Page 25 of Bitter Rival

The Larsson women cast a spell on you and if you’re not careful, you’ll end up signing away every goddamn thing you own just to keep them by your side.

It’s a cautionary tale of what happens when you let your dick call the shots, and I sure as hell won’t be making that mistake.

“Speaking of unwanted temptations, where’s your girlfriend? The girlfriend you specifically told me you were breaking up with,” I add.

Grayson tugs at the collar of his shirt like it’s choking him.

“I wasn’t planning to bring her, but she showed up at my apartment last night. And well, you know how it goes…one thing led to another…” He holds out his arms. “What can I say? I’m just too charming for my own good.”

I laugh. Not with him, at him. “And she somehow talked you into bringing her friend? You could have mentioned you were bringing them.”

“And ruin the surprise? You should know better than that.”

“I hate surprises.” Not that I need to tell him. He already knows that.

For my twenty-first birthday, he threw me a lavish, completely over-the-top surprise party. I didn’t speak to him for two weeks. My worst nightmare is walking into a room filled with people I barely know who jump out and yell, Surprise!

“So what do you think of Lauren?”

Another surprise I didn’t appreciate. Lauren is smart, beautiful, and ambitious, but she’s made it abundantly clear that she’s looking for a relationship. Love and marriage. Two kids and the picket fence. The whole enchilada.

In the span of only a few hours, she mentioned how much she wants kids. Twice.

Unlike Grayson, who always offers the world but ultimately fails to deliver when the relationship starts making him feel claustrophobic, I’m always up front and honest about my intentions, and make it clear that I’m not offering more than a casual hookup.

Get in, get out. No harm, no foul.

No unrealistic expectations. No tears, regrets or false hopes. Both parties get what they want, and no one gets hurt.

But Lauren is obviously looking for more so there’s no point in leading her on.

“You already know what I think,” I tell Grayson. “You probably figured it out on the drive to Sutton Ridge.” Which, of course, was the first time he met Lauren.

“Having trouble coming up with the perfect names for your kids?” This time it’s his turn to laugh.

“You’d better break up with Jessica before she invites you for brunch with the parents and starts shopping for an engagement ring,” I tell him. It’s happened before. “Since you’re ‘too charming for your own good,’” I deadpan.

With a wince, he tugs at his collar again like it’s choking him while my gaze drifts to Daisy and our eyes lock and hold.

I wish I had telepathic powers to read her mind and figure out what game she’s playing.

I lift my brows. I don’t trust you and I want you gone.

She gives me a devious smile. I’m going to walk away with millions and there’s not a thing you can do to stop me.

The sad part is that it’s true. My father’s lawyer used all the right language to ensure there was absolutely nothing I could do to prevent Daisy from getting half of everything.

So, all my talk of cutting her out and making sure she doesn’t get a dime has absolutely no validity.

I don’t even have the upper hand here—she does. If I walk away, she gets everything. If she walks away, I’m completely fucked. Which means that I need her more than she needs me.

If that’s not incentive enough to loathe her very existence, I’m not sure what is.

At some point, Jessica and Lauren return from the restroom and Grayson suggests we head back to the house and work our way through “all that wine in the cellar.”

“Always thinking of others,” I comment dryly.

“Why do you think I sent you a hot tub? We need to christen that baby tonight.” He rubs his hands together in anticipation, and I shudder at the very thought of him “christening” the hot tub.

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