Grip Trilogy Box Set - Kennedy Ryan Page 0,88

possible second to remove my sunglasses. My intolerance for sunlight is near-vampiric.

“Bristol, morning, love.” Chelle, the owner of the exclusive, but lesser-known, shop air kisses my cheek.

“Morning.” I clear my throat of the alcohol-induced Barry White effect. “How are you?”

“Not as good as you, I would imagine.” Chelle pairs a knowing grin with her Stella McCartney jumpsuit. “You sneaky thing.”

“Huh?” I slide the sunglasses farther up into my hair. “We have an appointment, right? My necklace came in?”

“Boy did it, you lucky girl.” Chelle gives my arm a light slap and starts toward the back. “Come on. I’ve got it ready for you.”

Either the lingering effects of my inebriation have dulled my senses, or Chelle has been imbibing, too, because she’s acting strangely. I sit down at the small display table and wait. I special ordered this necklace a while ago and was giddy to get the message that it had come in. It’s twenty- four carat gold with a diamond-encrusted vertical bar, which hangs just above my cleavage. The inscription on the bar is my favorite part.

“It’s beautiful, Chelle.” I bend over the table to examine it more closely and reach for the wallet in my bag. “Looks good. Let’s settle up. I’m late for lunch at my brother’s.”

“Already paid in full.” Chelle’s smirk and teasing eyes mystify me.

“What do you mean it’s—”

“She means it’s my gift to you. I've already taken care of it.” Parker stands in the door leading to the back room where Chelle keeps inventory. “I couldn’t resist.”

White-hot rage lights me up like a signal flare. I squeeze my eyes shut in a futile attempt to douse my temper.

“You didn’t tell me you were dating Charles Parker,” Chelle whispers in my ear. “You lucky thing.”

I can’t muster a smile, and my voice comes out so softly I barely hear it myself.

“Chelle, would you excuse us for a moment?”

“I get it,” Chelle says. “You want to reward him in private. Just spill all the deets later.”

“Oh, I’m going to reward him, all right.” My eyes pin Parker where he stands, still wearing last night’s clothes.

“Now don’t be mad," he says. "You left your phone in the bedroom, and I saw the alert to pick up the necklace. I just thought it would be something I could do for you."

He lifts the necklace from its velvet box and goes behind me to clip it on. I step away and whirl around to face him.

“Don’t you dare.” Anger shakes my voice. “Who do you think you are? And what the hell do you think you’re doing paying for jewelry I ordered for myself?”

His face registers what I’m saying slowly, the smile fading into confusion. “We had a great time last night, and I wanted to—”

“Thank me?” Brows lifted high, hands on hips, I cut in. “Is that what this is?”

“Well, not exactly. I just—”

“The other women you sleep with may require these little fuck tokens the next day as expression of your appreciation. I, however, do not.”

“You’re being unreasonable.”

“I’m being independent. I’m being the woman who earned the money to buy this outrageously expensive necklace, chose it for myself, and has been looking forward to swiping my own damn card to pay for it.”

“Bristol, I—”

“No, you will listen.” My words butcher whatever he was about to say. “The bed you woke up in this morning? I paid for that. The house you locked up on your way out? I paid for that. The car I drove here in? All me.”

I step as close as I dare and glare up at him.

“I will not be kept.” My words whiz through the air like arrows. “That may be the road your mother chose, but it isn’t the one mine did. Mine taught me not to rely on any man for anything, and I’m damn well not starting with you.”

He blinks at me for a full ten seconds before he sighs, his tight expression relaxing into a smile.

“All that fight and pride.” He grabs my upper arms and looks down at me intently. “You’ll be my queen. With you at my side, we’ll rule the world. Can’t you see that?”

After last night’s fiasco of lost memories, I can barely rule myself. He thinks I want to rule the world with him? Some replica of his committee-chairing, debutante-sponsoring, Vicodin-popping mother? She’s my mother’s best friend, and actually very sweet, but hell will freeze over before I become her.

“I need to pay for my necklace and go.” I pull out of his hands