Page 29 of By His Rule

It’s just a bad day. You’ve had plenty of them in the past.

This is just another one. Everything will seem better in the morning.

“I’m okay,” I squeak. There’s no chance he can hear me over the rumbling engine. “I’m meeting someone.”

It takes a couple of seconds, but the car disappears from my peripheral vision and I breathe a sigh of relief that he’s given up.

The relief is short-lived, though, because instead of hearing Lewis trying to convince me to get into the car, another deep, commanding voice rips through the air.

“Get in the car, Lorelei.”

7

KIAN

She stills the second my command hits her, and I watch as her entire body tenses up.

She remains frozen in place as she debates her options.

There’s an easy one and then there’s a whole heap of others.

Why is it that I already know which one she’s going to choose?

Her foot lifts from the sidewalk a beat before she continues forward.

“So predictable,” I mutter loudly enough to ensure she hears.

Her shoulders tighten with anger, but she doesn’t bite.

“I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that you were fired really, when your go-to seems to be walking away from anything good in your life.”

I know I’ve got her before she even spins—there’s something in the way she holds herself, readying herself for battle.

“Good? You think you come anywhere close to being something good in my life? The best thing I ever did that night was walk away from you. I’ve no interest in anything you have to offer, Mr. Callahan, employment—” Her eyes drop down my body. “Or otherwise,” she sneers.

“Take your fancy-ass car and go and find some bimbo who’ll happily blow smoke up your ass to boost your ego.”

“Babe,” I taunt, tilting my head to the side like a puppy. “Didn’t you know? My ego doesn’t need any kind of boosting.”

“Ugh,” she cries, throwing her hands up in despair. “You’re an insufferable jerk.”

She stomps forward, throwing every bit of sass she possesses into it. And fuck if the way her hips sway back and forth doesn’t hit me straight in the dick.

I bet she’d be fire in bed right now…

I surge forward, fully prepared to keep the promise I made to my sister-in-law in the moments before my drunk brother screwed her brains out.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Lorelei screams as I wrap my hands around her waist and effortlessly lift her from the ground.

Predictably, she begins kicking out. But she’s drunk and erratic and misses me every time.

“You’re a pain in my ass,” I growl, marching her back toward the car she forced me to jump out the back of.

“Put me down,” she demands as Lewis watches us with amusement dancing in his eyes.

“Feel free to take over anytime,” I bark at him as we approach the open back door.

“But you’re doing such a wonderful job. I’d hate to take that away from you.”

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