She'd heard everything. Every word.
"Eileen! Tell your friends to back off!"
A flicker of surprise crossed the women's faces. They glanced at one another.
But Eileen simply let one of them loop an arm around her waist.
Her expression didn't change. Not a flicker.
She turned and walked away.
"Ei—"
"Easy there, young master."
Two of them pressed me back down, one on each side. A glass was pushed to my lips.
"How do you still not get it? In Eileen's world, your brother ranks above us. We rank above the dog. And the dog ranks above you."
My face went cold.
"So be a good boy. Let us clean you up nice, and we'll talk to Eileen for you. Get you a spot at her side as her loyal little pet."
"That's right. Relax. We'll keep it between us."
The champagne flute tightened in my grip until my knuckles went white.
Crack.
The glass shattered in my grip.
They stared at the shards in my hand, momentarily stunned.
"Who exactly do you think you're humiliating?"
I'd spent years outpacing Marcus. Not just in degrees and credentials. In athletics, too.
The woman hit the floor hard.
"You ungrateful little—"
I turned to leave.
A bottle smashed against the back of my skull.