He watched as she shook her head again and walked around Elias towards the garage. What the hell was she doing?
When she came out pushing a bike, he tensed.
Oh, hell no.
Not happening.
He had clearly stated in the rules he’d sent her that she wasn’t going to be able to use her bike for transportation and would be driven everywhere by them, in one of their vehicles.
Hadn’t she read the rules?
She shook her head while Elias spoke.
God damn it. She hadn’t read the rules. And when he’d asked her just before if she had, she had blatantly lied to him.
Wait . . . she didn’t though, did she? She simply didn’t answer him.
Oh, the sneaky brat.
His temper sparked. If she wasn’t prepared to follow the rules, then she wouldn’t be going anywhere.
He stormed out of the house, heading their way. Elias saw him coming and shook his head. He ignored him, though, glaring down at the bratty girl. Who was again wearing black. Did she wear black all the time? It looked terrible on her.
“You didn’t read the rules.”
She gave him a wary look that he hated. He didn’t want her scared of him. He stopped a few feet away so he wasn’t looming over her. Much as he wanted to. He also wanted to put his foot up on the truck’s tailgate, then draw her over his thigh and spank her ass.
He was damn proud of his self-restraint.
Instead of shaking her or pulling her over his knee, he put on a professional air.
“In the rules, it clearly states that you can no longer ride your bike until the danger has passed. If you need to go somewhere, one of us will drive you in one of our vehicles. Now, go put the bike away and get in the car.”
There. That was said calmly. Behind him, he thought he heard Elias mutter the word idiot, but he had to have misheard that.
If he’d expected her to immediately do what she was told, well, turns out he was mistaken. This girl was full of surprises. She scowled up at him instead.
Then she shook her head.
“Yes.”
Another shake. She pointed at the bike then went to climb onto it. His temper fired.
“No,” he shot out at her, placing his hand on the handlebars.
Elias sighed.
Brick glared at him. What was his problem?
“If you want to leave, you’re going in the truck. I’m sorry, but we can’t keep you safe on your bike.”
He’d thought her brother said she was shy and quiet and would give them no trouble.
Huh, seemed he didn’t know his sister well at all. She was causing him no end of trouble. But instead of giving him attitude, her face grew blank. There was an air of sadness around her that he didn’t understand. Disappointment filled her face, and he suddenly felt like a complete ass. He couldn’t back down, it was safer for her to ride in the truck. But for some reason, he really wanted to.
He opened his mouth to say something else, something that might wipe away that blank look when she tugged the bike from his hold. Surprised, he let go. She wheeled it back into the garage then walked out, her gaze on her feet. Opening the door to the truck, she climbed in.
The urge to apologize, to soothe her, was riding him hard, but he pushed it down. She was the client. This was to keep her safe.
That was what was important. Right?