I stared out the window, ignoring the conversations around me. Introspection was key and I decided Carter’s words weren’t encouragement but advice. I could continue to be second-best, or I could decide I deserved better in all aspects of my life. And I did decide it was high time for me to put myself first, starting now.
When the van came to a stop, I ignored Grant’s hand to help me out. Though it was a nice gesture, touching him was a weakness I couldn’t indulge.
“Thanks,” I said in passing to soften the blow of my rebuke.
Then I walked briskly to the elevator, looking forward to taking off the confining uniform and watching a movie and falling asleep.
What I didn’t expect was a hand to stop the elevator doors from closing and Grant to step through when they opened again.
Tongue in cheek, I braced myself for him to say something, anything. Yet, he said nothing. Though I felt his burning gaze on me, I continued to look forward.
It wasn’t until the door opened on my floor, did he say, “We need to talk.”
That was when I noticed he hadn’t chosen a floor. It wasn’t inconceivable that his room was on the same floor, but the odds were against it. This hotel was one of the tallest buildings in the city.
“There’s nothing to say.” I exited with that remark, but I was dismayed when he appeared to follow me.
“There are some things we need to clear up.”
“Why? You don’t even like me. I heard your comment to your dad about me.”
He froze. “I didn’t mean it that way.”
I held my phone to the door and the lock disengaged. I spun around in the process of opening the door.
“I think I’m perfectly clear on your exact phasing— You think I’m interested in her? You don’t have to worry about that.”
It surprised me that I remembered it as if he’d said it ten minutes ago.
“You don’t understand,” he said, but I wasn’t hearing it.
“What I understand is that you have a girlfriend you really should be with. Sophia isn’t one to take kindly to being ignored. I’m surprised you didn’t ride with her to the hotel.”
With that, I took my leave, stomping through the short hall that opened to the main room and tossing my uniform jacket onto the bed. I yanked at the scarf around my neck so I could undo the top button of my shirt. I needed to breathe.
“First, she’s not my girlfriend and she doesn’t rule my movements.”
Too late I realized I should have slammed the door in his face. I turned to face him, feeling like I would blow my stack at any minute.
“Funny, I couldn’t tell for the great impression of cling wrap she did.”
“More like static cling,” he muttered, or so I thought.
“Whatever you want to call it.”
“Jealous?”
I wanted to slap the smirk off his face.
“Of what? That you’re like every other man out there?” I said.
His chuckle was chock-full of everything not resembling humor. “I could say the same, Highness. Here I thought you belonged to the man that paid for your charter to New York. But what I saw with that passenger, you’ll take the highest bidder.”
My jaw didn’t just drop, I marched forward and did what I’d wanted to do. I slapped him, and hard.
“I can’t be bought, asshole,” I said.
He caught my hand before I could pull it back. He tugged and I was thrust against him.
“Good, that’s all I needed to hear.”
His mouth crashed down on mine and I was powerless not to melt, taken off guard as I had been.
My senses came back online when we heard a knock at the door.EighteenGrantWay too soon, she slipped out of my arms and I was left cold yet burning with rage for whoever had interrupted us.
I was on the verge of telling her to ignore it, but she was already swinging the door open.
When I saw who it was, I wondered if the girl had a tracker on me.
“Sophia,” Jolene said.
The woman in question didn’t notice me until she pushed her way past Jolene.
“Grant,” Sophia said, looking at me before turning to glare at Jolene who moved to stand next to me. “What are you doing here?”
There was no mistaking the sneer as her rage-filled stare landed back on me.
Jolene crossed her arms. “The real question is, what do you want?”
Damn, I shouldn’t find Jolene’s stubborn and snarky remarks sexy as hell, but I did.
“I wanted to talk to my sister,” Sophia said, blowing my fucking mind.
Sister?
“Sister,” Jolene echoed as if she stole the word from my head. “Convenient really for you to acknowledge our blood relation for the first time ever.”
Sophia mimicked Jo and crossed her arms over her chest. “And I shouldn’t. Because you, Jo,” she sneered, “can’t let me have anything. First, you steal Nana and now you’re taking my boyfriend.”