The Billionaire Brothers Love the Curvy Girl

Chapter Three- Hiding the Scars

Caiden's POV

I jump, startled, when my heavy mahogany office door is flung open loudly. I look up to find a pissed off Brandon looming over me. I'm curious as to what's made him this way then I realize he must have noticed that Jane isn't here yet. Before I can tell him that she called to tell me that she was going to be a little late for work and apologized profusely for her lack of punctuality he starts on a rampage that I know will last for at least thirty minutes so I sit back and let him release all of his worried thoughts about Jane. Hoping that she's okay and that she didn't believe that girl at the restaurant last night. He goes on and on and on until finally I can't let him go through the torture anymore. He seems to have grown quite fond of Jane over the past week or so.

"Brandon, calm down. She called about an hour ago to tell me that she overslept and that she would be here as soon as humanly possible during the busy morning rush traffic."

He visibly relaxes. The worry lines that appeared on his forehead disappear and he stops rambling. It's so strange how quickly we've all become attached to Jane. How quickly we all knew we wanted her. And what we want we get. It's just a matter of when and how. I was freaking out before Jane called me and told me she was on her way. I thought something had happened and that I would never get to see her again, that my brothers and I would never get to tell her how we feel about her.

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Jane's POV

I bustle around my room wincing at every step I take. There are welts all over my body from my beating and my head feels like it's being hit repeatedly with a hammer. I planned to wake up earlier than usual so I would have time to slowly get ready so as not to irritate the welts all over my body and my bruised ribs, but my alarm wasn't loud enough. Once I'm done with everything in my bedroom I open the door slowly so as not to disturb my, probably hungover, father. I quietly tiptoe down the hallway and out the back door, then walk to the subway station and hurry to the train that's about to leave.

I sigh when I finally get to sit down and relax my aching body. I can't wait to get to work and sit in my comfy desk chair that will be nice and soft on my bruised and aching bottom. I hope my bosses don't notice me limping and walking slower than usual and I hope I don't get hot enough to remove my jacket, the only thing that covers the whip marks on my arms. Once I get off the train, I go as fast as my legs can carry me to the most prestigious office building in New York, my workplace. 

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Brandon's POV

Jane arrives soon after my discussion with Caiden much to my relief. I'm happy to see her, but somehow something seems off about her. Her smile is still there, but it no longer holds all of its usual cheeriness. She's sad and I can't help but wonder why. She also appears to be in pain when I call her into my office and she sits on the hard plastic, uncomfortable chairs in front of my desk. I'm really confused by that. Is she scared of me?

"Jane, are you alright?"

"Yes, sir. I'm perfectly and completely fine. I'm so sorry I was late. It won't happen again," she apologizes profusely.

"That's fine, Jane. Young ladies like you need a lot of sleep," I say in a soothing tone trying to convince her that it's alright that she was late.

"I feel really bad about it, because I had something to discuss with you and your brothers today and it would be weird if I asked it now considering the fact that I was late," she says, a flush creeping into her cheeks.

"Would you like me to call a meeting with my brothers? It's a pretty slow day today, so we have time to discuss whatever it is that is troubling you," I say gently touching her hand that she's pressed on my desk when she leaned closer to me, embarrassed. She yanks her hand back like she's shocked and I'm startled. She's normally so polite, but today she's skittish. As she pulls her hand back, her sleeve pulls up and I see a red welt running up from her wrist and disappearing into the cuff of her jacket.