Page 51 of Lust

And this time, I have no desire to argue.

Chapter 17

Matthias

Ineedmyheadsplit open and examined.

Scientific research could discover new and horrifying things. And hopefully give me an explanation as to what the hell I was doing when I cornered Clarissa outside her office and gave her a speech out of a cringey rom com.

And canceling all my meetings to fly to D.C. to buy her a box of chocolates?

The only explanation I have for everything that's happened in the last few days, is that Clarissa is a hellion and she has put some sort of demonic curse over me.

I have no control over anything I'm thinking, saying, doing, since she fainted last night.

When she's close to me, I can't think about anything except how her skin would taste, and how she'd feel, naked against me.

Stop.

Get a fucking grip.

It's just because you haven't seen her in a while, and she is an incredibly attractive, intelligent, argumentative woman and you miss having a sparring partner. Sure, she's obviously working so hard to turn her life around, but no.It's Clarissa.

"Hey, where are you?" Kingsley's face appears on the screen looking like he can see right through my skull and into my thoughts.

"I'm in the car. I, er, just came out of a meeting," I explain.

My weekly meeting with my brothers falls at two a.m. Wednesday mornings for me. My choice. I never know what,or who, I'm doing, and that's the best way to ensure that I won't be busy with other commitments. Unfortunately, it also means that I'm still at the club when it comes time to meet them. I snuck out to my car, knowing Clarissa will be busy tidying up the club, as well as packing the things she wants to with her back to my apartment.

"Sure, 'a meeting,'" Kingsley says, rolling his eyes. It's seven a.m. for him in London. But he looks like he's been up for hours.

Music floods the video conference room and I know Kylian has logged on.

"Kiara! I'm in my Baxter bros meeting!" he yells.

"So what?" she yells back

"So, I need you to turn the music down!"

"Just talk louder!" she suggests.

Kylian's face fills the screen as he's rubbing his hand over his face. He and I look the most similar to each other, with Damien and Kingsley favoring each other. Kind of like our personalities. We're the chatterboxes to their grumpy asses.

"Sorry, guys. I'm working from home today and Kiara thinks she's"—he raises his voice—"the next David Guetta."

"Yeah, I have no idea who that is," Kingsley says, deadpan. But it's the truth, pop culture is not something Kingsley spends too much time partaking in.

"Hi!" A bright, cheery voice pipes up and that tells us all that Damien has entered the chat. Or specifically, Damien and My-Linh. My-Linh is the closest thing to a human ray of sunshine that exists. Sometimes if she's in the Baxter Tower in Sydney when it's time for the meetings, she pops in to say hello, and makes us all smile.

Even Kingsley likes her.

"Is that My-Linh?" Kiara, Kylian's fiancée, appears on the screen, pushing him away from the camera. "Hi, future sis!" Kiara says, waving at the camera.

"Hi, future sis!" My-Linh replies, breaking out into a grin that's wider than any she's ever given any of us. "Oh, you look so cute in that dress, Kiara!"

Kiara beams, "Thanks! I got it at Verde Rosa, they have a pop up shop at the casino!" Kiara employs poker prop players for Baxter's casino in Macau, and smiles as she takes you for every dollar you have on the poker table.

Kylian smooshes his face up next to his fiancée's and covers her face with his hand. "Hi, My-Linh, how's my favorite future sister-in-law?" Kylian quickly appointed himself My-Linh's favorite Baxter brother from the moment he first met her. Luckily for him, Kiara fell just as in love with her as the rest of us have.

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