Chapter 84: Chapter eighty four

Alexander pov.

I sat across from Brandon, trying—very badly—to hide the smile threatening to spread across my face as we ate. My lips kept twitching no matter how hard I tried to act normal.

Fuck.

I couldn’t believe I was this excited over three simple words: we can try.

And yet here I was, sitting across from him like some idiot who had just been handed the greatest gift in the world.

Jesus. I must be seriously deprived of affection if that’s all it took to make my heart do stupid things.

I picked at my food for a second before my eyes drifted back to him.

Brandon wasn’t really eating.

He was pushing the food around his plate more than anything, taking small bites that looked almost forced. His shoulders were still tight, the tension in him obvious even now.

His jaw flexed slightly as he swallowed another bite, eyes fixed on his plate like it required his full concentration.

I studied him quietly.

For a man who had just agreed to try whatever this was between us, he looked like someone bracing for impact.

And somehow that made the small smile on my face soften.

“How come you and Mia never interacted more as siblings?” I asked, mostly to break the silence hanging between us.

Brandon finally looked up.

His eyes met mine across the table, steady and unreadable. He didn’t answer immediately, just watched me for a few seconds like he was deciding how much he actually wanted to say.

“Actually…” he started.

He paused, picking up his fork again and taking a proper bite this time, chewing slowly before finishing his sentence.

“She’s my stepsister.”

Oh.

Shit.

My brows shot up before I could stop myself.

“She is?”

“Yes. Mr Cole is her father, who also happens to be mine. I…I didn’t really grow up with them”.

His gaze dropped back to his food the second he finished speaking, like he suddenly found the plate in front of him far more interesting than the conversation.

I frowned slightly.

“But Mia doesn’t take your surname.”

“Yes,” he replied. “She’s… kind of rebellious.” He laughed but I could tell he was trying to mask something. “Unfortunately, she got herself disowned”.

“Oh..”. Was all I could say. I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable if he wasn’t okay with sharing.

“I returned to the Cole family when I was fifteen…” he began quietly.

His tone had changed. It wasn’t the same guarded, casual voice he usually used when talking about his family. This one sounded heavier, like every word had to be dragged out of him.

“Mia was already born by then.” He paused, rolling his fork between his fingers before setting it down. “But Mr. Cole… being the father he is… didn’t want a girl.”

I blinked.

He said it so plainly it took a second for the meaning to actually sink in.

“And since it takes nine months to make another baby,” he continued dryly, “and the chances of it being a boy were still fifty–fifty… he brought me back instead.” His words made me pause as my thoughts flashed back to my own father. Was that the reason why he also came looking for me?

“So he brought me back to act as his son,” Brandon continued, his fingers lightly tapping against the table. “Then Mia… I’d say I used to hate her a lot.”

A quiet chuckle left him, but there wasn’t much humor in it.

“Sometimes I still resent her,” he admitted. “She grew up in those big houses, surrounded by money. Nice clothes, private schools, everything anyone could ever want. The first time I met her, all I felt was hatred. Toward her, toward her mother… and toward my father.”

He paused for a moment, exhaling slowly before continuing.

“But after a while I realized something. She wasn’t really that different from me.”

His gaze stayed on the table as he spoke.

“From the moment she was born, her life had already been decided. A female child for a business marriage, a way to build alliances. A male child to deal with the responsibilities and the problems that come with the family name.”

He let out a slow breath.

“So in the end… we were both just pieces placed on the board before we even knew the game was being played.”

I wanted to say something, but the look on his face made it clear he wasn’t finished yet. So I stayed quiet and listened.

“So when Mia decided to start ‘trampling all over the life’…” he paused, lifting his fingers to make air quotes.

I nearly laughed.

Fuck. That was unexpectedly adorable coming from someone like him.

“…the life Mr. Cole had carefully planned for her,” he continued, lowering his hand again, “he threatened to cut her off from the family.”

He shrugged lightly.

“So she helped him out by leaving.”

I blinked.

“But she works in your place.”

“Exactly, my place. My company, not her father’s”.

“Oh… that makes sense,” I said slowly. “Did he actually erase her name from everywhere?”

Brandon raised a brow at that.

“Because I actually looked you up before applying for the job,” I continued, leaning back slightly in my chair. “And so far I’ve only ever seen your name listed as their son. I honestly thought you were an only child.”

I tilted my head a little, squinting at him as if inspecting him.

“I was even going to say—no wonder you’re so bossy and spoiled.”

I lifted my hand and made a dramatic little gesture, waving my fingers like some arrogant rich kid giving orders.

He stared at me for half a second.

Then he laughed.

The sound was low and genuine, and for some reason it made something warm settle in my chest. I didn’t know why seeing him laugh like that made me feel… happy. Peaceful, almost. Like the constant tension around him had finally loosened for a moment.

“I actually do have a stepbrother,” he said once the laugh faded. “His name is Aaron.”

He reached for his glass, taking a small sip before continuing.

“He’s kind of a disappointment,” Brandon added bluntly. “Always causing trouble, always making a mess of things.”

He shrugged slightly.

“And he hates my guts.”

I frowned a little. “Why?”

Brandon’s lips curved into a faint, almost tired smile.

“Because he thinks his life would have been better if I was never in the picture.”

“Oh shit.”

“Yeah, shit.” He shrugged lightly. “I mean, I was already over fifteen when they had him. How exactly was that my fault?” He leaned back a little, a smug look creeping onto his face. “I was just… naturally gifted.”

I stared at him for a second.

“You suck at making jokes.”

His lips twitched.

“I can fuck you better to make up for it.”

My eyes widened so fast my chair nearly scraped the floor.

“You can’t say shit like that!” I hissed.

“Why?” he asked, completely unbothered.

“We are in public. Are you insane?” I muttered under my breath, quickly glancing around the restaurant to make sure no one had heard him.

Brandon didn’t even bother lowering his voice.

“Trust me,” he said calmly, taking another bite of his food, “if I actually wanted to fuck you right here in public… I would.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, because you’re so rich. You’d probably just buy the restaurant and kick everyone out.”

He looked at me for a second.

Then he smiled.

“Not buy, baby,” he said casually.

A small pause followed.

“I own this restaurant.”

My jaw dropped.

“Shit.”

His laugh came out immediately, low and amused, his eyes fixed on my face like my reaction was the most entertaining thing he’d seen all day.

And honestly?

The bastard looked very pleased with himself.

“So… is that why you aren’t on good terms with him? Because of Mia?” I asked, even though part of me wanted to say, ‘Is that why you took out all your anger on me and made me feel like shit?’ But I swallowed it down.

He shook his head. “No.”

“Then… why?” I pressed.

“You ask a lot of questions,” he said, his voice low, almost teasing.

I narrowed my eyes at him, smirking despite the heat rising in my cheeks. “Well, you’re going to be my boyfriend sooner or later, so I’m allowed. Just tell me.”

His gaze snapped to mine, intense and unwavering, and I bit my food hard to stop myself from flushing under the weight of it. The way he looked at me… it was like he could see straight through me, like he already knew every little thought I was trying to hide.

“Let’s say..”. He paused, setting down his fork and folding his arms across his chest. “You fall in love with a man or woman perhaps, who has been with several other people in the past, let’s assume a number, 30, yeah? Would you consider them good enough to date?” He tilted his head a little to the side, his eyes filled with curiosity and eager as they searched mine.

I stared at him for a while and watched the light in his eyes dim as I uttered one word. “No”.