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“Once again, your father seems to disagree, since he hired me.”
“He’s wrong! And he wouldn’t even be acting like this if it weren’t for—” I cut myself off before I can say too much.
But Jace, the always fucking too perceptive Jace bloody Hunter, picks up on it immediately. His gaze sharpens as he narrows his eyes at me. “If it weren’t for what?”
My fingers drift to the watch on my wrist and I unconsciously start fiddling with the strap. The rage bleeds out of me as old memories wash over me instead. I heave a sigh, suddenly feeling completely drained. I glance down at the watch.
“Nothing,” I reply, my voice coming out soft and quiet.
Jace wraps his hand around my jaw, tilting my head back up. His brown eyes are full of authority as he locks them on me. “If it concerns your safety, I need to know.”
“It doesn’t.” I slap his hand away. “So just drop it.”
Concern pulses across his face, and it makes my throat close up with emotions I can’t handle right now.
“Kayla—” he begins, but I cut him off.
“I said, drop it,” I snap. Gathering rage around me like a shield, I shoot him a withering glare. “And leave me the fuck alone, because I don’t need a bodyguard.”
Before he can reply, I spin on my heel and stalk towards my bedroom. Grabbing the handle, I yank the door open. I only manage to get it halfway up before a hand appears on the pale wood.
I jerk back in surprise as Jace plants his palm against the door and slams it shut before I can escape into my room. Whirling around, I find him right in front of me. With one hand on the door, he traps me between it and his muscular body.
“If you don’t want to talk to me, that’s fine,” he growls down at me, finally sounding as frustrated as I’ve felt since this fight started. “But stop being stupid about your own safety. If someone tries to kidnap you?—”
“If someone tries to kidnap me,” I cut him off, venom dripping from my words, “I will just do what I have done to every single bodyguard I have ever had. I will slip away and escape.”
He scoffs and gives me an incredulous look. “You think you can handle a kidnapping attempt? On your own?”
Grinding my teeth, I give his chest a hard shove. “Yes, you arrogant son of a bitch. I’m not nearly as helpless as everyone seems to assume.”
His free hand shoots up and wraps around my wrist, stopping my next shove. His eyes bore into mine as he stares me down. “I’m not saying that you’re helpless. I’m saying that it’s very difficult to stop, or escape from, a kidnapping attempt unless you’re a professional with extensive training.”
“Yeah, well, I have spent my entire life escaping from overbearing men who think they can keep track of me.”
Yanking my wrist out of his grip, I twist around to grab the handle again. Then I pull, trying to open the door.
Jace keeps his palm firmly on the door, holding it closed, for another few seconds while he stares down at me as if he is making a point. I yank on the handle again.
At last, he takes his hand off the door and steps back.
Pulling the door open, I stalk across the threshold and into my room before turning around to face him again. He just stands there on the pale hardwood floor, watching me with an unreadable expression on his face.
Guilt twists inside me again, because I know he doesn’t deserve my anger and rudeness. But I don’t care. I want freedom. I want my life back. So I put as much venom into my voice as I possibly can and spit out some final parting words.
“I don’t want you. And I don’t need you. I can take care of myself. So leave me the fuck alone.”
Then I slam the door shut in his face.
22
JACE
Lying on top of my bed, I stare up at the pale ceiling while Kayla’s words echo inside my skull over and over again.
He wouldn’t even be acting like this if it weren’t for?—
If it weren’t for what?
