Chapter Four

Grace’s POV

Hunter exhaled through his nose, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

I watched him, frowning. Since when had my personal life been any of his business? If, at one time, he had wanted to be part of it, I would have listened. But now? This conversation irritated me. What right did he have? He had the person he wanted to spend his life with. Wasn’t I allowed that as well?

I scoffed. “Since when do you care who I spend time with?”

Hunter’s gaze locked onto mine, something dark and unreadable in his expression. “Because I do.”

That caught me off guard. But then he said something that explained exactly why he felt entitled to an opinion.

“You are my wife’s sister. I think I have every right to worry about my family.” I could hear the frustration in his voice. Hunter didn’t like to be questioned.

“I may be Helena’s sister and your sister-in-law, but I am well over the age of consent.” For a second, I had let myself hope he truly cared. “If I want to date a thousand men, then that’s what I can and will do, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.”

“You can’t be serious.” Hunter’s voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy silence of the conference room.

I crossed my arms over my chest, mirroring his stance as I glared at him. “Oh, but I am.” My voice was deceptively calm, but there was fire beneath it. “I have plans tonight, Hunter. And last I checked, I don’t need your permission to have dinner with someone.”

Hunter’s jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. “You don’t even know him.”

“I know him well enough. I was stuck in the lift with him, and I understand he is your friend. So what’s your problem?” I saw a flicker of anger pass through his brown eyes.

“That’s not good enough,” he snapped, stepping closer. “Grace, you could be pregnant. You should be taking care of yourself, not going out with some—”

“Somewhat?” I interrupted, my voice rising. “Some man who actually sees me as a person, as a woman, not a walking incubator?” Heat flooded my veins. “Because that’s all I seem to be to you and Helena.”

Hunter’s nostrils flared as he exhaled sharply. “That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?” I let out a bitter laugh. “You didn’t ask if I was okay after that elevator stopped. You didn’t ask if I was scared or if I got hurt. The first thing you did was tell Max to let go of me, like you had the right to dictate who I let touch me.”

Hunter’s eyes darkened. “I… that is… Max has a reputation.”

My breath caught, but I refused to let myself worry about it. If anything, it could be a good thing. He might be the one man able to chip away at the ice around my heart. “God, I hope so. I need some excitement in my life.”

Hunter blinked. His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but no words came. But his eyes narrowed.

“Why do you care, Hunter?” I pressed, my voice quieter now, more dangerous. “Why does it matter to you if I go to dinner with Max?”

“It just does,” he said through gritted teeth.

“That’s not an answer.” This was about control. Hunter didn’t like having control taken from him, and that was exactly what I was doing.

Hunter turned away abruptly, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “Grace, I don’t have time for this. I’m trying to make sure you don’t do something reckless.”

I let out a sharp laugh. “Reckless? Going to dinner is reckless now?”

“Like I said. You don’t know Max.” Hunter was clearly not happy with me for not falling into line, for not being a good little employee. But as my boss, he had no right to talk to me about this. As my brother-in-law, he thought he did.

“But you do? You know him as a friend, Hunter, not as someone to date. So back off.”

“I know enough about his dating history,” Hunter said darkly.

I tilted my head and studied him carefully. “I don’t care. You’re just grasping at excuses because you don’t like the idea of me having a life outside of this arrangement.”

Hunter said fuck under his breath, turning back to me. “That’s not it.”

“Then what is it?”

He clenched his jaw. He didn’t have an answer, and the silence between us was thick with something unspoken.

Suddenly, I realized how close we were standing. I could feel the warmth radiating from his body, the barely restrained tension between us. My pulse pounded.

For a brief second, Hunter’s eyes flickered to my lips before he jerked his gaze away.

I swallowed hard. No. Absolutely not. I must’ve imagined it. For so long, I had wanted more, so I had read something that wasn’t there.

Slowly, I took a step back, shaking my head as if to rid myself of the sudden rush of awareness. “You don’t get to control me, Hunter. You don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do.”

His jaw tensed again, his frustration evident. “I’m not trying to control you, Grace.”

“Yes, you are.” I took a shaky breath. “And I won’t let you.”

Hunter’s eyes burned into mine, his hands still clenched at his sides. Then, just as he opened his mouth to respond…

The door swung open.

I stiffened as Helena walked in, her expression unreadable. Her eyes flickered between us, taking in the charged atmosphere.

“What’s going on?” she asked slowly.

Hunter instantly pulled back, the shift in him immediate. His face went blank, his posture straightening as if nothing had happened. “Nothing.”

I let out a short laugh. Of course.

Helena’s gaze sharpened as she looked between the two of us. She might not know exactly what was happening, but she wasn’t stupid. The air was thick with tension, my anger at Hunter almost visible. I didn’t have a mask over my emotions right now. My emotions were on my face for all to see, and I was pissed.

I needed to get out of here, so I turned toward the door. “I should get back to work.”

Helena arched a brow. “Grace.” Her tone was questioning.

I hesitated, but didn’t turn around.

Her voice was smooth. “Is there something I should know?”

I glanced at Hunter over my shoulder. His expression was carefully composed, but tension lined his jaw, his hands twitching, as if he wanted to stop me from leaving. Coward.

I simply shook my head. “Ask your husband.” I wasn’t going to let him get away with it. He thought he could question me like this, then he could explain everything to Helena.

And with that, I walked out, leaving Helena and Hunter alone.