Reading Online Novel

Hammer's Fall (The Breakers' Bad Boys)(42)



“Really, Kalista Rose,” her mother said with a sigh. “A woman with your figure should never wear a strapless dress. Your arms are way too big for you to be flaunting them like that.”

Kalista had braced herself for whatever insult her mother threw her way, but that didn’t stop it from hurting. She sensed more than felt Jared’s large body stiffen next to her, then felt the sting of her mother’s words fade away as he took her hand and linked their fingers together.

Feeling bold, Kalista smiled at her mother. “Mother, you look beautiful as always. You’re so courageous wearing such a bold blue color. I hope I’m that daring when I’m your age.” She felt Jared squeeze her hand, and her gaze flickered to him to see him smiling as he took a sip from his glass of champagne.

“That was completely uncalled for, Kalista Rose. You never could take any criticism. You just don’t understand that I am trying to help you,” Gina hissed in a low voice as she tugged on Kalista’s arm. Jared refused to release her hand until she looked up at him with a weak smile. He let her go, but frowned at both women as Gina pulled Kalista a few feet away from the men. “Your cousin would have had you in her wedding party, but they didn’t make the bridesmaids dresses in your size.”

“I didn’t want to be part of her wedding party, Mother.”

“Still. If you couldn’t hold onto a nice man like David, how do you think you are going to hold a man like Jared? It’s obvious he is just using you, darling. You should end things before you end up getting hurt. How can you even be dating him so soon after David left you?”

Oh, for the love of…

“Mother, you don’t know what you’re talking about. First of all, if you think David is a nice man than he has you totally fooled, and Jared isn’t using me.”

“Of course he is. Why else would he be with someone like you?”

That was a direct hit. Kalista felt the tears burning in the back of her eyes, but she willed them away by sheer determination. “By someone like me, you mean someone short and slightly overweight, because I don’t look like a model, is that what you’re saying?”

Gina looked at her with such sympathy that it told Kalista that was exactly what she meant. “You’re really a very pretty girl, but you just don’t have what it takes to hold a man like Jared. Not unless he is with you for your money. You should turn over the rest of your trust to your father and me in case—” Gina was cut off by Jared, whose voice held a hard edge of anger to it.

“I have my own money, Mrs. Redford, and I certainly don’t need Kali’s. Obviously from the sapphires you’re wearing, you don’t seem to need her money either.”

Gina’s cheeks darkened with embarrassment at having been overheard, and she nervously stared back at him with wide eyes. Kalista looked up at Jared and barely held back a wince as she saw the fury burning in his dark eyes.

“You don’t understand. I’m just looking out for my daughter.”

“You don’t have to worry about that anymore. I’ll be looking out for Kali from now on. I won’t let anyone hurt her,” he said, his deep voice holding a dark warning. His menacing smile showed his white teeth as he wrapped his arm around Kalista’s waist, drawing her close to his body. “Excuse us,” he said before whisking Kalista away.

Hammer pulled her down a long hallway and stopped in front of a door to an empty conference room. He tried the door and was glad when it opened. Tugging her into the dark room he slammed the door shut and clicked the lock in place before pulling her into his arms.

“Goddammit, just damn it,” he snarled out as he held onto her. He felt her relax, leaning into him as if seeking comfort or giving it. He couldn’t tell which one.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” he snapped, then blew out a breath, trying to regain control of his anger. Hearing what her mother had said to her, how she’d so casually insulted both him and Kali had set his teeth on edge. It had been bad enough when her father had all but asked him how much money he had. Don Redford was a man that was driven by greed, and Hammer had no problem intimidating the smaller man, easily putting him in his place with a few direct insults. He’d thought he was holding it together, but when he’d heard what Gina had said to Kali, he felt his temper snap.

Jesus, what the hell was wrong with that bitch?

His muscles ached with the need to defend his woman, but how the hell could he when the worst perpetrator was her own mother? Light filtered into the room from the hallway through the frosted glass on the side of the doorway, allowing him to see her as he pulled back. The wounded look in her eyes made him want to howl in fury. He wanted to put his fist through the wall, or better yet, he wanted to tell her parents to go to hell and to leave them alone.