“And you thought you’d use your feminine wiles to convince Roman to let you come?”
She gives Roman the side-eye, mirroring my same look from moments before.Well, would you look at that?Nature versus nurture in its rawest form.Seems she’s a Harden after all.
“Trust me, I’m well aware Romeo isn’t affected by my feminine wiles,” she murmurs.
“Then it looks like he won’t have to be neutered.”I reach for an orange from the bowl on the island and toss it into the air.“And on that note, I’m going back to bed.”
“Come on, Ford!”Cobie pleads.“I really want to go!”
I take a step toward the exit, but stop my retreat.“I already said no.”
“Why can’t I come?”
“Because it’s dangerous.”
A scoff escapes her.“It’s not that dangerous.”
“And how would you know?”I counter.“You’ve never been to a Harden Night.”
“Because you won’t let me.”
“Because it’s dangerous,” I repeat.
“It’s not dangerous!”she snaps.
“And how would you know?”I repeat, well aware we’re going in circles.
She knows it too.I can see it in her hard glare and flaring nostrils.She won’t back down, though.Seems the Harden genes strike again.
“You want to know how I know?”she seethes.“Because if it was actually dangerous, there’s no way Jagger would let Violet go.”
Damn.She makes a good point.Or at least, she thinks that’s what she’s doing.And sure, my ammunition might be culled, but what she doesn’t understand is that Harden Nights are still dangerous.It’s just that no one is stupid enough to touch Violet Reeves.Not now that Jagger has claimed her.And even if he hadn’t, he rarely lets her out of his sight, and I’m too busy to babysit Cobie.
Biting into the orange peel to pierce the skin, I rip off a chunk and toss it into the sink.“You still can’t come.”
“Why not?”Cobie groans.“I won’t even participate, okay?I’ll just stay on the sidelines and watch,” she suggests.
“Still no.”
“Come on, you have no idea how bored I am.”
“You can go to Uncle Judge’s,” I offer.
“I’ve already been to Uncle Judge’s,” she argues.“Like, a lot.And I love him, you know I do, but come on!”she repeats, reminding me of a damn parrot.“Dude, I am eighteen.I am not a little kid anymore.”
“Never said you were.”
“Then can you at least admit that you see how ridiculous you’re being?”
I toss another piece of orange peel into the sink.“By acting like a responsible older brother?”
She snorts.“Says the guy who’s sporting a bruise from a fight yesterday.”Her hand waves at my face.“Yeah, real responsible, big brother.”
With a bored expression, I scratch the bruise in question with my forefinger, my gaze never wavering from hers.I could always tell her Daddy Dearest was the culprit behind the damage, but what good would it do?
“Cut Ford some slack,” Roman interjects.
His deep voice grabs her attention.“I will, if he’ll return the sentiment.”She holds his gaze before turning back to me.“Come on, Ford.Dad won’t let me do anything or go anywhere unless it’s to Uncle Judge’s or the coffee shop, and I’m going stir crazy.Please?”
