When Rivals Lose (Bayshore Rivals 2)

“You can’t do this,” I growl, when the men get into the car a moment after depositing me inside.

Ignoring my comment completely, Bert turns to me. “Please buckle up, Miss.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I shake my head.

“No, you can’t make me.” Both men shrug as if they don’t care, and then they speed off. With their attention on the road, I search my pockets hoping to find my phone.

Shit! It’s in my backpack.

Ugh, I could kick myself for being so stupid. I never should have gotten up and walked out of that classroom. I should have just kept my ass glued to my chair, refusing to go anywhere, what’s the worst they could’ve done? Sinking deeper into the leather seat all I can hope is that someone saw me leave and maybe, just maybe told one of the guys what happened. Angrily, I stare out the window, and as soon as they turn right onto the highway heading North, I know they’re taking me back to my parents’ house… back to North Woods.

“What kind of emergency is this?”

“Your father told us that it was important that we not inform you of the matter. Instead, he will share the details with you when you arrive at the house.”

I want to scream, to punch the seat. Do anything but sit in this godforsaken seat like a child and wait for my father to inform me as to why he had his bodyguards pull me out of class.

“Can I at least have my backpack?”

“I put it in the trunk. I will return it to you once we are back at the estate.”

Of course, he will.

I spend the rest of the drive moping, letting the anger simmer just underneath the surface, and thinking about all the things I’m going to say… no, scream at my father, once I’m in his presence.

We pull up the long winding driveway of my family’s estate, and my fury just intensifies. We park right in front of the house, just as the door opens and my parents appear on the front steps. My goons get out quickly opening the door for me so I can get out as well.

“Lloyd, Milton, thank you for getting her here,” my father greets the two men who dragged me here. Lloyd and Milton must be their real names, well, I like Ernie and Bert better… fits these two puppets. Pushing that unimportant thought away, I get ready to release my anger.

Waltzing up to the front door like I’m on a mission, I start yelling, “What the hell is this? Why are you having me kidnapped from school?”

“Harlow, calm down, and don’t be ridiculous. We didn’t have you kidnapped. We simply had you picked up from school.” My mother’s dismissive tone has my blood boiling.

“Picked up? Is that what you call dragging me across a parking lot, shoving me in a car against my will, and refusing to let me have my stuff? Because, to me, that is kidnapping!”

“Don’t be so dramatic, those Bishop boys were the ones who kidnapped you and held you hostage for three days,” my dad snaps. He might be right on the initial kidnapping part but, of course, I won’t admit to that.

“They didn’t hold me against my will, I stayed with them because I wanted to.” At my words, my mom sucks in a loud dramatic breath and holds her hand to her chest, as if she just had a mild heart attack.

My dad’s face turns slightly red, and there is a vein popping out on his forehead, but besides that, he is keeping a composed expression. “Let’s go in and talk,” he grits. I take the cue and stomp past my parents and inside the house.

They follow me into the living room, where we all sit down on the couch.

“You will not be returning to Bayshore, and you will not see those Bishop boys again,” my father’s voice is eerily calm. “You will stay here, you will be a part of this family, and you will marry Matt next week.”

For what seems like minutes, we all sit there in silence, then I start laughing, really laughing.

I throw my head back and hug myself, I laugh so hard my belly hurts. It takes a minute for me to compose myself enough to answer my parents, who are just sitting on the couch stoically not getting the joke.

“And why would I do any of that? I’m an adult, you can’t boss me around. Or force me to marry someone of your choosing.”

“Of course, it is your choice to make, Harlow, but there will be consequences to your actions. If you refuse to marry Matt, something might happen to Sullivan… or maybe Banks this time.” I let my father’s threat hang in the air for a moment before I respond.