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Moody asshole. I finish eating my dinner before I remember my mom’s earlier text. Turning to him while he stands with his back to me, I ask, “Did you read the article about us?”
“Yes,” he answers swiftly.
“Why didn’t you warn me?”
He whips around and his broad shoulders move as he shrugs, “I told you there are rumors going around about me and it has put me under the media’s radar. Usually, I only have to worry about them back home.”
“What rumors?”
His gaze sharpens. “You’re telling me your friends haven’t filled you in?”
My guilty face says it all but I don’t shy away as I ask in a nonjudgmental voice, “Is it true?”
Gripping the marble counter on each side, he leans back and crosses his legs as he quirks an impassive eyebrow. “You think I’m capable of killing a man, kitten?”
“No.” I’m surprised by the conviction I feel down to my bones. Dash can be described as a lot of things but never as a remorseless killer. He certainly wouldn’t jeopardize his business by being hotheaded. I can tell he’s relieved at my answer because the furrow in his brow disappears. “I can’t be sure about my parents, though.”
“It’s not their opinion that matters to me.”
The sincerity in his voice has me feeling all gooey inside and special. “You really don’t like them, do you?”
“They haven’t given me a reason so far.”
“Well then, it’s going to be one awkward dinner.” I wince. When he stares, confused, I explain, “They’ve invited us for dinner this Sunday.”
“Do you believe they changed their mind about us?”
I rest my chin on my steepled fingers as I answer, “I think it’s a test to judge us as a couple under their terms and territory.”
“They want to see if we’re really in love,” he softly says and I nod. “Then you might want to hone your acting skills. You’re terrible.”
“I am not,” I snap, offended.
He pushes off the counter and walks to where I’m sitting and accuses, “You almost gave us away last time.”
“Because you came out of thin air announcing we’re engaged.”
“I still think you can do better,” he throws over his shoulder as he walks out of the kitchen. “I can’t be saving your ass every time, kitten.”
He’s out of my view before I can respond with a smart-ass remark. Come Sunday dinner, I’ll show him just howin loveI can be.
Chapter Twenty-five
BIANCA
I stay downstairs and distract myself with work until I can no longer avoid going to the bedroom. It’s futile for me to hope that he’s gone to sleep without me, but I can’t be certain unless I check for myself. He didn’t once come back to demand I come to bed, which felt like a real possibility. After all, bossing and tormenting me is his favorite pastime.
I have half a mind to sneak to my old apartment. However, I don’t want to give him the smug satisfaction if I were to be caught.
Maybe that’s what he’s counting on. He would love that, wouldn’t he?
I glance at the stairs and with a sigh, switch off my laptop before gathering the courage to confront our bedroom situation. God forbid he accuses me of being scared of him yet again. As I switch off the lights, unfiltered questions run through my mind.
Did he ever have a girlfriend? Did they share an apartment?
Did I ever cross his mind?
I stop my train of thought when they enter into dangerous waters. Of course he wouldn’t have reminisced about me. I was just his stepbrother’s naïve girlfriend. The girl he had to put up with in his house and glared at most of the time. Sometimes, even save her from trouble when her boyfriend was too busy getting shit-faced.
