Page 21 of Stepbrothers

“Yeah, I’m trying to sort out that balloon and petal photo surprise for the bride and groom, but they’re saying they need a family member’s permission to go into their suite and—”

“Go, Hugh,” Parker said quietly. “I’ve got this.”

“You sure?” Hugh asked.

“Of course.”

Hugh made eye contact with Clarice, briefly, then closed the door before she’d even seen Simon.

“Right then, little sis,” Parker said, removing his jacket and folding it over the back of a chair, his actions slow and deliberate. “Let’s get a few things straight about what is expected of you now that you’re ours.”

Chapter Five

“Yours?” Clarice said, the single word bouncing around her head as if it didn’t know what to do with itself. “What the heck are you on about? I’m not yours.”

“Youareours.” Parker undid his right cuff then neatly folded over the sleeve of his shirt. Once. Twice. Three times. Revealing tendon-rich forearms coated in dark hair. The veins on the back of his hand were prominent, and he wore an expensive-looking silver watch.

“Our parents may have married, but that doesn’t make you the boss of me.”

“That is where you’re wrong.”

“How so?” She rammed her hands on her waist and jutted her hips to the left. “Tell me.”

“Your behavior reflects on us, on our family. On both of our parents.” He began rolling up his other sleeve. “We have our name to protect.”

“It’s not my name, and I can do what I want. I’m a grown woman.”

“Who acts like an irresponsible teenager with rampant hormones to match.”

“What? How dare you.” She resisted the temptation to stamp her foot.

“Oh, I dare.” He set his dark gaze on her, his face shadowed by the single amber-hued lamp in the corner. “Believe me, Clarice. I really fucking dare.”

“I’ve had enough of this.” She turned, but the moment she did he was behind her, his arm around her waist.

“Hey.” She gasped when he snapped her backward onto his chest.

“You,” he said gruffly into her ear, his breath hot and heavy, “are out of control.”

She wriggled and tried to peel his arm away. “Parker! Get off.”

“And your bad behavior is because you’ve gone too long without any boundaries or discipline, and I intend to change that, right now.”

“What? Piss off. Leave me alone.”

“So you can continue to waste your life. I don’t think so.” He stepped backward, toward the bed, pulling her with him as though she weighed nothing. “It’s about time you learned about rules and the consequences for breaking them.”

Her heart rate sped up. Her skin heated.

You’ll be over my knee, bare bottom bared, and I’ll spank the hell out of your ass until you understand how serious I am, we are, about you shaping the hell up.

Hugh’s words filled her mind, blustering in with full force. Suddenly she realized what Parker had planned. He was going to tip her over his lap and smack her ass.

“I swear if you don’t let me go, I’ll scream.”

“Do that and I’ll put a sock in your mouth and the punishment will last twice as long.

“Punishment?”

---