about
what Tyler had said, since Cole didn’t think she’d even heard him, but
because of Bri, who finally let go of the banister and started down the
steps.
“Do not tell me you have fucked this, this…whore, after spending the
night with me Saturday.”
Tyler straightened from the doorway, snarling. Bri stopped dead
about three steps up, her hand shooting to her mouth.
Cole went nose to nose with Caroline, gripping her by the arm.
“Don’t you ever refer to Bri with anything less than civility.” He spun
her toward the door once more just as Tyler reached Bri. “And don’t be
crude, it doesn’t suit you.”
He opened the door and shoved the dumbfounded Caroline out. She
looked over her shoulder and screeched before he could get the door
shut.
“You will regret this, Cole Masters.”
Stunned, Brianna entered the dining room on Tyler’s arm, the sound
of a shrieking Caroline echoing in her ears. She’d been tugging self-73- Annmarie McKenna
consciously at a well-hated skirt, not really paying attention to anything
other than the fact the two Neanderthal men wanted her to wear the
dratted thing, when she’d seen Cole with that woman in his arms.
A shaft of white-hot jealousy had stabbed through her. They
obviously had some kind of relationship. Did Cole honestly think she
would stand by while he slept with another woman?
She’d been paralyzed, struck by the revelation she didn’t want
anybody else laying claim to what she considered hers. The words had
not been spoken yet, but her body had already made its decision. And
worse, Scottie had never figured into the equation, although she knew
with certainty Cole would take good care of her brother.
Seconds went by as she tried to grasp the decision she’d come to.
“I’ll say a proper good morning to you now, little one.” Tyler wrapped
his arms around her and squeezed, kissing her gently on the lips.
Brianna was still too shell-shocked to respond. He held her away
from him and looked at her long and hard, taking in everything.
“Hey, sweetheart.” His fingers slid into her hair, tilting her head up so
she had to look at him. “Don’t pay attention to anything that bitch says.
She’s been trying to weasel her way into Cole’s life for a long time. She’s
only after his money.” He kissed her forehead.
“But he slept with her,” she whispered. If what she’d just said didn’t
sound like jealousy, then nothing would. She could kick herself for
letting Tyler see her emotions.
Tyler snorted. “So?”
“But today, and last night…” Shut up!
“Today and last night have nothing to do with Caroline,” Cole said
from behind her. Brianna whipped around to face him where he stood in
the doorway, looking sexier than ever. His hair was still wet from his
shower, his feet bare and his white T-shirt was untucked. He looked like
he’d dressed in a hurry. Perhaps because that vile woman had shown up
at the door.
“How can you say that? You slept with one woman on Saturday
night, then with me on Sunday night.” God, she was starting to sound
-74- Blackmailed
like the blonde bimbo who’d just left. She straightened and held her chin
high. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry about what?”
“It’s none of my business who you sleep with.”
He was on her in two strides. “Let me tell you something.” He grabbed
her chin, forcing her to look at his face. “First of all, I didn’t do any
sleeping with Caroline. We shared a fuck, then I left. It was a mutual
release of sexual tension.”
Brianna couldn’t hold back the snort and Cole shook her head,
refocusing her attention. Tyler chuckled behind them.
“Secondly, on Saturday I had already dismissed your father’s
contract as total bullshit. I am not a stud service, and it hadn’t occurred
to me he would really go through with this. Plus, I didn’t know for you
there would be some sort of motivation to get you to go along with his
idiocy. It
what Tyler had said, since Cole didn’t think she’d even heard him, but
because of Bri, who finally let go of the banister and started down the
steps.
“Do not tell me you have fucked this, this…whore, after spending the
night with me Saturday.”
Tyler straightened from the doorway, snarling. Bri stopped dead
about three steps up, her hand shooting to her mouth.
Cole went nose to nose with Caroline, gripping her by the arm.
“Don’t you ever refer to Bri with anything less than civility.” He spun
her toward the door once more just as Tyler reached Bri. “And don’t be
crude, it doesn’t suit you.”
He opened the door and shoved the dumbfounded Caroline out. She
looked over her shoulder and screeched before he could get the door
shut.
“You will regret this, Cole Masters.”
Stunned, Brianna entered the dining room on Tyler’s arm, the sound
of a shrieking Caroline echoing in her ears. She’d been tugging self-73- Annmarie McKenna
consciously at a well-hated skirt, not really paying attention to anything
other than the fact the two Neanderthal men wanted her to wear the
dratted thing, when she’d seen Cole with that woman in his arms.
A shaft of white-hot jealousy had stabbed through her. They
obviously had some kind of relationship. Did Cole honestly think she
would stand by while he slept with another woman?
She’d been paralyzed, struck by the revelation she didn’t want
anybody else laying claim to what she considered hers. The words had
not been spoken yet, but her body had already made its decision. And
worse, Scottie had never figured into the equation, although she knew
with certainty Cole would take good care of her brother.
Seconds went by as she tried to grasp the decision she’d come to.
“I’ll say a proper good morning to you now, little one.” Tyler wrapped
his arms around her and squeezed, kissing her gently on the lips.
Brianna was still too shell-shocked to respond. He held her away
from him and looked at her long and hard, taking in everything.
“Hey, sweetheart.” His fingers slid into her hair, tilting her head up so
she had to look at him. “Don’t pay attention to anything that bitch says.
She’s been trying to weasel her way into Cole’s life for a long time. She’s
only after his money.” He kissed her forehead.
“But he slept with her,” she whispered. If what she’d just said didn’t
sound like jealousy, then nothing would. She could kick herself for
letting Tyler see her emotions.
Tyler snorted. “So?”
“But today, and last night…” Shut up!
“Today and last night have nothing to do with Caroline,” Cole said
from behind her. Brianna whipped around to face him where he stood in
the doorway, looking sexier than ever. His hair was still wet from his
shower, his feet bare and his white T-shirt was untucked. He looked like
he’d dressed in a hurry. Perhaps because that vile woman had shown up
at the door.
“How can you say that? You slept with one woman on Saturday
night, then with me on Sunday night.” God, she was starting to sound
-74- Blackmailed
like the blonde bimbo who’d just left. She straightened and held her chin
high. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry about what?”
“It’s none of my business who you sleep with.”
He was on her in two strides. “Let me tell you something.” He grabbed
her chin, forcing her to look at his face. “First of all, I didn’t do any
sleeping with Caroline. We shared a fuck, then I left. It was a mutual
release of sexual tension.”
Brianna couldn’t hold back the snort and Cole shook her head,
refocusing her attention. Tyler chuckled behind them.
“Secondly, on Saturday I had already dismissed your father’s
contract as total bullshit. I am not a stud service, and it hadn’t occurred
to me he would really go through with this. Plus, I didn’t know for you
there would be some sort of motivation to get you to go along with his
idiocy. It
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