Going in Deep (Billionaire Bad Boys 4)

“I did tell her I wanted to have dinner with her tonight. I need to spell out the kind of man her brother really is. It tears me up inside to hurt her, but I want to protect her, too.”

Her expression saddened. “That really is awful, but honestly she’s better off. Would you like me to come along? Or would you rather be alone when you tell her?”

“I’ll take all the support from you I can get.” He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.

She kissed him back, parting her lips and letting his tongue inside to tangle with hers. She felt the hard press of his erection against her stomach and was about to reach for him when the doorbell rang.

“Are you expecting someone?” he asked.

She wrinkled her nose. “No. Ignore them and maybe they’ll go away.” She kissed him again… and the doorbell rang again. Oh damn.

“Argh. Don’t go anywhere.” She jumped out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweats she’d left on the floor, grabbed a sweatshirt that was hanging on the chair by her vanity mirror, and rushed into the other room.

Just as she walked into the hallway, the door opened and her sister walked in, key in hand.

“Lexie! What are you doing here?” And how could Kendall get her to leave as soon as possible?

She panicked, knowing that though she wanted her sister to know she was seeing Julian, she didn’t want her to walk in and be shocked by seeing him. But Lexie had let herself in using her old key. Which was now an emergency key. Which she’d never had a reason not to be able to use because if Kendall had a guy in her life, she’d tell her twin. And then her twin would know to use some discretion and not let herself into the apartment without warning. When not just any man but Julian was in her bedroom.

Yes, she wanted to tell her sister she and Julian were involved, but she’d wanted to talk to her, ease into the conversation. She’d planned on explaining how amazing Julian had been to her now, how much he’d changed, and what had prompted some of his behavior to begin with. And she could still handle it that way if Lexie left now, before she saw Julian.

“I’m sorry to just show up, but I knew it was your day off and how sometimes you sleep in. So I figured I’d just wake you with your favorite hazelnut coffee and muffins!” Lexie held up a bag with the logo from Kendall’s favorite shop.

“Thank you,” Kendall said, ac

cepting the bag of her favorite food.

“I’ll just put the coffee on the kitchen table and we can eat. And talk.”

“But—”

Lexie turned toward the kitchen, but before she could take another step, Julian walked out of the bedroom.

“Is everything okay? Who was at the door?” He stepped out in his jeans, pulling his shirt over his head as he spoke.

Kendall closed her eyes as the inevitable unfolded.

“What in the ever-loving hell is he doing here?” Lexie yelled.

Kendall winced at her sister’s sharp tone.

Julian stepped up beside Kendall. “I can explain.”

Lexie frowned. “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.” She turned to Kendall. “You, on the other hand, I want to hear everything. Talk to me. Are you off your meds?”

Hurt flowed through Kendall. “That’s insulting.” She’d come so far, for long enough now that her sister should have some faith. “I wanted to tell you, but I knew you’d react badly.”

Lexie folded her arms across her chest. “Tell me what, exactly? That you’re sleeping with him again? What’s wrong? He didn’t hurt you badly enough the first time? He didn’t hurt Kade enough? You had to go back for seconds?”

Every word was a dagger to Kendall’s heart. Her sister didn’t know how she felt about Julian; she didn’t understand the man he really was. And she clearly didn’t give Kendall any credit whatsoever. Maybe she’d deserved that at one time, but she’d been proving herself over and over for almost a year. Longer than ever before.

Surely she’d earned some leeway in her choices. “Lexie, I’m sorry and if you give me a chance—”

“Not happening.”

Kendall’s stomach churned at the obstinate tone in her twin’s voice. “Julian, let me talk to her alone.” She rubbed her hands up and down her bare arms, chilled inside and out.

“I’m not leaving you to handle this alone.” He stood beside her, determined and strong, and she appreciated the effort. But there was no way she’d get through to her sister if Julian didn’t leave.