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“We need to have a talk, Jessica.” Chucky put his arms up, locking his elbows straight, resting his palms on either side of her shoulders, and boxing her in.
“No, we most certainly do not.” Jessica fought the urge to scratch his eyes out and run for her life, stopping only because she still didn’t want to touch him.
“You have my stamp collection. I know you do. I want it back. Now! Where did you hide it? Did you put it somewhere safe?” He pressed closer, his hateful body coming into contact. The cologne she always associated with him filled her lungs, choking her with a flash flood of memories. Bad, bad memories.
“Step away from me this instant.” Her low tone sounded feral to her own ears.
“Or else what? Are you going to send your husband after me? That’s a laugh. I figured out that you don’t have a husband. And if you do then you’re just a whore, shacking up with the first guy you stumbled across after losing me.”
Jessica’s back straightened so quickly she heard her spine pop in three places. “I’m a whore? That’s rich coming out of your mouth, child-fucker.”
His jaw clenched. She heard his back teeth grind together. “My wife is not a child.” His malevolent tone only made her angrier.
“Semantics from a man pushing thirty who fucked, knocked up, and then married an eighteen-year-old shotgun-style.”
“She’s nineteen.”
“Wow, big difference, Chucky. Whatever. Get away from me. We have nothing to discuss.” She elbowed him in the chest, unwilling to let any other part of her touch him. He didn’t move an inch.
“I’m not leaving until you give me what I want.”
“You’ll be waiting until hell freezes over.” Jessica refused to back down. “Back off! I mean it.”
“Or else what?”
Jessica heard footsteps advancing quickly down the hall.
Seth’s firm voice floated somewhere from behind Chucky. “Or else I’m going to kick your balls up your ass. Get away from her this instant.”
Jessica pushed out a deep sigh of relief, so grateful not to have to launch into a fist fight with her ex. She’d been about to start swinging.
Chucky slowly turned, dropping one arm from the wall, releasing her from his imprisoning stance. Jessica scooted out of the corner and away from him in time to see Seth, alongside Gray, bearing down on them from the other hallway.
Both of them looked like avenging archangels ready to do battle with the forces of evil. Which was pretty close to the truth.
Seth’s furious gaze was electric in its intensity, sending Chucky a laser-like stare of rage. The moment his arm went around her, Jessica buried her face in his collar. The warmth of his protection felt good. She breathed in his luscious scent, calming herself, and turned her head to look back at her ex from a protected place. Seth hugged her tighter, keeping her pinned to his side.
Chucky’s arms went up, palms facing out as if he were about to give up like one of the mock bank robbers on the streets daily in town.
“Don’t shoot,” Chucky said with a fake grin fastened in place. “We were only having a talk. I’m a guest here in the hotel.”
“What?” Jessica asked out loud before stopping herself. “I didn’t see your name on the list of guests.”
Chucky got that stupid look on his face reserved for when he was trying to get away with something, or if he was trying to get someone else to pay for something. “Well, let’s just say that I’m here doing some research for the Barrington hotel chain. Checking up on the competition, if you will. So of course I didn’t use my real name.”
Jessica opened her mouth to tell him this hotel wasn’t even close to competition for the Barrington hotel chain, but Gray took a step forward and into Chucky’s personal space.
“This area is for employees only, sir,” Gray said, towering over her worthless ex, the menace in his tone was difficult to miss. “I’ll escort you to the guest area.”
“My mistake.” Chucky lowered his arms to his sides. His expression hardened. “Talk to you later, Jessica. Perhaps we can meet so you can safely return what’s mine.”
