Page 21 of Hard to Love

“Yes, you can. You’re a grown man. What could he possibly have to hold over your head to make you say yes?”

“I was once a defiant brat like you and Carson saw something worthy in me to help. Much like he does you for some unknown reason. That’s why I’m staying. Not because I think you deserve it or even want to, but because I’m repaying a long overdue debt. Got that?”

Fury consumes me. Agents all over the world want to work with me, would give their eye teeth to work with me, and this asshole calls me a brat?

“Just for the record, Rhett,” I spit the name at him. “You were right. Last night was a game, nothing more than a dare of sorts, and lucky me pulled the one-night-stand card.”

“Card?” He lifts a lone eyebrow.

“You just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I never would have looked twice otherwise. I’m just super competitive and refuse to lose.”

“So that’s what you call it when you strip for a virtual stranger after exchanging no more than a quick conversation? Being competitive?”

I stare at him with my mouth open and then close it. I guess he’s not afraid to play either. “You’re—”

“So I see you two are getting along just fine,” Carson says. We both startle and look his way, uncertain how long he’s been standing there listening.

Finn chuckles softly and gives a shake of his head before his eyes leave mine and his attention turns to Carson. “I was just letting Stevie know how I operate.”

“Jesus.” Carson laughs. “Don’t scare her away just yet.”

“He doesn’t have to scare me away, Car, because this isn’t going to happen. Like I told you, I’m a grown woman who—”

“Who is acting like a petulant child,” Finn finishes for me. “A teenager who is getting way too much press for her antics off the court rather than on it. A woman who seems determined to throw away some of the best talent I’ve seen in a long damn time. So you can stand there and pretend that’s exactly what you want, or you can step up to the fault line and figure your shit out.”

I start to cross my arms over my chest and then stop when I realize that only serves to reinforce the broad stroke he just painted me with.

“I’ve got shit to do,” I mutter and start to stalk out the door.

“Like practicing with Kellen?” Carson asks. “The court is reserved and he’s waiting.”

I snort in response.

“I’ll see you after practice,” Finn says as I grab the handle. “In the meantime, Carson and I are going to lunch to discuss my level of involvement in your affairs and where we go after the exhibition match this week.”

His words stop me.

“Excuse me?” I turn to face him and would love to knock that smug, cocky smirk off his lips.

“We start now, Stevie. No more dicking around.”

“So just like that, you two men get to discuss me as if I were your property?”

“Someone has to since you haven’t seemed capable of claiming it as of late,” Finn says.

“Are you kidding me?”

“Not in the least,” Finn murmurs while Carson’s expression softens for the first time, almost as if he might suddenly feel sorry that he’s sicced Finn on me. “But please, keep up the spoiled-brat routine because it makes my job that much more exciting. When you act like a grown-up, I’ll start treating you like one.”

I turn on my heel with an exaggerated huff and slam the door behind me.

Or at least I try to but that damn metal lock bar is still across the jam so there’s no satisfying slam of the door, only a clang against metal.

I stalk down the hallway toward my room, my thoughts flying and my temper raging.

Finn Sanderson thinks he’s better than me?

Maybe I’ll show him he’s not. Maybe I’ll make his life so miserable that he wants nothing to do with me.