Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
“Why not?” I asked, wishing I could stop myself from saying what came next. “That’s what you like, isn’t it? You said you wanted to hurt me. You hurt those other guys. The ones you meet up with.”
The expression on his face was one of unconcealed shock. “How the fuck do you know that?” he demanded.
I decided to own my indiscretion, because acting contrite about it sure wouldn’t help me now. “You left your tablet in your luggage, genius.”
“Yes. But there was a password on it.”
I didn’t respond. Just stared at him until realization dawned.
He growled in frustration, but there was a tiny smile on his lips, and lost some of their hardness. “Maybe I should be less transparent. Fuck.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away, trying and failing to hide his shame. “So you saw all of that, huh?”
“Yeah, I did. And I saw where you met up with someone even after I got here.” My voice was weak, and I silently cursed it for giving away how much that little fact bothered me.
“Yeah? And?”
“So you can go out and be with random guys just because you’re a little frustrated, but I can’t get a pass on my stupidity tonight?”
“It’s different, and you know it. We weren’t together then.”
I pushed against him. “We aren’t together now.”
“But I told you,” he said, his voice dropping to a near growl. “I told you what I’d do if anyone touched you.”
“Yeah?” I slipped out of the tiny space he had me crowded into and headed for the store entrance. “Well, you can’t have it both ways. Either you want me, or you don’t. And if you don’t want me, then you have no right telling me what I can do with my body. Period.”
The automatic door to the store opened, and I passed through, thankful for the cool air conditioning blasting over my skin. I wandered around, waiting for Kage to catch up. He would have known how nervous I was if he’d noticed the crazy shit I was looking at on the shelves. Makeup, fake nail sets, temporary hair color… things I would never have looked at in a million years, I browsed with all the intention of a teenage girl on prom night.
“You’ve definitely been spending too much time with Steve,” Kage said as he breezed past me on the way to the back of the store. I fell in behind him, struggling to match his long, purposeful strides. He finally came to a stop on the condom aisle.
“Are you getting condoms for us?” I asked, a not-so-subtle hint at what I was hoping would happen between us.
“We don’t need condoms. I get tested regularly for fighting, and as long as you haven’t been with anyone since you started working for me, you’re clean.”
“What? How do you know?”
“Remember when you went for the company physical and they drew blood?”
My mouth dropped open. “You had me tested without telling me? Is that even legal?”
“I was raised by Peter Santori. Legal doesn’t carry the same weight for me as it does for you.”
Well, that was not the response I’d expected. There was no explanation and no apology, but his words were laden with underlying implications that I didn’t even want to begin to contemplate. I decided to change the subject.
“Why does Jason need so many condoms?”
Kage shrugged and grabbed a large thirty-six-count box. “Guess they’ve been busy out there.”
“Yeah, I saw in the photos that got backed up from your phone. You guys have really been doing some hardcore training. Somebody’s gonna pull a hamstring if you don’t watch out.”
“You just had a good time digging around in my personal shit, huh? Did it ever occur to you that it might be unethical?”
“Nope,” I lied. “When it’s hidden behind a password that includes my name, that negates any ethical concerns.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” His voice was hard, but I could tell he was ashamed that I’d seen the seedier side of his sex life. Hell, I was ashamed that I’d seen it, because it made him feel bad. And because he was right. I shouldn’t have done it.
I wanted to take away his shame, but I wasn’t sure how. All I could think to do was hold him and show him that it was okay.
I got in front of him, stopping him as he tried to leave the condom section. He made a half-hearted effort to sidestep me, but I stayed right in front of him. I wanted to put my arms around him, but he was so intimidating, so closed off. The prospect was daunting, like trying to woo a wild bear. Finally, I just went for it. I lifted up onto my toes, wound my arms around his neck, and pulled myself to him. But once I got that close, a hug just wasn’t enough. Not when I had his scent in my nostrils and felt the contours of his muscles against my body.