All the Way (Romancing Manhattan #1)(21)

“Many, many years of dance under my belt.” He twirls me out from him, and then back, holding me closer to his chest. When Adele’s song comes to an end, he dips me back dramatically, and then kisses me until I see stars.

That may have been the best dance of my life.

“Perfect timing to flip the steaks,” he says, and hurries outside to tend to the grill, and I’m left breathing heavily, my body singing in response to him, wondering how it is that I was lucky enough to have him walk into my life.

Just then, my phone pings on the kitchen counter with a text. Expecting it to be Sasha, I happily pick it up and then frown when I see it’s from a number I don’t recognize.

You’re such a bitch! I can’t believe Mom and Dad left it all to you and I got jack shit. You need to give me some money, L. I’m broke, and I don’t have anywhere to go. This is your fault, and you need to fix it.



I sigh and block the number, then delete the message. This is not new. Over the past ten years, my brother has threatened, begged, manipulated, and guilt-tripped me and my parents into giving him many thousands of dollars to feed his drug habit.

I promised myself, and my parents, that I wouldn’t do it anymore.

He’s been offered a way out, and he refused. I can’t, for my own sanity, micromanage him anymore. He doesn’t want my help, he wants a handout, and I just can’t.

I can’t.

Finn walks back in as I set my phone down, and sees the tremble in my fingers.

“What’s wrong?”

I shake my head, but he sets the steaks down and leans on the countertop, facing me.

“You did that to me yesterday when I asked you what was bothering you, and I let it pass, but I’m not going to do that this time. This isn’t just sex for me, London. I don’t know where it might lead, but as far as I’m concerned, I’m in something important here, and that means that it’s not all jokes and sexual attraction. I sincerely want to know when something is hurting or bothering you.”

Okay. He makes sense. As much as it would make things simpler, it’s not just sex for me either, and I would want the same from him. So, I take a deep breath and give him the truth.

“My brother texted.” He narrows his eyes and keeps listening. “I’d show it to you, but I deleted it. I blocked the number.”

“What did he say?”

His voice is hard, like the day in his office.

“That I need to give him money because I owe him.” I shrug and then rub my hands over my face. “Of course I won’t send him anything, and he knows what to do to get his inheritance.”

“Do you want to talk about this? If it’s not something you want to share, it’s okay.”

“Honestly, I don’t feel a lot toward him anymore, which is maybe the saddest part of all. We only have each other now, since our parents are gone, but unless something radical happens and he’s willing to make some drastic life changes, he just isn’t allowed to be in my life.

“Kyle always had a mean streak, even when we were kids. So, it’s not like we were super close and then he became an addict and screwed it all up. He never hurt me, and I still believe that he wouldn’t physically hurt me, not when he’s sober anyway. But he’s the kind of person who gets a kick out of someone hurting. Like, if I didn’t get a part I wanted, he’d laugh. That sort of thing.

“And then the drugs started. At first it was alcohol when he was a teenager, and I don’t think he’s ever been sober since. I’m honestly surprised he’s lived this long.”

“Me too,” Finn says.

“My parents made excuses for him for a long time. Especially my mom. Until finally, after they’d given him seventy-five thousand dollars for rehab and he disappeared with it and just blew it all, probably up his nose or in a vein, they cut him off. I’ve never seen my mom so devastated.”

“So the will didn’t surprise you.”

“Oh no. Not at all. And I don’t feel guilty.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“But five, or even two years ago I would have. And now I’m just numb when it comes to him. He’s a manipulator, and he’s toxic. So no, he isn’t welcome in my life. I do hope he gets help before it kills him, but I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.”

“That’s a tough position to be in,” he says as he plates our dinners. It smells and looks absolutely delicious. “I know your father struggled with his decision to have Kyle removed from the will.”

“I’m sure he did. My dad was a control freak, and he couldn’t control Kyle. But, my parents were good people. Isn’t it amazing how two kids can be born of the same couple, raised in the same household, and turn out so differently?”

“It’s fascinating,” he agrees, leading me into the dining room as he carries our plates. “Wine?”

“No thanks.” I cut into my steak and take a bite and can only look at Finn in absolute awe.

“Do you hate it?”

“Oh my God, Finn, this is delicious.” I take another bite and sigh with pleasure. “Did you go to culinary school?”

“No,” he says with a laugh. “I just cook what I like to eat. And I don’t like to eat bad food.”

“Well, this is great.” There are twice-baked potatoes and asparagus on my plate as well, and I dig in with enthusiasm, already forgetting Kyle’s text. “So, how does a successful attorney get to take this much time away from his own firm?”