Page 130 of The Playboy Billionaire

Kat places a hand on my arm, sensing I’m about to go nuclear.

“Nothing,” he says.

I shove him in the chest. The surprise of the move, making him step back, more than my physical strength. Mybrother can bench press some ridiculous amount and is built like a tank.

“I’ll ask again, what did you do?” I seethe.

April wouldn’t just leave, not after everything went so well today. Something must have happened. If my brother has said something to her.

“She left with Jaxson,” he says, and my heart stutters. Left with Jaxson?

“It’s not like that,” he adds, his monotone, minimal explanation beginning to wind me up.

“Elijah.” It’s Kat whose tone ushers our brother a warning.

Elijah steps back and looks me in the eye.

“Jaxson was leaving. He and Kat had words. April saw him as he was getting into his car and asked for a lift.”

“And you know this how?”

I know it’s a stupid question. Of course he knows. My bloody brother knows everything. That’s the line of business he’s in. Information is, after all, power.

I step back and take a deep breath, exhaling as I run a hand over my face.

“Let’s start this again,” I say, “Elijah, why has April left?” I relax my jaw so the words don’t come out through gritted teeth.

Elijah holds the door open next to us and motions for Kat and me to step inside. I know from the look on his face, what he’s about to tell me is not going to be good.

“I’ll kill him,”I spit, when Elijah fills me in on the conversation he came across in the hallway. “I’ve always thought he was a sleazy bastard. Not sure why our parents ever had anything to do with him.”

Then again, I think back. Dad always made sure Kat andHarper were with us and nowhere near Crawley, when he and his downtrodden ex-wife visited. I think Mum felt sorry for Mrs Crawley. I just always remember feeling a sense of unease in my stomach when he was around.

“You don’t need to worry about that. I have it covered,” Elijah says, and I can almost feel sorry for Crawley. Almost.

I turn to my brother. “Thank you. Thank you for looking out for her. I hate to think what would have happened.”

“When I saw April leave and Crawley follow.” He doesn’t need to add anymore.

“Thank you,” I say again, watching as Elijah tilts his head to acknowledge my words. “And I’m sorry I assumed the worst.”

Elijah shrugs. “Not undeserved. Not after last year,” he states.

“What I don’t get is why she then left.” Although I ‘do’ know. She’s always questioned our relationship, felt I’m out of her league. Laughing that she was punching above her weight in more ways than one. She has it wrong, though. I’m the one punching above my weight. She might not have my bank balance, but her heart and generosity towards those around her. Her innate ability to bring people together. That is priceless.

“I tried to stop her, but she’d made up her mind. I even told her you knew about her past, and didn’t care, but that didn’t stop her,” he admits.

I freeze. The bottom dropping out of my stomach at his words.

“You. Told. Her. About. The. Dossier?” I say slowly.

Elijah shrugs, not realising the bombshell he’s dropped in the centre of my relationship. “Secrets are never good. Take it from someone who knows.”

“But…” I glare at my brother. “That wasn’t your information to share.”

“Maybe not, but I’m the reason you had it. She also needed to know that hasn’t stopped you from falling in love with her. Because you have, haven’t you?” he says, his matter-of-fact tone conflicting with the topic.

“I have, but what’s that got to do with anything?”

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