Page 35 of The Wrong Brother

I nod, setting my fork down and reaching for my wine. “I didn’t plan much of an itinerary, to be honest. Everything happened so fast. Plus…” I trail off, hesitating as the words catch in my throat. I don’t know why I’m saying this, why I feel compelled to bring it up. “It felt like you were just trying to send me away, so I didn’t know how it was going to play out.”

He freezes, his expression sharpening slightly. “But you still came,” he says after a moment, his tone quiet but firm.

“I did,” I admit, my voice soft. “I came because of the job. And as for you trying to send me away…” I sigh, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “Unless you ban me from the country somehow with your connections, I’m still going to head back eventually. Plus, you’ve forgotten what I said. I’m moving out.”

“Moving out?” he repeats, his brow lifting slightly. “And where exactly do you plan to go?”

I shrug, swirling the wine in my glass. “Let’s see after I get my paycheck from today.”

He leans forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table, his eyes narrowing as they lock onto mine. “You shouldn’t move out too soon,” he says, his voice low, almost coaxing. “Your contract’s for a few months. You’ll be busy.”

“Which is exactly what you wanted, isn’t it?” I shoot back, though there’s no real heat in my tone.

His lips curve into a slow, deliberate smile, the kind that makes my chest tighten. “You can’t blame me for trying to exert my influence to get what I want. It’s what I do. But ultimately, the choice is yours.”

The way he says it, the weight in his words, sends a shiver down my spine. It’s not a threat…it’s an acknowledgment, a reminder of his power but also of the fact that, for once, he’s leaving something in my hands. The tension between us feels like it’s vibrating now, filling the space with an electricity I can’t ignore.

I hold his gaze, my pulse quickening as the silence stretches. For a moment, I don’t know what to say. But then, a small, wry smile tugs at my lips. “Well, that’s… surprisingly generous of you.”

He smiles once again, amused, and my heart starts to race. What is it about him?

I want to see him unflustered, though I realize I want to see him completely lose his composure so that I know I’m not the only one.

This is lust, I remind myself. It’s his fault for teasing me. All I have to do is control myself until I get back to New York, and then I’ll take matters into my own hands and kiss Brett. I cannot be careless here the same way I almost was with him last night. Plus, if any accidents happen with Zack, I understand that automatically erases any future I could have had with Brett.

All my life, it was the one thing I was sure about, and now I feel somewhat uncertain. I love Brett, but now I wonder if the way Zack makes me feel isn’t what I truly want.

"Where are your shoots going to be for the rest of the week?" Zack asks, his tone casual but his eyes focused on me in that way that always seems to strip away my defenses.

I hesitate for a moment, surprised by the question. “Villa Borghese tomorrow,” I reply, my voice softer than I intend. “Then the Spanish Steps later in the week. After that, there’s some indoor work at a historic palazzo... they want to capture the elegance of the architecture or something like that.” Istop, glancing at him. He’s still watching me, his expression unreadable but intent.

As I continue, I start to notice something in the way he listens. He’s not just nodding politely or waiting for his turn to speak. He’s paying attention, really paying attention. I’m not used to this…his focus, the way it feels like he’s drawing every word out of me with his quiet, steady gaze.

The silence stretches for a moment before I blurt out, “Do you have a girlfriend?”

The question catches even me off guard. It’s impulsive, thoughtless, but now that it’s out there, I can’t take it back. It’s just that I’m realizing now, for the first time ever, that unlike Brett, I haven’t actually ever seen him with a woman. My heart pounds as I wait for his reaction, and when he doesn’t answer right away, I rush to cover my tracks. “I mean, not that it’s any of my business. I just… I’ve never seen you with anyone. Not that I would know, but…maybe you’re... maybe you don’t like women?”

His frown deepens at this as he stops chewing entirely, and I want to bury myself in the sand.

“Jenny,” he says his voice calm but firm enough to make me stop rambling. His gray eyes narrow slightly, and his lips twitch with the faintest trace of amusement. “Your interest in my personal life seems to be increasing.”

My face flames.

“It’s not,” I say too quickly, the words tripping over themselves. “I was just… curious. That’s all.”

“Curious?” He echoes, his tone making it clear he’s not convinced. He watches me for a long moment, his expression unreadable, before finally leaning forward, resting his forearms on the table. “No. I don’t have a girlfriend. And no, I am most definitely not gay.”

The admission shouldn’t affect me as much as it does, but my stomach flips all the same. “Oh,” I say, trying to sound indifferent, though I know I’m failing miserably. “I just assumed… someone like you…”

“Someone like me, what?” he asks, his voice low, challenging.

I look up at him, my heart racing. “You’re Zack Jackson,” I say, as if that explains everything. “Wealthy, powerful, and, well…” My cheeks burn as the rest of the sentence catches in my throat. I don’t need to say it. He knows exactly what I mean.

“And?” he prompts, his voice edged with intrigue.

“And nothing,” I mutter, turning my attention back to my plate. “Forget I said anything.”

For a moment, he doesn’t reply. The silence between us feels heavier, charged with something I can’t name. Then, unexpectedly, he chuckles softly. “You shouldn’t try so hard to hide your thoughts. It’s not like you. You’ve always been honest and loud-mouthed, giving your opinions even when not asked.”

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