated that my nice time with Jenna has been cut short for this.

“I’ve changed, okay? I’m more responsible now. I’m even a partner in a business that’s doing really well.”

In the past, I had funded several of his business ideas, hoping he would learn to stand on his own two feet, but each time, the businesses failed because he failed to put in the work. He was too fucking lazy to work hard. It’s easier for him to squeeze money out of me instead of earning it himself. I’m done. It’s time he finds his own way in life. I don’t owe him a damn thing. I had wanted a relationship, but he only sees me as his personal cash cow.

“If it’s money you’re asking for to fund whatever business you’re experimenting with at the moment, forget it. I’m done funding your shady business ventures. I’ve given you way more than enough already. It’s time you learn to be more responsible with your money.”

“Fuck you,” he growls. “The money you’re hoarding should have been mine.”

“Stop feeding me that bullshit.” My jaw tightens to the point of pain. “Every cent I have, I earned with my own blood and sweat. Our mother left me with nothing because like you, she was not responsible with money.” My mother died of breast cancer when I just started college.

After all her debts were paid, nothing was left behind for me to study or start a new life. I dropped out of college to do odd jobs here and there until I developed a gaming app that took off overnight and my life changed.

With money in the bank, I developed more apps that allowed me to create the Slade Empire.

“Come on, man. Let’s not fight. I’m seriously only calling because I want to start over.”

I’m quiet for a long time, turning his words over in my mind. Trusting him is a risky game to play.

“How about I come to your office and we have a chat, huh? We could catch up on each other’s lives.”

“I’m not in the country.” I tighten my hand around the phone. “And never come to my office unannounced.”

There’s only a handful of people in my company who know about Travis. As long as he’s determined on being a dick, I prefer to keep it that way.

“Fine, fine. I’ll make sure to call first.” He clears his throat. “I do actually need another cash injection, but this time it will go straight into my business not into hookers’ panties. I’ll also pay you back every cent.”

I fucking knew it. “Look, Travis, I have to think about it. I’ll call you when I’m back in the US.”

“Where are you anyway?”

“I’m spending a few days in the Maldives.”

“Alone?” He chuckles.

“Does that matter?”

“Well, it’s not exactly the kind of place you would want to spend time alone in.”

“Maybe I’m here for romantic reasons.”

“So, who is she?”

“None of your business.” The more this conversation is going on, the more I want to end it.

“I think it is. Whether you like it or not, you’re my brother. I’m interested in your life. At least I want to be from now on.”

For a split second, heat spreads through my chest. If only his words were true. Growing up, I’d always wished for a sibling, but my mother was already struggling to raise me alone. I’m still pissed at her for not once mentioning I had a brother.

“If you really must know, her name is Jenna.” Telling Travis about my relationship is another risk. Two years ago, he slept with a model I was dating. Although I was furious, in the end it was for the best. She wasn’t the kind of girl I wanted for life anyway. Until Jenna walked into my life, my heart had actually been out of business.

As a kid, I’d fallen for a girl next door, who was a few years older than me. At first, I thought we had something. I climbed over the fence at night and snuck into her room. We did all the things lovers do. I was thirteen and she was eighteen. When I caught her in bed with another guy, it completely shattered my heart and I closed it off for years. Until now.

“Is it serious?” Travis asks.

“You can say that.” Fuck. Why do I even feel the need to tell him?

Maybe a part of me still craves to have that brotherly connection. But I don’t know how that’s going to happen. But I’m so ridiculously happy with Jenna that I can’t keep my mouth shut. “I asked her to marry me.”

“I bet I’m the last to know.” If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he sounds hurt. But he doesn’t give a damn about me.

“That’s because I didn’t have your number. I haven’t seen you in months.”

“Don’t worry. That’s about to change. Get ready to see more of me.” He pauses. “Talking of change, maybe I should get myself a serious relationship with a nice girl.”

“So you can beat her up, like you beat up your ex-wife?” The last time I bailed him out of prison was for domestic abuse. It turned out Travis does not know how to keep his hands to himself when he’s around a woman. He has some kind of dark side to him that scares me a little.

“You’ll never understand the thrill of having the upper hand in a relationship.”

“You’re right, brother, I’ll never understand it. It’s sickening.”

“Enough about me and my shenanigans. Do you love her?”

“That’s why I asked her to marry me. Of course I love her.”

“Is she a good fuck?” He chuckles.

“That’s none of your damn business.” I shake my head, unable to believe this conversation is still going on. In the past, when I refused to give him money, he hung up immediately. Do I dare believe he has really changed? For his own sake, I hope he has.

“You know what, if she makes you happy, I’m happy for you.” He lets out a cough. “See, I’m a good brother.”

“Time will tell,” I say. “I’ll see you when I get back.”

“Cool. Maybe we can have dinner and a few beers together. I could come over to your place?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. The last time I invited you over, you were hitting on my housekeeper.”

“Can you blame me? She was hot.”

I blow out a frustrated breath. “I have to go. I’ll call you when I get back and arrange where we’ll meet.”

“Hey, bro, let me give you one tip about relationships,” Travis says before we hang up. “I was joking about wanting a serious relationship. The thing is, you can never trust women. They change as soon as you put a ring on their finger. I know what I’m talking about.”

“No offense, Travis, but I’ll never take relationship advice from you.”

“Fine, learn the hard way.” He laughs. “I’ll see you in New York.”

After the call, I return to the bathroom, ready to apologize to Jenna for staying away so long. She’s lying under the bubbles with her eyes closed, humming a tune. She looks so damn gorgeous that my crotch tightens at the mere sight of her. The urge to sweep her out of the water and fuck her right here and now is so strong, but we had so much sex in the past days that even though I hate to admit it, I’m physically exhausted.

“Hey, baby, ready for dinner?”

“What?” She opens her eyes. “Did you say something?”

“Yeah.” I lean down to kiss the top of her head. “I’m sorry I can’t join you, but I want to arrange for dinner. What are you in the mood for?”

“You choose. I don’t have any preferences.”

“Okay, I’ll think of something.”

She doesn’t say anything as she watches me for a while, as though she wants to say something more but can’t trust herself.

Something is weird about her. Maybe it has to do with me throwing away her novel yesterday. Either way, she’s being distant. But it was just a novel, for God’s sake. And I wouldn’t want my woman reading such trash. But I do regret handling it the way I did. I shouldn’t have asked the butler to take it away and throw it in a bin outside the villa. At the same time, in a weird way, I feel empowered. It’s a feeling I can’t explain, a feeling I don’t want to pay attention to.

She closes her eyes again as though to tell me I’m dismissed.

Getting the message, I return to the bedroom, where I flick open my laptop and send an important email to my closest employees. In a few words, I announce our engagement.

When I get back, I know I’ll be bombarded with interviews, and that’s fine. I’m ready for the world to know I’m no longer a single man. Or maybe I shouldn’t have told anyone yet. I wouldn’t want the press to hear about it and for Jenna’s parents to find out before she gets a chance to tell them herself. But it’s too late now.

Whatever shit storm awaits us, I have the resources to shield Jenna as much as I can.

While Jenna is still in the bathroom, I call the butler to arrange dinner. Jenna enters the bedroom soon after, and I pull her onto my lap and inhale the scent of the lavender shampoo she used to wash her hair.

“Guess what I did,” I say, nipping her earlobe.

“I hope it’s nothing bad.” Her voice is a purr that warms me to the core.

“I wrote an email to my employees to tell them about our engagement.”

“Why?” She pulls back. “I thought we wanted to tell everyone when we get back.”

“Don’t be mad, baby. I just couldn’t wait to tell the world that you’re mine.” I tighten my arms around her, wishing I could hold her forever. Maybe deep down I’m terrified she might leave me one day, like my first love did when I was a kid. This time, I don’t think I’ll be able to handle it.