Page 136 of By His Rule

Dread seeps through me.

When I refused to add her name as my plus one tonight, I knew she wouldn’t let it go.

Before Lorelei started, Sasha may have been the one to be sitting beside me tonight. She would be the easy choice. I know what I’m getting with her. Taking someone new to an event like this is a risk.

Bringing Lorelei was also a huge risk, if the red flags waving above Sasha’s head right now are anything to go by. But while Lorelei might not feel like she belongs here, I’m confident that she can hold her own.

Her attitude, her awe to all of this is addicting. The way her eyes widened when we walked into this room earlier, full of amazement, was enthralling.

I love giving her these experiences. Taking her places and letting her see things she never thought she would. It’s like seeing a flower bloom for the first time.

Sasha is the first to look away. There was no way in hell it was going to be me. I’m not allowing her to think she’s won anything.

A round of applause erupts again, signaling that Kieran’s speech has come to an end. I look up as he hands the mic back, and the compere invites everyone to visit the auction lots in the room to the right before retiring for drinks and dancing in the room to the left.

No one moves as Kieran weaves his way back through the tables. Almost every person he passes stops him to say something or shake hands.

Pride for my little brother continues to grow, thankfully squashing my own bitterness down enough that I can ignore it.

“Good, huh?” he says, modest as ever before shocking the fuck out of me and pulling Lorelei in for a celebratory hug.

The fuck?

“Who knew you could deliver a speech with as much ease as you do a touchdown,” Lorelei praises, making something poisonous fill my stomach.

The second he releases her, I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her into my side. Where she fucking belongs.

He brought two dates. He has more than enough women for one night. He doesn’t need to take mine as well.

Mine.

That word hits me upside the head so hard the room spins around me.

When I come back to myself, I find Kieran grinning at me like an idiot.

“What?” I snap.

“Oh, nothing, Bro,” he teases, looking between me and the woman tucked into my side. “Thought you’d want to congratulate me, that’s all.”

“I thought we were stroking other people’s egos tonight.”

His smirk grows. “Oh, I don’t know. You certainly need something stroking.”

My grip on Lorelei tightens as the true meaning of his words slams into me at full force.

“We’re out. Congrats on another successful night.”

“Wait, you can’t go. I want to dance with your girl.”

I pause, fire flooding through my veins.

“Lorelei isn’t my girl,” I hiss. “She is my assistant.”

Before he can say another word, I lead her forward and toward the doors that will allow us to exit.

Lorelei moves silently through the crowds of people lingering around, probably waiting for a chance to speak to tonight’s star.

We move through the bar, thankfully everyone giving us a wide birth and allowing us to make a beeline for the main entrance.

---