Page 24 of Allegiant

“Much to my fucking dismay.”

His eyes flash behind me, toward the apartment I came from, and his lips purse slightly.

“Where were you?” he asks, almost sounding jealous.

My lips curve. I like that a little more than I should. Not that I’m going to let him know that. “None of your business. Why are you here?”

Samson shoves away from the wall and steps toward me. He’s so fucking hot up close, his face unshaven today, a light stubble lining that strong jaw. “Tell me where you were first.”

I chuckle, the sound deepening at how his eyes narrow. “Fine. If you must know, I was with another man.”

His eyes are now slits. The hilt of his dagger is in his palm, the blade pointing toward Larry’s apartment. “What man?”

I wave my hand around, trying to go for casual, but the excitement of being this close to him again has caused a tremble to erupt in my fingertips. “Someone very special to me.”

Toying with Samson is…freeing. Distracting.

Exactly what I need.

A small growl leaves his throat, and I roll my lips between my teeth. “You know, Samson Buckingham, we aren’t exclusive or even dating. You have no right to growl at me like that. Even if it is very…hot. In fact…how do you know where I live?”

Light hits the dagger again, his thumb brushing up and down the decorative handle. I really should be more afraid than I am right now. I never gave him my address, and yet here he is. Armed and growling. “It was easy to find when your friends have loose lips.”

“Which one?”

“Marcy.”

I sigh loudly and then let out another laugh. I bet Marcy was thrilled when she saw a tall, handsome man asking for me. I bet Samson managed to charm her, too.

Because he is charming in an odd, grumpy way.

Just like Larry, only hotter.

“Well, fine. My friends are well-meaning but slightly ridiculous. Either way, it doesn’t matter… What do you want?”

The dagger flips in his hand. He doesn’t even look at it as he flicks it around with ease. “First, I want to know who this special man is that you were with.”

I sigh and then point to his knife. “Put that away, and I’ll tell you.”

He does as I ask, and I fold my arms across my chest, suddenly no longer wanting to play word games. I’m starting to feel the stress of the day descend upon me. Larry was a great diversion, and seeing Samson outside of my apartment gave me a burst of adrenaline, but both were short-lived. The darkness is creeping in, and I don’t know how to stop it.

“I was with Larry. He’s about seven hundred years old and walks with a cane. I take care of him, much to his horror and disgust.”

Samson stands up straighter as I say that, his shoulders relaxing slightly and his hands loosening beside him.

I’m not finished, the darkness making my words pointed. “But then again, this is none of your business. Just because you had your tongue in my ass and your family owns the entire town doesn’t mean you get to pry into my life.”

He doesn’t so much as bat an eye. “I don’t own the town.”

“Well, your family does.”

He shrugs like it’s no big deal, like having that amount of wealth and influence is laughable. “Doesn’t matter who my family is.”

“It matters to me,” I say and smile widely, not that it feels very genuine. Exhaustion is joining the darkness. “But I don’t really want to debate that right now. I need to go to bed. I have an early rehearsal, and I still need to get Nugget to pee. And that’s a chore.”

He frowns. “Nugget?”

“Yeah, my dog. A demon in disguise, but one I love dearly.” He is very cute and cuddly, which is a good thing, seeing as he could rival termites with the speed at which he devours my belongings.