He pulled me up to my feet, roughly, and forced me to continue forward. “Let me go,” I snarled at him, trying to twist away. The effort was wasted. There was zero strength left in my reservoir. I was like a kitten trying to take on a Doberman.
I had no idea what he was doing, intended to do, or why he felt the need to suddenly drag me. I attempted to spin around mid-step and wound up being jerked so hard I bit my tongue, pissing me off even more.
“Don’t fight me, Cali, you won’t win,” he warned, turning me so I could see his face. There was an edge to his voice but his dark eyes were telling me something different.
My brows furrowed as I looked at him. What the hell was he was up to now? Knowing he wouldn’t—or couldn’t—outright tell me, I had no choice but to play along.
“Okay,” I harshly breathed out, before repeating myself a little quieter. “Okay, please don’t drag me anymore. I’ll be…good.” I almost gagged on the word.
“See, I knew you weren’t as stupid as you looked,” he whispered softly before glancing away, urging me forward albeit gently this time. It truly was déjà vu; the cocky fucker had said just as much the day he saved me from being a cannibal’s meatloaf.
Dhal opened one of the glass doors ahead of us without being asked. As we passed, her gaze clashed with Romero’s. I wanted to take her to the ground and crack her skull open. She hadn’t really done anything, which meant she’d done enough to make me want her heart to cease beating.
I didn’t bother trying to play therapist with myself and rationalize my crazy. I was out of my fucking head and perfectly fine with it.
The lobby of the hotel was open and airy. Bright light flooded in from the glass dome roof, and activity bustled all around.
Some people curiously stared. Most continued on with their business. They all wore the black robes I associated with the Savages.
“I’ll catch up with you in a few,” Romero directed to Dhal, steering me towards the elevators. She finger waved at him and walked off, giving me a small smile. It was not returned. Why the hell was she even here?
I stood beside him, not saying a word, not knowing where to start, and still playing my role until he told me otherwise. Even when we stepped inside the four walled box, I said nothing, and neither did he.
My ignoring him didn’t stop him from staring at me, breathing down my neck, and twisting my insides up even more.
Was it wrong that I wanted him to slam my face into the wall and fuck me from behind?
I wanted him whether I was dirty, clean, pissed off, or happy. In sickness and in health, I always wanted him. I should have hated him—but even then, I would want him. I wondered how good a hate-fuck would feel.
When the old metal doors loudly squeaked open, I stepped out into a long, empty hallway and felt like I could breathe again. That was the longest elevator ride of my life. Romero exited behind me. “Come on.”
I walked with him to one of the rooms. He opened the door without a key-card and moved aside so I could go in first. The room was bigger than I expected, with one magnificent single king sized bed, a sofa area, and a bathroom.
I moved farther in when I heard the door shut and a lock click. Taking a small breath, I turned around to face him, making sure there was space between us.
“What the hell was that?” I snapped, referring to the little incident in the lobby.
He laughed softly and closed the gap I’d made.
I frowned when my pulse quickened and crossed my arms. “You think this is funny?” I angled my body away from his, flattening my lips.
All traces of amusement fled his face as he tracked the subtle movement. “I just bought us a little more time.”
“Time for what? And what happened on that bridge?”
“I left you on the bridge so I could have a steak dinner with David and Arlen’s sister.”
I felt my muscles quiver, but I wasn’t aware I’d lunged at him until I was spun around and pushed against the wall.
He didn’t let me utter a single syllable, smothering his hand firmly over my mouth.
“We’re not doing this right now. You’ve had a whole two weeks to let everything build into irrational anger.
“You need to chill the fuck out and get yourself cleaned up before you go on a tirade.” His voice was pure ice.
I hated him right then for knowing me so well.
I shoved his hand away from my mouth and stared back at him with flinty eyes. “Wedon’t have to do anything.You’rethe one with a fuck ton of explaining to do.”
