AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When he slowly lifted his head and their gazes locked, she expected to see a bit of shock from him that she stood there, but he held an emotionless expression.
Neither moved or spoke.
He walked over to the tablet and shut the music off, the air becoming tense. Thicker.
“I…” she said, but the words died in her throat.
David walked toward her, and she swore her heart stopped beating. She moved to the side when it was clear he wasn’t going to stop, and she turned her head to see him leave the room and walk down the hallway.
Looking back into the room, Gillian focused on the smeared blood that covered the punching bag and the droplets that were on the floor.
The sound of glasses clanking together drew her attention away from the gore, and she moved down the hall into the kitchen. David had his back to her again, and she could see he was pouring liquor into a glass.
He brought it to his mouth and repeated the action three times before finally turning around. The sweat was starting to dry on his body, and the scent of him dirty, untamed, and primitive filled her head.
A bloody rag was on the counter beside him, and she looked at his knuckles again, seeing the fresh cuts on them now that the red fluid was smeared off.
“What are you doing here?” he asked in his deep, serrated voice.
She shook her head, not sure what to say, or maybe she just didn’t know how to form the words right now. As it was, her throat was thick with lust, and her whole body was still strung so tight.
“I wanted to talk about what happened,” she managed to say, but her words were high-pitched and hard to get out.
“There’s nothing to talk about, Gillian,” David said and grabbed his now refilled glass. He stared at her as he tossed the liquor back and swallowed it in one gulp. “You saw what happened.”
She shook her head again, not sure where this whole demeanor came from. He seemed different, a lot different in fact.
“There’s a lot to talk about, David.” Gillian finally found her voice and reason. She’d come here to speak to David about what in the fuck he’d done out of the blue, and she wasn’t going to let her feelings and this sudden, misplaced arousal stop her from doing that.
David didn’t say anything but did set his now empty glass back on the counter. He crossed his arms over his chest, and she couldn’t help but appreciate the sight of all that muscle flexing under his golden, tatted up skin.
Get a fucking grip. That’s not why I’m here.
“I want to know what happened, David. You came out of nowhere, knocked Gerald on his ass, and then just left.”
“Is that the fucker’s name?” Although he phrased it like a question, Gillian had a feeling he wasn’t really looking for affirmation.
She felt her strength and resolve rise after the words came out. “I’ve only ever seen you like that once before.” Her throat tightened as that night rose up in her mind. She also noticed the change in David after she spoke.
He uncrossed his arms, curling his hands into fists at his sides. She could see how tight his jaw was.
He was upset.
She took a step a back involuntarily, not because she was afraid he might hurt her but as if it was instinct. It was like she backed away from a caged animal ready to leave and never look back. How she felt made no sense. Her emotions had her feeling like she was ready to be swallowed up by the earth.
“You’re afraid of me now.” Still, his expression was emotionless.
“No,” she said instantly.
He relaxed somewhat, and she had a feeling he did it for show, to somehow ease her. “I’d never hurt you.”
“I know that.” And she did, without a doubt. Right now, things just felt so strange, so off-kilter.
“I’d never let anyone hurt you, Gillian,” he said again, harder this time.
She swallowed.
“I know.” All those years ago was proof of that, but that still didn’t excuse what in the hell had happened with Gerald, and it wasn’t like she was going to let this go. She needed to know why David had done what he’d done.
She took a step toward him now, wanting to hug him, to try to get rid of this weird energy that was bouncing between them. He shook his head, though, stopping her.
“You should probably go, Gillian. I’m not in a good place.” His voice was still so deep.
She could relate to that.
But for the first time since David came into her life, even though she knew she could always count on his strength for stability, she was genuinely worried he was falling apart.
She was concerned she wouldn’t be able to rescue him in the way he’d saved her, and that broke her damn heart.
