Mia froze, wondering what Simon Adler was doing here.
It was obvious his presence displeased soone in the room.
The man’s breathing was heavy, his chest rising and falling in long, slow waves as he suppressed his rage.
Mia’s head was starting to ache.
Suddenly, Silas Grant leaned in. His gaze went past her shoulder as his hand released her arm, snaked around her waist, and gripped the doorknob behind her.
Mia’s eyes widened. She grabbed his arm and whispered his na. "Silas..."
Silas Grant lowered his gaze to et hers. "You two are dating."
Mia’s eyes flew open. ’Huh?’
But to Silas Grant, her reaction looked like the shock and unease of being caught.
The scene was just like an older brother accidentally discovering his younger sister was dating soone.
And with one of his own buddies, no less.
’How interesting.’
Silas Grant wanted to laugh. The corners of his mouth twitched, but he couldn’t summon any real mirth.
Because more than laughing, he wanted to kill the son of a bitch outside who had stolen his sister.
This felt different from when he’d found out Yates Donovan and Kian Keller were interested in her.
The engagent to Yates Donovan had been arranged long ago.
It was only natural for her to have t Kian Keller.
Back then, she’d had no one and genuinely needed protection.
So, he could live with that.
He’d been angry, sure, but he had quickly cald his agitated emotions.
This ti was different.
He was certain that if it weren’t for him, she never would have co into contact with Simon Adler. She wouldn’t know him. She wouldn’t have been chard by him.
Scenes from the past few days flashed through his mind—the way Simon Adler had been acting while on the phone or texting.
No wonder Simon Adler had been so evasive, refusing to talk about his girlfriend’s background.
No wonder he’d been avoiding him.
It all made sense now.
’So when did they get together?’
Silas Grant looked at her. "Answer one question, and I won’t open the door."
His tone was heavy this ti. Mia’s mind went blank as she heard him ask in a low voice, "When did you two get together? Did it start the last ti you were in Portia? Or was it more recent?"
"Or was it when he went to Jynsia?"
"Answer ."
His words hit her like a ton of bricks, and the explanation she was about to give died on her lips.
He seed utterly convinced that sothing had happened between her and Simon Adler.
She should explain. After all, this was all just a huge misunderstanding.
But what would happen after she explained?
His reaction was much stronger this ti, which ant that in his mind, Simon Adler was different from Kian Keller and Yates Donovan.
’In that case...’
Mia suddenly composed herself. "When he was in Jynsia."
"He ca to my university to give a speech."
"We exchanged contact information."
"Silas, don’t you think I have the right to date who I want?"
After she spoke, Silas Grant’s reaction was unexpected. He gave a slight curl of his lips as one hand ca up to caress her cheek. A mont later, his hand tightened, the web between his thumb and forefinger cupping her jaw. His long fingers pinched her face, his thumb pressing firmly, forcing her to look up.
"Of course you do."
"But if I’m not mistaken, you still have a fiancé."
"So you do rember. But you’ve probably heard Simon Adler and the others ntion it—it’s fake."
"It doesn’t stop from dating."
As she finished, Mia grabbed the hand gripping her chin and pried it away.
"I wasn’t trying to hide it from you. It’s just... it’s all very new, and I hadn’t found the right ti to tell you yet."
"’It’s all very new.’"
Silas Grant repeated her words.
"’It’s all very new’... and you’ve already slept together."
"?" Mia’s brow furrowed. She almost blurted out a curse.
’What the hell?’
Before she could react, with a CLICK, the door swung open.
Mia whipped her head around to see his hand, knuckles stark, pressing down the handle and pulling the door open.
The gap widened, and Mia was stunned that he had gone back on his word.
He didn’t look at her again as he pulled the door fully open, the edge of it bumping lightly against her back.
It was too late for Mia to close it.
Simon Adler’s heart dropped when he was suddenly t with a chilling glare.
When he realized who it was, his heart dropped again.
He didn’t even bother with a greeting, his eyes quickly darting past the man to scan the room behind him.
’Is Mia... okay?’
’I thought I heard her cry out just now.’
"Silas."
He rarely called him that.
Silas Grant was only a month older than him, after all.
But right now, he knew Silas Grant was furious. He had to placate him, or things would go badly for Mia.
But to Silas Grant’s ears, the na sounded completely different.
It sounded less like an attempt to appease him and more like a provocation.
’His precious sister, and a man he’d called a brother for over twenty years. Now look at them, both calling out to him.’
’Any older brother would be angry.’
’To have the treasure he’d raised snatched away by soone else.’
’Yes, he had every right to be angry.’
’But it should have just been anger. He’d known for a long ti that his sister would eventually leave the nest.’
’She would have her own life.’
’She would have her own love.’
’There was nothing wrong with that. It was sothing an older brother was supposed to accept.’
’But the problem was... had he ever, from the very beginning, truly seen himself as just her brother?’
’Tch.’
’What a joke.’
"Co on out. We should talk," Simon Adler said, beckoning him. This was too complicated to discuss standing in the doorway. It wasn’t the right place.
"I think there’s a simpler way to resolve this than talking."
His hand, which was resting on the doorfra, was suddenly grabbed. It was Mia, hiding behind the door and shaking her head at him.
She understood what he was implying.
He glanced down at her, but only for a mont.
He pulled her hand away. The next second, he smiled, stroked her cheek, and leaned down to press a kiss to her lips.
"Be a good girl. Go take a shower and wait for to co back."
Simon Adler realized with a jolt that Mia was right behind the door.
He started to speak, but Mia cut him off, her voice quick. "My brother and I have sothing to discuss. Whatever you two have to say can wait until tomorrow."
Her words were rapid-fire, muffled by the door. Without looking at Silas Grant’s expression, she slamd the door in both their faces and turned the lock.
The doorway was no place to talk. Mia brushed past Silas Grant and walked further into the room.
Then, as if rembering sothing, she stopped, turned back, and took his hand. "Let’s sit down and talk."
After a long mont of staring at each other, Silas Grant finally moved and followed her.
"I’m sorry, I lied."
She sat across from him, eting his gaze directly. "I don’t know Simon Adler at all. We’re not together, and we certainly haven’t... you know."
The man said nothing.
He just lit another cigarette.
He didn’t believe her.
"He told you I was his girlfriend to cover for what I’m doing here in Portia. It’s a bit complicated; I’ll explain that part later."
"But there’s really nothing between us. He’s only staying at the Hughes family’s house because of an agreent we made. I was worried about my safety, so I dragged him into this."
"Besides, it’s not like my taste is that bad. I’d date anyone but him."
"I like gentle n, not aggressive ones."
"..."
Her words hung in the air like an insinuation.
Silas Grant raised his eyes, finally looking at her.
"Hayes saw you when he was here last ti."
Mia ignored his comnt. "Believe what you want. I still don’t think I did anything wrong. I ca here for your sake. You can’t treat like a criminal you’re interrogating. You should be thanking ."
Silas Grant had been furious, but hearing her childish words made the tension in his body suddenly dissipate. He let out a helpless laugh.
Then he set down his cigarette, his gaze roaming over her. "Co here."
He patted his lap.
"No."
Mia didn’t move.
"If I go over there, you’ll hit ."
"I won’t."
"When have I ever hit you?"
"You have," she muttered.
"Babe, that was flirting."
"That was loving you."
"Just like how I want to kiss you right now."
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