Page 46 of Her Brother's Billionaire Best Friend

“Why not?”

“Don’t you think there’s…”

“What?”

David sighed in frustration, and leaned towards the dining table. He put out his hands. “Don’t you think there’s something strange about Lucien?”

I’d been about to retort automatically, but instead I found myself frozen in place. I felt like someone had just walked on my grave.

“What do you mean?” I said.

“Well, you tell me. But doesn’t it seem odd that some billionaire tech bro would move here? Of all places? And then,” added David, “that he’d decide to give all that money away? Just because of you?’

I folded my arms. “So that’s what it’s about.”

“What?”

“You’re jealous. Or being overprotective or something.”

“No, I’m not, I—”

“Really? Because it seems like you’ve been acting strange since I came home from that trip to Vancouver.”

“Look, I just think it’s odd, that’s all.”

I looked at David’s eyes. I’d been angry before but the anger had been replaced by a cold sweat, a chilling sensation which crept up my spine. “What do you think is going on, David?”

David stood up. For a moment, he looked like he was going to burst. Finally, he flung his arms down by his side.

“Don’t you think it’s odd? The way he acts around us? It’s like I’ve met him before—he looks at me like he’s known me for years. Like he knows everything about us. At first I thought he was just being a patronizing son of a…but it’s freaking me out. He’s so familiar with you.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. At least David hadn’t guessed anything about what Lucien and I had done in Vancouver.

“You’re paranoid,” I said. “He’s just sweet on us, that’s all. Probably won’t be now you told him to keep away from Kyle.”

“I can’t help it,” said David. He sat down in his chair, looking tired and stretched out. “I’m sorry,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “I know that’s gonna make things annoying for you at work. It’s just I’ve been feeling so…” he trailed off, and rested his head in his hand.

“Is it me?” I said.

He looked up.

“No,” he said weakly. “I like having you guys here. Mom’s always off doing something in the woods and I work a lot these days…it’s nice having other people around.”

“So?”

David sighed. “It’s like since you’ve been back, he has been too. Like he’s around. I swear sometimes I can almost…feel it.”

My heart swooped in my chest and seemed to stand still for a long time. I looked away. I went to the sink and poured myself a glass of water.

“Laura?” said David.

I turned around.

“Laura what?” I snapped. “What do you want me to do, David? No one knows where Conor is.”

“I know, but—”

“If he wanted to find us, he would have come back. Not that he’d want to. He…he took off pretty quickly after I did, right?”