AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Anyone ever tell you what the definition of insanity is?”
I lift my bleary gaze from the papers in front of me to my sister. She stares at me, one brow raised and her arms folded as she leans back in her chair.
“Watch yourself,” I warn.
Sofi shakes her head. “Not this time, big brother. The doors are locked, most of your employees have gone home, and by the looks of things here…” She scans the office and curls her nose at the sight of the rumpled, unmade futon in one corner. “Clearly, this has become your temporary home. So I’m invoking House Rules.”
“Fine.” I return my focus to the reports. “Do as you please.”
“‘Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.’ That’s the definition of insanity.” She drums her fingers on the arm of the chair. “Remind me again, how many audits have you done?”
“This is the third one.”
“Right.”
“I’m going to order a fourth.”
“Bullshit.”
I cock a brow at her. “Excuse you?”
“If you think wasting people’s time and paper is ever going to give you a different result, then by all means, audit away. But I’m telling you, it’s not. If it hasn’t by now, it never will.”
“I have to be certain.”
“Of what? That she loves you? That she’d never betray you?” Sofi rolls her eyes. “You’d know that if you went home. If you, y’know, talk to her?”
“I can’t do that.” I snap the file folder shut.
“Because…?”
“Because it’s none of your fucking business.”
“Oh, no. No, no, no. It’s because you’re letting some jealous, pathetic bitch stand between you and your happiness. And it’s working.” Sofi leans forward and jabs a finger on the desk in front of me. “That’s the sad part, Pasha. Of all the things that could happen, that have happened in your life… this is what shakes you down?”
I want so badly to have a valid counterargument.
But she’s my sister. She’s been there, through everything, our entire lives.
And she’s right.
“This is why I never wanted to get married,” I rasp. “Exactly why.”
“How dare you catch feelings for an insanely beautiful woman who’s about to give birth to who will obviously be your insanely beautiful daughter? How could you? The audacity!”
Gritting my teeth, I roll my desk chair over to the wet bar and pull out supplies. Maybe, if I drink myself into oblivion, I’ll be able to actually get a good night’s sleep for once. Not that I haven’t tried that for multiple nights running.
Insanity, chirps an annoying voice in my head. The textbook definition.
“I’m not the only one who wants her,” I croak aloud. “Or did you forget that?”
Sofi scoffs. “I’m not the one with a bad memory here, bud. Half the male population wants Daphne. You’re the one forgetting essential shit, like how she chose you over all of them.”
“Did she now?”
“I know you’re not referring to Ewing.”
“Maybe I am.” I pour her a shot of vermouth. I pour myself a shot of… basically everything. “What of it?”
