Page 85 of Bleeding Hearts

Numb from the shocking revelations about Chad’s double life, we sit in stunned silence. The weight of what we’ve learned since arriving in New York presses down on us. The last several days opened our eyes. Neither of us suspected our brother would get involved in shit this deep. Now the guilt is eating at us both. I know Alicia well enough to know if he’d come toher, she’d have done all she could to help him. I may not have her skills, but I would’ve provided a listening ear and offered whatever help I could, however limited.

Chad’s place is nice. Over the top, really. The polished surfaces and silent spaces made me feel like I couldn’t touch anything whenever I visited him. My perspective has now changed, and I’m seeing things I hadn’t before. Perhaps our recent focus on Chad’s troubles has influenced my thinking.

“He shouldn’t have been able to afford this, should he?” I sink into the plush leather couch, the soft material molding to the shape of my body.

“Not really. This isn’t junior bank investors’ accommodations. It’s executive-level.” With her feet resting on the glass-topped table, Alicia stares out the vast window in front of us. “The view alone probably adds fifty grand to the mortgage.”

How the hell did I not see the signs?

“I feel incredibly stupid for missing these obvious details.” My job hones my observation skills, allowing me to notice details others miss. Yet I missed all the signs and now my brother is dead.

“Beth, don’t.” A comforting weight settles on my hand as my sister places hers on top. “Chad was a master at keeping us in the dark. As soon as he was old enough to get out, he did. Moved as far away from Texas and our parents as he could, just like the rest of us had. He lived his life on his own terms, with complete disregard for what others may think. The harder we tried, the more he resisted. Even if we’d figured it out, do you think he would have listened to our concerns, considering his stubborn nature and past behavior?”

Do I?

“No.” I shake my head. “He’d have said we didn’t grasp the situation, then steered the conversation elsewhere.”

And that hurts to admit.

Inhaling deeply, I notice the air itself smells like money, tainted money. “What do you imagine a place like this cost?”

Without missing a beat, Alicia tosses out an exact number. “3.5 million. I looked it up while we waited for the police to do their thing.”

I whistle. “Jodi would be impressed.”

My phone vibrates insistently in my pocket. I pull it out, the cool metal a contrast to my warm hand, to check the text. “What the hell?”

NOLAN:

Let security know I’m with you and to buzz me up.

Instead of texting him back, I call. He answers in two rings.

“Buzz you up where?”

Alicia snickers next to me, like she knows something I don’t.

“To the apartment. Are you not here?” I hear an echo familiar to the lavish lobby downstairs.

“I’m here.” Approaching the phone mounted on the wall beside the door, I pick it up to call the security desk. “But why are you here?”

“Because you needed me here. Tell him to let me up. We can talk about it after I’m upstairs and you’re in my arms.”

The man at the desk picks up. “This is Bethany Rogan. You can let Nolan Archer up. Please add him to the list.”

An airy giggle escapes Alicia’s lips from behind me. “The list. So posh.”

“Shut up,” I say over my shoulder as I hang up the phone and open the front door. “Did you know he was coming?”

“Maybe. When I talked to him last, he was still trying to book a flight and make arrangements for the girls. I tried to tell himit wasn’t necessary.” Now in the kitchen, she rummages through the cabinets, looking for something. “But your boyfriend is stubborn. Said I was wrong.”

“And you didn’t tell me?” Holding the door, I stand in the doorway awaiting the elevator’s arrival. “Bitch.”

“Ha. Do you know how fun it is seeing you so gone for a man? I never thought I’d see the day.” Taking out a glass water bottle from the fridge, she shakes her head and then opens it. “I’m taking this into Chad’s office. Gonna make a few calls to check in on things at work and home. Give you two some space.”

Before I can respond, the elevator arrives, and Nolan steps off. He’s wearing a worn pair of jeans, a dark t-shirt, and baseball cap.

Fucking sex on a stick.

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