Page 100 of Nothing to No One

Okay, that may be a little awkward. They hadn’t exchanged those words and she didn’t want him strongarmed into anything.

“You need a plan,” Zairn said. “Are you going public? You’ll have to tell them the truth, all the times you stepped in to take Roman’s place.”

Couldn’t they be together without cracking the crystal of previous illusions? No. Not if they told the truth that Struan was the man on the tape and not Roman. Without a great story, just admitting that would be enough to have everyone, press and industry alike, questioning which brother was where in the history of, well, ever.

“Don’t you worry…” Roxie pulled back and laid her certainty on each of them in turn. “We’re excellent at plans. This is when we’re at our greatest. Oh, love…”

Throwing her arms wide as she whirled around, it was Zairn’s smile that betrayed the stars in Roxie’s eyes. He cleared his throat, though it did little to hide the laugh trapped in it.

“Because I’m so good at it…” His smooth charm made even her quiver. “Baby, you want it bad.”

“Moment’s over.” Roxie spun on the spot. “Now, together foreverness, let’s figure this out.”

Another knock. Not as insistent as before, but it wasn’t like she had friends who’d drop by, especially when she hadn’t been living there.

It might be her door, but if someone on the other side needed to be dealt with, she doubted Struan would stand by and let her handle them alone.

“If that was Roman he’d be shouting, right?”

“It’s not Roman!” the call from the other side of the door showed how thin the walls were, and that their visitor was Struan’s uncle. “We have to talk about this.”

At least he sounded calm. Yeah, okay, that could be a big fake out. What else could they do? Ignoring him might be easier, but it didn’t exactly scream confidence in their decision or relationship.

Tripp was the one to break ranks and answer it. He swung the door wide, putting all the players on the board. This was it. The moment of confrontation. Would it be a fight? Would it be possible to reach an agreement?

THIRTY-FIVE

“CAN I COME IN?” Magnus asked.

“May you,” Tripp said and looked to her. “And it’s not my place.”

Bambi laced her fingers through Struan’s, appreciating that his arm stayed around her. “Yes.”

There might not be a lot of soundproofing, but they couldn’t have this conversation in the hallway. Magnus came in and, feet planted, Tripp tossed the door back into the frame.

“He went too far.”

That the contrite Magnus put his focus on his nephew was reassuring. Of everyone in the room, these two people were blood. Damaging their relationship didn’t help anyone, and she wanted to believe someone he’d known all his life cared about his best interests in addition to his twin’s.

“You got that right.” Tripp returned to stand near his friend. “You let him get away with murder and he thinks he owns the world. What did you have to do to keep him at the house? Tie him down?”

“I told him it would be better for us to talk alone. That you and he could talk when we get back to the house.”

“I’m not going back to the house,” Struan said.

“He’s your brother.”

“Whether I like it or not,” Struan agreed. “Doesn’t mean I have to live in his house.”

“We’re going to Vancouver tomorrow.”

“Enjoy yourselves.”

And the collective intake of breath around them was almost a hiss. That was an on target hit, one not to be mistaken for anything else.

“He can’t do this without you.”

“Maybe he should’ve thought of that,” Tripp said, defending his friend. “You know this is overdue. It was always going to happen eventually.”

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