The Billionaire Takes All (The Sinclairs #5)
J.S. Scott
PROLOGUE
A Few Years Ago . . .
“Dude, you’re being a dick.”
Julian Sinclair flipped off his younger brother, Xander, for his negative comment. “Unlike you, I don’t have the luxury of going to see Mom and Dad right now. I’m trying to build a goddamn career!”
Was it so wrong for Julian to want his parents to be proud of their middle son? If that was going to happen, he needed to stay in Los Angeles and work. Julian’s brother Micah already had a successful corporation that he’d built himself. As the eldest, Micah had made his own mark in the world, even though he’d already inherited a billionaire status from their father’s wealth, just as all three of them had when their dad had retired.
Xander, the youngest, was already a music superstar.
All Julian wanted was a chance to prove himself without revealing that he was one of the billionaire Sinclair clan. He’d been busting his ass in Hollywood for years, living the life of a struggling actor to keep himself motivated.
“It’s their anniversary, man,” Xander answered reasonably. “And you haven’t seen them since . . . when? Your college graduation? Five or six years ago? You told them you’d be at the party.”
It had been a long time. And yes, he had told his parents that he’d come to their anniversary celebration, but that was months ago. Before he’d gotten the starring role in a movie that meant everything to him. “I’ll call them. I always do.”
Xander scowled at his older brother from his straddled position on a rickety dining-room chair in Julian’s sparsely furnished apartment. “They miss you. Micah can’t make it, either, but he just visited them for a week before he left for business. You can catch a ride with me. I’m flying there tomorrow. It’s just a couple of days.”
“I’m not fucking going,” Julian answered angrily, glaring at Xander as he tossed his movie script on the old table. He obviously wasn’t going to be able to work on it until he got rid of his pesky younger brother.
This movie could be pivotal to his career. The last thing he needed was to be away for a couple of days.
Once he’d made it in the film industry, Julian would make it up to his mom and dad, visit them every month. He missed them, too. “I want to be somebody when I see them again,” Julian told Xander as he leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his unruly hair in frustration.
“You don’t get it,” Xander answered sadly. “You are somebody. You’re their son. They’ll love you the same way whether you’re mega-successful or not. It’s what parents do. Dad admires the fact that you aren’t using your money to buy success. He and Mom are both proud of you. All they want is to see you in person.”
“I’m busy,” Julian snapped. “It can wait. This film I’m taking on right now is special to me. Really special. And I finally got a starring role. This could be my big break.” The screenplay was important to him for another reason that he hadn’t yet revealed to any of his family. And he wouldn’t. Not unless he could make the film successful.
Xander had been discovered almost immediately once he’d started his music career. Julian didn’t believe for a moment that it was only because his brother was a Sinclair. Xander was talented. Always had been. But the fact that their family was one of the richest in the world certainly didn’t hurt to open doors and find connections. Stubbornly, Julian refused to use the Sinclair name to try to launch any opportunities for himself.
He’d been damn lucky to get his current break, and he didn’t want to fuck it up.
“Mom and Dad aren’t getting any younger, bro. How long do you think you have?” Xander answered. “They’re both in good health and pretty damn active. But they won’t be around forever.”
“Dad is still playing tennis and golfing like a pro, and Mom can work circles around other women her age and younger. They aren’t going anywhere. I can wait until this movie is done,” Julian insisted.
He was starting to get angry at his little brother for trying to guilt him into going to their parents’ place with him tomorrow.
Considering that he was a music superstar, Xander looked pretty relaxed in a pair of black boots, jeans, and a black T-shirt underneath his dark leather jacket. He never seemed stressed over concerts, touring schedules, recording, or the rest of his busy life. And Xander always . . . always put family first. Fame hadn’t seemed to change Julian’s younger brother much at all.