Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Besides, now that Leander’s TV show has ended and there aren’t any other projects currently lined up, the usual flood of requests for interviews and TV appearances is a lot slower. Still, there’s the social media accounts to manage and rumors to keep on top of—especially considering our unusual living situation. It’s something I constantly worry about. I know it’s no one’s business but ours, but that doesn’t mean the world doesn’t want to know about what happens behind the high walls of the estate where Leander and his brothers live… along with one of his brother’s fiancée…
I bite my lip as I stare at an article from a popular gossip column.
Ménage à Quatre? Leander Mavros’s Secret Life, reads the headline. I don’t have to read much further down to get the gist. The lost Mavros brother now found, and all three of them living in the same house with Janus’s fiancée is raising eyebrows. Plus an “inside source”—I roll my eyes—I know how flimsy the reporting is on these gossip rags and I also know how careful we’ve been. The supposed inside source says they saw us all kissing each other in an exclusive nightclub I’ve never been to. An obvious lie but just enough to titillate a curious public.
I slam the laptop lid down.
And then I storm out of my office, opening the door just in time to see Apollo toddling towards it. “Mommy!” he declares triumphantly, right as Janus comes speeding up the stairs after him.
“You sneaky little sucker,” Janus pants, snatching him up into his arms.
“Mommy!” Paul cries insistently.
I laugh and shake my head, walking forward and taking Paul out of his arms. And then I look into Janus’s eyes. “We need to talk.” I suck in a deep breath. “With everyone.”
Sensing I’m serious, Janus just nods.
He takes Apollo back from me in spite of his whining as we go back down the stairs. Which I appreciate. Although Apollo might not realize it, he’s getting to be a big boy now, and it’s starting to be a strain on my back to carry him around everywhere.
I sit on the couch in the den where Diana’s playing happily with blocks. Now that I’m in the same space, Apollo seems contented enough, and he squirms out of Janus’s arms to go play with his sister.
Leander’s on his phone and Milo’s reading a book. Which still seems so funny to me, because two years ago, the scene would have been reversed. You couldn’t drag Milo’s phone out of his hands, and yet here he is now, so peaceful reading a book.
“Hope has something she needs to talk to us about.”
That has everyone stopping what they’re doing to look my way.
“What’s up?” Leander asked. He immediately looks worried.
“Nothing bad,” I say to put him at ease. “There’s just speculation again online.”
Leander rolls his eyes. “Nosy fuckers can fuck off.”
But I shake my head. “Rumors make people curious. And curious is bad for us.” Now that everything is calm—well, as calm as it’s ever going to get for us—I want, no need, it to stay that way.
I look at each one of them in turn, landing finally on Janus. “It’s time for Janus and me to get married.”
Chapter 50
JANUS
It’s certainly not the way I pictured my wedding day. Not that I really ever pictured myself getting married. But still—
Another helicopter buzzes by overhead.
“Vultures,” Milo says, peering out the window.
“It’s what we want,” Leander says as he ties my bowtie. “I leaked the rumor of the location myself.”
Milo rolls his eyes. “I know, but it’s still so…” He pulls back from the window and shakes his head. “Who cares who Janus marries anyway? He’s just some guy, right? I mean, we both know better, but theoretically it’s you who’s the movie star.”
Leander laughs as he neatens my bowtie as he finishes with it. “You’ve been in this industry too long to be that naïve.”
Milo grabs a bottle of water from a complementary tray and takes a long guzzle. “If you say so.”
We were lucky to get the secluded venue, and only because Leander pulled some strings and threw around his celebrity status. Well, and because the other couple scheduled to get married here this weekend imploded after the groom cheated with a bridesmaid. Lucky us?
I look at myself in the mirror, my brother an identical reflection behind me. Except my tux is white and his is black. We didn’t want it to be confusing in the photos the telephoto lenses will take.
That’s what this whole thing is for, right? For show. Just another performance for the cameras.
So maybe that’s why I’m not as excited as I should be that today I’m marrying the woman of my dreams. I mean, she’ll still be walking down the aisle to me. But I don’t feel that buzz of triumph or competition I did all those years ago when I got in before my brother, who was being an asshole at the time, and I asked her to marry me first.