Then I stop in my tracks, because Reed is leaning against the driver’s side of my car.
“What do you want now?” I snap.
I’m sick and tired of him getting in my face all the time. And I hate how good he looks right now. The weather is growing cooler, so his dark hair is windblown and his sharp cheekbones are flushed from the cold.
He pushes his big, muscular body off the car and marches toward me. “Sawyer said Jordan was harassing you earlier.”
“The only person who’s harassing me is you.” I give him an icy look. “Stop texting me. Stop talking to me. It’s over.”
He just shrugs. “If I really believed that, I’d back off. But I don’t.”
“I’ll block your number,” I warn.
“I’ll get a new phone.”
“I’ll change my number.”
He snorts. “You really think I won’t be able to get it?”
I hug my bag against my chest like a shield. “It’s over,” I repeat. A ball of pain lodges in my throat. “You cheated on me.”
“I never cheated on you,” he says hoarsely. “I haven’t touched Brooke in six months.”
He sounds so sincere. What if he’s telling the truth? What if—
Don’t be an idiot! an internal voice shouts. Ugh. Of course he’s not being sincere, and I should know better than to get sucked in by his earnest face and the tiny wobble in his voice. Growing up, I watched my mom fall for the wrong guys over and over again. They lied to her. Used her. And as much as I loved her, I hated how stupid she could be when it came to men. It would take her months, almost a year sometimes, to figure out that the lying jerk in her bed wasn’t worth her time, while I stood there on the sidelines and waited for her to come to her senses.
I refuse to be played like that.
“Go to hell, Reed,” I mutter. “I’m done with you.”
He moves even closer. “Yeah? So you’re telling me you don’t want me anymore?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you.” I sidestep his approach and practically fling myself at the car. But my escape attempt backfires, because he swiftly turns around and backs me up against the door.
The heat of his body sears right through my clothes. My pulse speeds up as he plants both palms against the car, trapping me between his arms.
“You’re saying I don’t turn you on anymore?” He dips his head and his warm breath fans over my neck. When I give an involuntary shiver, he laughs softly. “Admit it, you miss me.”
I clamp my lips together.
Reed’s cheek brushes mine as he keeps whispering in my ear. “You miss the way I kiss you. You miss me sliding in bed with you at night. You miss the way it feels when I put my mouth right here—” He presses his lips against my neck, and I shiver again. That gets me another husky chuckle. “Yeah, I’m sure I don’t do anything for you at all, right, baby?”
“Don’t call me that.” I shove him angrily, ignoring the loud pounding of my heart. I hate the effect he has on me. “And leave me alone.”
A low voice sounds from behind us. “You heard her. Leave her alone.”
Easton stalks up to us and latches a steely hand on Reed’s shoulder. Despite being a year younger, Easton is as tall and ripped as his brother. It takes zero effort for him to yank Reed away from me.
“This is a private conversation,” Reed says, unfazed at being manhandled.
“Yeah?” Easton glances at me. “You in the mood to talk to our big bro, little sis?”
“Nope,” I answer with forced cheerfulness.
Easton grins. “There you go, Reed. Conversation’s over.” The mocking glint in his eyes dissolves, replaced by irritation. “Besides, Dad just texted. He wants all of us to come home ASAP. He and Brooke have some announcement to make.”
My gaze flies to Easton’s. “Brooke?”
With a harsh laugh, he turns to Reed. “What, you didn’t tell her?”
“Tell me what?” I demand. Why the hell is Brooke at the house?
Reed shoots his brother a stony look.
“Gee, I wonder why you didn’t mention it.” Easton shrugs at me. “Dad and Brooke got back together.”
My whole body runs cold. What? Why would Callum ever get back together with that witch?
And how can I possibly face her again after what I witnessed in Reed’s bedroom that night?
My legs feel wobbly and my hands begin to shake. I hope the boys don’t notice how hard I’m trembling, that they don’t see how shaken up I am by this news.
Going home is suddenly the last thing I want to do.
13
One by one, our cars pull into the grand, circular driveway of the Royal estate. My convertible. Easton’s pickup. Reed’s Range Rover, and the Rover the twins share. I remain in the car as I watch the Royal brothers slam doors and disappear through the side door of the mansion.
I can’t believe Brooke is in there. I can’t believe Reed “forgot” to mention it. In all the times he’s gotten in my face and mocked me about how he’s going to win me back and how I still want him, he couldn’t tell me that Brooke was back?
But of course he didn’t say anything. He thinks if he pretends he never touched Brooke, if he pretends she doesn’t exist, that maybe I’ll forget about her.
I won’t, though. Ella Harper doesn’t forget. Ever.
I take a deep breath and order myself to get out of the car. The internal command fails, because I stay put. It’s not until the side door swings open that I scramble out of the driver’s seat.
“Ella,” Brooke calls out, smiling from ear to ear.
I grab my backpack and round the car, trying to bulldoze past her, but she steps into my path. I’ve never wanted to punch anyone more than I want to punch this woman. She’s as blonde and fake as I remember, decked out in an expensive minidress, sky-high stilettos, and enough diamonds to fill a Tiffany shop.
“I have nothing to say to you,” I announce.
She laughs. “Oh, darling, you don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do. Now get out of my way.”
“Not until we have a little girl chat,” she chirps. “I can’t have you going in there until we set a few things straight.”
“What do you want now?” I snap.
I’m sick and tired of him getting in my face all the time. And I hate how good he looks right now. The weather is growing cooler, so his dark hair is windblown and his sharp cheekbones are flushed from the cold.
He pushes his big, muscular body off the car and marches toward me. “Sawyer said Jordan was harassing you earlier.”
“The only person who’s harassing me is you.” I give him an icy look. “Stop texting me. Stop talking to me. It’s over.”
He just shrugs. “If I really believed that, I’d back off. But I don’t.”
“I’ll block your number,” I warn.
“I’ll get a new phone.”
“I’ll change my number.”
He snorts. “You really think I won’t be able to get it?”
I hug my bag against my chest like a shield. “It’s over,” I repeat. A ball of pain lodges in my throat. “You cheated on me.”
“I never cheated on you,” he says hoarsely. “I haven’t touched Brooke in six months.”
He sounds so sincere. What if he’s telling the truth? What if—
Don’t be an idiot! an internal voice shouts. Ugh. Of course he’s not being sincere, and I should know better than to get sucked in by his earnest face and the tiny wobble in his voice. Growing up, I watched my mom fall for the wrong guys over and over again. They lied to her. Used her. And as much as I loved her, I hated how stupid she could be when it came to men. It would take her months, almost a year sometimes, to figure out that the lying jerk in her bed wasn’t worth her time, while I stood there on the sidelines and waited for her to come to her senses.
I refuse to be played like that.
“Go to hell, Reed,” I mutter. “I’m done with you.”
He moves even closer. “Yeah? So you’re telling me you don’t want me anymore?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you.” I sidestep his approach and practically fling myself at the car. But my escape attempt backfires, because he swiftly turns around and backs me up against the door.
The heat of his body sears right through my clothes. My pulse speeds up as he plants both palms against the car, trapping me between his arms.
“You’re saying I don’t turn you on anymore?” He dips his head and his warm breath fans over my neck. When I give an involuntary shiver, he laughs softly. “Admit it, you miss me.”
I clamp my lips together.
Reed’s cheek brushes mine as he keeps whispering in my ear. “You miss the way I kiss you. You miss me sliding in bed with you at night. You miss the way it feels when I put my mouth right here—” He presses his lips against my neck, and I shiver again. That gets me another husky chuckle. “Yeah, I’m sure I don’t do anything for you at all, right, baby?”
“Don’t call me that.” I shove him angrily, ignoring the loud pounding of my heart. I hate the effect he has on me. “And leave me alone.”
A low voice sounds from behind us. “You heard her. Leave her alone.”
Easton stalks up to us and latches a steely hand on Reed’s shoulder. Despite being a year younger, Easton is as tall and ripped as his brother. It takes zero effort for him to yank Reed away from me.
“This is a private conversation,” Reed says, unfazed at being manhandled.
“Yeah?” Easton glances at me. “You in the mood to talk to our big bro, little sis?”
“Nope,” I answer with forced cheerfulness.
Easton grins. “There you go, Reed. Conversation’s over.” The mocking glint in his eyes dissolves, replaced by irritation. “Besides, Dad just texted. He wants all of us to come home ASAP. He and Brooke have some announcement to make.”
My gaze flies to Easton’s. “Brooke?”
With a harsh laugh, he turns to Reed. “What, you didn’t tell her?”
“Tell me what?” I demand. Why the hell is Brooke at the house?
Reed shoots his brother a stony look.
“Gee, I wonder why you didn’t mention it.” Easton shrugs at me. “Dad and Brooke got back together.”
My whole body runs cold. What? Why would Callum ever get back together with that witch?
And how can I possibly face her again after what I witnessed in Reed’s bedroom that night?
My legs feel wobbly and my hands begin to shake. I hope the boys don’t notice how hard I’m trembling, that they don’t see how shaken up I am by this news.
Going home is suddenly the last thing I want to do.
13
One by one, our cars pull into the grand, circular driveway of the Royal estate. My convertible. Easton’s pickup. Reed’s Range Rover, and the Rover the twins share. I remain in the car as I watch the Royal brothers slam doors and disappear through the side door of the mansion.
I can’t believe Brooke is in there. I can’t believe Reed “forgot” to mention it. In all the times he’s gotten in my face and mocked me about how he’s going to win me back and how I still want him, he couldn’t tell me that Brooke was back?
But of course he didn’t say anything. He thinks if he pretends he never touched Brooke, if he pretends she doesn’t exist, that maybe I’ll forget about her.
I won’t, though. Ella Harper doesn’t forget. Ever.
I take a deep breath and order myself to get out of the car. The internal command fails, because I stay put. It’s not until the side door swings open that I scramble out of the driver’s seat.
“Ella,” Brooke calls out, smiling from ear to ear.
I grab my backpack and round the car, trying to bulldoze past her, but she steps into my path. I’ve never wanted to punch anyone more than I want to punch this woman. She’s as blonde and fake as I remember, decked out in an expensive minidress, sky-high stilettos, and enough diamonds to fill a Tiffany shop.
“I have nothing to say to you,” I announce.
She laughs. “Oh, darling, you don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do. Now get out of my way.”
“Not until we have a little girl chat,” she chirps. “I can’t have you going in there until we set a few things straight.”
