She stopped by the fireplace. “I can’t do this anymore.”
“You don’t get to decide that.” He tossed back the rest of his scotch, leaned over, and set the glass down on the coffee table a little harder than intended. “Not this time.”
“My mother summoned me to the Drake today, Hudson. Apparently she saw us at the CSO and felt the need to discuss it over tea and scones.”
“I see.”
“She’s going to be watching my every move.”
Any trace of levity drained from Hudson’s face. Victoria Sinclair was taking up more space in the room than he was. Fuck that, she saturated it. “Your mother’s playing games within games, Alessandra.”
Allie’s face clouded over and she turned toward the fire.
Hudson stepped closer. His tone softened as he slipped a finger under her chin, turning her head to meet his gaze. “You have the power to take control of your life.”
The simple words lingered between them, and as the weight of them settled, he realized he needed to pull Allie out of the eye of the shit storm. She was ready to run, he could see it on her face. Hell, she already had one foot out the door. But words were not going to be enough. He was going to have to show her, make her see that what she wanted was standing right in front of her. “Go away with me this weekend. Just the two of us.”
She shook her head. “I can’t just disappear for the weekend.”
“You’re not falling off the face of the earth, and there is cell reception . . . in most places. Unless you think your mom is tracking your phone; then I’ll see that it finds a new home at the bottom of the lake.”
Allie laughed. “I don’t think cell phone destruction will be necessary. Not that she wouldn’t track me if she could, but the woman barely manages a text message.”
“What do you say?” With his eyes he traced the delicate little crease that wrinkled her brow. The one she got when she was weighed down with uncertainty, confined by the pressure of indecision, or rankly pissed off.
“I don’t know.” Allied chewed on her bottom lip. “It’s Thursday night, where would we even go on such short notice?”
“I have a little place a couple hours from here on Lake Geneva. It’s beautiful this time of year when the leaves have all turned. We can go out on the lake or we can stay in so I can kiss every inch of your perfect body.” He flashed a grin. “Besides, I miss my bike.”
“Finally saved up enough to buy that motorcycle you wanted?” she teased.
“Managed to scrape a few bucks together. And I can’t wait to take you on it.” He dragged his mouth down her throat, leaving a trail of featherlight kisses in his wake. “There’s an idea.”
Allie tilted her head to the side. “It does sound tempting.”
“It’s settled, then.” He lifted his head and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Now how about that drink?”
“Yes, please.”
Hudson strolled around the breakfast bar, then yanked open the door of the wine fridge. The majority of his collection was stored downstairs, but he always had a few bottles on hand in the kitchen. He’d just pulled a California chardonnay from the rack when the phone rang. He set the bottle on the granite counter and snatched the receiver from the cradle. “Chase.”
As Allie approached, Hudson did a tight 180 while running a hand through his hair. “Send him up.” He hung up the phone and cursed under his breath before turning back to face her.
“What is it?” she asked.
His jaw tightened. “My brother.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
“Nick’s here?” The last time Allie saw Hudson’s little brother he was all of twelve years old. Crooked grin, mop of unruly hair, and big brown eyes filled with hero worship for his older brother. Allie smiled. She couldn’t wait to see him again.
“Yeah, but now is not the time for a reunion.” Hudson moved quickly toward Allie and cupped her elbow. “I need you to wait in my room.”
“What?” Allie frowned. “Why do I need to wait in there? It’s just your brother.” True, she’d just had a meltdown over her mother seeing them at the CSO, but this was different. This was Nick. He’d kept their secret ten years ago. She certainly wasn’t worried about him blowing their cover now.
“You have to trust me on this one, Allie.” Hudson’s strides were long and measured as he directed her down the hallway toward his bedroom. Everything about his demeanor had changed since the doorman’s call. Tension rolled off him in waves. When they reached the door to his room she heard the penthouse elevator ping softly in the distance. “Stay here,” he said. “This shouldn’t take long.”
He turned to leave, pulling the door shut behind him.
What the hell was that all about? Hudson had hustled her out of the room so quickly. Allie’s heart sank. Was that how she made him feel? Like she was ashamed to be seen with him? It couldn’t have been further from the truth. Under normal circumstances she’d have been proud to be on his arm. But her situation was far from normal. The panic she’d felt earlier had nothing to do with who he was, or where he’d come from. Somehow she had to make him see that.
Allie sighed heavily, resigned to the fact there was nothing she could do at the moment but wait. Might as well get ready for bed. She hadn’t planned on spending the night but after Nick’s unexpected arrival and Hudson’s bizarre reaction, there was no way she was leaving. Not with so many unanswered questions.
She grabbed a T-shirt from Hudson’s dresser and headed for the master bathroom to change and brush her teeth. A new toothbrush lay in the drawer next to Hudson’s. She unwrapped it, smiling at the gesture. Underneath that tough exterior was a sweet, considerate man. Of course he would hate that description if he heard it. Just picturing the look on his face made her laugh with a mouthful of toothpaste, but it was true. She’d seen his softer side more times than she could count, although it had never been more evident than in the way he treated Nick.
Hudson had always been so good with his kid brother. He was patient, putting up with the incessant barrage of questions only a twelve-year-old could conjure. He was protective, always making sure Nick was home before curfew. And he was kind, letting Nick hang around the two of them despite constantly teasing Hudson about having a “giiiiiiiirlfriend.”
So what had changed? Why was he insisting she stay in his room? Allie spit and rinsed her mouth, mulling the questions over in her head as she dried her face with a towel. Curiosity eventually got the better of her and she slipped quietly out of Hudson’s room.
When she reached the end of the hallway, she heard a voice she assumed was Nick’s. “You gotta help me, man.”
“What the hell do you keep looking at?”
“Your elevator. Does that fucking thing close?”
“Private elevator, Nicky. Here, drink this.” The exasperation in Hudson’s voice was tangible, and although she couldn’t see him, she could picture a deep furrow between his brows. “How many days have you been up this time?”
“Can’t fucking sleep. I haven’t even been home.”
“Why not? Did you blow your goddamn rent again?” Hudson was practically shouting. “Stop looking at the motherfucking elevator and sit the fuck down.”
Allie poked her head around the corner and stole a glance at the two brothers. Hudson had his back to her, obscuring her view of Nick, who had apparently listened to his brother and sat the fuck down. Hudson ran a hand through his hair and moved toward the window, giving Allie her first glimpse of Nick. She had to cover her mouth to stifle a gasp.
Of course he looked different—he was older now, twenty-two, maybe twenty-three—she’d expected that. But what she hadn’t expected was to find him so disheveled and agitated. He was tapping his heel, his leg bouncing at a manic pace as he fidgeted with a water bottle. Cap off. Cap on. And even from a distance she could see how badly he was sweating. Cap back off. Nick skipped the plastic cap across the coffee table and took a long drink. When he’d drained the bottle, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.