1. Charlie

Charlie Fairweather hated his mother.

Which was unfair since she was probably the sole member of his family who cared whether he lived or died.

"After the wedding, if things aren't to your liking with Vivian, we'll handle it," Helen informed him while they waited together in the foyer of Parkland Grounds. She adjusted his tie, smoothing it down as if suddenly possessed by some sort of maternal instinct. "If she can't behave, we'll have Dr. Harrison give her something to keep the brat in line."

"Jesus."

Amusement curled at the edges of Helen's lips, tipping them upward and deepening the lines around her mouth. Charlie was sure she'd have the wayward creases removed before the wedding. His mother's true age was never permitted to show.

"You think me cruel?"

Of course, he did, but he wasn't stupid enough to say it out loud. "No, ma'am. I just don't want a wife who is so drugged up she can't even carry on a conversation."

The hint of a smile on Helen's mouth dimmed as his father stormed through the flurry of household staff preparing for the family's departure. "You'll understand soon enough that a lack of communication in a marriage isn't always bad." She patted his chest. "To some of us, it's very liberating."

"Let's get going." Ben followed their father, barely sparing either of them a glance as they headed out the door. "We're late for our flight."

"We're late for our flight," Charlie mimicked, falling into step behind his younger brother. "You can be such a kiss ass."

Halting abruptly, Ben snickered when Charlie almost ran into him on the front stoop. "And you can be such a waste of time."

It grated on Charlie's nerves that his little brother stood half a foot taller. Both passed the six-foot mark by high school, but Ben continued to grow, if only out of spite.

"What's your problem?"

Instead of snapping at him further, which was more normal than not in their relationship, Ben ignored the question and took the steps two at a time to the waiting limo.

"He's been acting odd," Trevor said, sneaking up behind him in that weird way of his. "I even heard him arguing with Dad yesterday."

Ben was the perfect son in their father's eyes. Not a surprise, considering the two were both black-hearted bastards at their core.

"How did you hear that, Trevor?" Charlie gave his younger brother a sideways glance. "Were you creeping around the house again?"

Trevor had problems. A shit ton of them. Women weren't usually an issue for Fairweather men, but Trevor was an ugly son of a bitch, and females were especially difficult for his brain to understand. More than once, they had caught him sneaking around to look up the skirt of a maid or two. In his early teens, it had been fine. A hefty bonus will silence pretty much anyone. But as an adult heading off to college, it could turn into a problem.

"Onward, boys." Helen emerged from the grand entrance of Parkland Grounds. Never riding in the same vehicle as her husband, she headed to the second limo on the drive. "The McIntyre awaits."

The McIntyre.

The amount of respect his future father-in-law garnered was impressive. Fairweathers didn't often find their match in business and social standing, but the McIntyres were giving them a run for their money.

Literally.

Charlie didn't know a thing about horses, but he would have to learn soon enough since his future wife came from a long line of Texas horse ranchers. The McIntyre bred prize winning beasts. Beasts that needed land to roam and train.

Land his father wanted.

"Ride with your father," Helen ordered, taking Trevor with her. "He wants to speak with you."

Gritting his teeth, Charlie slid into the back of the first limo, and never one to shoot the shit, James started in on him the second the door closed.

"You will get her pregnant as soon as possible." The old man didn't even bother to drop the newspaper he was reading. "The sooner there's a Fairweather in that bitch's belly, the better. It'll give us a solid hold on McIntyre."

"Isn't this marriage enough of a solid hold?"

Charlie asked the question and regretted doing so instantly. James lowered the paper slowly, his disgust aimed with laser point accuracy. "Am I to understand you'll have a problem fucking your pretty new wife?"

Charlie glared at Ben sitting smugly on the seat across from him. "No, sir."

"This could have gone much worse for you, Charles," James pointed out. "We could have pinned you with the Marshall girl. I know you'll fuck anything that stays still long enough, but I'm sure even you have your limits."

Pretending to watch the scenery, Ben chuckled under his breath, and their father turned his malicious stare on his favorite offspring. "And what are you laughing at? You're no better with your women." James slapped Charlie's knee as if they were sharing a joke. "In fact, if you can't manage to get Vivian McIntyre pregnant, we'll send Ben in to finish the job."

Charlie's heart dropped into his stomach. He would do it. Ben had already done much worse at the old man's request.

"That won't be necessary."

"Let's hope not." James returned to his paper. "Although I don't think Ben will mind. He has a penchant for blondes."

The family flew on two separate flights. James always refused to have all three of his heirs on the same plane and decided to send Ben with their mother, leaving Charlie and Trevor with him.

"He can't even sit with us," Trevor mumbled, buckling in.

Charlie didn't know what he was complaining about. With their father three rows away, he could work in a drink and maybe a mile-high blowjob, judging by the way the pretty flight attendant was staring at him.

"Shut up, Trevor."

They landed a few hours later, and Charlie exited the plane relaxed, thanks to the drinks he'd tossed back and the quick work he'd made of the flight attendant's mouth while in the bathroom. His mother and Ben landed shortly after, and the Fairweathers made their way to baggage claim.

"The McIntyre sent only one car?" Helen sneered, unimpressed at the driver's attempts to shove all their luggage into the trunk. "How cozy."

The trip to The McIntyre's homestead took a good half hour, and having not spent much time confined together in… well, forever… the trip was quite trying on all present.

When they finally arrived, the limo paused at the guard booth before proceeding through the gates and down the double drive, which cut through the empty terrain. For miles, there was nothing except green grass and cloudless skies.

"Can we ride horses?" Trevor asked, glued to the window when a group of curious ponies chased the limo along the fence line. "They have plenty."

Ben rolled his eyes while Helen patted her youngest child's leg. "Stop acting like the imbecile that you are, Trevor. You might be eighteen and an adult now, but the same rules still apply. You are not to speak, or breathe, or—"

"Exist," Charlie finished, craning his neck as Adare Hall came into view. The massive estate sat smack in the middle of McIntyre's land. "He knows."

Trevor wasn't listening, too busy gawking at the monstrous mansion ahead. Adare Hall's frontage was a mixture of rock and wood, giving the appearance of it being some type of rustic retreat when it was really one of the most valuable homes in Texas.

The McIntyre himself stood waiting with his eldest son, and as the limo came to a stop, Vivian trotted out to join them, waving wildly.

Charlie couldn't help but smile when he noticed Viv wearing yet another baby blue dress. He'd once told her blue was his favorite color, and she'd worn no other color since.

A staff member opened the limo door, and James exited, shaking Randall McIntyre's hand. Ben was next, going straight for Phillip, while Helen made a beeline for Vivian.

"You look radiant, my dear."

Eyes on Charlie, Vivian thanked her. "I hope your flights were good."

"They were," Helen said, ushering Charlie forward. "And look, we brought you a gift."

Charlie kissed her swiftly on the lips—a delicate show for everyone.

"Hello, gorgeous."

"Hello, handsome," she returned, knowing the game as well as him. "Would you like to see what you're getting yourself into tonight?"

"Without a doubt."

Leaving everyone behind, Charlie escorted Vivian through the twelve-foot double entrance doors. Adare Hall didn't have much of a foyer, and when guests entered, they were transported straightaway into a massive room that served as living space. Staff hurried about in every direction, carrying flowers and food for their engagement party.

Vivian slowly turned to him, positively glowing. Being drop dead beautiful had certainly helped him accept the idea of marriage. With perfectly styled blond hair sweeping her shoulders, eyes that often sparkled with mischief, and—best of all—a tight little body made for sin, it was as if Vivian McIntyre had been placed on this earth just for him.

"Where shall we start?"

Charlie nipped her earlobe once they were far enough away from their families. "Your bedroom."

The flight attendant had only served to take the edge off. His future wife was who he really wanted, and while this marriage might be a business transaction, the joke was on those bastards yapping out front. He and Vivian actually liked each other.

"We have about fifteen minutes before they'll realize we're missing," she whispered, leading him up the giant central staircase. "Are you ready?"

"God, am I ever."

Locked in her childhood bedroom, Charlie had her coming in under two minutes. He was careful, not wanting to make too much noise, but when the squeeze on his cock had him seeing stars, he came with a shout.

Breathing hard, he kissed her neck as they finished. "Another round later?"

"You better make sure of it."

They straightened each other's clothes, giggling when they left the room until they ran into their parents and siblings on one of the many catwalks stretching throughout Adare Hall's upper levels.

The McIntyre eyed them suspiciously. "Where did you two run off to?"

With a head full of dark hair and a slender athletic build, no one would guess that Randall McIntyre was the same age as James Fairweather.

"Just showing him around." Vivian clutched Charlie's hand a little tighter. Her father might appear to be a healthier human specimen, but he was just as rotten on the inside as James. "We're heading to the stables next."

"Can I go?" Trevor begged.

"We'd love for you to join us." Vivian shot Trevor a smile that had been ingrained in her since birth. Good breeding wasn't something The McIntyre did solely with his horses. His two oldest children were impeccable examples of decorum. "Perhaps we can arrange a riding excursion if we have the time."

"There's always time for a ride around here," Paula McIntyre piped up from next to her husband. Randall McIntyre hadn't created a ranching empire all on his own. He married into most of it, securing a Texas heiress with a dowry of land and horses. "It's a great stress reliever."

Notorious in her youth, Paula McIntyre's exploits had often made the society pages of the Houston Chronicle before she met Randall. But all that wildness lay dormant now, suppressed in a loveless marriage. There were rumors of infidelity on both sides, and by the way Paula was eyeballing Ben as she spoke, Charlie believed them.

No longer interested in the conversation, James and Randall moved on, allowing Paula to continue her study of his brother more openly. She was at least thirty years his senior, maybe more, but that didn't matter. If she wanted Ben, she would have him. James and Helen would all but wrap up their son in a bow for Paula McIntyre if they thought it might secure them more power.

Helen smiled, sensing the opportunity. "Trevor, come with me to look at a painting in the south wing." She ran a hand down Ben's arm as she left. A signal he and Charlie knew well. "We'll be back."

Charlie tugged at his fiancée's hand, wanting to get her away before she saw something she shouldn't. "Viv promised to show me the catering setup."

Paula wasn't listening. Eyes on Ben, she waved them off. "Do you like to ride, Mr. Fairweather?"

Charlie whisked Viv away before Ben replied with some sexual innuendo that suggested he was open to whatever Paula had in mind. A practiced dance his brother had done a thousand times.

With her heels tapping on the catwalk, Viv struggled to keep up with him. "Is this just another ploy to get me alone so you can have your way with me?"

"Always."

They made their way to the rear entertaining patio, entering a tropical oasis of swimming pools and waterfalls. The caterers swished around the regular employees as they prepared the scene, and Charlie took it all in, reality seizing him by the throat.

He was going to be someone's husband.

And not just anyone's husband, but Vivian's husband. In the beginning, Charlie had thought she might only be an interesting toy to play with on a visit to Texas with his father. He took her on a few dates and slept with her a few times, but then surprisingly found himself missing her when he went home.

They exchanged letters as if living some grand love affair, and Charlie's father approached him a few weeks into it, well aware of what was happening.

"I would have rather she had gone to Ben, but if it's you she wants, then seal the deal, Charles. Ask her to marry you."

At first, Charlie fought against the idea and blew his way through women and booze, throwing what was nothing short of an orgy at the family beach house where Ben liked to stay sometimes.

The wild weekend left him with a black eye and produced an odd bonding moment with his brother.

"I guess this fact has gone right over your head, but we all know you're not good enough for Vivian," Ben had said after beating the shit out of him for trashing the beach house. "She's the only one who hasn't figured it out."

"You know she will."

"Well, then make sure she falls so far in love with you that it won't matter, and you can keep on pretending to be a man who deserves her."

"I do want to be a man that deserves her."

Charlie hadn't expected Ben to understand. So inflated with his ego, his brother practically floated through life on it, and probably couldn't fathom someone finding him unworthy of anything.

But even Ben surprised him at times. "Then straighten up and pretend to be a decent man until it sticks."

Pretending was something he could definitely do, and so here he was at an engagement party. His engagement party.

"Are you ready for this?" Vivian folded into him, a perfect fit at his side. "Are you ready for me to become Mrs. Charlie Fairweather?"

Pretending or not, he was excited. It wasn't something he liked to admit, but Charlie was lonely. Growing up as the eldest Fairweather, he'd never had the luxury of keeping close friends. Trust wasn't easy to come by in his life, especially when people sought to use him in any way they could.

Cupping Vivian's face, he snuck a kiss. "Definitely."

"Enough of that." Bianca McIntyre, the youngest offspring in The McIntyre's clan, appeared from a side patio door. "We have two hundred and fifty-three guests arriving in less than an hour, and I need to make Viv presentable."

While her siblings were held to a higher standard, Randall McIntyre allowed Bianca to do as she pleased, and at fourteen, the holy terror loved nothing more than to shock everyone she encountered.

Releasing Vivian, he nodded at Bianca's army boots and gravity-defying spiked hair. Seriously, how many cans of hairspray had she used to get it that high?

"Give yourself a makeover while you're at it, B."

The little demon shot him the middle finger and ushered a laughing Vivian inside. Charlie took one last look around and headed in the opposite direction to the east wing, where he and his family were to stay. Adare Hall would soon host hundreds of party guests, and he needed to get ready to play the part of charming bridegroom.

Once dressed, he slipped into the hall, hoping to find Viv. They had enough time, and he wanted to work in a quickie before the festivities.

He didn't get far. Ben and Trevor intercepted, informing Charlie that his fiancée was already greeting guests on the lower level. The three of them headed down the second-floor corridor, which led to the main catwalk and then the central staircase.

"How was your ride?" Charlie asked Ben.

"Interesting." Ben matched his stride while Trevor trailed behind. "How was yours?"

"Mine was great." Charlie kept his voice low. The acoustics of Adare Hall's high ceilings could expose any number of secrets if they weren't careful. "Although my mare was much younger."

"Wait, you guys got to ride horses?" Trevor tried to squeeze between them. "But I was the one that wanted to go."

"We really need to get him laid." Charlie rolled his eyes. "With a willing participant."

Ben paused at the catwalk entrance, staring down at the crowd of people mingling on the lower level. Cold and calculating, he assessed the scene, likely seeking his first victim for the night. Every social event the man attended involved tactical mind games and heaping doses of manipulation.

Charlie could never grasp the appeal of living a life like that. They might be brothers, but the two of them couldn't be less alike if they tried. Both in personality and appearance. Charlie felt that his easygoing attitude matched the golden boy good looks he'd been born with. He never had to twist people's brains to make them do what he wanted. His charm came naturally. All he had to do was give a smile and a wink, and those in his orbit would gather to beg for crumbs of his time.

With Ben, it was the exact opposite. High cheekbones and a sharp jawline paired with the darkest set of brown eyes and midnight black hair only compounded the asshole factor he radiated. The dark nature of his brother oozed from his very essence, consuming anyone who dared get too close.

"Don't fuck this up tonight, Charlie."

"And how about you don't fuck my mother-in-law?"

Trevor's head swiveled back and forth between them. "You guys aren't talking about horses, are you?"

Ignoring their brother, Ben turned from the crowd to whisper over Trevor's head. "I do what needs to be done, and just like you, I'm seeing this deal through to the end. Paula doesn't think you're suitable marriage material for her little girl and has been whispering as much in The McIntyre's ear, urging him to call it off. I was told to fuck some sense into her, and I did. Twice. Now, say thank you."

"Yeah, not horses." Trevor's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "You guys suck sometimes."

"It doesn't matter what The McIntyre or his wife thinks," Charlie whisper shouted. "Vivian wants to marry me."

"What Randall McIntyre thinks is the only thing that matters, you idiot." Ben leveled a condescending smirk at him. The very one he'd been perfecting since birth. "The fact that you're enjoying the benefits of this deal is just a consolation prize."

The shadows of the hall obscured the three of them, and the partygoers below remained unaware of their arrival. Moving Trevor aside, Charlie got directly in Ben's face. "Watch what you say about Vivian."

"I'm not saying anything about Vivian. You're the one that's the problem." Ben didn't back down. He never did. "Now go down there and put on the show of your life."

As much as he wanted to shove Ben over the railing and see his brains splatter all over the imported marble floors, his brother had a point. Randall McIntyre could pull the plug, and Fairweather Holdings would lose its part in a lucrative land deal while Charlie lost the girl.

"What are you guys doing?" Phillip McIntyre approached from the hall behind them. A sly fucking devil in a perfectly tailored suit, the son of a bitch was as ruthless as his father. "Don't you know there's a party going on?"

Charlie and his brothers tensed, immediately turning to greet the threat. Phillip wasn't to be trusted. The circulating rumor was that he was trying to take sole control of The McIntyre's interests and eventually leave nothing for his sisters in the process.

In the center of the trio, Ben angled himself to face Phillip, with Charlie and Trevor flanking each side. The Fairweather brothers might hate each other, but they got over it real quick when up against a shared enemy.

"Admiring the view," Ben replied coolly. "It's quite the turnout."

"Well, we McIntyres know how to throw a party." Phillip's eyes narrowed on Charlie. "Even if we're not celebrating."

Trevor crossed his arms and tried to appear intimidating but was too skinny and short to come anywhere close to it. "Today is a celebration."

Phillip wrinkled his nose. "If you say so."

"We do say so." Ben took a step forward, mindful not to draw attention. "Vivian is happy. Charlie is happy. Our fathers are happy." His assessing gaze raked Phillip from head to toe. "We're all so fucking happy."

"Are you?" Tilting his head, Phillip kept his focus on Charlie. "Are you truly ready to commit yourself to one woman for the rest of your life? A woman who is thousands of leagues above you in class and social standing?"

"I'm over the moon," Charlie replied, not missing a beat. "Fucking your sister like a whore is my new favorite pastime."

If Phillip ran off and tattled like the prick that he was, Vivian would forgive the vulgar comeback. She loved her siblings, but she loved him more and would find the interaction comical.

At least, Charlie hoped she would.

"Viv loves to get on her knees every chance she can." Charlie didn't risk glancing at his brothers when they chuckled at Phillip's smug expression dissolving into one of horror. "Her lack of a gag reflex is amazing and really lets me—"

"That is my sister," Phillip seethed. "You will not speak of her that way."

"Or you'll what?" Ben sighed as if he were bored with the conversation. "Everyone already assumes you're a weak little shit. Don't go proving them right tonight."

With that, Ben proceeded across the catwalk and to the central staircase. Charlie and Trevor followed his lead, leaving Phillip fuming in their wake.

"Watch yourselves tonight," Ben warned before the three of them parted ways. "Trevor, stick to Phillip like glue. I don't want him snitching over what just happened."

Trevor nodded. "Got it."

"And Charlie, no missteps," Ben ordered, ever and always in charge. "You are Prince fucking Charming."

Charlie adjusted his jacket, making sure he looked the part. "Always, baby brother."

They reached the grand central staircase and separated. Charlie found Vivian, and the two of them made their rounds. After an hour of accepting a never-ending line of congratulations, the bride-to-be needed a break.

"Meet me on the second-floor balcony overlooking the gardens," she whispered in his ear. "And bring a bottle of champagne."

He let her slip away first and smartly worked his way through the throngs of people to take a rear staircase leading to the second floor. The sun had set long ago, and the shaded spot was exactly what they needed for privacy.

"Hello, gorgeous."

Ready for him, Viv had tossed her shoes in the corner and held up two empty champagne glasses. "Hello, handsome."

"Let's have a toast." He filled their glasses and set the bottle aside. "To us."

"To us," she repeated and took a sip. Turning to face the lawn, she relaxed against the railing. "Did you know any of those people?"

Charlie rested his chin on her shoulder. "Maybe three?"

"Me, too." She watched as the party continued without them, her gaze drawn to Ben breaking from the crowd. "But I bet your brother knows everyone here tonight. Especially the females."

Letting out a strangled laugh, Charlie sure as hell hoped she wasn't referring to her mother. "Women flock to him like crazy."

"Not me."

"Are you sure?" he teased, moving to stand beside her. "Most wouldn't say no."

"I'm not most women." Viv stared down at Ben from their spot. "I get it, though. He's gorgeous, but that whole untamable bad boy thing isn't my style." She nudged his shoulder. "I'm more into the kind ones who look at me like I'm something special."

"You are something special." He meant it. She was his match in every way. "But watch it around him. Your father could change his mind about me, and my dad would send Ben in as a backup."

Charlie winced. He shouldn't have said that. He should have left it alone. But in the back of his mind, he wanted her to understand. To prepare her for life with the Fairweathers.

"What do you mean?"

Below them, Ben had diverted from his original path and was now heading toward Paula McIntyre standing just outside a labyrinth of tall hedges. Charlie guessed Viv's mother needed more "convincing" and turned his fiancée around so she wouldn't see.

"Once." He paused and shook his head. "Actually, no. More than once, Ben has persuaded people to change their minds with the cunning use of his dick."

Vivian snorted, choking on the champagne. The move would have been off-putting to Charlie if done by any other woman, yet the future Mrs. Fairweather made it look classy.

"Excuse me?"

"The first time it happened, I think he was around eighteen. Dad had taken him to some function where he was trying to make a deal with one of the local officials. They were blocking building permits and putting up a good fight," he told her. "While they were there, the old man noticed that one particular guy giving them issues had a daughter who couldn't keep her eyes off Ben."

"Sounds familiar."

"Not the same."

She smiled softly, and his heartbeat picked up. Getting her pregnant wasn't going to be a problem. As far as he was concerned, he would give her a million babies if she always looked at him as she was doing now.

"Anyway, it wasn't only the guy's daughter who was interested in Ben, but his wife, too."

Viv's hand flew to her throat, and Charlie shrugged. "Unfortunately, our mother was on that trip. She figured the easier path to compliance was through the wife, not the daughter, and sent Ben to the woman later that night… They granted the permits a few days later."

"Oh my God."

"Trust me, Ben didn't mind. He even slept with the daughter later, just because he could." Charlie smiled at her mouth hanging open. "And that's not the worst thing he's done. Bribes. Bullying. You name it. My brother is a carbon copy of our dad, and we know how much fun he is."

"Yeah, about as much as mine."

"I won't be like that," Charlie promised, with one eye on Paula leading Ben deeper into the hedge maze. "We won't be anything like our parents. We'll be happy."

Viv clinked her glass with his. "Forever."

"And ever."