“No. Janice will get it.” He looks away, dismissing me.
I stand. “Very well. I guess I’ll go help Uncle Christian then. At least I’ll be more appreciated there.” I’m goading him, hoping for a reaction out of him.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work.
Jesus the man is stubborn
I sashay toward the door, feeling the heat of Evan’s stare following me. My skin tingles. Just as I reach the threshold, I glance back over my shoulder, ready to catch him watching. Throw him a smug smirk. Maybe another jab.
But he’s not.
His attention is fixed to his phone, thumbs flying over the screen.
My heart sinks along with my shoulders. Disappointment slithers through my veins.
Maybe Evan’s right. Maybe I really am delusional when it comes to him.
I shake my head as I pull the door open.
I hesitate for a half second, then shake it off. No, I refuse to believe this is one sided. I’ve seen the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not watching.
There’s something between us.
I just have to make him see it.
Chapter 11
Evan
“Anais seems to be settling in,” Aria muses beside me, watching our dad lift Baron high in the air, pretending to play airplanes.
At the sound of her name my muscles tense.
The little brat has been getting brave lately. Baiting me. Goading me. Teasing me. And when the word dick fell from her lips this morning, my body reacted before my brain had a say. Despite everything in me resisting Anais Lauder, my body clearly hasn’t gotten the memo.
Dick…
My dick.
Fuck me. I’m getting hard again just thinking about the breathy way she said it.
I shift in my seat, forcing my gaze to my sister. She stares at me expectantly, a knowing smile on her face. But what exactly does she think she knows?
I shrug, feigning indifference. “Is she? I hadn’t noticed. I try to spend as little time around her as possible.”
Aria chuckles, rolling her eyes. “Come on Evan, she’s not that bad.”
“That’s easy for you to say. She’s not outside your office five days a week.” I grumble, shooting her a pointed glare.
She bites her lip, trying to suppress a smirk. But I catch it. Frustration creeps up my spine. Why does no one in my family take this seriously? Just because Anais plays the perfect daughter, goddaughter and friend, doesn’t mean she isn’t a fucking menace. She has a twisted side, and it all seems to be aimed at me.
“She likes you,” Aria murmurs quietly.
I stiffen at those three words. She quickly averts her gaze, pretending to focus on her son. She can look away all she likes. But I won’t answer until she meets my eyes.
As if she can hear my thoughts, she sighs, clearly feeling the heat of my stare, then meets my glare with a tired one of her own.
“I don’t give a damn what she likes,” I hiss, annoyance threading through my veins. “I’m not interested. Christ, Aria, she’s my best friend’s little sister, in case that slipped your mind. And she’s barely legal. Just because our parents – and you for that matter – were okay turning a blind eye to the twelve-year age gap between Thalia and Theo doesn’t mean I’m about to start robbing cradles.”
