Baby Be Mine(Spinsters & Casanovas Series Book 1)(99)

It was Caroline who gave up first. Fern, though, was reluctant to let it go. There was no way she was losing Anton to that woman. What both women didn’t know was Anton had his “hiding his inner feelings” skill mastered to perfection. He’d learned ages ago that showing his emotions wasn’t going to benefit him in anything.

When his parents died at a young age, he had to grow up fast. He knew he didn’t have his parents to rely upon, so he learned to do everything himself. His uncle had saved him and he was thankful for that. Yet he still didn’t express his desires, thankful enough that his uncle had brought him into his household and raised him like a son.

To Anton, his uncle was his father and mother. He was his everything, and Hunter was more than his cousin. He was like a little brother that he cared for very much. He knew ages ago that even if he had been named the CEO of Silverton Enterprises, achieving so much at this young age, in the not-too-distance future, the new heir would take his place and he would be willing to step down. Everyone was just waiting for Hunter to grow up, Anton included. And when that time came, he would then marry Clarice and live with her. The sensible couple, they were a pair matched by fate.

But why then did his heart thump when he saw Fern posing herself in one corner? This elevator was too small. He struggled for air. And Caroline, what had gotten into her? He understood Fern acting this way since she was a bit weird, what with speaking in third person and all that, but to see Caroline, the quiet and sensible girl, posing like some seductress, somehow it just didn’t fit.

Finally, the bell dinged, the door slid open, and both women wound their arms around his again. Just as he was about to step out, Caroline said something to Fern, which made her cheeks leap into a full pink blossom, and before he knew it, they were both shouting at each other again.

He was sick of this. He was only trying to get to Clarice, who might be waiting for him down in the lobby, when these two women decided to follow him like two hens fighting over a rooster.

As he was about to make his escape to the main foyer, he was pulled back into their bickering again. Suddenly, a sweet, sensual voice floated their way, nudging through the fight, and at once they all turned. And the sight before them almost had their eyeballs dropping to the floor. Hunter, his Casanova of a cousin, was carrying a woman in his arms.

Anton’s heart sank to the pit of his stomach.

Clarice!

“Oh shit!” Hunter muttered under his breath when he saw Anton, Fern, who was dressed to impressed, and—shit, shit, shit—Caroline, the stalker.

“Are we there already?” Clarice asked again, turning her face to look at Hunter. “I need to see Anton.”

Hunter’s eyes snapped back to Clarice.

Anton! Anton? Which Anton? His cousin Anton, or someone else named Anton? How many Antons did they have here in the hotel? Only one. There was only the Anton he knew, his own cousin. Unless she planned to meet some old grandpa named Anton. Yeah, that would make more sense.

Except reality didn’t make a lick of sense when Anton approached him and then called out Clarice’s name, which made the once sickly pale girl brighten up once again.

“Anton.” Clarice lifted her head from Hunter’s chest and smiled, then turned to him again. “Please, put me down, Hunter.”

He didn’t like the idea of another Silverton knowing his avocado. In fact, he felt quite possessive over this woman, so he just continued carrying her. His excuse was, “You have blisters on your feet. I’m not letting you walk.”

“Hunter, let her down,” Anton demanded. “I’ll take over from here.”