The St Patrick Series Book #1: The St Patrick Bride

Chapter Thirteen: Bad Habits

Court's POV
Not too long ago I was caught stealing.

It's the first time I have been caught especially on camera. It was a princess cut diamond ring. It's nothing close to what the Freya Nora Diamond is but it was something.

I was invited to a party hosted by Lambert Unlimited. It's an engineering company based back home in Scotland but have subsidiaries in Europe and here in New York. The party was hosted at the Lambert residence in Winchester. My invitation came as a gift from one of my professors. I excelled in her class and she offered me a chance to be among the legends of the engineering world. 

I wasn't there with the intention of stealing. I was there to actually form networks that will help my engineering career. It's a tough world for women. Not many men take me seriously. It was the case that night and I excused myself to explore the almost castle like home that reminds me of home.

I was passing an open door when curiosity got the better of me. I went inside and there it was! Just sitting on the dresser all alone. I picked it up and I went back downstairs to mingle with the guests. Leaving immediately would have made me look suspicious.

I was in the middle of a conversation with a college professor from Yale when a young man with stunning green eyes joined us. He introduced himself as Liam. He kept looking at me and I tried not to entertain it but I happened to like what I saw. I love a confident man.

He managed to draw me away from the conversation and when we were alone, he asked me something unusual. It's not normal to meet someone and ask them to be your girlfriend. Life doesn't work that way. I laughed in his face and I turned him down. He didn't make a big deal out of it.

At least not until his second attempt days later. He came to MIT, where I'm studying engineering. He was offering an internship programme at Lambert Unlimited. I am at the top of my class but I wasn't shortlisted. I found that puzzling because they picked five of the best but somehow I was left out. I questioned him and I accused him of retaliating because I turned him down.

Liam suffers from brutal honesty. He did not deny it. He went on to ask me to be his girlfriend and in exchange, I get on the list. I'm not big on being blackmailed. I told him to go to hell. That is when he brought up the ring. I denied his accusations until he showed me video proof. Being caught red-handed, I had no choice. I agreed to be his girlfriend.

Telling Chris no, was for his own good. I meant it when I told his brother I have a viciously jealous boyfriend. Liam Lambert  looks picture perfect but he has one too many faults the worst being his rage.

"Did you hear me Court?"

I glanced in the direction of his green eyes. "I'm not deaf. I can't."

He is inviting me to St Barts for the weekend. I try my best to avoid alone time with him. It's one thing to be alone with him in a room and to go on vacation on an island. He comes on strong. He claims kisses not meant for him. He's trying to steal my heart. It's not his.

"I would advise you to reconsider." His sharp intrusive gaze unsettles me. "Perhaps a more favorable response like 'yes Liam, I would love to spend the weekend with you."

The most frustrating thing someone can put me through, is making me a puppet. I don't like to be controlled.

"No Liam, I can't come. I'm busy. My exams are coming up. I'm also spending the weekend with my parents."

That is such a lie. I haven't spoken to my parents since they sent me to a boarding school.

"Isn't it time I meet your parents?"

I'm happy whenever Liam has to go back to Scotland for work. He's mostly in Scotland. It gives me space. I'm in constant need of it. This is one of those relationships that have potential to become toxic. One if us will possibly be the murder victim and this once, I'm worried it's me. He scares me.