Chapter 3
Alanna
* * *
“You look beautiful tonight,” Ryan says, his eyes lingering on my chest. “Don’t be nervous, okay? You’ll do great.”
I look up at him and smile tightly. I should be nervous about meeting Ryan’s family, but instead I’m still thinking about Simon. That look in his eyes… what was that?
I bite down on my lip, my stomach twisting with both nerves and anxiety. The things he said… I should be scared, but I’m not. There’s something about him that I can’t quite place.
“Hey,” Ryan says, his arm wrapping around me. “You aren’t still worried about that weirdo from the coffee shop, are you? I’ll take care of him, I promise.”
I shake my head, my anxiety turning to dread. I never should’ve told Ryan what happened. I just couldn’t help myself. That entire exchange with Simon just felt so… sinful. I know I did nothing wrong, but somehow I felt like I did, like hiding what happened would be wrong.
“No, that’s not it,” I lie. “I’m just nervous about meeting your family.” I’m not a total lie. I truly am nervous about meeting them. I know next to nothing about the Sinclairs. I know they come from old money, but googling them mostly resulted in investment reports and financial news. There was no tabloid news. Nothing to tell me who they are.
“It’s just my brother and my mother tonight, sweetheart. You’ll do great.”
I nod and stare at myself in the mirror. I’m wearing a dress I can barely afford, and I’m worried I look as uncomfortable in it as I feel.
“You look like you might actually be even more nervous than I am,” I murmur.
Ryan looks away and sighs. “I am. My brother and I… we aren’t close. We haven’t really spoken in years, and we’re only just getting to know each other again.”
I frown, confused. “You never told me that. In fact, you never really talk about your family at all.” I haven’t dared to ask, because I don’t want to seem like I’m prying. I’m scared asking too many questions will make him think I’m after him for who his family is, but I’m also scared of saying the wrong thing tonight simply because I don’t know enough about the Sinclairs.
Ryan stares at me and runs his hands down my shoulders, nodding. “Well… it’s complicated. My brother, Silas… he’s my half-brother. Our father passed away when we were young, and he left home at eighteen. He kind of fell off the grid until recently. I missed him, you know? I want us to be close again, like we were when I was younger. Tonight means everything to me. We only really have dinner together every few months.”
I bite down on my lip, worried. “Are you sure I should be there tonight? It sounds like it’s a family occasion.”
Ryan lifts his hand to my face and strokes the back of his hand across my cheek. The move has a tremor running down my spine. Simon touched me in the exact same way, but his hands were bigger, rougher… and when he looked at me, it truly was like I was all I could see. Ryan isn’t even looking at me. He’s lost in thought — he always is.
“Of course you should be there. You’re bound to become part of our family, and my brother is going to love you.”
My eyes widen and Ryan smiles. We’ve only been together for a few months, and marriage hasn’t even been on my mind yet. To have him mentioning it so casually… that’s pretty special.
“He’s a lot like you,” Ryan says, a sad smile on his face. “He cares about giving back to the community, and he does a lot of volunteer work like you do. You two will get along great. Having you around will break the tension.”
I smile nervously, the pressure weighing down on me. I can’t shake that nervousness as Ryan leads me to his car, and I’m anxious as I get in. Ryan loves this car, and every single time he picks me up, I’m scared I’ll damage it somehow. There’s no way I could afford repairs on a car like that.
“Hey,” he says as he places his hand on my thigh. “Relax, okay? It’ll be fun tonight. The food will be good, and my family will love you.”
I nod, trying my best to control my breathing. I feel so out of place. I feel like a fraud, and at any second Ryan is going to realize that I don’t belong in his world, that he can’t introduce me to his family after all.
My anxiety only increases when a large iron gate swings open to reveal an actual mansion. The house makes me feel the same way this car does. Inadequate. Out of place.
I’m only barely keeping myself from shaking by the time we reach the front door and I glance at Ryan for support, but his attention isn’t on me. He’s staring up at the house with an expression I’ve never seen before… almost like a mixture of longing and contempt.
I follow him through the house quietly, my heels clicking loudly on the marble floors. Somehow that just adds to my embarrassment, even though I can’t help it.
“Mother,” Ryan says as he walks into what appears to be the dining room. “I didn’t realize you were here already.”
I take in the long table and the woman sitting at the head of it. She’s beautiful, her eyes the same hazel brown color as Ryan’s. She stands to kiss Ryan on the cheek before turning to me.
“You must be Alanna.”
I nod as I walk up to her, hesitating. I’m not sure how to greet her, but thankfully she takes the decision out of my hands by wrapping me in a brief firm hug.
“I’m Mona,” she tells me. “It’s great to finally meet the woman that has my little boy so smitten. Ryan won’t shut up about you.”
I smile and breathe a sigh of relief. “It’s lovely to meet you too.” She’s nice. It seems like I was worried about nothing. Maybe tonight won’t be so bad after all.
Mona’s eyes widen, an excited glint in her gaze. “Oh, Silas! There you are, darling.”
I tense. Silas Sinclair. Ryan’s older brother and the CEO of the country’s largest security firm. He’s a man shrouded in secrecy, allegedly one of the most dangerous people in the city. I’m nervous as I turn around to greet him.
My heart skips a beat when I look into his emerald green eyes, the same eyes I haven’t stopped thinking about since earlier today.
“Simon?” I whisper.
Chapter 4
Alanna
* * *
He smiles at me and offers me his hand. I’m trembling as I place my hand in his.
“Silas,” he says, correcting me. “You must be Alanna. I’ve heard so much about you.”
I stare at him in disbelief. Just today, he told me his name was Simon. Did he do that on purpose? Was he watching me because I’m dating his brother?
My cheeks fill with shame once more. To think I actually believed he was hitting on me, when all he was doing was looking out for his brother. Was he provoking me to see if I’d betray Ryan?
He shakes my hand, a polite smile on his face. I can’t tell what’s going on. Why is he pretending not to know me? I’m not sure if I’m supposed to play along or not. Is this a test?