“And isn’t that bad?”
I shrugged. “I knew this was going to happen, so we may as well get it over with.”
“And your brother’s public humiliation…?”
“A hard lesson that he needed to learn.”
“I guess. I still wouldn’t call it a good day.”
“Well, I actually had both of them sign a prenup without their knowledge. It protects all of Coen’s assets, including the company. She’ll try to fight it in court, but she won’t win, not when we can pay off the judge.”
“What?” She put the cap back on the bottle and set it on the counter. “How did you manage that?”
“I lied and said they were signing off on a new property. They were both too stupid to read it.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s brilliant. But…I don’t see how it’s valid.”
“Coen and I will lie and say she knew what she was signing. She’ll fight it, but who is the judge going to believe? An obvious gold digger who publicly betrayed my brother a week after they got married? Or a hardworking man who got run over by a bulldozer?”
“I see your point. Does she know?”
I shook my head. “Not sure. Coen may have told her by now. I wish I could see her face.” I smiled at the thought, loving the idea of ruining her stupid little plan.
“I do too.” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at me with new eyes, brilliant gems with luscious eyelashes. The corner of her mouth was raised in a smile, like a thought was making her beam. “So, you’ve had your brother’s back the entire time…”
At the time, I knew Coen was brainwashed and acting stupid. He wouldn’t press for a prenup because Simone wouldn’t allow it, and he gave her the wheel to his destruction. He was too wrapped up in her manipulative lies to see the truth.
But I was his older brother—and it was my job to protect him.
She kept smiling at me.
“I was just protecting my own ass, alright? If she got part of our company—”
“You are such a liar,” she said with a laugh. “You love Coen despite everything he did to you. You’re a good man…a really good man.”
It was a reputation I didn’t want or deserve. “Let’s not get carried away…”
“No. Let’s.” She moved into me and kissed me on the cheek. “I like this side of you.”
“I don’t. Now let’s drop it.”
“Impossible.” She moved her hands up my chest as she looked at me fondly. “You’ve been patient with me. You’ve helped me when it wasn’t your problem. And now you’ve helped your brother even though he did something unforgivable to you. I know Simone and Coen hurt you and turned you into this cold, heartless man. But the real you is still in there.”
I sighed as I looked at her, refusing to admit to the possibility she may be right. I’d been burned badly by my own brother. Torched, actually. And I’d never really gotten over it. Seeing the way Simone used my brother only made me more distrustful. But I guess I had a little humanity left inside me.
“Did it feel good?” she asked. “To be right?”
“I always knew I was right, so I didn’t feel any different. I thought I might gloat or put my brother down, but when I saw how upset he was, I didn’t have a vindictive bone in my body. I think he deserves this, but I don’t actually enjoy watching it unfold.”
“Because you’re a good person.”
“Or maybe because I know exactly how it feels…” It was just empathy. My brother was living through the same heartache and humiliation. I’d never loved the woman or married her, but her betrayal cut me to the bone.
“Maybe,” she said. “But at least it’s over now. You never have to be around her again. You and Coen can be close again.”
“That’s not gonna happen.” I stepped back and felt her hands fall from my body. “I feel protective of him because he’s my brother. I don’t want him to suffer—even if he deserves it. But I can’t see us being close ever again. He still betrayed me—and I’ll never forgive him.” My brother had never actually apologized for it. I expected him to do it in his office, but the words didn’t leave his lips.
Monroe gave me a look of pity but didn’t press me on it.
“By the way, he’s staying here until he gets back on his feet.”
“He is?” she asked in surprise. “He’ll be living with you?”
“Yeah. He’ll take one of the bedrooms upstairs. There’s a small kitchen up there, so he’ll have his own space, and we’ll have ours.”
“What happened to his apartment?”
“Simone kept it.”
She rolled her eyes. “Pussy.”
I grinned at her choice of words. “I thought the same thing.”
“When the divorce proceedings begin, he better grow a pair and be aggressive. He better not soften when he sees her pretty face.”