Page 28 of Tempted

He raises a hand, face set like stone. “Look, I thought that we had something, but then she’d string me along and dump me again. I was like a lost fucking puppy with her. So, I finally ended it. I’d had enough of her dicking me around and playing me for the fool.”

“So, now that she’s agreed to a contract with us, how the fuck do you think that’s going to work? Jesus, Rush. You need to tell Dougall this whole fucking story. And I don’t know what that manipulative bitch has up her sleeve, but I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.”

“I get it. I get it.” He repeats. “I figured Dougall had lost his hard-on for that account. That’s why I didn’t say anything. Nooffence, man, but it’s tiring having the family know every fucking move you make. I didn’t think it was any of his business.”

I’m facetious and annoyed. “I get that, seeing as you didn’t think that it was any of my fucking business, either.”

“Brother, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you. At first, we were just fucking around. We were like fuck buddies, you know? She’d call me when she was going to be in Scotland, and I’d follow her, like a fucking puppy. We’d spend weekends together and shit, and next thing I know she’s acting like we’re getting serious. Then she wouldn’t call me for weeks, and then she’d call and apologize, and we’d be back on again.”

“But, I don’t get it, Rush. I mean, us Harris boys, not to sound like my head’s bigger than my britches, but we can get any lass we want. Why didn’t you just move on?”

“Like you did?” He asks, but his tone is cutting. “Just look at you, Malcolm. You’ve been fucking around here and there from what I can tell. But this Steph lass, I don’t know, man.”

“What don’t you know?” I prompt, feeling my fist ball up.

He catches the motion and raises a hand. “Take it easy, okay? I just meant that you’re all fucked up from so-called ‘moving on’.”

“What are you suggesting? That I should have married the high maintenance, manipulative bitch, who seems to have given you just as bad a treatment?”

He pushes his fingers out, halting me. “No. What I mean is that you seem to attract lasses that are totally fucked up. I know this firsthand, since I fucked around with one of them for so long.”

“You’ve got a lot of nerve, Rush. At least I wasn’t keeping secrets. At least I was staying true to myself and to the family. Which is more than I can say for you.”

“Malcolm, I didn’t come here to start a fight, man.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me! I made a complete ass out of myself today! She thinks that she totally snowed me over! Atleast if I had known about you two, I would have had some shred of dignity! Now I just look like a fucking fool thanks to you!”

“I’m sorry.” He says angrily. “I can’t take it back, Malcolm. What’s done is done. I told you I ended it with her, and now you know everything, so let’s move on. You know what’s going to happen if Uncle Dougall catches us fighting over a fucking lass, right?”

“A lass that is signing over her da’s billions to us. I think Dougall will be okay with us working this shit out. You’re just too much of a fucking pussy, Rush.” I say through gritted teeth.

“You thinkI’ma pussy?” He points to himself, voice laced with ire. “At least I did something for myself, not for this godforsaken company. You...you’re so far up Dougall’s ass, he’s shitting through your fucking mouth!”

That does it. I crush my body against his, so we’re chest to chest. “You son of a bitch! At least I’m not lying to my family for tail! At least I’m not stabbing my brother in the back, you asshole! I’d never do that to you! What the fuck did I ever do to deserve this!” I push him and he pushes himself back to me. Lifting my fist, I go to punch him in the face, but he ducks, and that’s when Uncle Dougall enters the room, like he’s got fucking feelers on for when us lads fight.

“Okay, lads, out with it!” Dougall says, standing between us. Declan is in his wake. I’m guessing that Declan tipped him off, letting him know about our meeting that could turn heated.

It's not that Dougall is any more imposing than any of us. He's just as tall and just as built as we are, being Scots, but it's his glare. The look in his eyes says that he will kill you just with one glance. The man could disarm a warrior with little effort. But that being said, both Rush and I are very passionate lads. We still try to dodge our uncle and our cousin, in an attempt to take a round out of each other. “What is it that you two are fighting about? Let me guess, a lass?”

While our uncle is accurate in his assumption, it isn't quite what he thinks. “Go ahead, Rush! Tell him!”

Declan, as pleased as punch, folds his arms over his chest, waiting to hear the story. Slightly deflated, my brother takes a step back and straightens his shirt. But I don't give him a chance to speak. “Go ahead and tell Uncle Dougall what you've been doing for the last few years.”

He buys time, straightening his shirt further. And I grow more annoyed. “Go ahead and tell him how you've been fucking around with Clare Mackenzie!”

Impressed, Declan frowns, and nods. It takes everything in me not to throw a punch at him, too. I continue. “You know? The lass that I just had lunch with? The lass that I've potentially signed a deal with? The lass that I was in love with three years ago, and you knew full well?”

I'm almost impressed by the look on Dougall’s face. Seldom does anything shock him, but it's shock that I see on his face, if I’ve never seen it before. “Is this true, Rush?”

There. Eat that. “He’s been fucking her in Scotland, in secret. But don't worry, she's just as much as a foul-mouthed liar as he is. She told me it was just a one-time fling, the bitch. Cutting her off was the smartest thing that I ever did. You were a fool for falling for her antics, you idiot.” I seethe.

“And you are the idiot that signed her.” He spits back.

That's when Dougall intervenes. “You’re both fools. The lass outsmarted the two of you.”

Rush gives him a sideways glance. “And you're not at all worried about taking on a venomous bitch like that for business?”

Dougall smiles too sweetly, eyes slit. “I think I like the lass even more, actually. In fact, I'd like to hire her.”

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