Page 61 of Cocky Prince
Wes and Bran exchange an awkward glance.
“Father,” Adam says. “This is Hayden. Hayden, meet my father, Ethan Cade.”
Adam’s dad studies me like I’m an insect. “And how do you know each other?”
Wow, not exactly a warm welcome.
“Through work,” Adam answers, his voice laced with anger. “But Hayden is also my girlfriend.”
I squeeze his hand involuntarily and shoot him a nervous glance. What’s he talking about?
“Girlfriend?” his father says. “Thisisa first.”
My brows pinch together. What is it with firsts tonight? Adam has had girlfriends. I’ve heard about his past relationships. Well, little bits, anyway. He didn’t seem like much of a boyfriend, according to Mira and Cali. But the Adam they described isn’t the man I’ve come to know.
“Hayden, do you mind if I steal Adam for a moment?” his father says. “I’d like to speak with my sons.”
“No,” Adam says before I can answer. He takes a sip of his drink, his hand in his pocket, though his jaw is tense. “I brought Hayden as my date. I’m not leaving her.”
Adam’s brothers look between Adam and their father, then at me.
“It’s only for a moment,” his father says. “And then you can have your…girlfriend back.”
Adam stretches his neck, and I sense Wes inch between Adam and Mr. Cade. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Excuse me?” His father’s tone is filled with warning.
“Hey now,” Bran says. “Can’t have you two sparring. You’re the only ones who get along.” He smiles, but the gesture is strained.
Ethan Cade sucks in a deep breath. His eyes flicker for a moment. “I didn’t ask you here to argue.”
“Adam,” I interrupt, “I’ll be at the bar.” I give his hand a quick squeeze and hurry away. When I glance back, Adam is frowning and watching me leave, his brother Wes’s hand on his shoulder. I smile back and keep walking. Because something serious is going down, and I get the sense Adam needs time with his family, even if he doesn’t believe it.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Adam
“You didn’t sayanything about private meetings,” I growl at my father. “I brought Hayden tonight. I won’t treat her the way you do the people in your life. She deserves my attention.”
My father’s face turns red and his shoulders square. “She seems like a big girl. I’m sure she can handle herself.”
“That’s not the point. It’s rude, and I don’t like it.”
His eyes narrow. “Since when did you care about treating your girlfriends with such courtesy?”
I run stiff fingers through my hair and glance at my brothers, who don’t seem the least bit inclined to help me out. “I’ve always treated them with courtesy.”
“Perhaps, but not warmth.”
And doesn’t that rankle. The Ice King himself has called me out.
“I’m only going to say this once,” I tell him. “That girl over there deserves all of your respect.” I glance at my father and each of my brothers individually.
My brothers and I have always given each other shit, but tonight their flirting pissed me off more than usual.
I direct my next comment to my father. “If you wish to spend time with me, you had better include her.” I don’t know where I’m going with this, or why I called Hayden my girlfriend in front of my entire family, but it feels right. It’s how I see her. And—fucking hell—not even since we kissed. Hayden’s been special to me for a long time.
It’s why I haven’t been with anyone else.
