Chapter 61 The Businessman
THEODORE
It didn’t matter how long I’d been a part of the Linden-Hawthorne family—I’d never get used to the extravagant, lavish dinners. There was something so undeniably fake about the whole ordeal.
All these guests. All these fucking people who only ever showed up in our lives to find out what we were doing with it.
It made no sense why we had to invite so many strangers to an engagement party. It was a family event, so it had to be kept among us.
Nobody agreed with me, though, so there were around five hundred people downstairs plus photographers and journalists from huge magazines, all ready to spread the latest news to the world.
They’d been pushing me for an answer for the last couple of months and it was hell for me. I didn’t want to marry Carmella, but I realized there was no good reason for me not to. A huge opportunity was attached to our union, so it was time for me to grow up.
Oliver knocked on my door before pushing it open. I was fixing my tie in front of the full-length mirror. I didn’t take my eyes off my reflection as he approached.
“I brought you something.”
I looked over my shoulder and gratefully accepted the glass of scotch he was handing to me. I knocked it back and he chuckled. “You okay there?”
“Why wouldn't I be?”
“Just a funny feeling. And that’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting.”
“How does it feel to be an engaged man?”
I glared at him before facing the mirror again. What kind of fucking question was that? Did he come here solely to piss me off? “Normal.”
“Come on, Theo. You're not in the slightest bit excited?”
“Were you when you married Thelma?”
I remembered those days as clear as day. I laughed at him thinking that the same would never happen to me. Up until a few months ago, I didn’t really care about anything marriage-related. To me, it was just another thing to do. Like love. I didn’t believe in any of it. I’d never been with anyone long enough to experience those kinds of feelings people went on and on about.
But then Alice Rhodes walked into my life, and I realized that it was perfectly possible to fall head over heels for someone.
Oliver answered, “Oh, you know. It was just...something I had to do. But we get along. She’s the mother of my daughters and I care about her.”
His answer depressed me more. Fuck him, and fuck this. “I guess I'll be saying the same about Carmella in a few years.”
“She's beautiful. Plus this whole deal with the Westenbergs will be good for you. I wish I were in your position right now.”
I arched a brow. Satisfied with the way I looked, I faced my brother again. “That’s a pretty fucked up thing for you to say.”
“We’re businessmen. We don’t get involved with people unless it benefits us. We don’t waste time on trivial shit. Look, I’m not saying I hate my family or that I wish I could replace them. I’m just letting you know that this is a pretty good deal. Anyone would kill for an opportunity like this.”
If that was true, then why couldn’t I stop thinking about Alice? How would our relationship benefit me?
It wouldn’t. The woman was a little crazy and she definitely gave me mixed signals throughout our whole…I couldn’t even call it a relationship. According to her, I pursued her and she didn’t want me to, but then she climbed on top of me that night, right in the living room of her childhood home, and she ground against my cock until I—
Oliver placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling in a way that made me want to punch him. “Get yourself together, Theo. It’s the only brotherly advice I’ll give you tonight.”
“Thank fuck for that.”
He chuckled, then threw an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close as we headed toward the door. “You’re an asshole, little brother. Did anyone ever tell you that?”
“Yes.”
He gave me a surprised look, but dropped the subject. As we headed toward the stairs, he commented, “It's a shame Granny isn't here.”
“Yeah.”
Mom complained about her absence earlier, too, but she had no idea why Granny chose not to join us. In fact, nobody knew the truth but me.
I vividly recalled the last conversation we had before she left for London. “You’re making a mistake, Theo, and I hate having to watch you do it. The problem with the men in our family is that they don’t pay attention to their emotions at all, and in the end, so many people end up suffering because of it!”
I rubbed my face. “Granny, I thought I asked you to drop the subject.”
She pressed her lips together, clearly annoyed by my response. “Theo, you’re making a mistake and I won’t watch you do it. I don’t care what you say. I know you well enough to know that you’ll live your whole life wondering what things could’ve been like if you stopped being so impulsive.”
I didn’t think I’d been impulsive at all.
I gave it a chance, but it was time to let go.
Mom was standing right by the stairs, and she shot us both an annoyed look before excusing herself from her group of friends. Once she was close enough to us, she muttered, “Took you long enough.”
“I’m here now,” I replied dryly. Oliver looked back and forth between us, then excused himself. When Mom was in this state, nobody wanted to deal with her.
She hooked her arm around mine and together, we went in search of Carmella. She planted a huge smile on her face as we greeted a few people who congratulated me on the engagement.
“You're back to the old you,” she remarked. “Nothing pleases me more, Theodore. I want you to know that.”
I didn’t answer her. Eventually, we found Carmella, and she was glued to my side the entire night. She was constantly kissing me and touching me, and though, sometimes, I’d look at her and try to convince myself that this wouldn’t be that bad, I ended up shaking my head at myself.
Who was I kidding?
Photos were taken of us and the whole night, people wouldn’t stop filling my ears with how we made such a lovely couple. The only break I got from Carmella was when Carl, her father, pulled me to the side so we could talk.
“Theo,” he began once we were alone, “I want you to know that I’m really happy with all this. Carmella has always been in love with you, and when I look at you, I see a man very much capable of making my daughter happy.”
I could only nod. I didn’t agree with him. Yes, Carmella loved me, but over the years, that feeling would fade to resentment once she realized that I would never be able to return the feeling.
A lot between us was wrong from the start.
“Tomorrow, Victor Fiorenzi will arrive in the city. I was thinking we could have dinner, just the three of us, and discuss that deal. I’m sure you know which one it is.”
Of course. The deal of a fucking lifetime. “Sure. Just give me the time and the place.”
“I’ll have my secretary call you. Congratulations, son.” He patted my back, a large grin on his face. “Welcome to the family.”
The rest of the event was a drag. I got what I wanted, but nothing felt right.
Carmella squeezed my arm and told me she’d be upstairs, waiting for me. Mom was the last to leave, and she patted my cheek and congratulated me once more, too.
I had a cigarette before heading upstairs. Carmella was in bed, naked and handcuffed. She flashed me a seductive smile, gesturing at the silk blindfold next to her. “I’m ready for you, Sir.”
I looked at her and felt this growing sense of wonder. I was really going to marry a woman I had no intimacy with. The only reason why we had sex at all was that she signed a contract binding her to me, and it allowed me to do all sorts of shit to her. It was the same contract I had with every woman I touched.
Except for Alice.
What would Carmella think of that? There was a woman out there who got me off without the need for restraints, blindfolds, or toys, and I thought about her every night without fail.
Maybe Granny was right. I’d come to regret all this. But the truth of the matter was that Alice Rhodes didn’t want me, not how I wanted her.
I made sure to dim the lights before walking toward the bed.