Rule's Property (The House of Rule 2)

"I was too young to care . . . I was still in school myself. Besides, Garrett's a guy. Not the same thing."

As Courtney leaned against the wall, she actually heard Damian's sigh before he spoke. "So this is because she's a girl? It's a double standard?"

"Fuck, yes, it's a double standard."

"How are you going to explain that to her?" Damian demanded to know. "Because I'm sure as shit not going to tell her she can't go."

"I'm not explaining crap," Nick spit out. "I'm telling you that we're not paying for her tuition, not if she wants to go all the way to Florida. Not happening, end of fucking conversation."

There was a long moment of silence before Damian responded, "You're being unreasonable and I'm going to pretend that statement didn't just come from your mouth. The girl has been nothing but miserable for the past three years. You know it's true, it's plain for anyone to see." There was more silence while Courtney held her breath and waited before Damian continued, "This isn't a normal situation, Nick. Courtney wants to go back to Florida to be with her friends. Why in the hell wouldn't you want to give her a chance for happiness? She's a sweet girl, she deserves better in life than what she's been dealt."

"That's right, Damian," Nick hissed. "You think about it. She is a sweet girl."

The flow of words stopped and Courtney heard nothing for a moment.

"What are you doing?" Damian asked.

"I'm doing a search. University of Florida, right? That's the one? In Gainesville?"

"Yeah," Damian bit back.

It took several seconds and Courtney realized that Nick was looking the school up on the Internet. When he next spoke, he sounded even angrier than before. "No fucking way."

"What?" Damian asked resignedly.

"Goddamn fifty-thousand students. Fifty-thousand," Nick reiterated with heat. "You want to tell me how Courtney is going to fit in with so many people when she's used to nothing but a tiny community college and before that, private, all-girls schools?

"Nick. Let's fix a drink and sit down and talk about this more rationally."

"There's nothing to talk about and I don't want a fucking drink."

"What do you want, exactly?" Damian asked. "Mother's not going to believe we don't have enough money for the tuition. It's a trivial amount for us and mom knows it. What are you going to say to her?"

"I'm going to tell her the same damn thing that I'm saying to you. Courtney isn't ready for a school of that size. She's not ready to live that far from home--"

"Goddamnit, Nick. Florida is her home. You can act like she's your little sister all you want but that still doesn't give you the right--"

"She's not my fucking sister." The sudden venom in Nick's voice made Courtney reel back. She continued to listen in frozen shock as he continued, "She's an innocent girl and you don't seem to have a problem with throwing her into the deep-end. All I'm trying to do is protect her."

There was a sudden silence and in her imagination, Courtney saw the two men standing off and staring at each other.

"I need a drink," Damian said, a few seconds before Courtney heard footsteps. Quickly, she stood to her full height, away from the wall, bracing herself, her heart hammering in her chest. The study door was pushed open and Damian's steps faltered when he saw her loitering in the hallway. He walked up to her and looked her over, his face set in lines of tension. "You heard?"

She nodded her head while she tried to get her vocal chords to function. "Some of it," she finally answered.

Damian gave her a look of commiseration. "Don't worry about Nick. I'll get him to agree eventually," he reassured. "We've got you covered on your expenses, okay?"

She shifted uncomfortably but tried to smile. "Thanks. I'll pay you back," she answered earnestly.

Damian gave her a penetrating look and then a half-smile. "No, you won't and don't even think about it. We look after our own and you're one of us now." Courtney felt a warm glow even as she realized that those were the most words that Damian had ever spoken to her at one time. He shook his head as if to clear it and said, "I'm going to leave him to stew a bit while I fix a drink. You want something?"

"No, thanks. I think I'm going to try to calm him down." She motioned toward the study with a tilt of her head.

Damian looked taken aback. "Be careful. He's not happy about this. I don't know why he thinks your future is his prerogative to decide, but by all evidence, he does."

Courtney gave him a shaky smile. "Thanks for the warning."

Damian walked away and taking a deep breath, Courtney went into the study and closed the door behind her. She leaned against it and waited for Nick to notice her.