Every muscle in Nick's body froze, the oxygen in his throat seizing up. "When did Courtney get home?" he managed to force out.
"Yesterday, I think," Damian replied off-handedly.
"When'd you see her?" Nick asked, trying not to sound as if he were interrogating his brother, barely aware that his words were becoming abrupt as his body tensed.
"Last night at the house. Girl looks good, all grown up. Finally lost that baby fat. Gave her my key card and Garrett's as well. He won't need it, since he's been living at the lake house when he's not travelling. The only card left is yours. Don't fucking lose it."
Nick lifted one eyebrow, expressing his irritation at the unnecessary warning. He remained silent, wondering if his body language was indicating that his emotions had just shifted into dangerous territory.
Damian went on, only semi-apologetically, "You know I didn't want to agree, but what the hell was I supposed to do?"
Nick's muscles stiffened as he tried to stay on subject, trying not to give any indication of his true thoughts. "Tell mother 'no'? Offer to put her up in a hotel? Let her stay at your house?" he suggested.
"Couldn't do that," Damian stated. "My house is too far from the city and Courtney has job interviews lined up this week."
"Courtney? What's she got to do with this?" Nick asked, confused.
His brother looked at him as if he'd grown an extra head. "Are you dense? What the fuck is wrong with you today? I told you she's home from grad school. I told you I gave her the key cards to the penthouse. Where do you think she'll be staying, exactly? If mom can't live in the house while it's being updated, how do you think Courtney will be able to?"
Nick let out a slow, exaggerated breath while he tried to get his brain to keep working. Keep up with the fucking conversation, Rule. You can do it. Get your goddamn head back in the game and out of that girl's pants. "I guess I don't get a vote in the matter?" he forced himself to ask a question that wouldn't sound suspicious to his brother.
"Look, Nick, I'm sorry. It'll only be for a few weeks, okay? Maybe less. The penthouse has four suites. You'll never know they're living there."
Nick frowned but said, "Fine."
"Fine? You're giving up that easily?" Damian asked incredulously.
Giving up? More like restraining himself to his seat. It was true that the thought of his mother living with him for a few weeks was horrifying. But Courtney living under his roof? That was an entirely different matter. "What the hell do you want me to say, Damian? You've left me with little choice."
"I appreciate you not busting a fuse about this. They're probably moving in as we speak."
Nick's lips tightened as he dismissed his brother. "You're going to owe me, and you're going to owe me fucking big."
"Yeah, I already figured that one out," Damian replied as he turned and left the room.
****
Courtney unpacked her suitcases in the second bedroom suite of the Rule Corporation's penthouse. The apartment contained four suites and now, only one sat empty. Earlier in the day, Justine Rule had settled into the third suite, but she'd already left for a meeting with the contractors who were remodeling the house. This morning, when Courtney and her godmother had arrived at the penthouse together, the older woman had been just as loving and considerate as she'd always been, insisting that Courtney take the most spacious suite available.
Of course, Nick already occupied the largest set of rooms. Fortunately or unfortunately, Courtney couldn't decide which, the suite she was now settling into happened to be the one closest to his. She let out a sigh. Nick. He was her nemesis as well as her savior. Courtney knew the terms were inconsistent, but even as she had the thought, she shrugged a shoulder. Nick was what he was, and there was no changing him.
Several years ago, whether it had been from the flip of a coin or a simple matter of logistics, she didn't know which, Nick had commandeered the entire penthouse for his own personal use, and Courtney knew from what Justine had told her, that he wasn't going to be happy sharing his space with houseguests.
She smiled wickedly at the thought. Too damn bad.
Nick had been getting his way for far, far too long. A strong arrow of annoyance took hold of Courtney that she was unable to shake.
It was unbelievable, un-freaking-believable. She was twenty-four years old.
Twenty. Four. Years. Old.
And still a virgin.
How in the hell had that happened? She liked to think of herself as normal and she was certainly healthy. But evidently, somewhere along the way, she'd become Nick Rule's property and he never let her forget that fact.
To the rest of the Rule family, she was just Courtney Powell. Orphan, extended family member, goddaughter and ex-ward of Justine Rule.