Page 157 of Lush

“Yes, Conrad. Me and Reese. Sleeping together. For a long time now.”

Until then Conrad had been controlled and cool, but it was like his face cracked. A searing ugliness crossed his features, and I took a cautious step back.

“Did he put you up to this?” he hissed, voice laced with venom. “Was this his idea? His way of getting back at me? Fucking myfiancée?”

I sucked in a sharp breath. “I’mnotyour fiancée.”

His fingers tightened at my waist, digging in.

“Youare,” he murmured. “Until Isayyou’re not.”

I shook my head, ready to go back upstairs, and he grabbed me.

“That’s fine. Fuck him for now, but that won’t happen in our marriage. I’m thinking of having him fired. He’s nothing but a liability. I’ll make sure they see him as a failure, someone who’s been holding the company back. Fuck, I got feet and changed everything only for him to fuck me over? He’ll never work in this town again, and face it, Laurene, you’re far too prissy to love a poor man.”

My breath hitched. “You can’t do that.”

He reached out quickly before I could respond, fingersbrushing my jaw in a mockery of affection before gripping my chin hard enough to make me gasp and force my neck back.

“You can either walk down that aisle and smile pretty for the cameras, or you can watch everything crumble—your family, your name, that little empire your mother built, and your beloved Reese.” His grip tightened just enough to make my eyes sting. “And if you think I won’t make it happen, I dare you to test me. You will marry me, you will like it, and you will end it with him.”

I jerked my face away, my heart hammering. “Go to hell.”

I didn’t see it coming.

One second, I was standing there, my pulse hammering, my brain screaming at me to run. The next?—

Pain.

Conrad shoved me—hard. My back slammed against the wall, the impact rattling through my bones, knocking the breath from my lungs.

I let out a strangled gasp. My fingers scrambled for something, anything, to grab on to, but there was nothing but smooth, polished wood.

Conrad came closer; I felt the heat radiating off him. Whiskey was all over his breath as he yanked me by my dress.

I pushed, but he was solid muscle and pure anger. He didn’t budge.

“I will not be second-best to Reese. I’m first. I’ve always been first. Do you understand?” he whispered.

I gulped, short of breath, heart racing.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

And then Conrad let go.

I stumbled forward, gasping, and when I lifted my head—Reese.

Standing at the top of the stairs. Face thunderous. Jaw clenched.

He glared murderously at his brother.

Conrad barely smirked before Reese moved.

He was on top of him in a matter of seconds. A crack echoed as Reese’s fist slammed into Conrad’s jaw.

Conrad staggered back, a snarl ripping from his throat. He braced himself against the wall, eyes wide, still stunned by Reese’s punch. Then, his hand rose to his lip, smearing the dark, sticky blood.

And then he laughed.

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