AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m sorry. That can’t happen unless he’s summoned you.” He grabbed my arm, and I jerked it away from him.
“It’s urgent.”
A disguised laugh echoed through the hall. “That’s what they all say.”
My eyes narrowed into little slits, and I mentally shot daggers into the asshole’s heart. “What do you mean others? How many girls is he with?”
“You need to leave.”
“Jagger! Jagger!”
The guy whipped me around so fast that I nearly tripped over my feet and fell. “Jagger!”
Seconds before he tossed me out of the building, he jerked me backward and grabbed a handful of my hair. “I highly recommend that you shut that pretty little mouth of yours, or I’ll shut it for you. There’s no one here by that name.”
“Let her go!”
Before I could identify who gave the order, the asshole shoved me, and my knees hit the tile floor. Strong arms scooped me up and carried me down the hall. I wasn’t sure who intervened, but they had great timing. After all the drama that had played out that week, I had a short damn fuse and was looking for someone to take it out on.
The cloaked savior ripped his mask off once the door was secured and locked.
“What the hell are you doing here? And what the hell are you doing using my real name?” Jagger fumed.
“What do you think I’m doing here? I haven’t heard a word from you in five days and I have questions.” I folded my arms across my chest, pissed all over again.
He blinked at me and shook his head. “I can’t help you. You need to leave.”
“No.” I was sick and tired of fucked-up men dictating my life. “If you want me to go then answer my questions.”
Jagger walked away and hung up his cloak in the closet. It was then that I glanced around. I must be in the office or somewhere similar.
“Ari. We’re over. We had some fun at the society, but if you want to pick up where we left off, it’s impossible.”
“I never asked for that. I don’t understand what happened after the fire. Why did everyone tell each of us we had died? It doesn’t add up. Something is wrong, and you’re the only person I know that has answers . . . and that I trust.” I wasn’t a thousand percent sure about the trust part, but I had to believe that there was a shred of good somewhere inside of him. He’d killed to protect me. As messed-up as it sounded, I felt safe with him, so I would take that for now. “But seriously, if you don’t want me, then let me date Anderson.”
Jagger shot across the room and backed me against the wall, breathing heavily. “No.”
I shoved at his shoulders, but he didn’t budge. “Sorry, Jag, you can’t have it both ways. I’m not a sex toy that you put away in the cabinet after playing around. I’m a real girl, Geppetto.” I tilted my head, wondering if he would get the joke we used to have when we were kids.
“Nice try, Ari. But I said no.” He stepped back, his heated gaze never leaving mine.
A storm raged inside me. “I don’t know what happened to you, but you can go to hell. Dad has tried to control me, then Peter, and now you.” I fisted my hands and charged at him, punching him square in the chest.
He staggered backward, his eyes blazing with anger. His guttural growl filled the room as he rushed toward me. Jagger reached for me, and I ducked then stomped on his foot.
“Goddammit! What the hell? I have a game Saturday!”
“And this is my problem, why?” I landed a swift kick to his shin, feeling braver by the second.
“Because I’m trying to go pro and I can’t play if I’m injured!”
“Whine to someone who gives a shit. And I’ll tell you something else.” I leaned down then rammed my shoulder into his side. His ribs were an easy target since he was a lot taller than I was.
Jagger landed on his ass with a thud, surprise coasting over his face. I straddled him then pinned his arms down with my knees. “This is how this is going to play out. I can date and fuck anyone I want to. You have no, and I mean no say in my life at all. When I walk out of this room, it’s the last time you’ll have to put up with me, but I’m not leaving without answers.”
As the seconds ticked by, Jagger’s expression softened. “What do you want to know?” he finally asked.
“Why did Crimson make me start the fire?”
