Chapter 21

Rachel POV

LUST

I hadn't been back to LUST since the night I was abducted by Patrick's debtors. The very idea of the place filled me with horror and dread; why would I ever want to go back to a place where I had experienced pure terror?

Tyler was adamant I come to the club. The manager had insisted Ethan would go to jail if I wouldn't show up to speak in his defense.

All I could think about was how it made no sense for Ethan to be in that horrible club in the first place! What business could he have there? He knew what had nearly happened to me at LUST. He had been kidnapped by Patrick's debtors after they had lost me. Neither of us had fond memories of the exclusive establishment.

Ethan was still barely more than a boy. I felt a deep sense of responsibility for him as his older sister; I had taken the first rideshare I could arrange to get to LUST to try to extricate him from whatever insanity he had landed in with Tyler.

I was greeted at the door to the club as if I had been expected for hours. The manager ushered me out of the lobby to a private elevator then we made our way to an upper floor.

Tyler was seated on a low couch with his best friend Dylan Roberts at his side.

I could see faint bruises on one of his high cheekbones. Alphas healed quickly. Ethan must have struck him quite hard. I wasn't concerned for his health. Ethan wasn't nearly strong enough to cause serious damage to my Alpha mate and Tyler would have seemed more upset if he were truly in pain.

"What's happening? I don't understand why I'm here."

Honesty seemed to be the best course of action under the circumstances. Tyler rolled his eyes as if I were being a deliberate waste of his time. Dylan chuckled and I wanted nothing more than to ask him to leave to grant us some privacy.

Dylan was essentially my new boss as he ran Camelot Records who had signed me as an artist. The last thing I could do was make demands of him right after being signed. I would have to bear whatever disgraceful situation I was in with him present.

"Your brother punched me in the face. Did you ask him to do that? I find it odd to think he came up with the idea of attacking me all on his own."

Tyler could drive a saint to fury. What did he mean he found it odd to think he'd drive another male to attack him? The man made other men furious for a living as he pulled all the strings behind the scenes at Moonrise Entertainment.

Celebrities, wealthy businesspersons, and powerful people from all manner of stations had to dance to Tyler Wright's tune. He was accustomed to getting what he wanted from whomever he wanted. His assertion I had encouraged my little brother to attack him was ludicrous.

"No. I did not tell him to attack you. Why is Ethan here at this club?"

LUST was not the sort of place Ethan would want to spend his time. He had no use for gambling hells or places of debauchery after dealing with our father's depravity his entire life.

Patrick had soured us both on any kind of wild lifestyle. As his children, all we wanted was a normal life without having to worry about men who would stop at nothing to reclaim their employers' illegal funds.

"Ethan works here as a waiter," the manager offered, "He doesn't go into the private rooms or have access to our VIP lounge."

I wondered if she thought she was being comforting. I hated the idea of Ethan anywhere near LUST; I didn't care if he was only allowed in their bar or he had free run of the place. It was a hellhole my brother didn't belong in.

"Where is Ethan now?"

"He's keeping Jenny company while we wait to talk to you. I don't want you conspiring with him. You'll answer my questions before you see him."

The idea of me 'conspiring' with my younger brother was laughable. Neither of us were criminal masterminds or even criminally inclined in the way of our father. Patrick Flores had taught us both the value of leading an honest life.

"What questions do you have?"

Tyler had already asked if I had put Ethan up to attacking him. He should have known better because I wouldn't risk Ethan getting hurt on the chance he could land a lucky blow on an Alpha. Did he think I had arranged Tyler to work at the club?

"Did you tell your brother I cheated on you?"

"Everyone knows you cheat on me, Tyler. You're in the Society section more often than not and it isn't me on your arm in the photos."

What a stupid question, I thought, my inner wolf had always hated Tyler parading around with other women. The only reason Rayne had tolerated his women was because Tyler only kept company with humans in public. If he had taken another wolf out, I knew things would have gone very differently.

Rayne was a much more fiercely prideful creature than I was myself.

"I take them as escorts. Did you tell him I was sleeping with these women?"

Tyler was acting as if I had committed some kind of high treason with my brother as a co-conspirator.

Ethan was my brother. He wasn't even a fully adult! What did it matter if I talked to him about our mating?

"No, Tyler," I rolled my eyes, "I didn't discuss with my baby brother whether or not you were having sex with other women."

"I wasn't. Ever."

Tyler sounded so very adamant, I almost believed him.

"Of course you weren't."

The sarcasm in my voice was unmistakable. I had seen his precious Jenny's pregnancy test. She had no reason to lie to me and faking a test would have been harder than merely saying she was pregnant which is what I had done in the beginning with Tyler.

"No," Tyler snapped, "I did not have sex with Jenny or any other female. You're my mate. I was faithful. Did you tell your brother I wasn't?"

"No," I snapped back, "I did not tell my brother you were unfaithful. Why do you care?"

"I care because my name is on the line. Why would Ethan think I had slept with Jenny if you didn't tell him I had?"

"I don't know, Tyler, could it be because she's been going around saying she's pregnant with your baby? She showed me her pregnancy test!"

I couldn't hide the hurt in my voice. I hadn't wanted to let him know I was affected by his indiscretion. Jenny was meant to be a public face for Moonrise Entertainment's CEO to have at his side. She was a model and more suitable than me to be at his side. I'd never thought he was cheating on me until she had shown me the positive pregnancy report.

"She lied. She isn't pregnant. I never touched her."

"So she got a fake test result just to make me jealous? Why would she do that?"

"I don't know. I don't care. She bought it from a fake site. Humans lie about pregnancy as a joke it seems. You will believe me: I did not touch that woman or any other."

Leave it to Tyler Wright to demand I believe him at face value rather than accepting the truth presented to me with proof behind it. He was a true Alpha in his belief he could force me to accept his version of events for no other reason than he said so.

"Fine. Jenny isn't pregnant. I'll explain she lied to Ethan. Will that be enough for you?"

"No. You will come home."

The house we shared was no longer 'home' to me in any sense of the word. I wasn't going back to Tyler. I wanted my rejection. I deserved my rejection. I knew how to get it, too.

"No. I won't. Jenny might not be pregnant, but I am and I am not going to stay alone in your house when I can be with people who love me."

Tyler made a rude sound before standing up from the couch. He paced in front of me like a caged animal.

"You're seriously going to try this again? Don't you have any sense of honor at all?"

I pulled out my cell phone and brought up the email results from my OBGYN. I offered the phone to Tyler.

"Here are my report results. See for yourself."

The report included ultrasound images of our unborn child. I treasured them as proof of life for the baby I hadn't planned to have, but would die to protect.

Tyler took the phone long enough to look at the screen then handed it back with an impatient gesture.

"You're not going to fool me again! I told you Jenny bought a fake test. You think I would believe you couldn't do the same?"

"Jenny is a lying bitch."

"You're a lying bitch!" Tyler roared at me, "I want the truth, Rachel! What do you want from me?"

"I want my rejection!"

Tyler grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him. His breath was hot on my face as he panted down at me with fury in his eyes.

"You're so sure you want this rejection. Fine! You'll get it tonight. Dylan will stand with me and your precious protector Ethan will stand for you. Afterwards? I don't want to see you again. Ever."

"Fine by me!"

I would get my rejection and Tyler Wright could disappear into the sun for all I cared!