Page 8 of His Brother's Wife
Jackson was unrepentant, grasping her upper arm.
“Come. We have a visitor.”
Olivier stood and hugged her. She deliberately made a fuss of him to annoy Jackson and was rewarded with a glare from her husband.
“This is a nice surprise …you’ll stay for dinner, yes? Where’s Mac?”
“Upstairs, not feeling well.” Jackson’s tone was dismissive.
Olivier smiled at her. “Love to stay. How are you?”
“In the four days since I saw you last?” She grinned at him. She had the feeling that his presence was for her benefit; Olivier had an air of the protective older brother about him.
Over dinner, a sumptuous duck dish prepared by Mac’s chef, Ama and Olivier chatted easily, mostly ignoring the glowering presence of Jackson. He finally had enough of not being the center of attention.
“I hear your father’s business is in trouble again,” he said suddenly. Ama looked at him, her expression smooth.
“Not that I know of, but then I haven’t spoken to my father in a while.”
Jackson smirked. “The cash injection I gave him soon got spent. Seems your bride price wasn’t enough. That’s what you get for having a cheapskate dad, I suppose.”
“Jackson,” Olivier’s tone was harsh. “That’s enough.”
Ama was staring at Jackson with undisguised disgust. “And, yet, my ‘bride price’wasn’t enough to allow you everything you wanted, was it?”
Jackson’s smile faded, and Ama realized he’d probably been boasting about his conquest of her to his brothers. For a moment, she regretted saying anything. Olivier looked uncomfortable.
Ama took a slug of wine and tried to ease the atmosphere. “Listen, we are having a recital at the conservatory at the end of the month. Would you like to come, Olly? Bring a date?”
Olivier nodded. “I would love to …are you playing?”
She nodded. “Although, I’m very rusty. I need to practice more than I have been. It’s hard to find the time with work being so hectic.”
“We should get you a piano here,” Jackson said suddenly. “Then you could practice here, and maybe I could see more of you.”
Ama didn’t know how to respond to that. Was he being friendly or setting a trap for her?
“That might be a solution,” she said carefully. Jackson gave a nod.
“Consider it done.”
Ama exchanged a glance with Olivier. She hated that every conversation she had with her husband was loaded, making her feel tense and jumpy. She closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose.
“You okay?” Olivier, of course, was the one asking, and she smiled at him.
“Just tired.”From fucking your glorious half-brother, she wanted to scream at Jackson, but then she felt remorse. Maybe her own attitude wasn’t helping the marriage. She wasn’t going to go soft on him …but she could make an effort to be friendlier. Was she so scared of leading him on?
Yes.
The thought of Jackson making love to her made her want to vomit. He had bought her, for chrissakes. That wasn’t love. That was possession. Ama felt sick and pushed her chair back.
“Forgive me, Olivier …Jackson. I really am tired. I think I’d better go lie down. Will you excuse me?”
“Of course.” Olivier stood as she got up and kissed her cheek. “Get some rest, honey.”
She smiled at him gratefully and thought,if I weren’t already falling for Enda, it would be so easy to love you, you sweetheart of a man. She glanced at Jackson.
“Goodnight, darling,” he said in an even tone. She nodded.
