Page 6 of Somebody's Watching Me
The little demon shot him the middle finger and ushered a laughing Vivian inside. Charlie took one last look around and headed in the opposite direction to the east wing, where he and his family were to stay. Adare Hall would soon host hundreds of party guests, and he needed to get ready to play the part of charming bridegroom.
Once dressed, he slipped into the hall, hoping to find Viv. They had enough time, and he wanted to work in a quickie before the festivities.
He didn’t get far. Ben and Trevor intercepted, informing Charlie that his fiancée was already greeting guests on the lower level. The three of them headed down the second-floor corridor, which led to the main catwalk and then the central staircase.
“How was your ride?” Charlie asked Ben.
“Interesting.” Ben matched his stride while Trevor trailed behind. “How was yours?”
“Mine was great.” Charlie kept his voice low. The acoustics of Adare Hall’s high ceilings could expose any number of secrets if they weren’t careful. “Although my mare was much younger.”
“Wait, you guys got to ride horses?” Trevor tried to squeeze between them. “But I was the one that wanted to go.”
“We really need to get him laid.” Charlie rolled his eyes. “With a willing participant.”
Ben paused at the catwalk entrance, staring down at the crowd of people mingling on the lower level. Cold and calculating, he assessed the scene, likely seeking his first victim for the night. Every social event the man attended involved tactical mind games and heaping doses of manipulation.
Charlie could never grasp the appeal of living a life like that. They might be brothers, but the two of them couldn’t be less alike if they tried. Both in personality and appearance. Charlie felt that his easygoing attitude matched the golden boy good looks he’d been born with. He never had to twist people’s brains to make them do what he wanted. His charm came naturally. All he had to do was give a smile and a wink, and those in his orbit would gather to beg for crumbs of his time.
With Ben, it was the exact opposite. High cheekbones and a sharp jawline paired with the darkest set of brown eyes and midnight black hair only compounded the asshole factor he radiated. The dark nature of his brother oozed from his very essence, consuming anyone who dared get too close.
“Don’t fuck this up tonight, Charlie.”
“And how about you don’t fuck my mother-in-law?”
Trevor’s head swiveled back and forth between them. “You guys aren’t talking about horses, are you?”
Ignoring their brother, Ben turned from the crowd to whisper over Trevor’s head. “I do what needs to be done, and just like you, I’m seeing this deal through to the end. Paula doesn’t think you’re suitable marriage material for her little girl and has been whispering as much in The McIntyre’s ear, urging him to call it off. I was told to fuck some sense into her, and I did. Twice. Now, say thank you.”
“Yeah, not horses.” Trevor’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. “You guys suck sometimes.”
“It doesn’t matter what The McIntyre or his wife thinks,” Charlie whisper shouted. “Vivian wants to marry me.”
“What Randall McIntyre thinks is the only thing that matters, you idiot.” Ben leveled a condescending smirk at him. The very one he’d been perfecting since birth. “The fact that you’re enjoying the benefits of this deal is just a consolation prize.”
The shadows of the hall obscured the three of them, and the partygoers below remained unaware of their arrival. Moving Trevor aside, Charlie got directly in Ben’s face. “Watch what you say about Vivian.”
“I’m not saying anything about Vivian. You’re the one that’s the problem.” Ben didn’t back down. He never did. “Now go down there and put on the show of your life.”
As much as he wanted to shove Ben over the railing and see his brains splatter all over the imported marble floors, his brother had a point. Randall McIntyre could pull the plug, and Fairweather Holdings would lose its part in a lucrative land deal while Charlie lost the girl.
“What are you guys doing?” Phillip McIntyre approached from the hall behind them. A sly fucking devil in a perfectly tailored suit, the son of a bitch was as ruthless as his father. “Don’t you know there’s a party going on?”
Charlie and his brothers tensed, immediately turning to greet the threat. Phillip wasn’t to be trusted. The circulating rumor was that he was trying to take sole control of The McIntyre’s interests and eventually leave nothing for his sisters in the process.
In the center of the trio, Ben angled himself to face Phillip, with Charlie and Trevor flanking each side. The Fairweather brothers might hate each other, but they got over it real quick when up against a shared enemy.
“Admiring the view,” Ben replied coolly. “It’s quite the turnout.”
“Well, we McIntyres know how to throw a party.” Phillip’s eyes narrowed on Charlie. “Even if we’re not celebrating.”
Trevor crossed his arms and tried to appear intimidating but was too skinny and short to come anywhere close to it. “Today is a celebration.”
Phillip wrinkled his nose. “If you say so.”
“We do say so.” Ben took a step forward, mindful not to draw attention. “Vivian is happy. Charlie is happy. Our fathers are happy.” His assessing gaze raked Phillip from head to toe. “We’re all so fucking happy.”
“Are you?” Tilting his head, Phillip kept his focus on Charlie. “Are you truly ready to commit yourself to one woman for the rest of your life? A woman who is thousands of leagues above you in class and social standing?”
