Lib Novel Page 6
She sighs comfortably as the waitress leaves with a nod.
“How are you?” I ask her easily. She smiles brightly, pushing her hair over her shoulders and leaning forward.
“Everything is going so well.” Her eyes soften as she says, “Thank you for paying my tuition.” Her voice is subdued, but sweet. “It really means so much to me, Lucian. I know-”
I stop her. I know she’s grateful, but she doesn’t have to keep telling me. “Of course, I’m glad you’re enjoying your classes.”
I was honestly worried. My sister is naive, and I wasn’t sure she’d enjoy college at all. She’s never been much of a book person, or the studying type. But if she wants to go, I’m happy to help her so long as she takes it seriously.
She leans back, silencing her thanks and looks at the paper. “Are you in it today?” she asks. Her eyes are wide with curiosity.
I shake my head as I say, “No.”
“Bummer,” she says as she slumps back into her seat and I chuckle at her expression. I’m never happy to be in the paper. I didn’t start this business to be a public figure.
And up until the last few years, whenever I was in the paper, it wasn’t good public relations. They say any publicity is good publicity, but they’re dead fucking wrong.
The tabloids were not a fan of my playboy lifestyle. And neither were the stockholders. It didn’t take long for me to change the business over to a privately owned company, but still, my company suffered because of my childish antics. I had to tone it down. No more fucking every pretty little thing who begged for my cock. I thought getting married would solve that problem–fuck, I thought I was in love.
I was a fucking fool, and I have the alimony checks to prove it.
If my name is never mentioned in the papers again, I’ll die a happy man.
I started this company when I was Anna’s age, back when I was only nineteen years old. It’s odd to think that, considering how I still see my sister as young.
That was the year I split from my family. Realistically, I’d already been on bad terms with my brother. He’s a jealous prick, and I have no intention of ever allowing him to be in my life again. Even back then, things were tense between us at best. At the time, I wasn’t even speaking to him. But at least I still had my parents. Or at least I thought I did. Before I knew what it was like to be stabbed in the back.
I had to drop out of college. I huff a humorless laugh at the thought. My parents didn’t try to help, and I simply couldn’t afford it anymore, so I left.
A friend from one of my classes reached out and said he’d front the money for the business I was always talking about, and all he wanted in return was to be a silent partner. It was almost too good to be true. Zander’s been at my side more times than not, even when my family decided to rip me apart and steal every penny from me that they could.
With Zander’s startup capital, I built the company of my dreams from the ground up. He had the money, and I had the vision. It was perfect. And success came easily and exponentially.
My expression hardens, remembering how proud I was to give my parents a car. A brand new car. I forget what model, and it doesn’t matter at this point. It wasn’t good enough for them, and they wanted more. I couldn’t though. I needed the cash flow for the business, it was growing so rapidly, and I could hardly maintain the expenses.
The day my bank account was drained and checks were bouncing was the day I cut those money-hungry assholes out of my life.
They stole thousands from me. I wasn’t even going to sue them until they tried to do it again and then tried to sue me. I couldn’t believe it. My own parents. We’d never been close, but they were still family. I don’t understand it, even to this day. Had they given me time and believed in me, I would have been able to give them everything they ever wanted.
And I would have.
But that’s not how it happened, because that’s not how the world works.
Years have passed and time after time, I’ve learned it’s better simply not to trust a damn soul. I have Zander and a few friends, and of course my sister. But no one else. It’s better that way.
The waitress brings us our coffee and Anna’s quick to bring hers to her lips, not caring that it’s probably kissed-the-sun-scalding-fucking-hot.
She winces, putting the coffee down and bringing her fingers to her lips. I shake my head slightly, a grin slipping into place. I hide it by blowing on my coffee, my eyes on hers, but my amusement goes over her head and she takes another sip.
She’ll never learn.
“So,” my sister says as she starts trying to look me in the eye, “I’m going to have a holiday party.” My spine stiffens, and the answer is on the tip of my tongue. She’s been trying to include me in family events and work me back into our family. It’s not happening. I was never close with any of them. I don’t have a need for family. I don’t need relationships in general. I’ll do anything for my sister, but I’m not going anywhere near my parents.
She holds up her hands defensively and says, “They won’t be there.”
I’m taken aback and shocked; my brows draw in, and I consider what she’s saying. “Did something happen?” I ask.
A sadness crosses her eyes quickly. But I see it there, and her lack of a response tells me that something did happen.