Brother to the Boss (Managing the Bosses 8)

Jamie lifted one shoulder in a shrug and let it fall again as she held the spoon out to Lilli from another jar. “Well,” she said, “Nicholas is spending his money there. Not making any. So maybe Mark figured that it wasn't wrong to

take a little money from a guy you dislike, especially for the sake of your business.” Her eyes lifted to his. “I'm not sure that you wouldn't do the same.”

Alex's hands curled into fists, and his jaw tightened until his teeth ached. “Seriously, Jamie? You think that I would betray my brother just to make a little bit of money? Are you really that convinced that I don't care about anything but work? Have I actually given you the impression that I'm that kind of person in the last few months?”

Jamie's expression softened. “Alex...”

“No.” Alex started for the door. “I'm not going to stand here and listen to this. I know I've been busy, but I'm not heartless. I thought that you knew that.” He shook his head. “You knew what you were marrying when you said ‘I do’. I haven’t changed, nor should I have to.”

Even as Jamie stood up he was walking out, the door shutting hard behind him.

He was out the garage and down the long drive in seconds, pulling onto the road and accelerating away. Alex didn't know understand how Jamie could even think that way about him. Even at his worst he'd coldly pushed her away because he'd been afraid that falling in love with her would be more of a liability than it was worth. Because he'd believe that his business was the most important thing in the world and he didn't have time for anyone else.

Maybe it wasn't such a surprise that she thought he was capable of feeling that way after all, and Alex curled his fingers tighter around the wheel of the car as he merged onto the highway that would take him out to Mark’s country club. He’d just gotten in from work, but he wasn’t going to let this sit and fester, and it was better to talk to Mark face to face about it. Jamie was right. He couldn't just stop believing that his brother cared because of one tabloid photo. The press had lied about him enough times that he should know better than to believe anything they said, no matter how many photos they had to back it up. When he and Jamie were dating, they'd tried to imply that Mark and Jamie were going behind his back, for fuck's sake. Why wouldn't they try to make the world think that Mark was now going behind his back with Nicholas?

He'd tried to keep the whole issue out of the press at all, but of course they'd gotten hold of it somehow. Probably with Nicholas' help. He would want everyone to know that he was going up against Alex Reid. And when he won, he'd want everyone to be anticipating it, waiting to congratulate him.

But he wasn't going to win.

Alex wasn't going to let him. And when the asshole lost, he might finally realize that all attacking Alex Reid was going to get him was trouble.

All of that, though, was something he was going to have to deal with a little later down the line, because right now the issue at hand was Mark, and whatever Mark thought he was doing with Nicholas. Alex’s thoughts turned the problem over and over as he drove, and he was still thinking about it as he pulled into the lot at the country club and walked up to the main building to find his brother.

Mark, it turned out, was in the kitchen, dealing with some problem. When he saw Alex, he turned to look at the man he’d been talking to and told him he was going to have to take a few minutes. The kitchen manager nodded and hurried away. Mark stepped out of the kitchen and, after a moment’s hesitation, led Alex out through the door and onto the lawn on the back side of the building, moving toward the vineyard that they were starting. It was a place that people probably wouldn’t be able to hear them arguing, and Alex knew that Mark must already know what he was there for.

Mark shook his head. “Look, Alex,” he said immediately, “I know what you probably saw, and I'm not going to say that it isn't bad, but I want you to know that it's not because I'm trying to undermine you, I swear.”

Alex paused. He’d been right. Mark had seen the tabloid, too, then, and he hadn't denied that he had been speaking to Nicholas. Willing himself to be patient, Alex took a deep breath and let it out again, and when he spoke he didn’t yell. “So what did happen, Mark?”

His younger brother's expression was contrite. “It's—” he started to say, and then stopped. “Okay, so what happened is that Nicholas showed up here, and I was going to kick him out.”

“But...” Alex prompted.

“But,” Mark went on, “then I realized that maybe that wasn't such a good idea. I know that you and he don't get along, and that he's been really terrible, but it's not like I'm helping him with something. I'm just taking his money. And he brings in a lot of other clients for the first time. If I lose him, I could lose a bunch of my clientele.”

“Because Nicholas’ connections are worth money?” Alex fumed. He wanted to punch his brother in the face. What an idiot!

“I honestly thought you would understand.”

Just like Jamie had said, then. He thought that he wasn't doing anything wrong. He thought he was running his business the way that Alex would. Alex ran a hand through his hair and spun on his heel, pacing away through the short green grass. When he turned again, he shook his head. “That's not what I would have done, Mark,” he said, and his voice came out harsher than he'd meant it to.

“Isn't it?” Mark asked. “I mean, I'm not saying that you're some kind of corrupt cutthroat, but you wouldn't risk your whole business just because someone you cared about didn't like a high-paying client. He comes here, he plays golf, he pays money. I don't know what kind of risk that puts you at.”

“It puts me at risk,” Alex snapped, “because he thinks that he can get to me through you! You're my brother. The only reason he's showed up to play here at all is that he wants to know if you're going to be a pawn for him.”

“Oh, it couldn't possibly be because my business is actually worth someone's time. I mean, it's not the great Reid Enterprises, so why would anyone want to actually come here without some kind of ulterior motive?” Mark’s voice rose to match his. “Obviously you're the much more interesting Reid brother.”

“I didn't mean it like that,” Alex said. “I just meant that Nicholas isn't the kind of person you can trust, Mark. He doesn't do anything just because he wants to. He does it so that he can get a leg up on the competition. Whatever he wants here, he's not just playing golf for the hell of it. You know what happened with Gina.”

“And you think I'm going to let him get to me the way that he did with Gina?” Mark asked. His voice was softer, but his expression said that he wasn't any less angry at the insinuation. “It's not like I'm letting him take me out to dinner and buy me expensive gifts. I'm not going to hand over your business credit cards to him.”

Alex sighed. “No, Mark. Damn it! You think I don't fucking know that? I'm not accusing you of being stupid, or whatever it is that you think I'm accusing you of. I'm just asking why the fuck you think it's a good idea to let a man who's trying to destroy your brother's livelihood hang out and play golf at your country club. Like there’s no problem. Like blood isn’t thicker than water.”

“Maybe because it's part of my livelihood,” Mark answered. “Just because I haven't been building Little Lake since I was eighteen doesn't meant that it's not worth something to me, or that it's not important. I care about it.”

Alex met his brother's eyes. “If that’s the way you really feel about it, that money for the country club is more important to you than the fact that he’s obviously trying to use you against me, then I think I’m going to have to withdraw my funding from Little Lake. You want to play ball? Be the big businessman? After all, you’ve got plenty now without me.” He turned and then swung back around. “I only shared it in the first place because we’re family.”

Mark’s expression went flat. For a moment he just stared at Alex, slowly shaking his head. “Fine,” he said. “That’s fine, Alex. If that’s the way that you feel you have to go about things, then I’m not going to say anything about it. Although, honestly, I feel like withdrawing funding from your brother’s business and definitely causing him financial hardship is something a little more concretely wrong than not throwing a man out of your business just because he’s kind of a dick.”