“What has gotten into you two? It’s no wonder I can’t convince Kasey to leave her room. You’re both being assholes.”
“Elise—”
She lifts a hand. “I can’t believe you had Donovan act as mybodyguard. Are you really so afraid of Kasey? Or is it that you don’t think I’m capable of taking care of myself?”
She doesn’t give him the chance to answer before she turns to me.
“Andyou. Sleep with her, or don’t sleep with her, but if you keep being an obnoxious prick, she’s going to snap, and when she does, I’m going to laugh and say I told you so.”
“That’swhy you hired her?” Moreno says through a laugh. “No wonder you’re willing to put up with her attitude.”
I ignore him—mainly because the only response I have is to strangle him with my bare hands.
Elise smacks his arm, but his smug grin is unmoving.
“I get that you guys don’t trust her, but this is getting ridiculous. Kasey is good at what she does, so stop screwing it up, or we’re going to lose her.”
“She is good,” Moreno agrees. “Toogood. And we’re just handing over two families’ databases on a silver platter. That kind of power going unchecked is dangerous.”
“Which is exactly why you should be staying on her good side,” she counters.
That’s as much of their fighting as I can handle.
Without acknowledging my sister’s reprimand, I stride past her to the stairs.
Suddenly, the days Kasey and I have spent in a war of wills feel like a waste. I’m starting to wonder if getting to have her would be worth taking the hit to my pride.
“Where are you going?” Elise asks as I pass her.
“Wherever I want.”
“Leave her alone, Logan.”
I stop halfway up the stairs, more out of curiosity than anything.
“And why would I do that?”
She turns to Moreno, whispering something too low for me to hear. When he responds, the words are clipped, and I wonder if I’ll hear an argument through the walls tonight.
Today is just my lucky day.
Elise nods to him, and Moreno passes me on his way to their room.
“Because you’re mad,” she says, “and going to see her now will only make things worse.”
“I don’t see how that is any of your business, Elise.”
“She’s a good person, and you’re being a jerk for no reason.”
“If you think she’s a nice person, then you clearly haven’t spent time with her.”
“Have you ever spent time with her when you weren’t verbally attacking her?”
“She’s just as much the instigator,” I assure her. “Maybe Moreno’s right, and you’re blinded by the fact that she’s a girl.”
Elise’s jaw ticks, and I know I’ve struck a nerve.
“And when exactly did he tell you that?”