Paradise Found

3

ALISTAIR

“Iknow you might not be ready for this, but it’s here if you want it,” Alex says, sliding a black box across the table.

The boys have taken me out to celebrate my birthday, the first since breaking up with Miranda months ago. My brother was right, Miranda moved straight into his home, and instantly they started playing happy family as if I never existed.

The kicker was my parents siding with George and Miranda.

They said that what they did to me was unforgivable, but Miranda was having a baby, their first grandchild, and they didn’t want any animosity over how the baby’s parents got together to ruin the relationship they wanted to build with their grandchild. Which, reading between the lines, basically means that George had probably threatened them with not seeing the baby if they didn’t support his relationship, and as the firstborn and the heir to the empire my parents have created, they must have folded.

This is the reason I never went to work with my father. I never wanted to be indebted to anyone in my family for money. Plus, I never wanted to work in finance nor have George as my boss. I used my trust fund money on my eighteenth birthday to buy into the nightclub I was working at and built my empire that way. I own some of the best nightclubs around the world.

The best part about my empire is that it was all me.Icreated my empire. No one handed me the keys to one already built.

George sent packers a couple of days after everything went down to collect Miranda’s things after our altercation. He stated that day that he never wanted the two of us to be alone together again, probably scared that she might slip into her old ways and sleep with the other brother. She is, after all, a serial cheater.

She tried once when she came over during the day while George was out of the country. She gave me the tears, the sob story of being in love with both of us, that if she weren’t pregnant, she would never have left, but she also let it slip that she wouldn’t have stopped sleeping with George either.

Yeah, I didn’t want to hear it, and the more I listened to her excuses, the more I realized that Miranda’s a narcissist, and I was fooling myself all these years by thinking she wasthe onefor me. She wasn’t sorry for breaking my heart. What she really was sorry for was getting caught.

She did disclose that George is demanding a paternity test to make sure she truly is pregnant withhisbaby. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than finding out that the baby is mine and not George’s. Of course, I would be there for the baby, but I won’t be tied to this woman anymore.

The results came back a couple of weeks later that George is the baby’s father, and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.

Now, the two of them can go on and live the life they always wanted together without me being in the way.

“What is it?” I ask, staring down at the black box.

“Open it and see,” Alex presses.

I open the box and stare down at the gold credit card, but there’s nothing on it except my name and a number. I look up at Alex with a confused frown. Jasper chuckles excitedly beside us while Daniel sits there sipping his whiskey in silence.

“It’s membership to The Paradise Club,” Alex explains.

My eyes widen as I realize what this means.Well, damn.This is exactly what I need—full access to a secret society sex club. Alex doesn’t talk about what his brother’s business is but seeing as I’ve known the family my entire life, Alex talks about it with us. Nate explained his vision years ago, and now he’s created this adult fantasyland for the wealthy. I never wanted to be a member because I was with Miranda and never thought I would ever need its services.

I stare down at the gold card and turn it over in my fingers. I’m waiting for angels to start singing or something. It’s like I’ve stumbled upon the holy grail.

“That is going to get you over your heartbreakreally quickly.” Jasper chuckles.

“Only when he’s ready,” Alex adds, not wanting to push me.

Fuck George.

Fuck Miranda.

I want to have some fun.

“Let’s go check it out, now. You dickheads seem to enjoy going there. Maybe I’ll give you all a run for your money,” I joke.

“No one wants to see your dick. I already know mine’s bigger anyway,” Jasper says before bursting out laughing.

“You sure you’re ready?” Alex asks with a frown.

“To have sex … yes. For a relationship … hell, no,” I reply.

He, of all people, understands why I wouldn’t want to rush into another relationship, but unlike Mr. Romantic, Alex, I don’t think I’ll ever be ready for another one. I hope I don’t turn into Jasper though, because eventually, I would like to settle down, whereas Jasper is content to be a bachelor for the rest of his days.