Page 114 of The Rivals' Touch

I lean in and hiss, “Respect is earned!” Tearing free of his hold, I stand up and tug down my skirt, muttering, “This fucking dress!”

Bennett slides his hand around the back of my thigh, making me stiffen. His blue eyes pierce mine. “Relax, babe.” My skin crawls as his touch travels higher. “You loved me before you found out about the agreement between our fathers. You’ll love me again.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” I say, stepping out of reach. “I cheated on you before I discovered you had deceived me this entire time. I felt bad at first, telling myself I was coerced into it by blackmail, but you know what?” I point to myself. “I wanted it!”

He grinds his jaw as a thick and heavy silence descends on the room. “You think you’re the only one playing on the side?”

I force down the ache inside my chest and cross my arms. Despite how much I hate him, his words hurt. “I’m fully aware of you and Cali.”

He quirks a brow, then stands up and slowly walks toward me like a stalking lion as I back away. “What’s the matter? You look a little emotional.”

I rip my jaw away when he cups it, but he grabs hold of me, his face close to mine. “Cali is just a distraction.”

“She can stay one!” I shove him back a step just as a knock sounds on the door. My father pops his head inside. “Ah! I’m glad to see you’re getting on. Are you joining us downstairs?”

I walk out and stride past my father.

He falls into step next to me.

“When can I have my phone back?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart. You tell me. Are you going to stop texting Zayd?” His voice is low. He doesn’t want Bennett behind us to overhear.

“If I say yes, will I get it back?”

“Unlikely.”

I grit my teeth, my eyes locked on the staircase up ahead. The last thing I need is to see the taunting smirk on his face.

Mr. Beaufort is waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs. His marine blue tie has Scottie dogs on it, of all things. As I descend the last step, he runs his palm down his dress shirt and clears his throat. “I trust that you have settled in well at Aycliffe High?”

My father steers me forward with his hand pressed to my lower back. “Some would say too well.”

They exchange a glance over my head that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

“Your game against Aycliffe is coming up soon, isn’t it?” Mr. Beaufort asks his son as we start walking toward the dining room.

“Yeah, two weeks.”

I look over my shoulder at Bennett, and he winks at me.

“Are you feeling ready to wipe the floor with them?”

Bennett breaks eye contact. “More than ready. They won’t know what hit them!”

I scoff before I can stop myself, and I hurry to cover it up with a laugh. “Sorry, tickle in my throat.”

My father keeps his eyes forward, but I can sense his darkening mood like a storm cloud rolling in on the horizon.

The dining room doors are open, revealing a table set out with enough food to feed a battalion of hungry men. The mouthwatering smell makes my stomach growl.

Mr. Beaufort removes his suit jacket and hangs it on the back of the chair at one end of the table while my father sits down at the other.

Smirking, Bennett pulls out my chair and salutes me like a gentleman from ages past.

I want to slap his smug smile off his face.

“Sit down, my lady.”

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