Chapter 7

　　JANICE

　　"What did you do?"

　　The words came out of my throat sharply, edged with something that was dangerously close to panic.

　　I was standing in front of him within seconds, jabbing my finger hard into his chest before I could stop myself. It was so solid that it felt like I just poked a wall instead of a man.

　　A couple of nurses passed at that exact moment, their chatter dying down as their eyes flickered between us. I became suddenly aware of how loud my voice had been.

　　Lucian must have thought I was just some pesky fly.

　　He wrapped his hand around my wrist firmly. "Come," he said quietly.

　　He didn't give me an opportunity to protest, because he turned and started walking, dragging me along with him like this was the most natural thing in the world.

　　"Let go of me…" I hissed, trying to pull back, but his grip tightened just enough to make it pointless. He pushed open a door at the end of the hallway and pulled me inside.

　　There was no one inside the office.

　　CLICK

　　Lucian just locked the door.

　　"What the hell is wrong with you?" I yanked my hand back. This time, he let go.

　　Lucian turned to face me fully. There was no single expression on that annoyingly handsome face of his. If the tabloids were correct, Lucian was the youngest of the Business Brothers, thirty eight or so. He had no right to look this good.

　　"Don't put your hands on me like that ever again," he said slowly, like he was talking to an animal. "I am not as patient outside the bedroom."

　　Heat rushed up my neck—anger, embarrassment, something else I refused to name.

　　"Oh, really?" I shot back. "Then maybe you shouldn't do things that make me want to hit you."

　　"Careful."

　　That was his warning. I did not care about warnings.

　　"You had no right," I continued, my voice rising with each word. "None of you had the right to move my sister like that. Who the fuck do you think you are?"

　　"Someone who was able to fix the little problem you had. I expect a thank you."

　　"Thank you?"

　　"You're welcome."

　　My stomach twisted. "I didn't want your help!"

　　"No," he agreed. "But you needed our help." He took a step closer.

　　I shook my head, the anger in my gut flaring hotter. "Just because you have the whole world at your fingertips, it does not give you a right to interfere in my life. In her life."

　　"It's already done. Move on."

　　I knew men like this. The type that expected one to grovel when they did things no one asked them to do.

　　"Take her back."

　　Lucian's lips curved slightly. It was not a smile. "No."

　　My chest tightened. "You can't just…"

　　"She's scheduled for a transplant in three days."

　　"…what?"

　　He held my gaze. "There was a confirmed match. The surgery is already being prepared."

　　Three days.

　　Three.

　　Days.

　　I had waited months for this. There had been endless lists, empty promises and doctors telling me to be patient. These men were able to cut the process down to just three days.

　　How on earth could I stop this process now? Nancy would be so elated. She deserved this.

　　"That's…" My voice faltered before I could stop it.

　　This was everything I had been praying for.

　　"I appreciate this," I said, forcing the words out, even though they sounded weaker than I wanted. "But I do not appreciate you and the rest of your friends playing god with my sister and I. It is not right."

　　Lucian watched me like he was studying something interesting.

　　"Go inside," he said quietly. "Look at her. Then come back and tell me you'd rather she stay where she was."

　　I didn't move.

　　I did not need to see my sister physically to know what was there. She had the chance for a future.

　　Damn him!

　　Damn all of them!

　　I dragged in a shaky breath, forcing the anger back to the surface.

　　"And the jobs?" I demanded, stepping closer again. "Did you do that for our good too? You guys made me lose them," my voice dropped. "Every single one."

　　"They would have been distractions."

　　Wait. Had I heard this man wrong? Surely, he didn't mean it like that.

　　"What?"

　　"The jobs were low-paying, and time-consuming. Pointless in the long run," he shrugged. "You would have exhausted yourself for nothing."

　　"Why on earth do you guys think it is appropriate for you to decide that? It is none of your business."

　　Lucian tilted his head. "It became my business the moment you became ours."

　　Rage surged through me again, stronger this time, burning away every brief moment of doubt. I took a step forward and jabbed my finger into his chest once again.

　　"You don't own me…"

　　His hand shot out, catching my wrist mid-motion. He held me way tighter than he did earlier. Fuck.

　　"Stop behaving like a brat for once."

　　Fuck. I hated him. I hated them so much.

　　I lifted my chin, glaring straight into his eyes. "That's very funny," I snapped. "You didn't seem to mind this attitude when your tongue—and your cock—were down my throat."

　　Something shifted in his gaze. It was subtle, and I would have missed it if I hadn't been staring at him.

　　He tightened his fingers around my wrist, holding me in place as the air between us thickened, charged with something sharp.

　　"Has anyone ever told you you talk too much?" He murmured, before moving.

　　In my bid to stay away from him, I moved backwards till my back hit the wall, a soft gasp leaving my lips as his body pressed into mine, caging me in.

　　His mouth crashed against mine.

　　Fuck.

　　It was hard, demanding and possessive. There was nothing gentle about the way this man kissed me.

　　His hand came up to my jaw, tilting my head back as his lips moved against mine with a force that made my thoughts scatter. I should have pushed him away.

　　I should have slapped him.

　　I should have done anything other than what I was doing at the moment, which was melting right into the kiss.

　　My fingers curled into the front of his shirt, betraying me as heat pooled low in my stomach.

　　Why was his kiss so hot?

　　"Ahh…" He deepened the kiss, stealing the air from my lungs, his control absolute even in something as simple as this.

　　God, I hated him.

　　He pulled back just enough for me to breathe, brushing his lips against mine as his gaze dropped to my mouth.

　　Fuck.

　　"You have three days to stay away from us, brat," he shoved a piece of stray hair away from my face, placing it behind my ears. "But once the surgery is done and your sister is stable, then I expect you to wear that lingerie and necklace. A car would come for you at exactly eight pm sharp, and you're to enter it. Understood?"

　　I nodded. "We'll see about it."