The Seduction of Alex Parker(40)

I ran to him and hugged him tight. “It’s so good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too. Look at you.” He slowly shook his head.

“Adam.” Alex walked over and shook his hand.

“Alex.” He smiled. “Thanks for looking after my sister.”

I studied the look on Alex’s face. He simply smiled and gave Adam a nod. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Bourbon would be great. Thank you.”

I led Adam into the living room and grabbed my glass of wine, taking a large sip.

“So how was Tennessee?” I asked with a smile.

“It was okay. I got the company up and running again with no problems.”

“Good.” I laid my head on his shoulder.

Alex handed Adam his drink and I couldn’t help but notice the way he stared at me and Alex.

“Have you decided where you’re going to settle?” he asked.

Wow. Let’s just cut right to the chase.

“No. I need to talk to you about the money situation first. I really don’t understand how it’s almost gone.”

“That’s because you were off on your own little adventure without a care in the world.”

I took in a deep breath because, suddenly, the air became a whole lot thicker.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Alex spoke as he began to walk away.

“PARKER, SIT!” I commanded in a harsh voice.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Sit down!” I pointed at the chair and glared at him.

He took a seat in the wing-backed chair and looked at Adam.

“You let her talk to you like that, man?”

Alex shrugged and Adam got up from the couch.

“So why don’t the two of you tell me what’s going on here.”

“Nothing,” Alex responded.

“Adam.” I tried my hold my composure. “You brought me back to talk about me and my, as you call them, ‘adventures.’ This is about me and you. Not about me and Alex.”

Adam gave me a stern look as he took a sip of his bourbon. His tone changed as he sat down next to me on the couch and took hold of my hands.

“Listen, Em. You spent the last eight years gallivanting around the world and now it’s time for you to settle down and make a place your home. You can’t keep going on like this. It isn’t healthy and it’s irresponsible.”

“Why is it irresponsible? Because I chose to see the world instead of being held up in a stuffy office working a 9-5 job that I hate?”

“I don’t hate my job. You’re living off our dead parents’ money, sis.”

“I’ve had a few jobs over the years. Hell, I worked at Billy’s ranch, for God sakes.”

“Who’s Billy?” he asked. “Oh wait, the bull rider.”

I tilted my head and narrowed my eye. “No. That was Austin in Montana.”

“You were in Montana?” Alex asked as he cocked his head.

I held my hand up to him.

“You never mentioned Montana,” he spoke.

“It wasn’t worth mentioning. Anyway, Billy was the cowboy from Texas.”

“That’s right. The most recent one. The reason you needed to leave Texas.”

I sighed as I got up from the couch and took my glass of wine with me.

“That money is mine to do whatever I wanted to do with it. You sure didn’t give me this much hell when I left in the first place.”

“You know why I didn’t?” Adam spoke with a raised voice. “Because I thought it was temporary. I didn’t think you’d be gone for eight f*cking years!”

“I told you that I wasn’t coming back here!”

“You had everything going for you. You healed an arm that the doctor’s said you’d probably never be able to use again. You broke three records at Nationals. You had the best universities kissing your ass, hoping you’d pick them. You could have made something of yourself, but instead, you chose to run. Ran away from what happened here, from me, your friends, and everything that made you who you are.”

“That’s not true,” I spoke as tears filled my eyes.

“If it’s not true, then explain it to me!” he yelled.

“I don’t have to explain anything to you! I’m an adult!”

“You can’t explain it to me because you’ve been running for so long, you don’t even know why anymore.”

“I’m doing it for Emily. This is what we always dreamed of and talked about since we were kids.”

“You don’t think I know that!” Adam got up from the couch. “The two of you were always talking about going somewhere. It was a pipe dream the two of you had.”

I gulped when he said that. “How dare you.” I pointed my finger at him.





Chapter 28


Emerson

I walked over to the table and poured another glass of wine. The anger inside me was at a level I never knew existed.

“Admit it, Emerson. You’re running and chasing something that can never be found.” His voice softened.

I turned away as I wiped the tears that fell from my eyes. I looked at Alex as he sat there with a saddened look on his face.