“Ari—”
“I would hate for you to make a mistake you’d regret in themorning.”
Fuck.“That wasn’twhatI—”
“Just so you know, I don’t require my brother’s permission to doanything.”
“And what happened with the boyfriend?Is it really overthistime?”
My question came out of nowhere, and Ari sucked in a breath before narrowinghergaze.
“Not that it’s any of your damnbusiness—”
“My hands all over that sweet body of yours says it is mybusiness.”
She bristled.“He cheated on me.I saw the pictures.Heath had them.Of courseit’s over for good this time.I do have some self-respect, you know.”As the anger faded, her vulnerability brokethrough.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”I pulled her into my arms, and she didn’t resist.“So damnsorry.”
She sniffled, and I wanted to wipe that dick off the planet for causing her a single moment of pain.“I should’ve done it a long time ago, then I wouldn’t have had to go through that awesomely humiliating experience with my brother.I called him after I left Heath’s and confronted him about thepictures.”
“What’dhesay?”
She stiffened in my arms, and I loosened my grip so I could see her face.The expression on it gutted me, but morphed into rage before I could sayanythingelse.
“He told me that they were none of myconcern.”
What a fucking asshole.I kept the comment tomyself.
“So I very politely explained that he was right, it wasn’t any of my concern because I was done with him, and I would appreciate it if he never contacted meagain.”
A wave of approval surged through me, and I swiped a thumb along her cheek to catch the couple of tears she’d let fall.“Way to stand up foryourself.”
Ari lifted her chin, and I could practically see her armor closing over her emotions.“Thank you.Now I hope you’ll understand why I’m asking you to go before I say something I won’t be able to take back because I’m frustrated.I refuse to be anyone’s mistake.If anything, I’m a goddamnedprivilege.”
Only Ari could make me smile while throwing me out of herhouse.
She’s always been special, and this is moreproof.
“I’ll go, but I’ll be seeing you tomorrow.And just so we’re all clear, I’m going to see your brotherfirst.”
The promise in my words made her eyebrow shoot upward.“Isthatso?”
“Damn right.”I turned forthedoor.
“Good night,Rhett.”
I paused with my hand on the knob.“Tomorrow,Red.”
16
Ariel
It tookme hours to fall asleep with Rhett’s words ringing in my head, so when my phone went off at three o’clock in the morning, I wanted to crush the SIM card and go back to bed.But instinct, and a healthy dose of fear, had megrabbingit.
“Hello?”
“We just had an attempted hacking incident.”The voice on the other end was one of myassistants,Erik.