Page 3 of Under Their Protection

“If I say nothing, will you drop it?” I ask.

“No. Spill it,” she says as she steals a sip of my coffee. I sigh heavily and flop down into my chair. Rowan’s office is directly beside mine, but I haven’t seen him, so I decide to take this opportunity to tell her without anyone else being able to hear.

“We got in late last night and Rowan dropped me here. Isaac was supposed to be picking me up, but he hadn’t been answering my calls or texts telling him that I was on my way back early… So, I took an Uber home,” I say.

“You caught him cheating, didn’t you?” she asks with a sigh.

“Mhmm. Wanna guess who I caught him balls deep in?” I ask before taking a sip of my coffee.

“That slut, Tina, from the firm?” she guesses.

“No. Harper,” I answer.

“What?!?” she says loudly and dramatically.

“Yep. I saw her car when I pulled up and I just knew, so I went in as quietly as possible so I could catch them in the act. When I got into the house she was very obviously getting fucked. When I walked into the bedroom with him fucking her from behind, I wasn’t too surprised. You’ll be proud of me. I didn’t lose my shit. I actually didn’t say anything until I went to leave. I packed my shit then gave Harper the dress and told her to take it since she likes to steal everything else… Oh and told her to get it resized because her titties are too small forit.”

“Jesus Christ, Ani,” she sighs. “If I can get my loser brother off my couch you can come stay with me.”

“You’re good. I have some savings so I’ll just suck it up and stay with Mom and Dad until I can find somewhere,” I lie.

“Are you sure?” she asks.

“Totally,” I force a smile. I don’t want to uproot her life because my sister is a whore who can’t find a dick that isn’t committed to someone else already. Again, not that we were having sex anyway.

“I’m going to get prepared for the meeting. Get lunch with me today?” she says with a smile. “I’ll be your new sister and I promise to never fuck your man.”

“You were already like my sister and good. I can only restrain myself from double murder so many times,” I say as my phone rings. She giggles and walks away. I groan when I see it is my mom.

“Hello?” I answer.

“Harper called me in tears last night,” she says with a disapproving tone.

“Oh?” I say, playing dumb.

“She told me what happened between you all last night,” Mom states.

“Okay?”

“Care to explain why you were so mean to your sister?” she asks.

“You are fucking kidding me, right?” I laugh without a single drop of humor in my tone.

“You watch your mouth, young lady” she scolds me.

“You are really making thismyfault?”

“She is your sister, Anika. You were raised better than this. You best call her and apologize for body shaming her and screaming at her,” my mother says. Is this a joke? I knew I’d get blamed but goddamn.

“I am not apologizing to Harper,” I deadpan.

“And why not?” As I start yelling at my mom, I glance up to see Rowan at my door.

“I am not apologizing to that bimbo whore for fucking my fiancé. I will not apologize to her for anything because I’m the one who walked in on that. I’m the one who just lost a six-year relationship to a slut who can’t keep her dirty little hands-off committed men.They both can go fuck themselves!” Rowan steps into my office and shuts the door before sitting across from me.

“You are an ungrateful bitch, Anika. Your father and I did not raise you to treat your family this way. We are having a family dinner tomorrow night. I expect you to be there,” Mom says.

“You call me an ungrateful bitch then expect me to show up to family dinner where you and I both know Harper will bring Isaac?” I say.

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