He finally listens.
“Inside. Now!” she snaps as she passes me, not sparing me a single glance.
I stay still for a few seconds. Make sure the fucker leaves before I follow her.
The moment I step into the kitchen, I’m hit with the deadliest glare she’s ever given me. And then she attacks.
“I do not appreciate the way you acted out there,” she hisses, eyes spitting fire.
“You went on a fucking date,” I snap back. “And I didn’t do anything. He’s alive, isn’t he?”
One hand plants on her hip. The other slams down on the kitchen island between us.
“I swear, Ghost, if you had touched that man with even one finger, I would’ve turned you into minced meat. And then I would’ve made some nice, plump sausages and fed them to Fang’s dogs!”
My head snaps back. “That’s a nice threat,” I murmur, one brow lifting.
She rolls her eyes. “I learned from the fucking best, didn’t I?”
Her shoulders slump as she exhales. Her eyes close briefly, like she’s begging the universe for patience. Then she looks at me.
“I did not go on a date with him. Noah is a good friend of Griffin and Ria’s. He’s been helping me move shelves at the bookstore. And he is a very, very nice guy.”
Her gaze hardens.
“Are we clear now?”
I only manage a nod. She doesn’t wait for more.
“Good. Now let’s make something else clear. We are not together. You do not have the right to act like a possessive asshole. Even if Ihadgone on a date — which I am free to do anytime I want — you do not get to threaten and intimidate people out of my life. Not ever again.”
A pause. The glare is back.
“Got it?”
Fuck, she’s beautiful. That unstoppable hurricane inside her, the one she’s been forced to keep small her entire life, is raging now. Too bad it’s aimed straight at me. At least there are no chairs flying at my head this time. That means it’s controlled, which is good news for my health.
I can’t win this argument. The more I push back, the more she’ll pull away. And I definitely don’t want that.
“I got it,” I say after a long pause. “And I’m sorry. You’re right. I acted like an asshole.”
A breath.
“But—”
Her eyes burn with silent warning.
“If you want help moving stuff at the bookstore, there’s an entire MC at your disposal.”
She smiles sweetly, head tilting. “I know. Domino was part of the helping team.”
“How nice,” I mutter. Even I hear the snark.
Why the fuck wasn’tthatasshole the one who drove her home? Probably wouldn’t have stopped my reaction, but it would’ve landed better. I’ll have to buy her a cage to make sure she never needs another ride from some other fucker.
“Take a seat,” she says coolly, gesturing to a stool before turning toward the fridge.
This feels familiar. A modern, sleek kitchen. Us on opposite sides of the island, tension rising. I don’t like it.
