Page 41 of Tangled Control

“Hell no,” Jennifer cries. “I’m not spending a weekend on a super yacht watching Dylan sulking in a corner from his lost bet while you make out with Anika.”

“That reminds me,” I grin, “Dylan owes me three hundred euro.”

Twenty Six

Catriona

“…she’s so not my type…”

His voice travels through the open door and hits me smack in the solar plexus.

I know he’ll never want me for anything but a bit of fun, but does he have to be so blunt about it? Did he have to stand me up so easily? He has no idea what it’s taken for me to accept what was going to happen – how many hours I’ve spent justifying to myself the actions that I’ve yet to commit. Acts that I was counting down to – only to be scrapped in seconds?

At least Rian corrected Leo when he accused me of being a lesbian –who has the personality of a brick.I blink rapidly as the screen turns blurry. It’s not the first time I’ve heard rumours about my sexuality. My standoffish approach to the men in the office is destined to create such whispers. Men tend to seek reassurance that any rejection lies outside their control. While women would think they’re not pretty, sexy, or charming enough, men will say she’s a prude, bitch or lesbian.

The lesbian rumours have never bothered me before, but hearing them through the door, accompanied by the girls’ spiteful giggles, is hard to take. Especially since it adds to the hurt of how easily Rian dumped me.

No, not dumpedme, but dumped ourplans. We’re not a couple, so he can’t dump me.

We are not a couple, so he can’t dump me.

I add another few chants in my head as I try to ignore Rian and his rich obnoxious friends as they noisily leave the office. Rian’s head never turns my way, and his hand is pressed to the small of Alexandra’s back. Like an official statement. What a fucking prick!

Thank fuck I am not my mother – I haven’t invested emotionally.

Yeah, fuck him. This ride is well and trulyfeckingover and gone and done with. Rian can fuck his whole drooling office fan club if he wants, or the fucking perfectAlexo-ondra, butthiswoman is not fucking bowing to him ever again! I suck in a deep breath and sit taller in my chair. It’s a relief to feel the anger take over my body, and I’m not going to count how many times I’ve saidfuckin my head the last minute.

Good fucking riddance to bad fucking rubbish!

Twenty Seven

Rian

“And then, Rian said…” Dylan stops his tale as he shakes his head on a chuckle. “He said, ‘Pearls don’t fly’.” The deck erupts in laughter at the silly story from a few years back. Well, everyone’s laughing except for me.

“That’s nothing. Remember when we went skiing in Aspen?” Jennifer grins as she holds out her crystal flute that Knox refills. “We were in this club…”

“Oh, yes!” Leo interrupts and tilts his head back, chuckling. “That was so funny.”

“We don’t need to hear this,” Alexandra protests, but only weakly and her usual pout twitches in a withheld smile.

I sigh inwardly as Jennifer continues her story of when we were almost arrested for stupidly stealing a chair from a club.

These days, it’s not easy to take time off as a group. It’s a couple of years since we were all together for a weekend trip. And still, I’m not able to interact fully with the others. I should be enjoying myself and taking part reminiscing over the mischiefwe got up to when we were younger, but I uncharacteristically keep to the background.

The private jet that brought us to Spain, as well as the super yacht that is our home for the next two nights, belongs to Alexandra’s family. My family may be very well off, but the Harringtons are a good step above most when it comes to wealth. Alexandra has often shared their excess with the rest of us, and we’ve been out yachting on the Mediterranean numerous times, anchoring up during the Monaco Grand Prix or Cannes Film Festival, going clubbing in Ibiza – or just enjoying food, water sport and the beaches of the Greek islands.

“What’s up with you?” Knox asks when we call it a day, several hours after I wanted to head to bed. We share a twin cabin, and he’s stripped out of his t-shirt, showing off his muscular upper body that he spends hours in the gym perfecting. I’m a lot leaner than my brother, enjoying squash, tennis and running more than the weights.

“Nothing.”

“Your usual grumpy self seems like Miss Sunshine compared to your mood tonight,” he presses and yawns behind his beard that I think he has simply because he can’t be bothered shaving.

I grit my teeth and grab the toiletry bag that some of the staff on the boat got for me – together with changes of clothes for the next few days since I never had time to head home and pack. Life of the rich – click your fingers and whatever you desire is provided for you. The stack of clothes probably cost more that Catriona’s entire wardrobe.

“I just have stuff on my mind, okay?”

“I know Dad puts a lot of pressure on you, but don’t let it get to you.” Knox is a man of few words, and I appreciate his comment.