Page 32 of Billionaire's Sins
"Too short."
"It’s what I’d wear during the day when I’m not dancing."
"Change your wardrobe."
Her jaw drops. "How dare you?" She springs up to her feet. "First, you tell me there can’t be anything between us. Then, you think you can dictate what I should and shouldn’t wear. If I didn’t know better, I’d think the you were my—"
"What?"
"Father."
Ouch.I set my jaw. "I am merely a concerned friend."
"Oh?" She snorts. "And what are you concerned about?"
"Your safety, of course."
"So, if I decided to date other men, that’d be fine?"
My guts twist and anger laces my blood. I stare ahead, jerk my chin.
"And if I decided to sleep with someone else, you’d be okay with that?"
I dig my fingernails into the palm of my hand and squeeze down with such force that pain lances up my arm. I nod my head.
"Will you?" she asks.
I school all emotion from my face, turn to her. "Yes," I force the word through a throat gone dry. "Yes, I would."
Her features distort, a tear runs down her cheek, and a hot sensation stabs at my chest. I reach for her, but she steps away. She turns her back to me, and the cold seems to intensify.
"I’m glad we cleared this up,Father." She stares ahead.
"Edward—" I correct her, "I told you to call me Edward."
"I’d prefer to stick to the right title, considering there can’t be anything more between us." She squares her shoulders, "I’d better be getting home."
She pivots and begins to walk away.
I jump up, follow her, "I’ll take you."
"No, thanks." She speeds up. I easily overtake her, plant myself in her path, and she pauses. " Get out of my way." Her voice waivers. She lowers her face so her thick hair obscures her features.
"Ava, please." I reach for her, but she steps aside.
"Don’t touch me," she beseeches me. "Please." She starts walking again and I follow her. Is she crying? Did I do that? Did I upset her? My chest tightens. Of course, I upset her. Every time I meet her, I upset her, and yet I can’t stay away from her.
She reaches my bike, walks by it. "Ava, stop." I race forward, step in her path once more. She comes to a stop, but keeps her head bowed.
"Look at me."
She shakes her head.
"Don’t disobey me," I snap, and she jerks her head up. Tears glisten on her cheeks; her eyes flash green fire at me.
"There, happy?" she snarls. "You wanted to see how your words affect me? You wanted to ensure that I am heartbroken by what you told me, that you broke up with me?" She pushes her finger into her cheek. "Oh, wait! Of course, not. How could we break up, considering we had no relationship to speak of? And we don’t, do we? Have a relationship?"
I rake my gaze across her features, the flushed cheeks, the parted lips, her jutted out chin that hints at the stubbornness in her—something I am already well acquainted with.
