Page 78 of My Fiancé's Brother

He looked up at me with disgust on his face. “You need to get rid of her.”

I crossed my arms. “No.”

“Emily, this isn’t up for discussion.” He turned on his lawyer voice for this discussion. I hated his lawyer voice. It sounded arrogant and know-it-all.

I held my ground. “I agree. The idea of sending her to a shelter isn’t up for discussion.”

His eyes widened. “You’re kidding me.”

“No.”

“Well, I don’t want to live with a dog.”

“Matt, you haven’t even given her a chance. She’s such a sweetheart.”

“It's my final decision,” he dismissed.

“You always want your way.”

He looked up at me. “If my way is the right way, yeah.”

“You never listen to what I want.”

“Yes, I do.”

“No, you don’t,” I yelled. I never yelled. I never raised my voice.

He looked at me in shock.

“Well listen up, Matt,” my tone was sarcasm laced with hurt, “I want Chloe. And I'm keeping Chloe. If you think it is okay to make veto decisions in this relationship then I can too. And this is my final decision. I'm keeping the dog.”

He stood up. “Like hell you are.”

“I'm keeping the dog."

“You're going to get rid of it. This is just one of your stupid, impulsive moves. Dogs are a big commitment. You don’t have it in you to commit to a dog.”

My mouth gaped open. My chest rose and fell in anger. “Marriage is a commitment.”

“That’s different.”

“No, it isn’t,” I said in disbelief.

“Dogs are too much work. They take up too much of your time.”

“I'm keeping the dog.”

He pointed his finger at me. “You're incredibly selfish. And immature.”

My eyes narrowed. “I'm keeping the dog. I love that dog.”

“You’re supposed to love me,” he bellowed. “I'm the only one you're supposed to love.”

I stared at him. When it came down to it, Matt needed to be the only one that was loved. He couldn’t share. And now he couldn’t stand to watch me love a dog.

“I can love more than one person, Matt."

He picked up his plate and threw it. I ducked, and the plateexploded against the brick wall behind me, spraying me with food and shards of glass. I ducked my head into my arms. A wine glass sailed towards me, shattering next to me on the granite counter.

---