Page 13 of Love, Honor, and Ink

“I see you decided to show up,” Justin said as he sat down.

Harper rolled his eyes. As he’d been the one to arrive first, Justin’s taunt didn’t make any sense. Leave it to his brother to sound like a bad movie villain when he didn’t have to.

“I’m here,” Harper said casually, ready to leave for his next meeting. “What is it you wanted to talk about? I’m on a schedule.”

Justin snorted. “You? A schedule? What important thing do you have to do? Dig a ditch?”

Considering Harper had dug one the day before to help Wes’s crew work on the new plumbing, he didn’t take the words seriously. If his brother didn’t want to know how his million-dollar house was made, it didn’t bother Harper.

He deliberately took a sip of his drink, forcing himself not to react. “Time’s wasting. Get on with it.”

Justin straightened in his seat and took a sip of his coffee, wincing. “God, why did we have to meet here for this sludge? Oh, I suppose you couldn’t afford to go to any of the places I attend for coffee.”

Harper ground his back molars. At this rate, he’d need to pay a visit to his dentist after his next meeting. “What do you want, Justin?”

“It’s about your neighbor.”

I will not kill my brother. I will not kill my brother.

“What about Ari?”

“I can’t believe you call her Ari.” Justin sipped his drink and apparently forgot for a moment that he was supposed to hate it because it wasn’t twenty bucks. That only lasted a moment, though, and he scoffed as he set his cup down. “It’s a low-class nickname for a King. When she finally comes to her senses and takes the deal, I won’t call her that.” A light flashed in his brother’s eyes, setting Harper on edge. “Even when I’m fucking her.”

Maybe not killing, just a little maiming.

“Fucking talk about Ari like that again, and I’ll wipe that sneer off your face with my fist.”

Justin looked like he’d gotten the reaction he wanted, and Harper cursed himself for falling into the same traps he always did. “Didn’t take you long to resort to violence, did it? You always were just as low-class as the nicknames you use.” Justin held up his hand, and Harper listened, knowing that whatever his brother would say next would just prolong the meeting. “Good, listen to me. I’m your better. You know this. I know this. Xavier knows this. And soon, Arianna will know this…or maybe she already does. Maybe that’s why you aren’t fucking her now when I will be soon.”

Harper growled, fisting his hands. He had a feeling Justin had practiced this little speech in the mirror, and he was beyond done with it. But he stayed there, listening to the trash spewing from Justin’s mouth because he needed to see if the asshole actually had a plan to get Ari. Because if he did anything to hurt her…well then, Harper wouldn’t be responsible for what happened next.

“What did I say about demeaning Ari?”

Justin rolled his eyes. “Don’t make a scene. You want your precious Ari to know you’ve been fighting? Now, back to what I was saying. This little wedding business of hers? She will fail. She might think she’s the best at doing what she does. But she’s nothing without the King name, and she knows it. Why do you think it took her so long to leave? She’s nothing. Nothing but the little King daughter who wasn’t good enough to please Daddy. I’ll get her and the business in one fell swoop, so don’t stand in my way. I’d hate to leave our parents with only one child.”

If Harper had any fear whatsoever for his life when it came to Justin, he’d have taken that threat seriously. The idiot in front of him was nothing but a nuisance. He’d be damned, though, if he let Ari get hurt because Justin wanted more than he had.

“You done?”

Who knew he could sound so civil when he was picturing smashing Justin’s face into the glass window beside their table?

“Just watch your step, Harper. Don’t stand in my way to the top.”

Harper shook his head and stood. “Whatever, Justin. Keep your mouth shut about Ari. If I hear you bad-mouthing her, I won’t be so civil next time.”

With that, he left the coffee house and got in his truck, heading to his job site a few blocks down. He shook off Justin’s words, leaving them in the back of his mind for later. He’d warn Ari if he felt it was necessary, but he didn’t want to worry her with the first wedding of her new business coming up. He didn’t think Justin would do anything stupid, but he wouldn’t put it past him. Honestly, there wasn’t anything to warn her about yet anyway. Justin was just posturing like a blue peacock that couldn’t figure out that they didn’t have a brain to work with.

Harper pulled up to the site and turned off his truck. He was already exhausted, and he hadn’t done anything yet except take a quick run and deal with his brother. Wes and Storm were already at the site, checking out what Harper had already completed. Harper had been in charge of preserving what he could and marking things that the brothers would have to look out for. They’d sent over a crew to help Harper out a couple of days ago, and now they were in full swing. He kind of loved that he had first crack at the house, and now he got to work side by side with some of the best people in the business.

“Sorry I’m late,” Harper said as he met the two men at the top of one of the large staircases that Harper hoped they wouldn’t have to completely replace. “I didn’t realize Justin would take his time getting to the café for coffee.”

Wes raised a light brown brow. “Really? Justin taking his sweet time and not caring about anyone else? My God, the surprise.” The Montgomery brothers didn’t know Justin all that well, but they knew enough about him to hate him. Harper honestly didn’t mind not being alone in his feelings for the man.

Harper rolled his eyes and took the tablet that West handed him. “Okay, you got me there. He’s an asshat.” Because he wanted to get another opinion, he explained to them what had been said at the coffee house, and almost had to jump on Storm so the other man wouldn’t live up to his name and literally rage out of the building.

“I’m going to kill that fucker,” Storm mumbled, his attitude as dark as his hair.

“Stand in line,” Harper mumbled. “Anyway, let’s get to work since I’m late. What did you guys find on your inspection?”

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