Rule's Addiction (The House of Rule 3)

Christ, he was making her antsy. How soon could she get rid of him? “Yes, and a mother and younger sister whom they love very much, as well.”

He seemed to freeze where he stood. “A younger sister?”

The question that should have been innocuous somehow sounded threatening, coming from him. Damn, she should have told Beth five minutes, instead of ten. Taking a deep breath, she stood to her feet, preparing to usher him out. “Thank you so much for your kind offer—”

Her words were cut off when he reached out and took her hand. “I assure you that I’d pay you quite well—I think you should hear me out.” As he smiled down at her, Maria heard a sound at the door, but he continued, “I’d really love to take you to the Keys with me.”

Silently thanking God that Beth hadn’t listened to her and had interrupted early, Maria relaxed slightly, about to turn him down once again, rising from her chair to dismiss her unwanted visitor.

She never got the chance.

In two seconds flat, a masculine, brawny arm wrapped around her from behind, pulling her away from Villareal. Maria recognized the touch and scent instantly, even though she hadn’t seen his face. Garrett yanked her back and placed her behind him and confronted Max. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

From her position, Maria recognized the look of malice on the man’s face as Garrett confronted him. His spine seemed to stiffen and his muscles tensed. Shit. These two definitely weren’t friends. “Putting a proposal to Miss Alvarez,” Villareal enunciated clearly, his words deliberately taunting.

Garrett’s shoulders seemed to grow a mile wide. “I told you to stay away from her, motherfucker—”

A look of loathing directed at Garrett came over the other man’s face and Maria was more than alarmed by it. “I don’t want to sleep with her, Rule. I want her to come work for me.”

“Work for you? Bullshit. Get the fuck out before I break every bone in your goddamn body.”

Villareal raised a single eyebrow as he stared Garrett down. Maria held her breath, expecting violence at any moment. And then finally, to her relief, the other man glanced at her, and with a small hint of respect in his eyes that hadn’t been there when he’d looked at Garrett, he dipped his head in her direction, turned and walked out of the room.

Maria let out a ragged breath and sank into the closest chair, one that faced her desk. Feeling lightheaded, she dropped her head down and began breathing slowly and evenly.

Garrett strode to the door and flipped the lock and then came back to her, going down on his haunches in front of her. “Are you all right?”

“I think so.”

“Did he hit up on you? Tell me the truth . . . I want to kill the motherfucker—just give me a reason.”

Still hanging her head low, she shook it. “I didn’t—”

“Didn’t what?”

“I didn’t feel any sexual interest coming from him . . . I think he honestly just wanted me to come to work for him.”

“There’s nothing honest about that guy.”

“I didn’t get the feeling that any of it was about me,” she elaborated. “It almost seemed as if he wanted to inconvenience you by taking me away from the hotel.” She lifted her head and looked into Garrett’s eyes. “He hates you.”

“Yeah?” he asked as if unconcerned. “I don’t care what his problem is with me. As long as he didn’t make a move on you—”

“He didn’t,” she assured, running her eyes over him, drinking him in. Two weeks was too long.

He took a breath, his hands clenching on her thighs through the material of her skirt. “This shit wouldn’t have happened if you’d been with me.”

A helpless feeling of remorse landed in her stomach. “I can’t be with you all the time.”

His features hardened. “That’s bullshit. All you have to do is make a choice—”

Her body jerked reflexively. “What choice? To be your travelling sex doll?”

An offended look immediately encompassed his features. “My sex doll?” Without waiting for her to speak, he pulled her from the chair and backed her up against the wall. “My sex doll?”

She hung against the sheetrock, breathing so rapidly she began to feel lightheaded again.

“That’s what you think, Maria? That’s what you think this is all about? You think I just want to get my rocks off? Has it occurred to you that I can get laid anytime, anywhere?” His hand sank into her hair. “I love you, goddammit.”

The words hit Maria in the solar plexus, and her breathing stalled for a moment. When she sucked in a breath, a rush of joy bled through her veins that landed solidly in her heart. “You love me?”

He pushed out a bitter laugh. “Have you been blind, baby?”

“That’s not nice,” she whispered, her emotions in upheaval.