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She shrugs me off and marches toward her brother, hands on her hips.
Parker’s gloating face floods my veins with venom. I don’t care what the asshole says about me anymore, but if he dares to insult her or degrade her again, I will go to the ends of the earth to eviscerate him.
He holds out his hand to Corinne. “It’s okay. You didn’t know the kind of guy he is. I tried to shelter you—”
“Stop it. Just stop!”
The whole room falls silent. No one even breathes.
“Ninny…” he cajoles. “I don’t know what he—”
“Shut up,” she snaps. “How dare you crash my engagement party? Haven’t you done enough to Xavian? You’ve insinuated he’s the kind of vile human being who feeds off others’ misery, who would tell lies just to crush his enemies so he could cash in on their misfortune. But that’s not him at all. Xavian is funny and charming and thoughtful, not the mean-spirited predator you’ve made him out to be. Why doesn’t the public know about Hadley? Why didn’t you ever tell that story? Because you wouldn’t be the victim if everyone knew you betrayed him?”
He scowls and waves away Corinne’s accusation as if it’s irrelevant, but I see panic on his face. “She has nothing to do with anything.”
Corinne gapes. “She was his fiancée.”
“Their relationship wasn’t going to last. I told him that.”
“You made sure it didn’t when you slept with her.”
“She came onto me,” he protests.
“So that makes it okay to screw your best friend’s bride? You broke his trust in the worst way. What’s more despicable is that you didn’t take her to bed because you had feelings for her; you did it to prove a point.”
“And I was right. For trying to save a friend from a lifetime with a gold-digging whore, what did I get? Snubbed. Bullied. Derided. Persecuted.”
“Don’t you think maybe you earned some of that?”
Parker looks stunned. “You don’t know what he did to me.”
“What did he do that you didn’t bring on yourself? Your compulsive need to ‘win’ every argument ruins all your relationships. And if the argument isn’t going your way, you twist events around until they fit what you want everyone to believe.”
“I don’t. He’s filled your head with poison, and you’re only acting this way because I’m withholding the money in your trust until you grow up. Last week, I almost gave in… But clearly, I made the right choice. You’re still a gullible child.”
“Not another fucking word,” I growl, stepping between him and Corinne again. “You don’t get to trespass on my brother’s property to bad-mouth my fiancée during our engagement party. Unlike you, I’ll never tell Corinne who she can and can’t talk to, but after the way you’ve behaved tonight, if she never spoke to you again, I would completely support her decision. And if that’s her choice and you’re grappling to understand why, take a hard look at yourself in a mirror.” I get right in his face, barely holding back the urge to hit him, and only because he’d press charges for assault—another way to make himself the victim in the press. “Get. The fuck. Out. Now.”
Parker opens his mouth to protest when a pair of police officers enter the house and take in the scene. “Is there a problem?”
Parker tugs on his starched shirt. “No, I was just leaving.” Then he looks Corinne’s way. “You’ll regret him. I’ll be waiting when you finally figure out he’s not husband material, but a monster.”
With a huff, he’s gone. Instantly, the tension leaves the room. Nervous chatter ensues. Lisa catches my eye and holds up her cell phone to indicate she captured the whole thing on video. I give her a thumbs-up while Maxon and Griff talk to one of the officers. The other detains Parker on the lawn.
I turn to Corinne, who looks a heartbeat away from sobbing. She lost her only brother and the last of her family tonight. Sure, the asshole brought it on himself, but she’s the one who’s hurting.
As I wrap her in my arms and kiss the top of her head, she sags against me and clings. She found the courage to stand her ground and confront him about his bullshit, and I’m so proud of her.
Then the truth hits me… She defended me.
No, she chose me over him.
A wave of warmth spreads through my chest. It’s not mere admiration, though I think she’s amazing. It’s not just lust, though I’m dying to bare her soft, sweet body and make love to her. What I’m feeling is something else—something more I don’t have a name for.
I’ll figure that out later. She needs me now.
Cupping her face in my hands, I lift her gaze to mine. “You okay, princess?”
“Why did he come here and ruin everything?”
I could tell her it’s because he’s an asshole who doesn’t care who he shits on if he makes himself feel better. I’d be right…but that wouldn’t help her. “Don’t focus on him. Things have a way of working out. Just know that every word I said about you tonight is true. People care about you. I care about you.”
