The CEO's Seduction (A Hamilton Family 1)

Wyatt dropped his hands and glowered at her. “You win. I’m leaving now.”

Anna wiped her hands together and grinned. “That was easier than usual.”

“Keep him out of your room.”

Anna snorted. “I think I can manage that one. I’m sure he’s not here looking to get laid.”

“Yeah, he gets enough of that in Atlanta.”

Anna’s smile froze. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know exactly what it means.” Wyatt shrugged. “Turns out, being a rich CEO in a big city makes it easy to score chicks, which Brett takes full advantage of.”

She wouldn’t admit how much those words hurt to hear. He wasn’t hers. Never had been. So why should it bother her that he was getting some? “Yeah. And?”

Wyatt crossed his arms. “Just letting you know.”

“Well, it’s not like he’s the same boy he was back then when he lived here. It’s no surprise women want him.”

“Some of the girls from here even moved out to Atlanta and have been chasing him.”

Okay. That hurt. “Funny how they want him now that he’s rich.”

Wyatt shrugged again.

“They didn’t want anything to do with him when he was a kid. They never saw him for what he was. He wasn’t a boy who didn’t shower—his legal guardians just pretended he didn’t exist. He didn’t come to school in the same clothes because he was poor. He came to school in the same clothes because his only living relatives couldn’t be bothered to buy him anything. He was the boy who didn’t exist.” She turned on her heel, her eyes reflexively seeking him out. He laughed loudly at something her dad said. Fake. All fake. “And they’re idiots for not seeing the truth. For not seeing the man he’d become. He should laugh in their faces—the same way they laughed in his time and time again.”

“Down, girl. I’m not on their side. I’m on yours.” Wyatt whistled through his teeth. “And I didn’t realize you were so vindictive, little sister.”

“I’m not.” She paused. “Only when it comes to him.”

With that, she crossed the room and walked right up to Cole and a bunch of his buddies, stopping beside her brother while trying her best to cool the anger inside her. Thinking about how they treated him in school…

Cole smiled at her. “Hey, sis. How ya doing?”

“I’m fine.” She looked out the window. “Can you believe this is the weekend?”

“Not really.”

Anna watched Christopher from across the room. His tall frame was lean and muscular, and he exuded power. “I can’t believe he’s actually doing it. Getting married.”

Cole looked at Christopher, too, his stare contemplative. As they watched, Nina came to Chris’s side. He turned to his future bride and beamed down at her, yanking her to his side as if he couldn’t bear to let her go. An empty feeling sliced through Anna. She wanted that. Wanted a man who would treat her as if she was the most important thing in his life. “Guess it’s true what they say. Love changes a man.”

Glancing back at Cole, she was surprised to see a similar expression on Cole’s face. As if he, too, wanted someone in his life.

Interesting.

She cleared her throat, and he quickly smoothed his face back into an unfeeling expression.

Anna cocked her head. “I guess it does.”

His jaw flexed. “Yeah, well, needless to say, I won’t be joining Chris in matrimonial bliss anytime soon.”

“You never know.” She nudged him with her elbow. “Life surprises us sometimes.”

“Yeah, well.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Not me.”

Without another word, he walked away from her. She stood there alone, watching his retreating figure, filled with a million questions she couldn’t ask him. She stiffened, because she thought she could feel Brett’s eyes on her, and even though she ached to turn around and see if she was right about him watching her, she didn’t. She wouldn’t spend the whole wedding thinking about him and miss out on her brother’s big weekend. She would laugh, and flirt, and have fun. She’d forget all about Brett Ross, and how she felt when he stared at her from across the room. He could keep on screwing all the mean girls who’d ignored him throughout high school, and she’d keep living her life…without him in it. Though he might be the love of her life, she wasn’t his.

And it was time to accept that.

Chapter Three

Brett swished the little bit of whiskey he had left in the bottom of his glass, his attention on the crowded room. All these people were so free with their laughter, and smiles, and gestures of affection. So willing to show the world their feelings and thoughts, and to not hide a damn thing from anyone. He could only remember being so happy and free with one person. Anna.