Tracing his fingers along the outside of my thigh, he releases a pent-up breath. “I hate that you’re right.”

“You’ll get used to it,” I joke. His hand creeps higher up my body, exploring my curves and I grow flustered all over again. “You could always come up. I’ve got beer in the fridge and a nice big bed we can share.”

His nose scrunches and he leans his head back against the seat. “I wish I could, but like you said, we both need to get back to our lives. I have a business meeting in a couple hours, so I’d better go so I can get ready for that.”

“Back to business already? I don’t want to freak you out or anything, Rebel,” I say as I grab a fistful of his shirt and pull him closer, “but you might be a workaholic.”

“Might?” he asks with amusement. “I’d say definitely.”

The back door opens, spilling daylight into the backseat. Drawing in a deep breath, I release Rebel’s shirt and smooth out the wrinkles. “I guess that’s my cue.”

“Yep, time to hit the road.”

In the past, I would have taken offense to his seemingly callous brushoff, but now I see it for what it is. Rebel’s a bit of a jokester in a very subdued, sarcastic, almost mean-spirited way.

“How are the women not falling at your feet everywhere you go?” I give him a quick kiss and climb off his lap to exit the car.

Gerardo gives me a half-nod without making eye contact and bids me a good day as he holds out my bag. I don’t hear Rebel’s car drive off until I step inside the building and the door closes behind me. He may not be the perfect gentleman, but Rebel continues to surprise me.

The first thing I notice when I enter my apartment is the stale air from being closed up tight all weekend. Dropping my bag on the couch, I head over to the small bank of windows and slide them open, letting in the crisp, fresh air.

I’ll have to clean today, but for now, I need a few minutes to come down from the weekend. My first instinct is to call Annie, but I remember that not only has she left town and cut off communication with me, but my phone is still missing. Maybe I’ll head over to the house later and ask Brody to call it. I promised him we’d sit down together and talk when I got back anyway.

I’ll also need to deal with Kota. I know Rebel made sure it was handled, but I’m sure Kota wasn’t happy about me calling off, so no doubt he’ll give me the worst schedule this week as punishment. I already know I won’t complain, because fair is fair.

That leaves me with this moment to sit back, relax, and just breathe before I have to deal with the outside world. It’s as I’m kicking my feet up onto the coffee table that I see a sliver of black poking out from beneath one of the side chairs.

I know what it is instantly. Frowning, I drop my feet to the floor. Folding over, I reach out without leaving my perch and drag the phone out from beneath its hiding place with my fingertips.

“How in the world...” I can’t believe with all my crawling around and cushion flipping I actually managed to miss it sitting there. I feel like such an idiot. I’m smiling in relief that I won’t have to go to extraordinary measures to track it down as I turn it on.

It feels like forever since I’ve held my phone in my hands, even though it’s only been two days. It’s exciting just to be able to check my messages.

The first things I see as I swipe my thumb across the screen to bring it to life are new notifications. Opening my messages, I see they’re all from Rebel, and I instantly break out into a huge grin.

We haven’t been away from each other for more than an hour and already he’s reaching out.

The message I open contains a picture. I gasp when I see it, hardly able to believe my eyes. It’s a mistake, certainly. Closing it out, I open the rest of his messages. Each one contains another photo, and each one rips me apart inside.

Rebel. Florence. Rebel and Florence. Each one is a little racier than the last. They begin with the two of them, heads together, smiling for the camera, before steadily growing more intimate. By the last one, they’re completely naked and in bed. Different angles of body parts in varying degrees of focus as if the camera was moving when the photo was shot stare back at me.

Tears scald my eyes and without thinking, I throw the phone across the room. It hits a wall and something cracks, then it falls lifelessly to the floor.

How could he do this to me? Was this his plan all along? Did Rebel purposefully set me up just to watch me fall? I feel like the worst kind of fool. Thinking Rebel had changed, had become something more than I knew him to be, was my first mistake. My second was falling for the wrong brother.

I’m so mad at myself I can’t see straight.

Like a shot, I pop out of my seat and lunge for the phone. Cracks spider web across the screen, but the phone still turns on. I send the last photo Rebel sent back to him with an angry text.

Some business meeting.

Then I turn the phone on me. Holding up my middle finger in front of my face, I take a picture, and then send it.

Fuck off.

There’s so much more that I want to say to him, most of which include four letter words. But I don’t because I refuse to lower myself for someone who already thinks so little of me. I’m better than that. I won’t fight for a man who doesn’t respect me. If he wants a side piece, he picked the wrong girl.

The phone buzzes in my hand and I see Rebel’s name flash across the screen. To hell with him. There’s nothing left to say that will make any difference now. Dropping the phone on the table, I walk out of the room.

It’s time to revisit my choices and recalibrate. If Rebel thinks he’s won this round, he’s sadly mistaken. This isn’t over.

Not by a longshot.

To be continued...

COMING AUGUST 25, 2015

FALL FOR HIM, Book Three in the Forbidden Trilogy

Now available for pre-order at select retailers.

Reserve your copy today!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

USA Today Bestselling author J.C. Valentine is the alter-ego of Brandi Salazar, whose enjoyment of tales of romance spurred her to branch out and create her own.

She lives in the Northwest with her husband, their wild children, and far too many pets. As a university student, she studies literature, which goes well with her dream of becoming an editor. Brandi entertains a number of hobbies including reading and photography, but her first love is writing fiction-in all its forms. Connect with JC on Facebook!

Acknowledgements

I usually don’t make many changes to these things because, well, why mess with perfection?

To my usual suspects:

My sister from another mother, Kim- You are the best! What has it been now, two years? I never could have imagined that I would be friends with such an amazing woman as you. You read everything I throw at you, you’re my sounding board, and you help keep me sane. It is such a pleasure to have you as my assistant and I am truly blessed to call you my friend. You are the one who gave me the idea of a naughty professor. Brainstorming with you was so much fun and I had a blast writing this story. I hope it’s everything you imagined it would be.

Mitzi- What can I say, except you’re such a wonderful woman who is also an unexpected friend and gift in my life. I’ve said it before, and the same is true now: I love our talks, and I love your passion for books, especially mine *grins*. You rock!

My Valentines! You ladies rock my socks off. I love our little family and as always, I am confident in saying that you’re the best team a girl could ask for. You all pimp so hard! Thank you!