I ease my way up to a standing position, and I salute him.
“Don’t be a smart-ass, Ariana. What the hell were you doing behind the partition? You’re supposed to be resting,” He exclaims with a dark expression shadowing his face as he picks up the divider.
“I wanted to know what was going on and to be honest; I don’t want you gentlemen involved.” I glance at his brothers with regret and worry about their welfare. How can I live with myself if something goes wrong and they get injured or worse? I can’t even think of the latter.
“Too late,” he scolds, his voice raised and eyes cold and hard.
I can feel the heat surging just beneath my skin. I am beyond furious, not only at him but also at myself for allowing this man to bully me. If I had the energy, I would choke this arrogant, overconfident, pompous ass. Hands on hips, I glower at Michael with lips pressed in a hard line and narrow eyes.
Michael frowns, his expression overwrought with mixed emotions—worry, concern, and panic—but I don’t care.
Both Trent and Josh back away as I approach their brother, glaring at him. I’m sorry Michael dragged them into this mess, and I’m wondering if that thought ever crossed their minds, or maybe not. They’re probably cut out of the same cloth. Bossy, egotistical asses.
I let out a long breath, feeling fatigued from the wine and drug. The raw rage that was coursing through me has vanished. All I want to do now is settle beneath the covers of my bed and sleep. “We’ll. Discuss. This. Tomorrow. I’m too tired to argue,” I say through gritted teeth, poking him in the chest, my eyes growing wider with anger.
He breathes a sigh of relief, and a few whistles reverberate in the background. “Let me help you to bed. I’ll check in on you after I speak to my brothers.”
“Michael, I can take myself . I’ll call you in the morning,” I huff out.
Michael gapes at me with a befuddled look on his face. “Ariana, I’m not leaving you by yourself. I’ll sleep in the guestroom. I promise to be a perfect gentleman.” He wiggles his eyebrows.
“ You are going home , Michael. I appreciate all you’ve done for me.” I hold my head to ease the pain and take a deep breath to calm my temper. I knew he was going to be a handful. “Thank you for everything. You’ve been such an angel,” I say with a genuine smile.
He stares at me, bemused, speechless as if no one has ever called him an angel.
Josh and Trent chuckle, making sly remarks, smirking at Michael.
“Angel?” Trent asks, both his eyebrows lifted as he looks at Michael.
“Michael?” Josh queries and they both erupt into fits of laughter.
“You must be mistaking Michael for someone else,” Trent chirps in.
“Shut the hell up,” Michael shouts, glaring at his brothers over his shoulder.
He turns back with smiling eyes. “Angel,” he whispers, brushing his fingers across my cheeks. The sweet sting of his touch warms my inner soul, making my heart pitter-patter. “That’s a first. I’ve never been called an angel before,” he says proudly. “I know I can be a bit overbearing at times,” he says.
“A bit,” I answer with a sarcastic tone, and his brothers snicker.
He holds his hands up. “Okay, maybe that was an understatement. I guess my natural instincts as a man to protect you took over.” He shrugs, and his face softens. “I phoned for a nurse earlier. I’ll call them for confirmation.”
He walks over to the sofa and retrieves his cell phone from his jacket and taps it a few times. “This is Michael Grayson. I’m calling to confirm the nurse I hired to care for Miss Ariana DiMarco for this evening . . . yes . . . at nine . . . and her name? Tina O’Conner . . . Thank you.” He ends the call, shoves his phone into his pants pocket and rubs the back of his neck.
I glance at the time, and the damn numbers won’t stay still. I laugh at myself. I’m besotted, not only from the drug and wine but from the man standing
“Don’t be a smart-ass, Ariana. What the hell were you doing behind the partition? You’re supposed to be resting,” He exclaims with a dark expression shadowing his face as he picks up the divider.
“I wanted to know what was going on and to be honest; I don’t want you gentlemen involved.” I glance at his brothers with regret and worry about their welfare. How can I live with myself if something goes wrong and they get injured or worse? I can’t even think of the latter.
“Too late,” he scolds, his voice raised and eyes cold and hard.
I can feel the heat surging just beneath my skin. I am beyond furious, not only at him but also at myself for allowing this man to bully me. If I had the energy, I would choke this arrogant, overconfident, pompous ass. Hands on hips, I glower at Michael with lips pressed in a hard line and narrow eyes.
Michael frowns, his expression overwrought with mixed emotions—worry, concern, and panic—but I don’t care.
Both Trent and Josh back away as I approach their brother, glaring at him. I’m sorry Michael dragged them into this mess, and I’m wondering if that thought ever crossed their minds, or maybe not. They’re probably cut out of the same cloth. Bossy, egotistical asses.
I let out a long breath, feeling fatigued from the wine and drug. The raw rage that was coursing through me has vanished. All I want to do now is settle beneath the covers of my bed and sleep. “We’ll. Discuss. This. Tomorrow. I’m too tired to argue,” I say through gritted teeth, poking him in the chest, my eyes growing wider with anger.
He breathes a sigh of relief, and a few whistles reverberate in the background. “Let me help you to bed. I’ll check in on you after I speak to my brothers.”
“Michael, I can take myself . I’ll call you in the morning,” I huff out.
Michael gapes at me with a befuddled look on his face. “Ariana, I’m not leaving you by yourself. I’ll sleep in the guestroom. I promise to be a perfect gentleman.” He wiggles his eyebrows.
“ You are going home , Michael. I appreciate all you’ve done for me.” I hold my head to ease the pain and take a deep breath to calm my temper. I knew he was going to be a handful. “Thank you for everything. You’ve been such an angel,” I say with a genuine smile.
He stares at me, bemused, speechless as if no one has ever called him an angel.
Josh and Trent chuckle, making sly remarks, smirking at Michael.
“Angel?” Trent asks, both his eyebrows lifted as he looks at Michael.
“Michael?” Josh queries and they both erupt into fits of laughter.
“You must be mistaking Michael for someone else,” Trent chirps in.
“Shut the hell up,” Michael shouts, glaring at his brothers over his shoulder.
He turns back with smiling eyes. “Angel,” he whispers, brushing his fingers across my cheeks. The sweet sting of his touch warms my inner soul, making my heart pitter-patter. “That’s a first. I’ve never been called an angel before,” he says proudly. “I know I can be a bit overbearing at times,” he says.
“A bit,” I answer with a sarcastic tone, and his brothers snicker.
He holds his hands up. “Okay, maybe that was an understatement. I guess my natural instincts as a man to protect you took over.” He shrugs, and his face softens. “I phoned for a nurse earlier. I’ll call them for confirmation.”
He walks over to the sofa and retrieves his cell phone from his jacket and taps it a few times. “This is Michael Grayson. I’m calling to confirm the nurse I hired to care for Miss Ariana DiMarco for this evening . . . yes . . . at nine . . . and her name? Tina O’Conner . . . Thank you.” He ends the call, shoves his phone into his pants pocket and rubs the back of his neck.
I glance at the time, and the damn numbers won’t stay still. I laugh at myself. I’m besotted, not only from the drug and wine but from the man standing
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