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“Well, it looks like I’m not worth being mentioned,” Matt replied, faking disappointment.
“I don’t think you really believe that.”
“What I believe doesn’t matter. What you think is what I want to hear.” Oh lord! He didn’t even bother to ease into it. Instinctively my eyes darted to the floor, not wanting him to see how nervous he made me. “Maybe you could be my date for the rest of the evening?”
“Quite forward, aren’t you?” I was stunned by his bluntness.
“I know what I want when I see it. I’m just honest about it.”
Matt stepped closer, his tongue darting across his lips while he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his finger lingering to caress my cheek.
All this felt wrong somehow, but his honesty was refreshing, and my thin self-esteem was loving the attention. Besides, Matt’s spell was as strong as they get, his direct approach left no room for doubt or misinterpretation. I tried to ease the anxiety growing in my gut. It wasn’t like I was cheating. Liam didn’t want me, he said so himself. But why did it still feel that way?
“I’m sorry if I’m coming on too strong, but you look absolutely ravishing in that dress. I couldn’t help it even if I wanted to.” He confessed, his bare fingers tracing my spine up and down. My cheeks couldn’t handle the heat anymore, the weight of his gaze forcing me to admire the wooden floor again.
“She does, doesn’t she?” I heard, coming from behind me. A low and menacing grunt that made Matt look up, a grin plastered on his face. I spun on my heels so quickly that I almost missed a step. I’d recognize that voice even if I had earplugs. It settled straight in my gut each time I heard it.
“Liam,” Matt said with that grin growing into a full smile. I was beyond surprised to see him here.
His expression was wild, dangerous, and as alluring as ever. It spoke right to the deepest, most intimate parts of me, and I couldn’t help the tingle that settled between my legs at the sight.
After everything that happened, my treacherous body still reacted this way to his presence. If I closed my eyes, I could still feel his touch, missing the feeling of his lips all over me.
Liam’s tone suggested possessiveness, like he was pissing on his territory and for Matt to peel his hands from me. It had the exact opposite effect. Instead of single digits, Matt had his whole hand now resting on my naked back, his fingers under the side hem of my dress.
I looked up at him as he started caressing my skin again, taking in the vile grin that stretched his lips once he registered the goosebumps his touch and Liam’s stare had elicited all over my body.
Both of them stood there in a staring match, Liam’s nose flaring while Matt’s serenity was unnerving, yet he was the first to break the silence.
“Where are my manners? Let me introduce you two. Liam, this is Jamie Harden, my date tonight.” Matt said, his chest swelling at his choice of words while I couldn’t help but wince. But the worst was still to come. My ears and nerves were not prepared. “Miss Harden, this is Liam Dornier, my little brother.”
Chapter 16
Liam
Royalty had thrown up inside the house and forgotten to clean up after itself.
There wasn’t an inch in this place that hadn’t been prepped and luxed up to entertain the parade of vultures. All of them ready to pounce on the opportunity to mingle at one of Teresa Battaglia’s soirrées.
Mom was always eager to fill this enormous house with life now that the three of us had our own places and moved out. She’d taken it from my father out of spite in a messy divorce settlement that went on for what seemed like forever. This mansion was one of his hidden, most prized projects and possessions. It screamed Adrian Dornier in every detail.
Even despite all the animosity between the two, my mother had always kept the details of their fall out to herself, never involving any one of her three kids. Still, I knew my baby sister had witnessed the worst of it.
My baby sister who wasn’t, theoretically, such a baby anymore. She was turning twenty-five today, but she’d always be our little princess no matter how old she turned.
She still allowed my mother to throw these huge parties in her honor since Matt and I had cut her off long ago, sacrificing our hypothetical weddings to appease her distress and make peace with the party planner addict that was Teresa Battaglia.
That was one of her love languages.
I made my way into the house, a flute of pink champagne being immediately thrust into my hand as I looked for the birthday girl. As always, Alison and I would endure this first part of her party so we could go out after and have the real fun until the crack of dawn.
It wasn’t easy to find her in this sea of people that cluttered the house, but I soon managed to catch her just a few feet away from the makeshift bar in the corner of the family room.
“Happy birthday, Principessa.” Alison jumped at the sound of my voice, her arms immediately squeezing the air out of me as she wrapped them around my neck.
“Thank you.” She squealed, “I’m so happy you’re here. Mom’s been trying to set me up with the Kennedy’s younger son all night. I swear, if I have to listen to another speech about old bones and pottery, I’m gonna stick my fist in his mouth. Someone needs to tell him the world can only handle one Ross Geller and he’s been cast already.”
I couldn’t help the laughter from bursting out of me, earning a swat on the arm from the little brat in front of me.
