Page 29 of When She Tempts (The Fallen)
Something unpleasant twists inside my gut at the thought of them there together. I didn’t like leaving her outside with him.
Especially after that comment she made about how young he was.
Yes, they aren’t far in age, but so what? It’s not something she should pay any mind to.
I meet Polo’s gaze. “What is it?”
He presses his palm into the wall and puts his weight on it. “What is that girl really doing here?”
My lips tighten into a line. Polo and I have a thread connecting us that few people know about, and he thinks that gives him an excuse to push my boundaries. I let him get away with it more than I should because I know why he is the way he is.
I see much of myself in him.
“I already said everything I’m going to say on the matter.”
“She’s from Spain and she’s here to reconnect with nature?” he mocks. “Since when are we running a wellness retreat?”
I ignore his snark. “Did you give her the tour?”
“Yeah, and I put her to work. She’s still in the garden picking tomatoes.”
When a frown appears on my face, he shows me his palms. “If that’s not reconnecting with nature, what is?”
I massage the back of my neck with my hand. “How did she take it?”
“Grumbled a bit. Then did as she was told.”
“She’s not yours to command.”
Polo sniffs, his eyes swimming with something that rubs me the wrong way. “Whose is she then?”
“No one’s. She’s a fucking guest, Polo. Treat her as such. No more garden duty unless she asks you for it.”
Now, he doesn’t bother trying to hide his scowl. “You’re really not going to tell me what she’s doing here?”
“It’s none of your business,” I grind out.
“Yeah, it never is.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
He volleys his gaze down the hall and then back to me. “Have you spoken to my father in the time you’ve been gone?”
Not. This. Again.
“Don’t call him that,” I bite out.
He whips his head around, anger contorting his features. Polo has a short fuse. He can be charming, but I’ve seen him at his worst, and that charm can turn right off at the flick of a switch.
“I can call him that if I want to.”
“I’ve known you two years. How many more before you realize he’ll never be that for you?” There was a time when I gentled my words, but not now. Not with everything that’s going on.
“The letter—”
“Clearly, he didn’t deem your letter worthy of a response.”
Polo narrows his mistrustful eyes at me. “What if he never got it?”
