Chapter Two
Leon
Arnav's towering figure accentuates his broad shoulders and lean physique. His fair skin is smooth and flawless, gleaming under the soft light. His eyes, a piercing shade of obsidian, hold an intensity that could unsettle even the bravest of souls. But I am an exception to that.
"What? Why the dark faces? Am I not welcome here?" he asks, his voice edged with disdain.
"What are you doing here?" I ask firmly.
"Why? Last time I checked, Sky House also belongs to me. And I'm the eldest son of John William. Correct me if I'm wrong."
"Son, it's good to have you here."
"How many times do I have to remind you not to call me your son?" Arnav says, his tone sharp.
My hands tremble, curling into fists, ready to destroy Arnav's face.
"Watch your words, bastard." I lurch forward.
"Relax, creep. Is this how you welcome me?" He grins.
"Come on! Stop this drama. She isn't even your real mother. Same goes for Jay. She is not our mother, and all this affection she's showing is just a charade."
Arnav's words scorch through my skin. I could pounce on him any moment if he doesn't shut the fuck up.
"Even if she isn't our birth mother, it doesn't mean you should be disrespectful toward her."
"All she wants is our father's wealth. She doesn't care about us. Once she gets what she wants, in the blink of an eye—" he snaps his fingers, "—she'll disappear. Just like our mothers did."
I clench my jaw.
"Enough! Arnav, if you don't stop, I will forget the fact that we share a blood relation," I retort, pointing a finger at him.
"And who the hell are you to give me orders? I'm your older brother, and I'm more experienced than you. All you know is how to sing on stage. You're not even a good judge of character. That is why this woman can fool you all," he yells. His words resonate in my ears.
My hands curl into a scalding fist, and without much hesitation, my punch lands on his face, leaving a cut at the corner of his mouth.
"You dare hit me because of this woman who doesn't even share blood with you?" he winces. "You're my little brother. I'll burn the world for you, and I will save you even if you're in the lion's den. Don't let this bloody money-sucker fool you brothers."
"Cut the crap, bastard. I will do something worse than this if you don't keep your mouth shut right now," I declare, rage nourishing my voice.
"I won't forgive you for this. Watch your back, Cherry. I will make you regret this," he tells her and strides off.
"Bro! You shouldn't have done that," Jay says hoarsely.
"Don't talk to me. Disappear."
Jay scoffs and heads to his room.
"Leon, please don't fight with your brother because of me again," Mom says in a low voice.
"But…. Mom he disrespected you, and I won't hold back seeing you insulted like that." I reach for her hands patting it gently. "You know what, Mom, being a mother doesn't mean giving birth to a child only, a mother is someone who cares for a child, giving the child support and affection. That is who a mother is, and you've been doing just that since you became our mom."
"Wow! I raised you well, I'm proud of you." She says, rubbing my left ear gently.
"Now, I need you to put the moral I instill in you into use, by going after your brother and apologize to him. He is your older brother, and you disrespected him."
"Come on mom, I was fucking defending you, can't let that asshole fuck with you like that ever again he needs to stop now." She frowns at me and calls on Jay. Not too long he appear in front of us mom instruct him to accompany me to find Arnav like he is a lost kid.
Jay and I rush out to the parking garage I stop for a minute.
"Wait, we don't even know where to find him." I tell him, and dig my fingers into my hair.
"Of course, I know where he is." I glare at him warily.
"I swear this isn't some kind of prank not with my brother's life."
"Where?" I ask, my voice calm.
I squint slightly and crimp unsure if I should believe him knowing Jay's personality well, he is full of tricks. We enter the car and drive off.
"He is definitely in his club, trust me."
.......
After a few hours on the road, we pull up at the clubhouse. A long queue snakes around the entrance. I left New York years ago—I never cared to track my brothers' lives. No time for that shit. Except Arnav, because he has to stay here running Dad's company. Jay? Doubt he lives here either—athlete life means constant flights.
Father's eyes are always on me. Arnav's the golden boy; Jay and I barely register. He watches every move, making sure I don't "ruin" his precious reputation.
"Is this the clubhouse?" I ask. I hate to admit it, but… impressive. Arnav's done well.
"Yeah, let's go inside." Jay's tone shows no surprise. He's clearly been here before.
"Wait! I can't go in like this. I'm a star, and I'm not with my escort."
"Oh, right. Forgot, rock star. Cap's in the back seat." He hands it over. "Wear it. Let's move."
"Look at that queue. I'm not dealing with this. Go on without me."
"Come on. You complain too much. Do your fans even know this side of you?" Jay frowns. I ignore him.
Then he pulls a gold ticket from his pocket.
"VVIP. Member access." He pushes it toward me. "No excuses now."
I snatch it, glance at it once, and stuff it into my pocket. One thing's clear: Arnav may own this place, but I'm not here to play nice.
We amble into the club. As soon as we step in, the loud music hits me, pounding through my chest. The smell of coke, spice, gin, and cosmos dives into my nostrils, leaving a lingering taste on my tongue without me even taking a sip. I scan the room through the haze. Cougars lurk in the corners, eyes gleaming with lust. Not my type—and I'm definitely not in the mood for smooches or kisses.
Then, a sudden commotion catches my attention.
"Hey! Let her go!" I yell, my voice barely cutting through the music.
One of the guys rises, fists clenched, ready to fight. Another grabs her wrist. Before I can move, she twists sharply, breaking free. A punch lands squarely on one guy's jaw. Another flies backward. Her movements are precise and fluid—like a black belt in action. These guys are no match for her.
I fold my arms, unable to look away. Every strike, every block is perfect. My first time witnessing someone fight like this leaves me astounded, like I'm watching a live-action movie.
A hand lands on my shoulder. I glance back—it's Jay. I'd completely forgotten why I even came here.
"Hey, bro, what are you doing?" he asks.
"That was insane. Cool, right?" I reply, eyes flicking back to her.
Jay frowns. "Why are you answering my question with another question?"
"Didn't you see how she handled them?" I say, pointing over my shoulder. "She's lethal."
"Wow! Bravo—you stopped looking for Arnav because a girl caught your attention," Jay hisses before walking off. I shake my head and glance back at the girl.
One of the guys hands her a dollar. She takes it and squints her face in disgust. My gaze travels down to her outfit; the graphics read Pizza and Party. Oh, I guess she's a delivery girl. Her lips move, and I barely catch her words. The guys nod, and she heads out of the clubhouse.
Jay must have found Arnav by now. My eyes scan the room, corner to corner, until they land on Jay with Arnav's hand draped over his shoulder—wasted, for sure. I wonder how many drinks he's had.
"Come on, man. Don't just stand there," Jay groans. I take his other hand and sling it over my shoulder, escorting him out of the club, roughly pushing him toward the back seat. Jay glares at me from the other side of the car.
"Do you expect me to drive? You're pushing your luck," I snap. I take my seat in the back and slam the door. He buckles up and floors it.
"What the fuck! Stop speeding—you'll get us killed!" I bark, shooting him a glassy look in the rearview mirror. He smirks and presses harder on the gas. Typical. Is this his way of getting back at me for not driving? Shithead.
Luckily, we make it home safe. I swear I will never ride with this fucker again—he'll kill me before I get the Grammy.
We head upstairs. Mom isn't in the living room; I guess she's with Mr. William. The butler appears, bowing his head slightly as he speaks.
"Boss, I'm sorry—Mr. Arnav's room hasn't been cleaned yet," the butler says.
I press a hand to my forehead.
"Don't worry, you can go," I reply, watching him head downstairs.
"Jay, he'll sleep in your room," I tell Jay.
Arnav, still completely drunk, lifts a finger and points straight at my door.
"I will sleep… in that room," he slurs.
"What? I'm not sharing a room with this jerk. Never." I yell, shoving him so he crashes to the floor.
"Stop being a jerk yourself. It's just for one night—it won't kill you," Jay barks.
Yeah, it won't kill me… but I can't promise he won't die in my hands tonight.
Jay pushes me against the wall and drops Arnav on my bed. Arnav sprawls across it, long legs hanging off the edge.
"Goodnight, bro," Jay mutters, glancing at him before walking out.
I inhale sharply, staring at the unconscious Arnav. I could get rid of him right now—easily. But no matter how much we hate each other, I can't kill him. He's my fucking brother.
I kick him off my bed, sending him thudding to the floor.
"If I can't kill you, at least I can do that," I hiss with a wicked grin.
I could strip him, take pictures, post them online with my fake account. That would be the perfect revenge for the trash he spat at Mom. But no—Mr. William would definitely find out I was behind it. And I'm not jeopardizing my concert.
Still… I can't wait to see his face tomorrow morning. The mighty Arnav William—father's golden boy—sleeping on the floor like trash.
I rake my fingers through my hair and groan as I flop onto my bed. The moment I close my eyes, the girl from the club flashes through my mind. This is new. I barely remember the girls I meet at events—or the ones I bring to my condo in Italy. I don't even know their names.
"Bullshit," I mutter. "I should sleep."