Elena was striking . It left no question that th e young man glowering at him was Elena’s twin brother.
Alex was not as tall as he and Wyatt were, but he had Wyatt’s broad shoulders, strong arms , and the poised stance of a Kung fu fighter . His coloring was radically different than Elena’s and Wyatt’s . H is dark blond hair streaked with sunlight hung to his shoulders in careless curls. His eyes were d ark brown and they were flashing with anger as he glared at Bai .
Bai saw Wyatt’s influence in both of the twins. Elena had a feminine version of Wyatt’s high cheekbones and strong chin . Alex had claimed the masculine version . Alex was handsome , almost pretty . T here was a softness , a hesitancy about him . He was missing the resilience that Bai had seen in Elena from the first time he met her . Alex looked sensitive, vulnerable , l ike he could be easily hurt .
Seeing the barely controlled anger on the young man’s flushed face , Bai exchanged a quizzical look with Wyatt.
At that moment , Elena approached . Bai reached out and pulled her to him. Elena’s eyes sparkled a s she pressed against him. He leaned down and kissed her lightly on her cheek . His voice was soft. “Ah, cherie , ma belle femme . ‘ Ta beauté q ue vous me couper le souffle vous me faites, me rend muet. ’ Your beauty leaves me breathless, speechless . ”
She gazed up at him , her eyes glowing. He met her eyes and his expression hardened , then quickly smoothed. In a husky voice h e whispered to her, “I will show you how I feel about all of them -- later,” he said with a slight nod to the crowd of men across the room that had faded back against the wall when Bai entered. Elena blushed and looked down.
Recovering her composure and with a defiant lift of her c hin, she put her arm around Bai’s waist and pressed her hip against his hard body , sparking a hot glow of lust in his eyes. He grinned at her sauciness . Easing his hand down the small of her back he gave her bottom a quick sharp pinch. She started and looked up at him blushing. A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth . Leaning down he whispered next to her ear ,
“Late r… cherie …later. ”
He pulled her closer to him . T ogether they moved to speak to each of the important guests who were pressing forward to greet him . After several minutes of polite conversation , Elena saw Alex and her face lit with pleasure.
“ Oh , Bai, quick , look who is here !” she gushed, excitedly grabbing Alex’s hand and pulling him forward to meet Bai. “Alex, darling, come here. You remember Bai?”
Bai nodded to the young man and bowed respectfully. He smiled and his voice was cordial , but he didn’t miss the hostility radiating from Alex, seeing what Elena didn’t see.
“ Enchante, m on plaisir , Alex. I haven’t seen you in – what has it been? Ten years? You are a grown man. I’m honored that you came back for the wedding. Your presence means everything to you r sister.”
He extended his hand , but Alex stepped back , his face tight with anger , and refused to shake his hand.
Elena looked startled . “ Alex , what’s wrong? ”
Bai s miled slightly and let his hand drop. Looking hard at Alex , he held his gaze until the young er man looked away.
Elena presse d forward and grabbed hold of Alex’s arm . She pulled him toward her. She whispered to him, “Alex, what is it ? Is something wrong? This is Bai.”
Alex removed her hands from his arm . G laring at Bai, he said in a strained voice, “I’m quite aware of who he is, Elena. Apparently more aware than you are.”
Wyatt and Lei both moved forward between the two men with a warning look at Alex. Wan stood quietly in the background.
Bai nodded to them all , acknowledging the tension in the group , then turned away to greet a group of business leaders who had come from New York .
~~~
Elena stared at Alex . “Alex, I don’t understand. What are you saying ...? ”
Lei took hold of
Alex was not as tall as he and Wyatt were, but he had Wyatt’s broad shoulders, strong arms , and the poised stance of a Kung fu fighter . His coloring was radically different than Elena’s and Wyatt’s . H is dark blond hair streaked with sunlight hung to his shoulders in careless curls. His eyes were d ark brown and they were flashing with anger as he glared at Bai .
Bai saw Wyatt’s influence in both of the twins. Elena had a feminine version of Wyatt’s high cheekbones and strong chin . Alex had claimed the masculine version . Alex was handsome , almost pretty . T here was a softness , a hesitancy about him . He was missing the resilience that Bai had seen in Elena from the first time he met her . Alex looked sensitive, vulnerable , l ike he could be easily hurt .
Seeing the barely controlled anger on the young man’s flushed face , Bai exchanged a quizzical look with Wyatt.
At that moment , Elena approached . Bai reached out and pulled her to him. Elena’s eyes sparkled a s she pressed against him. He leaned down and kissed her lightly on her cheek . His voice was soft. “Ah, cherie , ma belle femme . ‘ Ta beauté q ue vous me couper le souffle vous me faites, me rend muet. ’ Your beauty leaves me breathless, speechless . ”
She gazed up at him , her eyes glowing. He met her eyes and his expression hardened , then quickly smoothed. In a husky voice h e whispered to her, “I will show you how I feel about all of them -- later,” he said with a slight nod to the crowd of men across the room that had faded back against the wall when Bai entered. Elena blushed and looked down.
Recovering her composure and with a defiant lift of her c hin, she put her arm around Bai’s waist and pressed her hip against his hard body , sparking a hot glow of lust in his eyes. He grinned at her sauciness . Easing his hand down the small of her back he gave her bottom a quick sharp pinch. She started and looked up at him blushing. A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth . Leaning down he whispered next to her ear ,
“Late r… cherie …later. ”
He pulled her closer to him . T ogether they moved to speak to each of the important guests who were pressing forward to greet him . After several minutes of polite conversation , Elena saw Alex and her face lit with pleasure.
“ Oh , Bai, quick , look who is here !” she gushed, excitedly grabbing Alex’s hand and pulling him forward to meet Bai. “Alex, darling, come here. You remember Bai?”
Bai nodded to the young man and bowed respectfully. He smiled and his voice was cordial , but he didn’t miss the hostility radiating from Alex, seeing what Elena didn’t see.
“ Enchante, m on plaisir , Alex. I haven’t seen you in – what has it been? Ten years? You are a grown man. I’m honored that you came back for the wedding. Your presence means everything to you r sister.”
He extended his hand , but Alex stepped back , his face tight with anger , and refused to shake his hand.
Elena looked startled . “ Alex , what’s wrong? ”
Bai s miled slightly and let his hand drop. Looking hard at Alex , he held his gaze until the young er man looked away.
Elena presse d forward and grabbed hold of Alex’s arm . She pulled him toward her. She whispered to him, “Alex, what is it ? Is something wrong? This is Bai.”
Alex removed her hands from his arm . G laring at Bai, he said in a strained voice, “I’m quite aware of who he is, Elena. Apparently more aware than you are.”
Wyatt and Lei both moved forward between the two men with a warning look at Alex. Wan stood quietly in the background.
Bai nodded to them all , acknowledging the tension in the group , then turned away to greet a group of business leaders who had come from New York .
~~~
Elena stared at Alex . “Alex, I don’t understand. What are you saying ...? ”
Lei took hold of
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