Page 32 of Ruthless Heir

Surprisingly, that was the one time I desperately wanted to be wrong.

Someone needs to set Harper straight so she doesn’t end up with the same kind of fucked-up loser jerk ever again.

As I can’t imagine Beth or Josh having that serious down-to-earth talk with Harper, that someone needs to be me. Even if she's glaring at me like she hates me.

“Don’t worry. If I want to hook up with ahoodlumI definitely won’t do it here,” Harper sneers. “There are plenty of hotels around. Or to save expenses I’ll just do it in a club or get fucked against some wall in a back alley. Those are always free.”

The vein in my head pulses, feeling like it’s going to pop.

And so does my dick when the vivid image of her naked body drifts into my head like alluring smoke. Then the very vivid image of her being taken against the wall of some dark alley follows next, infuriating me even more.

I'm not supposed to be imagining her with some guy. And judging from the instant reaction from my dick, I’m still annoyingly attracted to her and interested in her in all the wrong ways.

It was bad enough when I gave her the shrimp and imagined her plump lips sliding up and down my cock. Then she made things worse when she reminded me she wasn’t a child anymore.

Of all the people she knows in her world, I’m the only one who doesn’t need that reminder.

I can see she’s not a fucking child just by looking at her in that flimsy off-the-shoulder jumper that draws all my attention to her round breasts and the tight yoga pants that fit her body like a second skin.

Fuck. This whole off-limits thing is messing with me already. Nothing has ever been off limits to me except her. I’m a man who always get whatever and whoever I want. Butnother.

So, back to plan A.

I meet her vicious gaze and harden my own so she knows I’m serious as fuck. “Clearly, you've learned nothing if you can say that to me.”

“What do you mean by that? That I’ve learned nothing?”

“Youknowwhat I mean. And obviously you're not gonna find anybody good if you're planning to hook up with a random guy in a club or some fucking back alley. Surely you have better sense than that.”

Harper stands and I almost expect her to slap me. She's close enough and ballsy enough to do it.

“You are so fucking out of line.” She sets her hands on her hips and stares at me with blazing eyes that almost look feral. “How could you sit there like you’re some kind of saint? As ifyou'venever hooked up in a club or aback alley.”

I hold my tongue, remembering the scandal that broke only last week. Harper would have a field day with that. I’m not going to act like a saint or lie, because there’s a chance she could still find details floating around on the net.

“We're not talking about me.” I clench my jaw and my fist at the same time. “We're talking about you.”

“You're treating me like I'm an idiot. Like what happened to me with Nick was my fault.” That’s the first time she’s said Nick’s name to me and she actually looks drained for hearing it outside her head.

“I didn’t say that.” I tone my voice down on seeing the shift in her mood.

“You don’t need to. Before you say anything more try to remember it's not always easy to walk away from someone you love. Nick wasn't always a monster.”

Her jade eyes glaze with tears and the sight grips my insides.

Instantly I feel like shit for making her remember what Nick did to her.

I knoweverything. If he weren't in prison I’d find him and kill him. I mean that.

I don’t think she’s an idiot. I’m just being protective. Sure, I know I’m beingoverprotectivebut I don’t want her in anydanger. How the fuck do I explain that without sounding like an asshole?

“Harper—”

“Don't. Don't talk to me, Asher. You are such a fucking asshole. So don't talk to me.”

With her hands balled at her sides she walks away, leaving a cloud of tension filling the room.

Damn it. This is the second conversation we've had this week and both have ended with her storming away from me.

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