Going in Deep (Billionaire Bad Boys 4)

“Julian, you can’t possibly understand my relationship with my sister,” she said, needing him to understand.

This situation wasn’t just about her.

This wasn’t about Julian and Kendall as a couple.

This was about an obligation Kendall had. A debt to be repaid. And a desperate need Kendall carried for her twin to believe in her at last, to see that all the time she’d put into her, all the sacrifices she’d made, had been for something positive, real, and lasting.

“Then spell it out for me. I’m listening.” He leveled his gaze on hers, both challenging and begging her to explain.

She clenched her fists beneath the table. “It’s not just that we’re twins, it’s that she gave up her life for me for a very long time. To take care of me. To monitor my meds, my moods.” She drew a deep breath. “Growing up, she left parties, lost guys she liked who didn’t understand about me and didn’t want to wait around for her. If I don’t respect Lexie’s feelings now, what does that say about me in return?”

He sighed, expelling a long breath. “I’m not going to tell you it’s not gutting me, but I do understand.” His eyes turned a deeper green and locked on hers.

“She’s also pregnant.”

He smiled. “And you don’t want to upset her.”

She reached for his hand, welcoming the contact, the warm embrace, the touch of his skin against hers. “I just want to hear back from Lexie. See if she’s able to get Kade on board.”

Neither one of them addressed the question that hung out there. What if Lexie and Kade didn’t come to understand Kendall’s relationship with Julian? What if her sister demanded she make a choice?

What would she do then?

* * *

Kendall headed home, and Julian grabbed a cab for himself and headed directly for Nick’s, showing up uninvited on his best friend’s doorstep. He wasn’t ready to go home and be alone, and his friend always had words of wisdom. He needed that now, more than ever.

He banged on the door until Lauren answered.

“Julian! Is everything okay?” she asked, gesturing for him to enter.

“I’m really sorry to just show up, but I needed to talk.”

She pulled her lip between her teeth. “I’m sorry, but Nick is out showing some apartments to people who couldn’t go until after work. He should be home soon though. Want to come in for coffee?” she offered.

He smiled in gratitude and followed her inside. “Where is Brian?” he asked, glancing around as they walked to the kitchen.

“Sleeping at a friend’s.”

She paused at the single-cup coffeemaker and turned on the machine. While she made them coffee, his with a drop of milk and hers, he noted, she heavily added cream and sugar to, they talked about this and that, until she joined him at the table.

He wrapped his hand around the warm mug of coffee and took a long sip. “Thank you,” he said.

“You’re welcome.” She smiled.

“So I hear congratulations are in order. You sold this place?”

She nodded, eyes filled with happiness. “I can’t believe how fast everything’s moving. We went to contract already. Closing is in two months. And we found the most amazing house in Westchester.”

“When it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

“It’s too bad you’re not in the market, because there’s another house for sale on the same street.” She glanced at him over her coffee mug.

He laughed. “As amazing as that sounds, I think a house would be lonely with just me rambling around.”

“You have Steve, and he’d have a yard.” She shrugged. “You never know. Your life could change in an instant. Mine did.” She waggled her eyebrows at him, giving him no doubt she was talking about him and Kendall.

“No rushing my relationship, Lauren,” he said lightly.