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“In case you forgot, for the next six months your roof is paid for.”
“That’s not my only bill. My first payment to the school is due at the end of the week.”
Unease swept through Isaiah. His next words were going to piss her off. “That’s covered, too.”
Her jaw dropped and her arms uncrossed to fall at her sides. Cory looked between the two of them, stood and went into the kitchen. Smart kid to avoid the shots about to be fired.
“You paid my tuition?”
“I told you I would help.”
“I was willing to forgive the rent, but this. What the hell, Isaiah? Are you trying to make me dependent on you?”
He shot to his feet. “Of course not.”
“Because you’ve got another think coming if you think I’ll let you turn me into one of those women completely dependent on her man. You won’t control my life only to drop me later with no way to support myself once you move on.”
He held up a hand and tried to process her accusations. “Move on? I just told you I’m falling in love with you. Who the hell says I’m moving on?”
“Love is respecting my wishes. Not going behind my back.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “We’re having the same damn fight we had yesterday. I thought we were going to make this work.”
“Only if you admit that what you did was wrong.”
“I won’t because it wasn’t. My woman needed my help and I gave it to her.”
“See, there you go again. Your woman, as if I’m some pet you have to take care of. I’ve been blindsided before. Not again.” She stomped across the room to her purse and pulled out her checkbook. “How much do I owe you?”
“Don’t be silly. You can’t afford to pay me back.”
She turned and threw the checkbook at him. It hit him in the chest and fell to the floor. “Damn you, Isaiah! I won’t let you control my life.”
His own anger spiked. Isaiah glared at the ceiling and gritted his teeth to keep from screaming in frustration. When he looked back at her his body was rigid. “I don’t understand where this is coming from. You want me to apologize for paying your bills? Fine, I apologize, but I’m not going to sit by and do nothing. Things are about to get hard with Cory. Quit working at that club and let me help out.”
“We’re back to that now? That’s what this was all about?” Her voice dripped with accusation. “Tell me you care, show me all the things you’re doing for me, tell me what I’m going to do.”
“Will you stop being paranoid and trying to turn this into some plot to control you.”
She pointed to the door. “Get out.”
“What?”
“I want you out of my face before I throw something harder than a checkbook at you.”
Isaiah’s frustration snapped. His neck hurt, he was tired and he needed to leave before he said something equally ridiculous. “I’m gone.”
“Good.”
He glared at her, but she raised her chin defiantly. Shaking his head, he snatched up his keys and stalked out. He stood with his back to her door for a second, angry, frustrated and confused. What the hell just happened? Her dead bolt snapped into place. Was it even worth it to try and make things work with someone so stubborn?
CHAPTER 26
“You have got to be the craziest woman in the state of Florida,” Vicki said, shaking her head and looking at Angela as if she wanted to drive her to the nearest mental facility.
Angela crossed her arms. “I can’t believe you don’t see my side in this.”
The music in the club didn’t block Vicki’s snort of disbelief. Sapphire hurried over and waved her hands impatiently. “You got my beers?”
“Yeah.” Angela nodded and turned away from Vicki’s glare to put the beers on Sapphire’s tray. She wiped the counter down before facing Vicki again. “What?”
“What? You know what? You’re mad because the man said he’s falling in love with you and that’s why he covered your expenses for the next six months.”
“I’m mad because he did that without asking.” Angela glanced around the bar to make sure the patrons were okay. For the moment everyone watched one of the dancers and the kitchen hadn’t delivered her customer’s chicken wings, which gave her a second to focus on Vicki.
