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I lock eyes with him and declare, "I do forgive you."
His nostrils flare. He glances at the sky, muttering, "But you aren't ever going to forget it, are you? You're just going to hold it over my head for the rest of our lives."
My chest tightens, and the air in my lungs turns stale to the point I no longer smell the salt. I struggle to breathe and take in tiny breaths.
He drops my hand. Disappointment and pain fill his sharp features. He places King Madden on my lap and rises. He looks down and asserts, "I'm a man who gets shit done. If I believe in something or someone, I'll go to the ends of the earth to help facilitate whatever it is that needs to happen. So I'm not going to apologize for helping you make the right connections for your career. And I'll only tell you this one more time, pet. I never would've married anyone I didn't think was my equal. But this is who I am. So decide if you want me or not."
He storms away from me. Bile rises in my stomach. I swallow it down, feeling nauseous. I watch him put his board in the closet and disappear behind the outdoor shower.
King Madden leaps off my lap and races toward the house. He jumps up on each step and onto the deck.
Everything Riggs says repeats in my mind. I can't blame him for getting angry. I probably sound like an ungrateful brat in his eyes.
I rise off the sand and go up to the house. King Madden lies on the bed we bought for the outdoor area. He's chewing one of his toys and doesn't even look up when I come on the deck.
I step over to the shower. Riggs rinses the shampoo out of his blond locks. Suds drip over his hard frame, cascading down his spine, over his ass, and onto his thighs.
The water turns clear, and I step behind him, circling my arms around his waist and hugging him. Tingles shoot through my breasts, surprising me. It's only happened when Riggs has played for a long time with them.
He freezes, his back muscles tightening. They graze my nipples quickly, and I gasp, surprised again by the sensations.
His hand covers mine, and his dark voice states, "I'm not in the mood to play right now, pet."
I blurt out, "I'm sorry. I don't know how to describe what I'm feeling. The only thing I'm certain of is how much I want you. So don't ever question that."
He stays frozen, which only gives me more anxiety. My fear pummels me. I step between him and the wall faucets and reach for his hardening face. I claim, "I'm trying to figure things out. More than anything, I just want things to be good between us."
"Things are good between us. At least they were," he declares. His eyes turn to slits. He accuses, "But apparently, you don't think they were."
I briefly close my eyes. "That's not it, Riggs."
He sniffs hard. "Seems like you're trying to figure out if you want to be in this marriage or not."
I cry out, "No, that's not true."
Water soaks my back. The darkness in his eyes grows, stirring my core. He says nothing, pinning his leer on me. I step closer to him and stand on my tiptoes, tugging his mouth to mine.
He fights me, not returning my kiss, continuing to scowl. Then he moves his head to the side.
My regret for what I said turns to anger. I get a burst of energy and push him against the wall. I cry out, "Do not ignore me."
His eyes turn to slits. "Ignore you? You're one to talk. You ignored me for over a month. You acted as if I didn't even exist—as if you didn't care about us."
I point at him. "Don't you dare hold that over my head! You deserved that!"
He tosses his hands in the air, declaring, "I made a mistake."
"A fucking big mistake," I shout.
Rage bursts on his face, lighting up his entire expression. He questions, "Then why are you here, pet? If I messed up so bad, then why the fuck are you here?"
I toss my hands in the air. I take two steps toward the exit, declaring, "Fine, I'll leave."
He grabs me, spins me into the wall, and cages his body against me. His chest pushes into mine, pressing into my nipples, and I whimper from the adrenaline shooting up my core. His large hand grasps my throat, and he tilts my head. He swallows hard, glaring at me with his jaw twitching.
I squeeze my thighs together and open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
His erection presses against my stomach, growing harder and harder by the minute. He grits through his teeth, demanding again, "Tell me why you're here, pet."
