Page 87 of Steel

Not a chance.

I remained where I was, taking shallow breaths as I prepared to face the ugly storm. He lashed out, now only inches away, his finger pointed at my face. “You are… You’re so goddamn infuriating. I could have killed you.”

“You wouldn’t have.”

“You have no idea who I am.”

“I know enough to realize you’d never purposely hurt me.”

“Oh, yeah?” he gritted out.

“Oh, yeah.” We were barely inches apart, both breathing rapidly, his chest rising and falling. He was so tall, so broad chested.

And so angry with me.

Maybe I was angry with him as well for thinking I could do such horrible things.

He huffed and puffed and we both glared at each other, our anger on full display given the ambient glow of the headlights. An audience had formed, standing around us in a tight arc as if expecting a brawl.

As he closed his eyes, I could tell he was cursing under his breath even if I couldn’t hear what he was saying. Maybe I just didn’t want to. “Why did you lie to me?’

“I didn’t lie. I’m here earlier than my team to take pictures. Both location and test shots of the people I want involved.”

“And you just happened to move into the house next to mine.” His nostrils flared and his voluptuous lips twisted in the same heightened level of emotions I was feeling.

“Would you like the phone number of my assistant who found the house for me?”

“At your direction.”

“Damn you. I’m sorry about your guilty feelings regarding your brother. I’m really sorry I didn’t have the chance to tell you the full reason of why I arrived, but I assure you it wasn’t about crawling into your bed.”

“Don’t you dare mention my brother. Either one of them!”

I was so exasperated I gawked at him. “That’s your burden to bear, but I didn’t want to hurt you. I should have wrangled you away from that fire today to tell you.”

“Then why didn’t you?” He took a step closer as if daring me to answer.

My God. I’d never seen anyone so angry.

“How many times do I need to tell you I tried?”

“I don’t believe you,” he snarled, but his tone was softer.

The crowd was getting bigger. This was crazy. Now I was completely exasperated.

“I did try. Maybe I knew how you’d react, at least after… Had I known just how personal the situation was, I wouldn’t have made this suggestion in some crazy attempt to save my job. A job I need because the worthless man who I trusted refuses to even acknowledge his own son. Refuses. Not one card. Not one present. Not one visit. Not one dollar. And you know why? Because my little boy is a scandal for him. Yeah, that’s right. He’s married and I was stupid enough not to find that out first before I dared place my trust in him. God. I wish I could go back eightyears so I could change course and not walk into that bar. I get why you’re angry with me, but I wasn’t the one who took the photograph that went viral. And I’m not your ex. I would never sleep with anyone else if you and I were… together. But we’re not. I’m just some chick you had sex with and spent the night. I wasn’t one of your groupies sending you marriage proposals over the internet. I was just trying to do something that might make us all a little bit of money and provide your team with the notoriety they deserve. All while hoping to give my son a better life. And how dare you think I would use a poor little puppy in some scheme. How dare you. So fucking sue me for wanting to be close to you.”

Oh! I’d never been this livid, not even with Kenny. This man, this gloriously sexy man with the deep voice and penetrating eyes could wrangle every emotion out of me.

I hadn’t taken a single breath while spewing what had been pent up inside of me. Not one. Now I was gasping for air and the handsome man standing in front of me was saying nothing. Not one word.

“Fine. I’ll catch a cab back to the house.” What else could I say at this point? Nothing. Not a damn thing. I turned around, fighting another round of tears, but this time from utter frustration. I’d spilled my guts, something I would regret for the rest of my life. How was I supposed to tell my little boy his hero didn’t want anything to do with him?

I hadn’t taken four steps when I was rudely jerked backward by a strong force of nature.

“Let go of me!” I insisted, hissing like a venomous snake on purpose.

“No. I will not.”