Without Warning: A Billionaire Romance (Playboys of New York Book 5) JA Low (e textbook reader .TXT) 📖

me a kiss on the cheek as I arrive at the apartment. “How are you doing?” she asks. “You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.” She walks us into the living room, where we take a seat. I’ve always been close with my mom, and the divorce brought us even closer. “How’s work? How’s that beautiful girl I saw you with at the fundraiser? How is that going?” she questions me.

“Audrey and I are heading to Connecticut so I can try and get her back. I messed up,” I confess to my mother. She raises a brow in my direction, urging me to continue, “I didn’t cheat or anything,” I reassure. “Just have a complicated life at the moment.”

“She made you smile,” Mom explains. “First time in a long time that I’ve seen you smile like you did.” She smiles at me. “You seemed lighter around her.”

“Ariana is a good woman. Someone I don’t deserve, but someone I can’t seem to stop thinking about,” I confess.

“I was worried that this divorce might change you when it came to dating. That you would choose superficial surface relationships because you never wanted to get hurt again.”

She’s not wrong with that statement.

“I did. I was chasing that type of relationship, but then in walked Ariana, and somehow, she quickly crept inside me. Now I can’t seem to get her out of my mind.”

“Oh my, sweetheart,” Mom coos. “She is someone special.”

“Yes. But how can I give her my all when I have this shit show of a divorce happening.” I told Mom not long after Madison confessed to everything, and she was genuinely shocked over the entire situation. “She used to work for Dad,” I tell her.

“Do you not trust her because of that?” Mom asks.

“No. Because she hated working there. But still, I hate that there is a niggle about it. I mean… look at what Madison did to me, and so damn easily. She convinced me to give her the world, and I did.” Raking my hand through my hair, I state, “Now, I have trust issues.”

“Of course, you would, sweetheart. What Madison did to you was cruel. Worse than cruel.” Her face softens. “I don’t know how one gets over something like that. But you have to try. You have to realize not everyone is out to get you.”

I let out a heavy sigh. I know Mom is right, but still, it’s hard when I know the level of deceit that’s been going on around my life.

“I’m ready,” Audrey walks into the living room and announces. She’s dressed in a white sweater and jeans. Her blonde hair is pulled into a high ponytail. She looks young and carefree. I’ve settled on jeans and a button-down blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

“Have fun, sweetheart.” Mom stands and gives Audrey a hug, then does the same with me. We say our goodbyes and head on out the door.

We chat on the elevator ride down to the foyer where our car is waiting for us.

Audrey pulls her phone from her purse and begins taking selfies.

“You trying to impress someone.”

Audrey stills, pulling her face out of her phone and looks at me. “Why would I be doing all this for a guy?” She raises a brow at me. “Taking photos of myself because I think I look good today has nothing to do with some guy. I do not need a man to tell me if I’m pretty or not. I can decide that by myself.”

Okay, so I’ve struck some kind of nerve.

She turns back and does a series of duck face moves. My sister has millions of followers on her social media pages. I guess she’s some kind of influencer. She’s sent designer clothes, holidays, jewelry—I mean, I get it, but it’s weird because she’s my little sister. I guess this is what her marketing degree is for.

“When are you moving out of Mom’s?” I ask, knowing I am poking the bear because it’s something I always tease her about. I mean, why would you leave when you have a full-time chef, cleaners, and no bills to pay.

Maybe I should move back in, I chuckle to myself.

“Actually…” she puts her phone down to raise a smug smile in my direction, “… Stirling has been helping me find an apartment.”

I still.

“Stirling?” I question.

Audrey’s smile drops. “Yes,” she replies hesitantly. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Why are you hanging out with my best friend all of a sudden?” Audrey frowns as my voice is riddled with tension.

“Because I didn’t want to bother you,” she explains. “You have enough on your plate at the moment. And I can hardly go to Stanford.” She rolls her eyes at the mere mention of our brother’s name. “There isn’t anyone else I trust to be honest with me. And Stirling is good at investments and stuff. Isn’t that what you pay him to do?” She’s right on all accounts.

“Yes. I just—”

“Nothing’s going on,” she tells me.

Maybe I’m being a crazy big brother. But my sister is a beautiful girl, no woman, and I know Stirling likes blondes.

“I think you forget how old you guys are.”

Oh, that hurts, I’m only thirty-four. Ten years older than Audrey, but I’m by no means ancient. “Hey, I’m not that old.”

“Please, you’re closer to forty than twenty.”

Ouch.

“Stirling is like a surrogate brother. He helps out when I know you’re too busy.”

I frown at her comment. “You know I’ll always make time for you.”

“I know. I hate to ask, especially at the moment. You have so much on your plate, I don’t need to pile on my insignificant stuff.” She shrugs.

“Whatever’s going on in your life isn’t insignificant to me. I want to know.”

“Fine.” She rolls her eyes and gives me a wide smile. “Next appointment with the real estate agent I will call you to come and check it out.”

“Deal,” I reply.

“So, you think Ariana is going to be excited to see you tonight?” Audrey changes the subject.

“Probably not.”