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He pushes his long fingers roughly through his curly hair. “Fuck, I don’t know, but I expect more than the silent treatment.”
“I’m trying to protect us,” I explain, sidestepping him but he immediately blocks my path. “Hollis,” I complain, pleading with my eyes for him to drop this and let me pass.
He pushes closer to me, spreading his arms and closing in around me so my back is pressed against the brick of the studio. He angles his head, looking at me as he thinks through what he wants to say.
I square my shoulders, refusing to be intimidated. He works his bottom lip into his mouth and dammit if it isn’t the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
“You don’t want anything to do with me then?” he asks softly, a challenge sparkling in his eyes.
“I … it’s too dangerous to even be friends.”
He presses one hand to the column of my neck, angling my head up.
“You mean to tell me, if I leave here right now, find a willing chick, take her back to the hotel, and fuck her until her pussy is raw you’ll be okay with it?”
I struggle to breathe at the visual he’s painted. I want to rip out the imaginary girl’s eyes with my fingers.
I know what he’s trying to do to me, and it’s working.
Damn him.
“Y-Yes,” I stutter, the words barely a whisper. “I-I’d be okay.”
Lie. Such a fucking lie.
His lips tilt into a crooked grin. He knows I’m lying and he’s gotten exactly what he wanted.
He steps away from me, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Okay. Goodbye, Mia.”
He turns, walking through the alley and disappearing onto the street.
The whole way home, all I can think about is him making good on his threat. If he does … I’ll be more than happy to punch the arrogant smile off his face for proving me right—but my gut says he won’t do it. No, he merely wanted to see how I’d react and I gave him exactly what he expected.
12
Hollis
I can’t wipe the triumphant smile off of my face as I step into the suite. None of the guys are anywhere to be seen, no doubt showering or already fallen into bed. Crossing the expansive space to my own room I close the door behind me. I take off my clothes and climb into bed. I should be exhausted after all the work we’ve done today, but I’m suddenly wide awake with sleep a forgotten illusion.
Mia’s face when I suggested I might hook up with someone else … the devastation she tried so desperately to hide … fuck. It was so raw, completely real, shaking me to my core. Never has someone given me a look even similar to it before. It only reinforced what I already knew. She feels this too, it’s not only me. Maybe it’s simply chemistry, this insane connection we have, but my gut tells me it’s more. Something like this is too rare, too powerful, for it to be such a simple explanation.
But she’s stubborn—more stubborn than I am, I have to give her credit there—refusing to give in to these emotions. I know she does it to protect herself, me as well, but I think she also knows as well as I do there’s no stopping this.
The consequences be damned, I will have her.
* * *
I wake up to light streaming in through the open curtains. I forgot to close them last night and I silently curse myself, tossing a pillow over my face. I groan into it, not wanting to get up. Hayes lets us have the weekend off and fuck if I want to sleep in.
But now that I’m awake I know I won’t be able to fall back to sleep.
After a few minutes of wallowing in self-pity, I get up and throw some athletic shorts on.
The rest of the suite is quiet as I stalk out. I find a bite to eat, trying to make as little noise as possible but I sound like a fucking bull in a china shop instead. It isn’t long until Fox pokes his head out of his door, his hair sticking up in every direction with squinted eyes.
“What the hell are you doing in here man?”
“Breakfast,” I answer gruffly.
