The need to wrap his hands around the bitch’s throat rode him hard. He barely managed to quell his rage. “Are you refusing my bargain?”
“Bloody right, I am.”
“Then we’re at an impasse, but you should know your clock is ticking. If you are pregnant, science will easily prove the baby isn’t Callum’s. Until then, I recommend that you keep your mouth shut. Your life will be much easier.”
“You’re a fucking wanker.”
Oliver smiled tightly. “And my offer is now rescinded. Get out. If I see you again, I’ll have you arrested.”
“This isn’t over. I won’t let you or anyone else keep me apart from Callum.” She whirled around and jerked open the door, stomping out of the room and toward the guard and the exit.
Oliver waited until she’d walked past the reporter, blithely licking her wounds. For now. He was sure Thea would be back—and become an enormous pain in his arse.
“She’s rather frightening.” Rory’s lip curled up in distaste as he watched her. “She knows about Tori. We need to do something about that.”
“That’s precisely why you should have allowed me to send her back to the States.” Oliver wouldn’t mention the utter relief that had flooded his system when he realized he didn’t have to let her go. It was perverse, but then that word described him perfectly these days.
Rory sighed. “I don’t want her to go.”
“God, not you, too.”
Besides Callum’s obvious desire for her, Claire had done her best to capitalize on his growing feelings for Tori and push them together. Until this moment, he hadn’t realized how badly Rory wanted her as well. “Can’t you see we’re terrible for her? She won’t mean to, but if we’re not careful, she’ll tear this family apart.”
“We won’t let her. That’s not what she wants.”
“She wants to go home at the end of this assignment and marry her fiancé. She made her choice months ago, and you and Callum will bring great dishonor to our name by trying to seduce her out of it. I will not marry again. Even if I did, I certainly wouldn’t pick a naïve girl like Tori Glen. I have no interest whatsoever in having a relationship with her.”
He charged out of the room and nearly ran into another reporter. They were everywhere. With a curse, he stepped back into the ballroom, hoping the fundraiser would end soon.
Claire strode toward him instantly, her face tight with concern. “Oliver, I can’t find Callum. He appeared to get into some kind of an argument with Tori and now they’ve both disappeared.”
No. This ball wouldn’t be over anytime soon. Oliver sighed. In fact, it looked as if he was in for a long night.
CHAPTER FOUR
Tori descended the ballroom stairs with a charming smile in place, but Callum saw the furious glower underneath. He started up to meet her. Bugger. No doubt, he was in hot water.
Over his shoulder, he watched Oliver disappear past a sea of balloons and into the front entryway, Rory following behind.
His brothers intended to deal with his problem, and he felt guilty about that. Well, they would deal with one of his problems. Tonight, he had two, and they both involved women.
“Where are you going?” Claire climbed the stairs behind him.
Callum didn’t know what to say. If he had arranged the same shopping experience for the surgically enhanced loon in the lobby as he had for Tori, Thea would have fallen to her knees and happily expressed her gratitude. Not his little publicist. Instead, he’d insulted her independent nature and now she meant to show him the sharp side of her temper. Which was precisely why he wanted her. She wasn’t interested in his money or fame. If he won her, it would be because he was worthy of her love.
He turned to his sister. “I need to talk to Tori. We seem to have a misunderstanding.”
Tori approached, her smile more brittle with every step. Even so, she looked breathtaking. Her hair fell in loose waves around her pale shoulders and made him long to shove his fingers in and wrap them around her soft, shimmering tresses.
“We need to talk.” She scowled as if he was a child she intended to take to task.
Now might be the time to play his ace with her. “Yes, I think we do.”
“What’s going on?” Claire glanced between them, confusion on her face.
“Your brother is playing some kind of game with me and I don’t like it,” Tori said, anchoring a hand on her shapely hip.
“I’m playing a game? You’re the one who started it, love. But I plan on winning.” His heart was thudding in his chest as it always had before a match. Callum had to admit that being close to her now, preparing to admit his feelings, gave him a rush.
“Cal?” Claire prompted.
“This is nothing for you to worry about,” he reassured his sister. “Please help Oliver. I think he could use it.”
Tori didn’t miss a beat. “Win? So this is a game to you?”
“If I’m being honest, no.” He gripped her elbow and turned to the crowd with a plastic smile as he started to escort her down the stairs. He certainly wasn’t going up. Her rather frightening family awaited there, and he intended to be on much firmer footing with Tori the next time he faced them.
She hurried beside him. “Where are you taking me?”
They left Claire on the stairs, staring after them. Guilt prickled Callum, but he couldn’t pause to soothe his sister now. He’d explain everything to her later, but at the moment he needed a quiet place to hash this out with Tori.