Page 26 of Shattered Queens: Veronica
He stops so abruptly that I crash into his back. His hard, muscular back. I hold onto his waist so I don’t lose my balance.
“Shit.” He turns to face me. “Are you okay?”
I blink. His face is inches from mine. Examining me for injuries. It’s a bit over the top. “Y-yes.” I realize that my hands are still on his waist. He takes a step back, away from my grasp. It’s like he can’t wait to get away from me. Again. Every time he does that, I resent him more. Am I that disgusting? How are we supposed to work together if that’s the reaction he has when we are near each other?
“Did you need something?” His tone is cold.
He is so moody. I push past his cold demeanor. “I want to know what made you change your mind. I thought you never planned to get rid of the land?”
There’s a shift in his mood. “It was time I let go of that property. This will help people.” He turns and leaves without saying anything else.
I head back to Andrew’s office and see him looking through the plans Cam left. He motions for me to join him. The playground, the garden, everything I talked about. It’s here.
“You made this happen.” Andrew’s words interrupt my thoughts. “I don’t know how you convinced him. But this is all because of you.”
I feel proud of myself. A feeling that I haven’t had in a very long time. With a sense of determination, I decide to reach out to my brother. It’s time that he and the rest of my family stopped treating me like I’m incapable of living my own life.
My driver pulls up to Kayde Investment, where Gabe is acting CEO while Ian and Serena are away. I make my way to the top floor and check in with Selma. She’s Ian’s assistant, but because there is only so much control my brother can give up, he left Selma as the assistant in charge. I look at the desk across from her and see David, Gabe’s longtime assistant.
“Hello, I’m here to see my brother,” I tell Selma.
“Ms. Kayde, what a pleasure to see you!”
I've known Selma for years; she’s an asset to my brother. She’s not only intelligent and efficient, but she also knows how to deal with his moody behavior. She’s also visited my mother a couple of times, to gossip, no doubt.
“Now, Selma, I’ve told you numerous times to call me Veronica,” I tease.
She lets out a laugh, and I can see we’ve caught the attention of some onlookers. Selma looks around, and the office quiets and resumes work. Damn, she runs this place. I look over at David, whose eyes are glued to this computer screen.
“David, can you please pick up Mr. Kayde’s lunch?” He nods and does as he’s told. I’m about to decline lunch, but I think twice about it. Just then, the office door opens, and my brother walks out. Until recently, he was the fun one, the brother who would understand me the most. Ian processes emotions differently from us. Gabe has always been the easiestto talk to about my feelings, but that doesn’t mean he shares all of his. Over the last couple of years, he’s been more closed off.
“Hey, baby sister.” He comes over and gives me a fierce hug. I needed this. I hug him back for what feels like minutes. He pulls away, looks down at me, brows furrowed with concern. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, I'm just happy to see you.”
“Me too.” He motions for me to enter the office. “I ordered us lunch. Knowing your eating habits, I doubt you’re eating a balanced diet.”
He’s not wrong. “What did you order?” I don’t bother refuting his comment because he’s one of the few people who know about my discomfort. I take a seat on the couch, and he joins me.
“Your favorite. Seafood and your go-to dessert, flan, from the Mexican restaurant down the street.”
My mouth is watering just thinking about it. “I love that place.”
“It’s popular in the office. I’ve hired them to cater for the staff while Ian and Serena are away. You know, make it known that I'm the better Kayde.”
My brothers are close and have very different personalities, but the one thing they share is that they are both extremely competitive. They have been, even with me, in the best way. Ian has always been the serious and over-the-top protective brother. Gabe, although fiercely protective, knows I also need to live my own life, but I haven’t made it easy for him. I go and do stupid shit, and he has no choice but to go along with Ian. I start to play with a strand of my hair.
“What’s going on, Vee?” He looks concerned. “Is it the apartment? Mom?”
He knows me so well. “Mom’s doing well. I love my apartment. The plants you gave me are thriving.” I smile warmly.
“Oh, your babies, as you like to call them?” he teases. “Remember when I first caught you talking to flowers?”
“Yes. It was when Mom received some orchids, and she kept forgetting to water them. After reading about how talking to flowers helps them grow, I decided to read to them.”
“You would read them love stories. If I remember correctly?”
“Really? I don’t remember that,” I lie. I was obsessed with love. I wanted someone to love me and sweep me off my feet. I hear a knock at the door and see David walk in. He has a couple of bags with him. The combination of food makes my stomach rumble. My brother takes the bags and sets them on the table. He pulls the utensils out and lays everything out for us. He’s always been such a caretaker. I’m still surprised that Ian is the first one to settle down. My money was always on Gabe. He hands me a bowl of rice, salmon, and veggies. He ordered a steak for himself. This aroma is divine. He’s about to take a bite when I just blurt out the words.
