Page 8 of Rival Heart
Rebel
I comeout of the bank and groan, running my hands through my hair. I can’t touch one damn dime of my trust until I’m married. There go my plans for Jace’s father’s ranch. Unless I can figure out another way to do it. And the loan officer was nice but she made it plain that my father has already talked to the bank and blocked my access there as well.
I’m fucked in other words.
“Hey, Rebel.”
And now I’m stuck in another kind of hell. “Hello, Jefferson.” The smirk on his face and his perfectly coiffed golden hair looks more like Ken than cowboy.
“I’ve been looking for you.”
My lips twist. “What’s the matter? Your dad tells you that you need to get off your ass and come find me? Gonna get a beat-down from him if you don’t? Oooh. Maybe you’re gonna lose your allowance.”
His frosty blue eyes glare at me. “Honestly, I don’t know why our dads are so keen on this relationship. That mouth of yours is a disgrace.”
“There is no relationship. I’m not marrying you. I’m not marrying anybody.”
He sighs and shakes his perfect head. “Ordinarily I’d agree with you but my dad has made it plain that I have to agree to this or he’s going to cut me off. I’m not having that. I need to stay in my dad’s good graces and if all that’s gonna take is marrying you, I’m willing to make that work.”
“Well, how big of you. But I’m not willing. Not at all. You might as well just go crawling back to Daddy and tell him that this is not going to work because I will not do it.”
“Stop being like this. I realize that we don’t love each other but we could rub along alright. Just give me a shot. Marry me and let’s try.”
“I’d sooner kiss a toad.”
His cheeks flush and for the first time I feel a frisson of unease. He moves closer and grabs onto my arm, his fingers clamping down, bruising, painful. I fight the gasp of pain.
Nobody’s gonna stop him and I refuse to let some dumbass think he can scare me.
“What are you doing?” I grit out between my teeth. Pain flares in my arm when he jerks me along behind him. I dig my heels in and growl under my breath, fighting him every step of the way.
“I need to talk to you. You need to listen.”
Jerking and hissing at the pain, I wince as he drags me down an alley and pushes me into the side of a building. He leans in and I have to fight to keep from shrinking back. This dickhead is not my dad. I might be afraid but I’m sure as hell not going to show him that. Although the anger in his eyes and his breath in my face is making me nauseous as hell.
“Listen to me.” His good-looking face is twisted with anger and fear. “I need this. I don’t know how I can make this plainer to you. I promise you, except for having a kid here or there to keep our dads happy, I will not touch you and you can live your own life… discreetly of course. You’d have the best of bothworlds. A comfortable life and the ranch that seems to be what you want more than any man. We could rub along quite well.” He smirks again and his eyes rove down my body.
But I don’t see any of the heat that I saw in Jace’s deep teal eyes. None of the want or excitement that I dream about. I shake my head. I’m not thinking about that man.
“You don’t give a damn about me. Why is this so important to you?”
He snorts and his firm lips twist. “Yeah. My dad is being most insistent, Rebel. He wants me married or he’s cutting me off without a dime. I’m not meant to be out there with no money or power. You’re the ticket to that.”
“Find another ticket for another ride.”
His eyes cool to glacier ice. “Not gonna happen so you might as well give in, baby.”
Ugh. Baby. I don’t like it when men treat me like I’m an idiot. And this guy is pushing all my buttons.
“I’ll be out to your dad’s tonight to see you and I suggest you seriously consider your options.” He backs away and smirks. “Because right now? You don’t have any.”
“Hey!” His face clears and a plastic smile immediately appears on his face. It’s frightening how smooth he is. He turns around and the smile slips for just a second. But then it’s back and he smirks at Jace.
But Jace isn’t having it. Cold and arrogant as always, I’d usually find it annoying. Not today though. That little bit of arrogance settles me. Everything’s normal. It’s all okay. I don’t need to worry.
I take a deep breath, sucking it in quickly as Jace steps right past me and into Jefferson’s face. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, man? Threatening a woman who doesn’t want to see you? Touching her when she doesn’t want to be touched? How desperate are you, dude? Can’t find a woman on yourown… gotta follow your daddy’s wishes?” I swallow hard when he steps closer, his voice so quiet but cutting that Jefferson actually pales. “I suggest you find something else to do tonight because if you get near her again, I’m gonna take a great deal of pleasure in fucking you up so bad even your own daddy won’t recognize you.”
Jefferson backs away. His eyes skitter past Jace and onto me. “I suggest you get your guard dog to back off and meet me tonight. Or you’re gonna fucking regret it more than you know.”
