Page 28 of Brutal Heir

That was all.

A powerful, incredibly handsome, obscenely wealthy, and obnoxiously influential…man.

He palmed my shoulders then ran his hands down my arms. “Are you cold? Do you want my jacket?”

Did I want to feel the warmth from his body as it clung to the fabric?

Fuck no. I was already unbalanced as it was.

Every nerve in my body screamed, Run!

Run and don’t look back.

Internally, I sighed. Run and do what? Run all the way back to the suffocating safety of my mother in New York? No. Absolutely not.

Stiffening my shoulders, I wrapped my arms around my middle and stepped back. “I’m fine.”

“Who was that man from earlier?”

“What man?”

He crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance. “The man who put his arm around you outside the museum.”

Given his strangely jealous tone, it took me a moment to realize what he was talking about.

My mouth dropped open. “You mean Mark?”

“Mark who?”

“Mark Hanson. He’s the photographer I’m working with.”

He nodded. “And where can I find this…Mark?”

“Why?”

“It’s none of your concern.”

I threw my palms up. “Okay, I’m lost. It's definitely my concern. How could it not be? What do you want with Mark?”

Keeping his arms crossed, almost as if he were restraining himself, he leaned in. “Very well. I intend to inform him that if he touches you again, I’ll break his arms. Satisfied?”

My eyes watered as I stared up at him, afraid to blink.

I cleared my throat before attempting to speak. “Why…why would you say something like that?”

Sebastian reached around my neck, gripping my hair and pulling my head back. “I thought it only fair to warn him not to touch what belongs to me.”

His lips crashed down on mine in a possessive kiss.

It was pure brutality, devoid of any tenderness.

Wrenching free, I clutched at the chain around my neck and yanked. The clasp broke free.

I shoved the diamond against his chest. “I don’t know what kind of sick game you’re playing, but I want nothing to do with it.”

This whole charade had gone on long enough.

Twisting my shoulders, I moved past him, intent on returning to the safety of the backstage area.