Page 15 of Westin

“My brother wouldn’t like that,” I say with a sigh.

“Why’s that?”

I bite my lip. “Well, he’s trying to set me up with Thomas Garrison, on account of them being so important. I don’t think he’d approve of you.”

He smiles, like he knows something I don’t. “Don’t worry about your brother, darling. I’ll take care of that.”

“You don’t have to live with him,” I say.

He cocks his head. “What does he do?”

“Nothing,” I lie. “He’s just mean, bossy.”

“Does he hurt you?” Westin asks.

There’s something dark and dangerous creeping over him, making my hair stand on end.

I push back the memory of the handful of times David lost his temper with me. He shoved me on the porch steps once, and I split my lip on the railing. He slapped me around a bit, but only once did he take me by the neck and slam me into the wall in the hallway so hard, my head snapped back and left a hot, tender spot on the back of my skull.

I saw the regret in his eyes a second after, as soon as he saw the blood seep from where I’d bitten my tongue.

He let me go and left the house in a rage, like I’d done something wrong not him. When he came home, he told me I shouldn’t bait him the way I do. After that, all he’d done was verbally berate and threaten me. Maybe he was right; it’s hard to say.

I wasn’t sure if I should blame him for it. The only other men I know are the Garrisons, and they’re meaner than David.

It hits me all at once that this is my future if I bend to David’s plans for my life. I’ll be married to a Garrison. I’ll keep my eyes on the ground, my head down, and eat leftovers alone in the kitchen. I’m well on my way to that already.

I take a sip of my drink to steady my nerves. I don’t want to live my life scared.

I want to run free.

I want to love so hard and messy that I feel like I’m in ecstasy every night. I want to drink whiskey and ride horses, fall for a man who makes me feel the way Westin does. Someday, when I’m ready, I’ll have babies and let them do that very same thing when it’s their time.

I know one thing for certain: I don’t want Thomas Garrison to be the man who knocks me up.

“Fine,” I say. “If you can handle David, you may take me out.”

His face breaks into a smile, flashing white teeth. My stomach swoops—he’s so damn handsome, it makes my head spin.

“Just promise you won’t do anything to me?” I say.

“What?”

“Promise you’re not going to kidnap me and tie me up or something.”

His eyes glint, and he circles the counter until he stands right over me. My heart thumps so hard, my ears roar, and I take a step back and bump into the sink. He takes a step forward until I can smell the scent of aftershave or soap. It’s nice, clean and sharp.

“I can’t promise you both of those things,” he says.

My mouth is dust dry. “You want to kidnap me?”

He shakes his head. “No, darling, I won’t kidnap you.”

Heat rushes through me.

“You want to…tie me up?” I whisper.

He leans in, and his hands brush my elbows, gathering my wrists. My heart is thrumming so fast, I can hear it in my ears. He pins them gently against my lower back and bends down until I feel his breath on my neck.

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