Calder leans into Grace. “I wouldn’t be too eager either. The house is a sad mausoleum in the middle of nowhere, and you don’t strike me as a small-town kind of girl.” He nudges that fucking VIP card closer so it’s right under her nose. “If you’re looking for something livelier, my invitation stands.”
“Calder,” I say, my voice dropping lethally low. “If you don’t get out now, I’m going to break your goddamn nose.”
Rory’s hand is back on my shoulder. He stands and I’m left seated. “I apologize for my brother’s behavior,” he says to Grace.
“Which one?” she asks.
Rory’s chuckling as he rounds the table. He practically hauls Calder out of his chair “This one. It’s way past his bedtime,” he replies. He doesn’t miss a beat as he continues to talk. “The jet is prepped for Thursday morning at ten. Duke, let the pilot know if you decide to cancel, otherwise enjoy your trip. And treat Grace with the respect she deserves or I’ll be having words with you too.”
Calder shoves his hands in his pockets and saunters towards the door. There’s a smug expression on his face when he looks over his shoulder. “Nice to meet you again, Grace.”
I wait until my dickwad of a brother is a safe distance away from my fist before I follow them to the door so I can lock it. I catch Ed’s attention and he winces at my glare.
“Sorry, but they’re bigger than me,” he tries. “And they didn’t give me a chance to warn you.” When I simply continue to stare, he shrugs. “I know, I’m fired.”
As I’m closing the door, Grace gets to her feet. She keeps her back to me as she unrolls one of the architect’s drawings. Her shapeless outfit clings to the curves she thinks she can hide. I turn the lock.
Grace’s head snaps in my direction and the drawing she was holding rolls back into itself. “Duke…” she warns. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Angel, it’s all I can think about,” I rasp, my cock thickening. “You have no idea how many times I’ve imagined bending you over that table.”
She tugs at her sweater while I prowl towards her. “As long as those thoughts stay in your head, I don’t care.” Her head tips back as I draw closer. “If you want me on that plane on Thursday, Mr. Moncrief, I need to know I can trust you.”
We’re only inches apart when I heave out a frustrated sigh. “No kissing,” I repeat, resting my hands on her hips. “No fucking.” I tug up her sweater so I can slip a hand beneath it.
Grace scowls, but she doesn’t resist. “No. Touching.”
My fingers trace over her sweat-damp skin. “A little touching.”
Her scowl deepens. “You’re even more infuriating than your brothers,” she says. “Calder recognized me, didn’t he?”
“That was the only reason Rory inflicted him on you.” I flatten my hand on her back, pulling her closer. Our bodies touch. “He wanted confirmation we have history.”
“Calder’s quite a character. I think I might like him best,” she says, a smirk softening her features when she hears a growl rumble in my chest.
My mouth twists as I look over Grace’s shoulder. “Where’s the VIP pass?”
“In my pocket,” she replies. “I knew you’d only burn it if I left it on the table.”
“You’re not going.”
Grace grips my arm, but she doesn’t push me away. “Trust goes both ways, Duke. I’m new to the city and I need to explore. And I’m sure Calder would look after me.”
I snort a laugh. “Yes. Too well.”
She tilts her head to the side and I know what she’s asking. Would my brother hit on a woman I had feelings for? No, he wouldn’t. He was only flirting with Grace to get a reaction from me, but still.
“I want to be the one to look after you. Not my brothers.”
“Tell that to Rory. You didn’t know he was planning our trip to Brimstage, did you?”
“No, I did not.”
“And he’s OK with us spending time together when you’re… you know…?”
“Rory would rather me spend time with you than Katarina,” I reply. “I can’t emphasize this enough, Grace. Katarina might be treated like a piece of merchandize by her uncle, but she was trained to be devious and manipulative. Don’t fall into the same trap as me and waste your sympathy on her.”
I only realize how tense Grace has been holding herself when she relaxes just a fraction. “And is that how you feel? Trapped?”
