Page 40 of Steal My Heart

My head falls back on a sigh. Another reason why I don’t spend more time at the weekend house: I don’t have a dedicated office, and there are too many eavesdropping women. “I’m not cheating on Remi.”

“So she knows you’re going to the inaugural party with Laurie,” Al challenges.

I remain silent.

“What I thought,” she says, judgment dripping from each word.

“Why have you been hiding this new boyfriend, Rome?” I deflect.

“Gee, I don’t know. Maybe because I was worried your rabid Ukrainian lap dog would scare him off.” She presses a finger to her cheek. “Oh, wait, that happened.”

“When the time comes, you will need a real man, not a boy who tucks tail at the slightest hint of a threat,” I inform her.

“Excuse me if I don’t take relationship advice from a cheater,” she says dismissively.

My teeth grind back and forth. “I have to go into the city to take care of some business. Please keep an eye on Remi and Nola while I’m gone.”

“Fine, but I’m going to tell Remi about Laurie,” Al threatens. “She’s too sweet for this kind of bullshit.”

Al’s gaze is caught by something behind me, and I turn around to find Remi standing in the doorway, her expression guarded. “Sorry to interrupt. I was looking for Nola.”

“We were just chilling,” Al says, giving Nola a scratch on the head.

Nola huffs, something I didn’t even realize a cat could do. She arches her back in a long stretch before hopping off the bed and sauntering out of the room.

“Sorry. We didn’t mean to interrupt your nap,” Remi calls after her. “She gets a little cranky if you wake her,” she explains to my sister.

“Same,” Al says.

Remi smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Excuse me.” She walks off.

“Way to go.” Al gives me a soft golf clap.

“You’re grounded,” I tell her childishly.

She snorts a laugh. “Whatever. I turn eighteen soon.”

“And what do you think that changes?”

She lifts her chin. “Since I’ll have access to my trust fund, I’d say a hell of a lot.”

“So you’ll burn through your inheritance, and then what?” I challenge. “You have no idea what it costs to run a household with staff and security.”

“‘Then what’ isn’t your concern.” She crosses her arms.

“I’ll make it my concern; tie up your trust in endless litigation if I have to,” I threaten. “Al, don’t fight me on this. You will have a viable plan for your future. If not, I’ll start looking for a marriage contract. I hear Detroit is delightful this time of year.”

She gasps. “You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.”

Her bravado falters. “Fabien won’t allow it.”

An acrid laugh escapes me. “Fabien’s conned you into believing he’ll be your white knight when he gets out of prison. I suggest you taper down those expectations. Fabien’s only ever cared about Fabien. You’re a pawn in this game between your brother and me.”

“At least I’m on the game board with Fabien,” she argues weakly.

“Who raised you? Read your bedtime stories? Bandaged your skinned knees? Who showed up, day after day, year after year? I’m not perfect, but at least I fucking tried. You think yourbrother would’ve done the same if the roles had been reversed?” I grit, bitterness coating my tongue. “You’d been shipped to a European boarding school faster than Fabien could line up his next hooker and 8 ball.”