Page 85 of The Heir

"Oh,hell no!"I snarl, pushing back so hard in my chair that it slides off the rug and hits the hardwood with a thunk.

Mason lunges to the side as I stand up, take my steak knife, and haul my arm back. Flinging it as hard as I can at King with everything in me.

Chapter nineteen

You Make Me Crazy

"What the fuck!"King roars as he tips over into the other chair, barely making it in time."Godamnit, Isobel!"

The satisfaction that shoots through my being is almost as sharp as the knife that sinks into the back of the wooden chair and dramatically vibrates for a second before clattering to the seat, then onto the floor. Gustavo hurries into the room with an arched eyebrow, and King, breathing hard as he puts an elbow on his knee, holds a hand up to ward him off.

"Don't youdarefucking talk about me like I'm not here!" I yell across the table, my hands flat on the table, completely aware I look like a maniac but I do not care.

Everyone's sat back in their seat. Richard keeps his gaze impassive as he studies me, not jumping to King's defense like I'd expect. Maribel, Brody, and Teresa stare at me with wide eyes, and Mason is now fullon laughing. "Oh my God, Hendrix.Yes!Finally someone who can put you in your place! Here, Isobel, try again."

He slides his knife towards me, nudging my fingers with it.

But I ignore him, pointing a finger at King who's clenching his jaw and picking his seat back up. "You fucking watch your back. You may kidnap me, take my phone, my fuckinglivelihood,but you will fucking respect me and act as if I'm in the room with you when you are speaking about me." My eyes water. "Because I'm done being ignored. I did it for the last two fucking years and youknow it.Address or defer tome, when I'm with you-

"Isobel-" King interrupts, his brows furrowing, but I talk over him.

"No!" I shout. "You willnottake my fucking dignity away from me on top of everything else, or I will become your worst goddamn nightmare,do you fucking understand me, Hendrix?"

Maribel gasps, putting a hand to her throat. "Hendrix, what's going on? You told her she can't work?"

King, who's busy looking at me like he wants to murder me, turns serious eyes to his mother. "No,no I didn't. I never said she couldn't-"

"Well you never gave me any reassurances that I could either, nowdid you?" I hiss at him. Clenching my fingers tightly I remain standing up. "I'm just locked up in that fucking house with nothing to do and no one to talk to but you, Sweetie, or the servants! I want my fucking phone!" I throw my hand up and then start ticking off on my fingers. "I want to scroll mindlessly at the end of the night, I want to check my social media, I need to research new designs, I'd like to catch up on my online books, I want to play my stupid games, I want to be able to watch-"

"Okay! Shut your fucking mouth for a minute, little demon!"King yells at me.

He's breathing hard, the color rising in his face at how loud he got. My heart skips a beat, but I fold my arms and put my nose up in the air, pursing my lips. "YouTube videos," I whisper.

Because I just know he thought I was going to say porn.

I fight back a smile, seeing his mouth drop open, and he half turns from me, putting his hands on his hips and his mouth tightens as he tries to get a grip. If we were home I'm sure he'd be tackling me again.

Maribel stands up so fast that Richard hauls himself out of his chair, putting a hand to her elbow. "Are you treating her right, son?" she shouts in a loud voice. "It doesn't sound like it.Answer me now before I come across this table."

Hendrix takes a cautious step back at the sudden violence in his mother's eyes.

I can't blame him, I'm a little shocked too.

"I've been doing nothingbuttreating her right." King turns to me with something akin to fear in his eyes as they meet mine. "Tell them, Izzy. You know I haven't been fucking you over. I've treated you like a princess since you've been with me." He's loud, letting me know he's about to snap, family or no family present.

I think I've about pushed too hard.

"No," I shake my head. "I don't want to be treated like a princess. I want to be treated like aqueen."The entire room goes completely silent at my harsh admission, but I don't care. I have a fucking point I need proven. "And if you're going to do this to me, then you'redamn wellgoing to treat me the way I want!"

"Oh wow.I know that's right.You ask for what you need, girl," Teresa whispers quietly, taking a sip of her apple juice.

King's chest visibly expands on a sharp inhale, and he gets this look in his eyes that lets me know I'm probably quiteliterallyfucked when I get home. "I do treat you like a-"

"Then give me my phone back, give me my keys back, and let me go back to work!"I interrupt him.

The tension amps up to near unbearable heights as we stare each other down, the passion between the two of us smoldering. I'm honestly surprised we're not bursting into flames in front of everyone. King is silent for so long that I shift, just about losing my resolve. "I'll stay," I say, keeping the bite out of my tone. "I give you my word. I won't run.I won't tell,I just want to be able to keep my business."

Still he regards me quietly.

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