Harper shookher head and backed into the hallway.
He couldn’tbear to see her so distraught. “Perhaps I should go.”
She didn’t stophim.
Damon placedher bags on the ground. “Harper, I…” I love you. “Nevermind.”
Harper didn’tsay a word.
After returningto his car, Damon jumped in and drove straight to Conner’sflat.
He zoomed upthe concrete stairwell. With his mind a jumble of incomprehensiblethoughts, the last thing he needed was for the lift to break downagain. Especially without Harper there to help him with hisclaustrophobia.
He ground hismolars and banged on his brother’s door.
Conner openedthe door. “Hey, bro, what’s up?”
Damon shovedhim inside and pinned him to the wall, rather like he’d done infront of Harper the other day. “What have you done this time?”
His brothershoved him off. “I’ve done lots of things. You’ll have to be morespecific.”
The nerve ofthe guy. He might be his brother, but Conner tried his patience atthe best of times.
“Harper’sfriend seems to think you and I have a new business venture. Knowanything about that?”
“Go intobusiness with you?” He snorted. “I’d rather feed off rancid pigs.”Conner turned to walk into his lounge. “I set it up all on myown.”
Damon grabbedhis shoulder and yanked him back. “Set what up?” he demanded. Angerrose within. He already knew the answer.
Conner puffedout his chest. “Meet the new owner of Magik Dates, online datingagency for supernatural beings.”
“What?”
“You saidyourself what a great idea it was, and Harper might be a babe, butlet’s face it, she’s crap with computers and she hasn’t got a cluehow to run a business.”
Damon punchedhim so hard he fell to the floor. “And you think stealing someoneelse’s ideas makes you an expert?”
Connerscrambled to his feet. “What the fuck did you do that for?”
“How could you,Conner?” he yelled. “That business meant everything to her, morethan an unscrupulous bastard like you could ever understand. Shecame to you for help and in a matter of days, you’ve stolen abusiness she was working really hard to build.” Yes, he blamedConner, but the blame wasn’t all on his rat of a brother. It washis fault; he’d encouraged Harper to trust Conner. How could sheever forgive him?
Conner archedan eyebrow nonchalantly. “And I care because…?”
Damon balledhis fists, ready to strike him again, but if he did, he wouldn’t beable to stop. It took everything he had to calm the beast inside.“If you’ve ruined my chances with Harper—”
“Got a softspot for the witch, have you?”
“I’ll neverforgive you for this.”
“You will. Youalways do.”
“Not this time,Conner.” He couldn’t help his brother. The only person who couldmake Conner change was himself, and since he appeared to have nomorals, Damon doubted he would ever change, but still, hisshoulders weighed heavy with the truth. Conner was his brother andthat would never change either. Maybe he would forgive him, maybehe wouldn’t, but right now, he had other things on his mind.
Frustrationmerged with fury. In a split second, Damon hissed and his fangsextended. He grabbed his brother by his collar and dragged him intothe room with his computer equipment. “Take down the website.” Heglowered at him as he shoved him in front of the keyboard.
Conner held uphis hands. “Okay, okay, I get the message. No need to get yourknickers in a twist. It was a bit of fun, that’s all, to see if Icould do it.”
That wasit? Stealing Harper’s business was nothing more than a game tohim, most probably done to get back at him in some way. “Take itdown. Now.”
An unmistakablehint of fear appeared in Conner’s eyes. He went to say something,then snapped his mouth shut and gulped. His Adam’s apple bobbed upand down. Without a word, he did as he asked.
Damon lookedon, making sure he did it. After much tapping of keys, he wassatisfied.
“There, alldone,” Conner said. “Happy now?”
“No, I’m not.Not by a long way.”
“There’s nopleasing some people, is there?”
Damon vented asigh and turned to leave. “Goodbye, Conner.”
“Bye, bro,” hesaid, his tone too cheery. “Just to let you know, the website mightbe down, but I still own the name, Magik Dates.”
Damon paused,gripping the door frame.
“I registeredit under my name, all legal and above board,” Conner continued.“You should be very proud of me, but you never are, no matter whatI do.”
Damon bit downon his molars until pain mushroomed along his jaw. Is that whatConner wanted, his approval, his acceptance? Maybe if he didsomething right for a change… Guilt niggled, but he had to focus.Sorting out this mess with Harper came first.
He’d done allhe could to help Harper’s business, but with Conner owning thename, he couldn’t see a way to get around it. Not yet.
The burden ofwhat he’d done clawed at his heart. If he hadn’t convinced Harperto give his brother a chance, if he hadn’t held on to the hope thatConner had changed, none of this would have happened.
He got in hiscar and gripped the steering wheel, racking his brain for asolution.
One thingbecame clear. He had to help her. No matter what Harper thought ofhim, he owed her that much.
ChapterTwelve
Harper staredat Damon’s smart, Italian leather shoes as he walked up the stonesteps and disappeared from view.
She wanted tohate him. Damn, did she want to hate him, but as Damon stood thereat her door, apologising, although he obviously had no clue what hewas saying sorry for, her heart skipped a beat and her legs turnedto jelly.
Her headpounded. She couldn’t process.
Zarya picked upthe bags Damon left by her door and ushered her into the hallbefore closing the door behind her. “Are you okay, Harper?”
Tears welled inher eyes, misting her vision. She nodded.
Her friendurged her into the lounge, carrying the bags with her. “You’reobviously not. Sit.”
Harper’s kneesbuckled and she collapsed on the sofa.
“Would you likea cup of tea?”
She blinkedaway her tears. Why did Zarya think a bloody cup of tea was theanswer to everything? “I think I need something stronger than tea.Is it too early for alcohol?” Her attempt at a joke made her throathurt, but she took a deep breath, determined not to cry. She’d doneenough crying.
Harper grabbedher laptop-type bag, the one with Magik Dates’ business plan, andrummaged through the papers. Everything was exactly as she
