Page 35 of Perfect

“You’re disgusting. It wasn’t like that at all Connor, we were just having a conversation,” I bit in, feeling thoroughly offended. Was he trying to gaslight me now?

He snorted.

“Yeah, because that’s why Nathan Lane, the biggest player in Yorkshire was drooling all over you, because of how amazing the banter is. That’s up there with rocking horse shit Harlow.”

“Isn’t he your friend?” My eyebrows must be close to my hairline by now.

He smirked before grunting, “I tolerate the tool. There’s little friendship there. It’s a mutual feeling believe me. The guy behaves like a privileged nob one hundred percent of the time and has no respect for women, especially the pretty ones.”

He paused and dashed a hand across his jaw before stating. “I mean it, if you try to go, I won’t be happy and I can guarantee neither will you.”

I itched to slap his face, even though hehadsuggested I was pretty in there somewhere.

Again, it was all about my looks, my mum’s warning about the downside of beauty doing the rounds in my head. Connor made me feel like I had nothing to say for myself and that I was some type of easy lay that would jump at the chance to shag anyone that showed her interest. How I wished I could really hate him. It’s like pretty was all I was and there was nothing on the inside worth thinking about.

“Your friends, if you can even call them that, were here looking foryouactually, it was purely by chance that I even bumped into them,” I explained. Not as though he deserved an explanation.

“That’s bollocks and you know it. The guys have been panting to meet you after Tom’s fucking revelation about you the other night. Stage one is to see where the action is. They’ll be making bets next. The twins are also fuckers when it comes to girls.”

“Making bets? Howdareyou say that to me? And even if that was the case, don’t you think I have a say in the matter?” I shot out, uncrossing my arms anddropping them to my sides. My nails were digging into my palms so much, I would surely have marks for days.

“One minute you’re calling me a buttoned-up virgin and the next I’m an easy lay that would drop her knickers at the first sign of interest. What the hell is that about? And Nathan was actually very nice. Yes, a bit flirty but I am used to that type of behaviour, I know how to deal with it.”

I could see from his body language that he’d had enough.

“Bottom line. Stay thefuckaway from Nathan Lane. You know fuck all about the guy. Even his parents think he’s a cock. As I said, he’s bad news.”

I almost yelled, ‘And you’re not’ but changed my tack.

“What if I don’t? What do you think you can do about it? You’re not my brother and you’recertainlynot my father.”

He was unimpressed and he shot me a cold, ruthless look before taking a menacing step toward me, getting in my face. I shivered, my mouth dropping open.

“I mean it. Do as I tell you Harlow and stay here tonight.” His breath fanned my skin and I felt goose bumps skitter up my arms.

I swallowed, slightly intimidated before releasing a breath of exasperation.

My shoulders slumped forward. “You’re impossible. There is no talking to you. Do youeverlose an argument?”

His lip curled.

“Fuck no. Not anymore.” He said it with such force that I believed him.

Out of every party I had ever ‘not’ been invited to, this was the one I’d now trade a kidney to attend. My dear stepbrother obviously wasn’t aware of the story of Pandora’s Box.

I searched his features for any sign that he was joking. He wasn’t. Surely, he didn’t think he could tell me what to do. I seriously didn’t get his attitude. My neck started to ache from trying to retain eye contact. The boy was like a giant.

“If you think for—,” I started to argue again.

He raised a hand to ward me off, “—Mike won’t let you go, so accept it and spare us both the drama,” Connor interjected with a derisive lilt, annoyance still plain on his face.

I almost laughed out loud. “So, you’re pulling the ‘I’m telling daddy card on me now?” I pointed out. My eyebrows were still sky high. “You’re so full of shit. You’re no snitch.”

Connor scowled before grabbing me roughly by the upper arm, dragging me along and stuffing me into dad’s study. A frisson shot up my spine at the contact. His fingers were firm but he didn’t hurt me; maybe just my pride.

He basically manhandled me into the room and then tugged me around to face him. Releasing me, he glared down at me with a foreboding stare. The force of it could have cut glass.

“Nate’s parties always end in trouble and Mike would flip his shit if you went.” His voice was uneven and slightly breathless. “I thought you wanted to build on your relationship with your dad and learn more about the farm. Going to Lane’s annual piss-up isnotthe way to do that. You should stay here tonight, stay out of trouble. I won’t be going and you’redefinitelynot either.”

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