Chapter Thirty-Four
Danielle
Liam notices me first. He nudges a tall man in a dark suit and shakes his head. "You woke her up. You're rude."
Simon. Adam's older brother. His eyes are a little deeper, his hair is a little darker, his frown is a little stronger.
The same intensity. More even.
If it weren't for Adam's scars, they'd be hard to tell apart.
"I think you finally made it happen." Liam nudges Simon again. "She's totally looking at you two like she wants a threesome."
"I'm the rude one?" Simon asks.
"Yeah, you didn't even introduce yourself." Liam nods hello to me. "We have coffee."
"I'll take coffee." I move down the stairs. Thank myself for changing out of my pajamas. I feel underdressed enough in my long-sleeved black sheath and boots.
The three of them are wearing suits.
Inside.
Yes, it's Monday morning, during business hours.
But this is a long drive from the city. Did they really make it in suits?
Does Liam really volunteer to wear a suit when he doesn't have to?
"Danielle, your muse is here." Liam touches his chest. "It's an honor to see you." He drops to his knees, takes my arm, presses his lips to the back of my hand.
"He's still doing that?" Simon asks.
Liam stands. "This is my rude older brother, Simon."
Simon looks at me as if he's assessing me on every possible level. Am I pretty enough? Smart enough? Trustworthy enough?
Is that a protective older brother move?
Or something else?
"You didn't even shake her hand, you asshat. At least pretend you're giving her a chance." Liam nudges his brother again.
"Simon," he offers.
I shake with a firm grip.
"Coffee, Danielle?" Liam offers his arm. "I'll escort you."
"Seems like I need a lot."
Liam nods it's true. "I even have to talk to you."
"You do?" I take his arm.
"I'm afraid I do." He leads me to the coffee set up in the dining room. "Here, I thought I was your muse. And I see this." He pulls out his cell and shows off the photo on my Instagram.
Anonymous enough to strangers.
But to someone who knows me and Adam and his apartment?
It's obvious.
"I understand what happened." He pulls up my website. Shows off the more explicit image. "You weren't ready for the full force of my beauty. You had to practice on someone less sexy."
"That's it," I say.
"Simon… he's got issues. Trust issues."
"Not like you," I say.
"Exactly. I have other uses for my time."
"Briar?"
"I'm not at liberty to divulge that information."
"You do like her?"
He actually blushes. "Danielle, I don't want to make you jealous with thoughts of other women. It's bad enough you can never have me."
"It is painful."
"I know." He mimes zipping his lips. "I don't want to remind you. And I'm not even mad you lied about your website."
Right.
"It's not like I bought it." He pours a mug for himself. "I searched social media the second I got home. It was easy to find you once I had a picture of your style. And then I sent it to Simon."
"You did?"
"I meant well, really. I promise. I wanted him to know Adam had a hot new girlfriend. He worries, you know. Older brother shit." He shrugs like he never worries about Adam, but there's relief all over his face.
He's glad I'm here.
Glad Adam isn't locked inside his cage.
I am too.
"You get it. You're an older sister," he says.
I fix my coffee with almond milk and extra honey. It's one of those days. "I do."
"So you know, it's not personal that he's glaring at you. He's just worried you're a corrupting influence."
"A corrupting influence?"
"Yeah. With Adam so fragile."
"Adam could snap his fingers and kill me."
"So you two are into that?"
I fight a blush.
"It's okay. I can tell from the pictures. Kinky shit. I approve."
"You don't know what it is."
"I know you got my brother to post sexy pictures. I didn't think it was possible before he developed this fixation." He motions to the left side of his face, the place where Adam has scars. "I told him Seal married Heidi Klum and had a billion little babies. But Seal's not a new wave performer, so he didn't care."
I pretend I know who he's talking about.
"You either? Kids, man. Don't appreciate the oldies."
I smile.
He raises a brow. "No, Danielle. I know that smile."
"You do?"
"Not the brother."
"Remy complains when I don't get his old references too."
He mimes being stabbed in the gut. "You're killing me, kid."
"Did you tell Briar?"
"About your pics? No. But this is gonna be hot gossip." He looks at the photo again. "You've got a nice ass."
"Thanks."
"You like her?" he asks.
"I do."
"She likes you too."
"And you…"
"Nice try." He picks up his coffee and takes a long sip. "You two done over there?" he calls to his brothers.
They look in his direction. Make that same why is he so annoying head shake.
"It's rude, talking about the photographer's work as if she isn't here. Also, she's a babe. And Adam is lucky people know she's fucking him," Liam says.