Page 41 of Old Money

Is my name even safe? I have no idea. I have no clue how any of this works.

I just raise my eyebrows then take a long sip of my drink.

After twenty agonizing minutes, the door unlocks, and in walks my billionaire-in-shining-armor.

“There he is,” Brooks says as he leans back against the couch. “My wonderful big brother. Keeper of family secrets. Squatter. Professional bullshitter.”

Julian shoots him a glare as he closes the door behind him. He kicks off his shoes and waltzes across the apartment. He kicks his brother’s feet down off the table, ignoring his quip, and bends down right in front of me.

Before I can say anything, he lays a soft kiss on my lips. He smiles as we come apart, and I instantly feel myself relax.

“Now,” he says with a sigh and turning to his brother, “what are you doing here, Brooks?”

Brooks looks to me, then to him, then back to me with that same stupid smile on his face.

“Oh my,” Brooks finally says. “This is too good. Oh, no, no, Big Brother. I think it’syourturn to answer some questions.”

Julian sighs again then takes a seat beside me on the couch. He wraps an arm around me and pulls me into him.

“It’s okay,” he says. “He won’t say anything.” I nod and swallow nervously.Here goes nothin’.He turns back to Brooks. “Ask.”

“Where do I start?” he says in amusement, clapping his hands together. “Okay, let’s go with…who is she, how’d you meet her, and what is she doing in our apartment?” He opens his hand on my shoulder, and I slip mine into his, locking our fingers together.

“This is Sawyer. Sawyer, meet my idiot brother Brooks,” he says, pointing his hand in his brother’s direction. I smile and wave.

“Sawyer,” Brooks says with a smile and nod.

“We met on the Carrington campus, the day of the shooting,” Julian goes on. “I was just arriving for my guest panel when it started. She happened to be running in my direction and stopped us. She saved my life,” he says. I squeeze his hand subconsciously, my eyes dropping. Slowly, I look back at Brooks, whose face is much more serious now.

“Fuck,” he says. “I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you,” I say. “Your brother saved me too.” He raises an eyebrow, so I go on. “He got me off campus, brought me back to his apartment while campus was locked down, before they caught the guy. I’m from Seattle, so my mom couldn’t get here till the next day.”

Brooks shakes his head.

“I’m sorry, Sawyer. Glad you were there, Brother,” he says. Julian leans over and kisses my temple.

“So am I,” he whispers. “Anyhow, we kept in touch. Like she said, her mom doesn’t live out here. I wanted to make sure she was okay after everything.”

“He’s being modest,” I interject. “He flew my mom out here to be with me, got us a suite to stay in while campus was closed. And when it reopened, I had some trouble going back to my dorm. My roommate…she, um…she didn’t make it,” I say, feeling this familiar lump in my throat I’ve felt so much after these last few weeks. “Your brother…he, uh…he rented this place for me to finish out the semester. Or I guess bought it?” I ask, turning to him.

Julian clears his throat.

“My family owns the building,” he says. “This unit was vacant. I knew you’d try to fight me, so I made up the lease thing. I’m sorry.”

I smile and bring his fingers to my lips. How could I be mad?

“I’m sorry about your friend, Sawyer. I really am. And I’m really fucking sorry that you went through that,” Brooks says. His face is sincere, and I smile.

“Thank you, Brooks.”

“So this…” he says, motioning between us, “turned into a little something more than ‘making sure she was okay,’ huh?”

“It did,” Julian says. “We’re still figuring some things out—well, she is.”

Brooks raises an eyebrow again, and so do I.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m all hers, and she’s all mine. But we’re doing things on her time. As you know, once she decides it’s time to tell the world, there’s no going back.”

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