“Hiding? Nothing.”
“Bullshit.”
The dogs were barking, jumping around us. The scene was chaotic, challenging.
Nerve-racking.
The man made me crazy. And hot.
And wet.
I started to walk away and he made the mistake of grabbing my arm again, so I swung around.
“Okay. Fine. You’re right. Something is wrong, but I’m not the one hiding anything. You are.”
As his expression shifted into something highlighting anger, he closed the distance. “Me? What about you? Your parents died in that fire and not from an accident. Right? Someone intentionally set that fire. That’s why the building still stands. The investigation is still active, the arsonist on the loose. Right?”
“Leave it alone!” My finger was pressed against his chest.
“No, I will not. You’re keeping secrets.”
“You are. How about the fact you were just released from prison?” As soon as I tossed out the question, his entire demeanor changed, his eyes hardening as much as his jaw.
“What?”
“Yeah, you heard me. You forgot that little tidbit of information when I mentioned you could move in, which might have been something for me to hear about from you instead of several other people.”
More barking, paws on Viper’s jeans.
Then on mine.
“You didn’t ask.” Now he sidestepped me, trying to walk away.
Was he kidding me? Furious as a wet hen, I grabbed his arm, my fingers barely making it halfway around the circumference. ButI was so frustrated I found the strength to yank his massive body back by maybe an inch.
Enough he was suddenly in my face, backing me away by a couple of steps.
“So, I’m asking,” I huffed, trying to keep from falling on my butt. I could see several emotions in the deep reflection in his eyes. He wasn’t used to be challenged by anyone.
“So am I. Your parents were murdered. Right?”
“You killed a man. Right?”
He shook his head, but not in a way of telling me I was wrong. He was showing me how frustrated he was with me. “Damn it, woman, you drive me insane.”
“And you are perhaps the most annoying, arrogant man I’ve ever met.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“You want to know the truth?”
I blew hair from my face. “Always.”
“Then everyone is right. I killed a man with these hands.” He lifted his arms, his hands open and his fingers flexed.
When he stood at his full height, his eyes searching mine, I could easily sense he was expecting, maybe even hoping for words of retribution. That was the only way of easing his guilt. “Why?”
