Chapter 18

They were discussing possible ideas for upgrades to the ranch over breakfast.

“You said the ranch hasn’t had any live in workers for a while, correct?” Tristan asked the guys.

“Not since we first took over. So quite a long time.”

“So it is correct to assume the workers quarters haven’t been upkept?”

“We check it once in a while to check everything is fine. No, no one has lived there for many years.”

“I… If we are going to travel…” Victoria began to say and Theo nodded in understanding.

“It should be the first thing we do.”

“Yes,” Kraven agreed. “I’ll message Jock, his brother is an electrician,” Kraven told him taking his phone from the side.

“Get the place checked over and-” Before he could finish his sentence a loud knock sounded at the front door.

Both he and Theo looked annoyed.

“I’ll go. You all keep eating,” Theo said standing up. But paused. “It wouldn’t be your… Our parents, would it?” He asked his brother.

He shook his head. “No. They do want to spend time with you but they wouldn’t turn up unannounced… Again,” He added with a smile.

“If anything they’d call me. But I haven’t anything.” Other than messages from his sister which he normally doesn’t open because they are never anything he cares to read.

Walking to the door he could see the outline of a woman through the frosted glass. He groaned and swore under his breath thinking it was likely Summer. It wouldn’t be the first or last time. She had probably heard rumours of his twin and wanted to try her luck with him.

Bracing himself he opened the door not caring he was only in jeans, the first he grabbed when leaving the bedroom to follow Victoria. The other guys were dressed similarly.

He was surprised to see Gigi.

“Hello. I-” Not giving her a chance he turned his head and called, “Tris, your sister is here!” He called.

“I’m your sister too,” She said clearly hurt.

“By blood only,” He said coldly.

“What does she want?”

“I need to speak with him.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “You can speak to him. But say or even look at Victoria or Kraven the wrong way and you’ll regret it, blood or not!” He warned her in a low threatening tone.

He didn’t like her and he had no intention or pretending to. Especially after how she threatened his choose family.

She silently nodded but was clearly upset by his words.

Stepping aside she looked at him sadly, almost as though she was expecting him to take it back. But when he didn’t she sighed sadly and moved to walk ahead. It was only then a second person moved into view, a woman he recognised from a photo Victoria had shown him a couple of days earlier.

Before either woman could enter the house he put his arm out in front of them. The new woman openly looked him over, eating him with her eyes.

“Please, she needs to speak to him,” Gigi begged him. He was certain she wasn’t used to being told no.

“Tris, your dog is here too.” He heard a gasp from the women and had to force himself to kept a straight face.

A groan from the direction of the kitchen.

“Elle veut vous parler,” Gigi called to her brother.

“I don’t…” He began to say but a moment of hushed conversation and he spoke again. “Fine. Let’s finish this for good.”

Theo gave them a warning look before letting them through.

**

Tristan kissed the corner of Victoria’s mouth and reassured her none of them were leaving with the women, knowing how worried she had been the past couple of days. Sending Kraven a look to make sure he knew the same.

The larger man sent him a smile and nod of acknowledgement. “I’ll grab you another drink, little one,” Kraven told her before leaning across the table to steal a kiss from them both.

Never in his life had he pictured himself romantically involved with another man. But that all changed the moment he met Kraven.

He couldn’t lie, he wanted him and Victoria both and he was more than happy to share with the brother he had longed for so many years.

Meeting his brother, so many things fell into place and it felt like a whole new world to him.

Tristan was unable to control his smile. He hadn’t been this happy in his whole life.

But then the devil herself had to enter the kitchen and his good mood vanished with his smile.

“Tristan,” Gigi greeted her brother. She began to speak French but he stopped her.

“No. Speak English. I have no secrets and want everyone to understand,” He said whilst hugging Victoria on his lap. His brother joined him at the table, taking the seat next to him.

“But…” She tried to argue but he ignored her and Theo sent her a warning look.

Claudine, on the other hand, seemed to have forgotten the reason she was there and was openly devouring Kraven with her eyes as he returned to the table.

Her eyes racking over his bare chest.

Handing the glass to Victoria, he ignored the other women in the room. He had no time for them and Tristan’s ex bed-mate repulsed him.

She was everything about women he hated.

“Claudine is here to discuss your impending wedding,” Gigi said finally giving in. The not so innocent smile returned now on her face.

Tristan turned to his sister with a bored expression. “You know as well as me that is never happening.”

“Nonsense,” Claudine spoke for the first time. Her attention now on him and glaring at the woman in his lap. “We have been dating for years now. You-“

He cut her off. “No. We have been having sex around two years and then that was only a dozen times. And that was only when my other partners were busy.” it was cruel but he had never check it a secret. She just chose to ignore it.

“Lies to make me jealous. It won’t work,” She said confidently.

“Abbie Micheals.” A neighbour of theirs and an avid rider.

“She’s a party girl and has slept with everyone at some point,” Gigi argues.

“Lili Rose.” His childhood friend and recent divorcee.

“Ha, as if. She’d say anything to please you.”

He couldn’t argue with the last part, it was true.

“Alright… Louise and Zara Vincent,” A bisexual married older couple and his mother’s friends.

“They are lesbians.”

“Bi. They like cock every now and then and as your friend Kalini can confirm, mine is the best,” He said smugly. Happy at their reactions.

Theo, Kraven and Victoria listened silently. Neither surprised at his words. He had made sure to tell them everything, not to surprise them when they visited his home.

“She knows how much Claudine loves you. She wouldn’t,” Gigi argued.

“Then how do I know about her pierced labia?”

“That’s not true,” Claudine said smugly with a laugh and looked to Gigi for confirmation. Only she wasn’t smiling.

“Ask her or Kalini. It isn’t a secret.”

“Y-“

He stopped her. “No. You have only been allow in this house for one reason. And that is for me to make things clear for everyone. We are nothing. The only connection we have now is my sister. We had sex in the past. But that finished several weeks ago as I told you then. I have no interest in you in any way what so ever. No marriage, dating, nothing.”

He paused a moment to gage her reaction. But her smile didn’t disappear.

“The wedding is arranged for the day after Gigi’s. That way everyone will already be in town.” Gigi didn’t look too pleased at this. She clearly hadn’t told her the date. But her smile quickly returned. All be it a fake one.

“No. We won’t,” He said now bored.

“Of course you will. You want our child to have a father,” She placed her hand in her bag and held out a ultrasound of a tiny foetus.

“You can’t be,” Gigi said no longer smiling, not even trying to hide her shock.

“I am. It was confirmed last week. So you see, you’ll have to marry me,” She sounded insane.

It was as though Gigi was seeing her friend for the first time. Disgust filled her face.

Victoria tried to move but he kept his arms around her.

“Congratulations. But I can assure you the child isn’t mine,” He said confidently.

She was just as confident. “Of course it is. I have only been with you.”

“It is clearly a lie since you are pregnant,” He told her. “As both my sister and personal physician can confirm, I had a vasectomy in my early twenties after another fling tried the same thing. Thankfully a DNA test proved otherwise,” He told her with a smile.

She looked to her friend who was wearing a look of disgust.

“It clearly failed,” She tried to argue.

He grinned and shook his head. “Nope, I had a test only a month before. Still clear.”

“But…” She appeared as shocked as her friend was. For whatever reason she clearly believed her story.

“I’ll happily take a DNA test but the child isn’t mine and I won’t be marrying you. So I suggest you find the real father and marry him.”

She tried to argue but like a switch was flipped Gigi began screaming at her in French and dove at her. If it wasn’t for Theo’s quick reflexes Claudine would have been on the floor.

He didn’t like the woman but that being said he didn’t agree with hurting a pregnant woman.

“If you want to keep your teeth I suggest you leave,” Tristan said not moving. “Returned to France because I can’t confirm your safety here.”

Terrified, she fled the house without a word.

And the moment she was gone Theo released Gigi and the woman broke down crying.

**

Victoria couldn’t bare to see someone cry.

Climbing off Tristan’s lap, she surprised them all by walking over and hugging the woman.

Gigi didn’t hesitate to return the hug.

“I am sorry. I was so awful to everyone.”

“Claudine is very manipulative. As you have been told many times. She using others for her personal gain and you are no different.”

She sobbed but nodded. “I knew, but… But I thought I was different. I never thought…”

She looked to her brother. “Let me and Victoria speak alone.”

“Ha. No,” Kraven said before the rest could speak.

“Please? I will not do anything. I know I’ve done nothing to earn your trust. But I promise, I will not do anything to hurt her,” She begged.

They were about to say no when Victoria shook her head. They are all reluctant but agree. “We need to get changed but we won’t be long,” Theo warned her. “Same warning as earlier applies.”

**

The thee men return only a short while to find the two women sat at the table with Gigi happily speaking at Victoria excited. Seemingly making plans with her for the wedding.

“Everything alright, baby?” Theo asked walking over to her and kissing her forehead.

She gave him a small smile and nodded but clearly needed a moment alone.

“Vicky needs to go get dressed now,” He began to say and Gigi stood up.

“That’s fine. I need to make a few calls anyway. We can speak more afterwards,” She said quickly leaving the kitchen.

“Are you really alright? She hasn’t been a cow?”

She giggled and shook her head. “S..she was nice. But she wants me to be a bridesmaid in her friends place.”

“Don’t worry, Ma Chérie,” Tristan pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I will have a word with her.”

Standing up, she kissed them all before leaving the room for them to tidy.

**

A quick shower and change and Victoria was back in time for Gigi to finish on the phone. The French woman returned to the kitchen all smiles, almost skipping.

“I have informed everyone about Claudine and had her removed from my guest list and anything related,” She spoke quickly. “Everyone will be here shortly to arrange everything.”

“Everyone, being?” Tristan asked already having an idea. But hoping he was wrong.

The others stared at her accusingly.

“Our parents, Devon and his family.”

---