Page 121 of Rules Of Our Own

I smirk. “I know.”

“Have you always been that cocky?” she asks playfully.

“Ever since I’ve been this pretty.”

“What am I going to do with you?”

I lower my gaze, biting the side of my lip. “Whatever you want.”

Her chest freezes for several seconds before she shakes her head like she’s waking up from a dream. “Behave.”

“Around you?Never.”

She throws her head back and laughs, and I eat it the fuck up. If I do anything in life, let it be making this girl happy.

I lower my voice. “When I get you home—”

Mia’s face registers surprise where she’s looking over my shoulder.

I turn, following her gaze, and spot a guy I’d been chatting with earlier. James McKay—turns out he’s a huge Bruins fan.

“Do you know him?” I ask.

“Jason’s dad,” she whispers, and my head snaps her way.

“You’ve got to be shitting me.”

The blood drains from her face, and a spark of anger starts in my chest, rapidly growing into rage. That fucker is the one who got her fired?

I grab Mia’s hand and practically drag her through the crowd. She doesn’t say anything as we approach Jason’s dad.

Thinking about Jason makes my mouth taste sour, and I fight the urge to spit my disgust.

James looks back at me. “Hey, good to see you again. I was just telling my friend here we should get box tickets.”

Mia tilts her head to the side. “But you don’t live here.”

He looks down his nose at her. “Miss. I have several offices. Nothing’s far when you own a plane.”

I want to hit him for his tone of condescension, but I’ve got bigger plans. “I want to introduce you to my girlfriend, Dr. Mia Brooks.”

James tilts his head to the side, like he’s trying to place her. It only takes a second for recognition to settle in. “The girl who dated my son to get a job, then stole from the hospital?”

A low growl rumbles in my chest. “No. The girl your sniveling son’s practically stalking. Won’t listen to the word no—I sure hope you didn’t teach him that. He thought he could manipulate her into taking him back by getting her fired.”

The man’s eyes shoot wide but quickly narrow on Mia. “That’s quite the accusation. Do you really expect me to believe you?”

“I have proof that he’s stalking me.” She holds out her phone, but James doesn’t take it. Mia bites the corner of her lip. “If I can get you definitive proof that he’s the one stealing from you, what would you do?”

There are several moments of charged silence before James replies. “If you can gather proof—real proof, mind you, no hearsay—I’ll get you your job back.”

A rock drops in my stomach, and nausea burns my throat. That job had been her dream, and here it is on a silver fucking platter. I want to beg her not to take it. Say I need her here, but I could never do that to her.

“Thank you, but I have a family I love here.” The words tumble from her mouth, and she instantly blushes, eyes snapping to mine.

Is she talking about us? My pulse thunders in my ears, the world tilting around me, and I want to haul her over my shoulder, find River, and get the fuck out of here.

James studies her before replying, “That’s your decision. I can promise you if you provide me with the information, Jason’s behavior won’t go unpunished. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for my speech.” He hands her his business card, then leaves abruptly.

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