CHAPTER 17
"Peter tells me that you were his student." Sean gives me a sharp look that says I'm devoid of morals.
"Yeah, Peter was my boss, too." I poke around at my food.
Peter ordered for me while we were at the bar. The food is good, but it feels like I'm being judged and I hate that. Especially by him. Sean pisses me off. He has this superior thing going on, and I can't stand it when people think they're better than everyone else. Maybe I shouldn't say it, but I do. I place my fork down and look up at him. "Listen, if you want to throw stones, you probably shouldn't have bought your date."
"Oh, snap." Avery grins and lowers her gaze to her salad.
Sean's eyes bore into mine. I don't look down. He's a facsimile of Peter with harder edges. "You think I'm judging you?"
"Yes."
"I wasn't," he says, still staring at me like he has no manners at all.
"Then why'd you bring it up?"
Peter watches us but doesn't intervene. Instead he leans back in his chair and steeples his fingers, tapping them together lightly and looking at his brother.
"Because I thought it was interesting." Sean cuts his gaze over to his brother. "Is she always this adversarial?"
"Only when you piss her off." Peter smiles at me and resumes eating his dinner. His eyes flick up with amusement after he takes a bite.
"It was a rude question," I say, still glaring at him. Maybe I should let it go.
Sean straightens in his chair. "Very well. Then turnabout is fair play, so ask something of equal boorishness."
"Boorishness?"
"It means rude—"
"I know what it means. Fine, I have a question. Why do you keep calling Avery? Why not just date her like a normal person?"
Sean sounds completely dignified when he says, "Because I'm not a normal person."
I give him a face that says I think his answer is crap.
Avery leans forward and rests her elbow on the table as she gazes at him. "Sean, you told her to ask you. Tell her whatever you want." They are the weirdest couple I've ever seen. She's so light, and he's so dark. I wonder if there's more to both them. There has to be some common thread somewhere.
Sean leans back in his chair and looks me over. "I don't like you."
"I don't care." Holy shit, that was blunt. Who the hell says stuff like that? Peter is getting agitated, but I shake my head slightly. I don't need him to rescue me, not from this guy.
Sean makes a disgruntled sound at the back of his throat. "I asked her to be my mistress."
"How flattering." I glance at Avery and can tell my gut reaction is right—it's not flattering at all.
"Isn't it?" Sean's tone sounds sincere but he can't be.
I glance at Avery. "Is he serious?"
Avery nods. "One hundred percent." Her voice hitches slightly, like it bothers her that he didn't ask for more. I catch it and wonder if Sean knows. He doesn't seem to, but then again he seems to be acting assy on purpose.
"Well, good luck with that, Sean." I don't mean to, but I make a face as I look at Peter.
Sean doesn't let it slip by. "You think it's inappropriate? Really, after screwing your professor and superior, you really think you have the right to judge me?"
"Sean," Avery warns and glances at Peter.
"That's enough," Peter scolds. It silences Sean, but I stare burning holes into Sean's forehead. He glances up at me.
"You think I'm after his family's money, don't you? You think that I'm not good enough for him, that I'm some white-trash gold digger. Isn't that right?" My jaw tightens as I speak. I see it in his eyes before he has a chance to answer, so I cut him off. "I don't need his goddamn money. I can get by on my own. I always have, and I always will. You on the other hand will die miserable and alone. In the five seconds since I've met you, I could see that Avery deserves so much more, more than you could ever give her. You're chasing a dream. Wake up." I snap the last two words at him as my palms slap the table. The silverware shakes.
I glance over at Peter. "I'm sorry, Peter. I'm not sure why we came here tonight."
Peter exhales slowly and glances at Sean. There's a warning in his eyes. At first I think Peter's telling Sean to back off, but that isn't it.
Sean rolls his eyes, like this much drama gives him heartburn. He taps the butt of his knife on the table before lifting it and using it like a pointer, gesturing to his brother. "Because Peter wants me to come with the two of you."