Rule's Property (The House of Rule 2)

"Probably? What does that mean?"

"I need to find a job. If possible, I want to be in a place that's familiar to me. That's either Florida or Missouri."

"St. Louis," he narrowed it down emphatically.

She nodded her head, but negated that with, "Maybe."

With her answer, he pushed off the wall and began to head toward her. Her stomach clenched with hot anticipation. His footsteps stalled when he was less than two feet away and he seemed to shake himself. His features became strained as he held himself in suspended motion. "You promised me you'd come back to St. Louis."

"I know."

"You need to make good on that. Your promise was the only reason I let you leave in the first place."

At the look in his eyes, she felt like she had to settle something with him. "Nick," she began slowly, "You didn't let me leave. I wasn't yours to control." She studied him, noting the anger that slowly spread across his face at her words. She continued, trying to show a bit of independence, that truthfully, she couldn't care less about. "I want to go back to St. Louis. If I don't get a job here, then after graduation, I'll--"

He cut her off when he stepped into her personal space with a glare. "Not mine?" She backed up a step and he followed her until she bumped into the back of the sofa. He didn't touch her but the threat was there. When she came to a halt, he repeated incredulously, "Not mine?" and reached down and fingered the necklace that she always wore. Her heart beat loudly in her ears as he gripped the charm that dangled from it. His eyes narrowed and he asked for the third time with a ferocity that couldn't be ignored, "Not mine?"

The oxygen stuck in her throat and she shook her head, as she remained trapped by his gaze.

He tilted his head as if in sarcastic thought. "If you don't belong to me, who the hell do you think you belong to?" he asked in a far-too soft voice that didn't reflect any gentleness at all.

When she remained mute, he continued, "I don't see anybody else taking care of you. I don't see anybody else flying halfway across the country to make sure you're all right and that there's no mother-fucker trying to take advantage of you." He sucked in oxygen and continued, "And who, exactly, do you think pays your bills?"

She swallowed and leaned away from him, feeling the pull from the chain around her throat, but he didn't let go. She glanced down at the tendons corded in his neck and then back up to the fire in his eyes as he continued, "Who do you think paid for these useless little pajamas you're wearing? Who do you think pays for all your clothes, the food you eat, the allowance you get?" His eyes held hers with ruthless intent. "Who do you think paid for that pretty little car you drive?"

Guilt running through her from all the things his family had supplied over the years, she licked her lips and whispered, "The corporation."

He began shaking his head as if she had it all wrong and a new agitation took hold of her senses. "Not the corporation?" she asked quietly.

"Nope. Not the corporation." His eyes blistered into hers. "Me. Just me."

"Wh--why?" she stuttered. "I don't understand."

"Nothing to understand, sweetheart." He lifted his free hand and took a lock of her hair and began twisting it between his fingers. "Damian assumed responsibility for Erin. You came next and I got you."

"Got me?" she squeaked as his fingers continued to twist in her hair.

"Figure of speech," he replied slowly as his hand spread through her scalp. "I took responsibility for your upkeep."

Courtney began to hear a fine buzzing in her head. "Justine--"

He cut her off. "Doesn't have any money of her own. Doesn't own the company. Our father was a good man, but he died mired in debt. What you see, we built from scratch, the three of us. Any money our mother has comes from us."

Her heartbeat stalled before picking up again, running way too fast, at the new insight.

Still holding the charm with one hand, he released her hair and ran a single finger down her cheekbone in a gentle, yet possessive caress. "Now you want to argue with me about who you belong to?"

She remained completely still and concentrated on taking one breath at a time.

"But it's not really about the money, is it?" Annoyance shadowed his face and then turned into lines of implacability. "Here's what's going to happen. You're going to finish school and come home to St. Louis, exactly as you promised. When you get there, we'll figure out what to do. But you owe me that much, Courtney, understand?"

She hesitated a moment before answering, conflicting emotions frustrating her.