Craving The Wrong Twin

Chapter Two

NORA

Is it possible for someone to die of shock? Because that's what I think might happen to me any moment from now.

Nathan smiles at me, the same dangerous smile he gave me last night.

Aside from the fact that his hair is messier and his eyes are darker, he looks exactly like Duncan. Yet the energy they give out are two different things.

The more I stare at him, the more I come to terms with the horrible reality. The man I slept with last night is my husband's twin brother.

Can a girl's life get any worse?

A hand around my waist startles me. I turn to see Duncan staring at me with a smile. He is dressed as usual in a shirt and well pressed trousers. His hair is neatly styled and his eyes are clear green.

How the f**k did I miss all these details last night?

He pulls me closer to him and kisses my forehead. “I see you have met the prodigal son of our family."

His voice carries a tinge of mockery. However, Nathan doesn't seem to give a f**k. He takes a seat opposite his mother and tilts his head, studying me like I'm his newest project.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, princess.” His tone is harmless, but I can see the smirk he's trying to hide.

I turn to Duncan. " How come you never mentioned to me that you have a brother?”

He smiles and shrugs. " I'm sorry, sweetheart. The thing is, Nathan has been away for so long that we practically lost contact.”

Sara stands up and smiles. " Let's go have breakfast. We can continue this conversation inside.”

I turn around and head inside, Duncan by my side. As we make our way to the dining table, I can feel Nathan's eyes boring holes in my back, but I don't dare turn around.

Mike, my father-in-law is already seated at the head of the table when we get there. Lila has the breakfast table set and is presently dishing up for Mike.

Duncan and I take our seats and Nathan takes the empty chair to my left, trapping me between both brothers.

“Lila, I heard your exams are coming up soon," Sara asks. Lila nods as she takes her own seat.

My baby sister is always well put together and hard to read. But never to me. She paid an unexpected visit yesterday with the excuse that she missed me. But I know there's something more.

“So," Mike begins. “Why did you decide to come back after all these years, Nathan?"

He shrugs. “My therapist died. I was referred to a new one in this city."

"My wife is also a therapist,” Duncan says, pride dripping from his voice.

Nathan raises a brow. "Is that so? Do you by any chance have an idea which therapist received a transfer patient?"

I shake my head and focus on my meal. I have a feeling that staying under the same roof with Nathan is going to be hard.

~~~

“What do you think about Nathan?" Lila asks, as she buckles her seatbelt.

I start the engine and pull out of the driveway and into the streets. “I don't think anything about Nathan."

“Oh come on," she whines. “He's certainly hotter than Duncan. I bet he's rougher too." She bites her lower lip dreamily.

“You're nineteen, Lila. I think you should focus on your studies rather than daydream about a man who is ten years older than you."

She makes a face before pulling out a pocket mirror and applying her lipgloss. “I'm not daydreaming about Nathan. I'm just saying he looks better than Duncan."

I let out a sigh. “Do you want me taking you to school? If you do, you will not talk about Nathan anymore."

She gives me a suspicious look. Out of everyone, she knows me beat. She knows when I'm hiding something and the look she is giving me tells me she knows there's something I'm not telling her.

" Anything you would love to tell me?”

" Just shut up and let me take you to school,” I snap. She shrugs and focuses her attention on her phone. “How's mother?"

Lila scoffs and stares out the window. “Other than doing drugs?” she lets out a bitter laugh. “You know how she gets when she’s high; loud, paranoid, and mean as hell. She and Liam got into another fight the night before I got here.”

I grip the steering wheel tighter. “What happened this time?”

“The usual,” she says, rolling her eyes. “He came home late, and she accused him of stealing her money again. He tried to tell her it wasn’t him, but you know Mom..She listens to no one when she’s like that. She threw a glass at him. Missed, thankfully.”

My chest tightens. “Oh, God.”

Lila turns toward me, her voice suddenly small. “He left, Nora. Packed a bag and said he wasn’t coming back. He’s been staying with a friend, but he didn’t tell me where.”

I slam on the brakes a little harder than I should at the red light. “He what?”

“He left,” she repeats, her tone flat. “And honestly? I don’t blame him. You should’ve seen Mom, she was out of her mind. Screaming that he ruined her life. Liam just… snapped.”

I pull into the street where her school is located, my mind not really on the road.

Liam. My baby brother. The last time I saw him, he hugged me goodbye and said he’d try to make me proud.

Now he’s gone.

I press my lips together and slowly drive forward. “Why didn’t you call me when it happened?”

Lila sighs. “Because you already have too much going on. Between Duncan’s family and your practice, I didn’t want to add more to your plate.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “That’s not your decision to make, Lila. He’s my brother too.”

“Yeah, well, maybe if you were around more…” She stops, biting her lip. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

The car falls silent except for the hum of the engine. I can’t even bring myself to argue. She’s right. I’ve been so wrapped up in trying to be the perfect wife, the perfect therapist, the perfect everything that I’ve ignored the cracks forming back home.

When we reach her school, she unbuckles her seatbelt and turns to me again. “Nora?”

“Yeah?”

She hesitates, her eyes softening. “We love you, Liam and I. ”

She leans over, kisses my cheek, and gets out of the car.

As I watch her walk toward the school gates, I feel a pang of guilt. I'll have to make things better for them.