She couldn’t see them. Could only hear their voices, but Alexander had agreed. He didn’t refuse the offer.
Was she being used as some kind of pawn in their business dealings? Tears slipped from her eyes, and she ran back in the direction she’d come from.
Fool repeatedly playing in her mind. She was a fool.
A fool to think that Alexander was interested in her.
A fool to think they had a future together.
A fool to think that she was anything more than a piece of property to be bartered over.
She burst into the house and crossed the dance floor, winding her way around the couples dancing until she got to the other side.
As if in a craze, she whipped her head around, searching for Gwen and Nicholas. She wanted to leave.
Now.
She didn’t care if they left Alexander here and made him find his own ride home.
She swiped at the tears running down her cheeks.
“Hey,” Gwen grasped her shoulders and forced Clarissa to look at her, concern knitting her brows. “What is wrong? What has upset ye so?”
Clarissa shook her head. “I dinna want to talk about it. I just want to go home. I dinna want to be here anymore.”
“All right.” Gwen placed her arm around Clarissa’s shoulders and led her towards the front entrance.
Nicholas looked at them questioningly, and Gwen just shrugged her shoulders.
Clarissa didn’t want to tell them what she’d just overheard. It hurt too much. Nicholas had warned her, and she’d ignored him.
She knew of Alexander’s past. Commitment wasn’t in his vocabulary. Conquest was though, when it came to women.
Was that what she was? Another conquest for him?
God, she was such a fool. Now the tears that slipped from her eyes were angry tears.
She was mad at herself.
“Let me go find Alexander,” Nicholas stated.
“No!” Clarissa cried. “Please, I just want to go home.”
*
It took allof Alexander’s famous control not to beat Kitt’s face to a pulp. He was tempted. Oh, so tempted. The unbelievable nerve the louse had for stating such a proposition. No matter how badly he wanted to regain his sheep, he would never compromise Clarissa in such a way.
She’s not property. And Alexander sure as shite would not use her as a pawn in whatever dastardly game Kitt was playing.
“I would suggest ye leave at once,” Alexander growled, his blood boiling. “Because I canna promise that ye will be able to walk out on your own volition if ye dinna leave my sight right now.”
Kitt must have sensed the promise of violence because he paled, leaving his skin ashen as if he’d seen a ghost.
If he hung around much longer, Alexander would send him to the afterlife.
Kitt spun around and hurriedly made his way inside.
Clarissa. Alexander needed to see her. But as soon as he stepped in the door his friends stopped him.
