provoked her temper. “Listen to me, Joel. If you don’t let go of me, now, you should plan on killing me.” The depth of her anger must have registered on some level because he released her with a shove.
“That makes two.” His blank stare prompted her to remind him. “Our first night together, then tonight... Your car is not robotic. It doesn’t bring you to this address against your will. If you’re not happy here, stop coming back.” Their gazes locked.
“Joel. Recognize what I’m telling you. Do not put your hands on me in anger, or threaten me again, unless you’re prepared to kill me.”
He seemed to pull himself together, and once again, with chameleon-like changeability, he smiled and tried to hug her. She stepped back. His smile vanished. A spark of anger darkened his eyes, but quickly dissipated. If her gaze hadn’t been riveted on his, she would have missed that glint of annoyance. The dazzling smile was back.
“Marissa, honey, I’m sorry,” he said, eyes hooded, concealing any emotion in their depths. “I hate leaving you alone so much, I get upset.”
“Bull. Shit. But let me ease your anxiety, by eliminating the need for you to apologize again.”
She stalked out of the room, headed for the bedroom, intending to pack and leave. It was his place. She’d go back to her family. He wasn’t worth doing jail time, but as sure as she breathed air, if he tried to hurt her, she’d protect herself, by whatever means necessary. Good thing she didn’t keep her switchblade on her when she was at home.
She’d started pulling clothes out of the closet when he spoke from the doorway.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like?” Tossing clothes across a chair, she dragged her suitcase from under the bed. “I don’t need this crap, and you’re not taking me down this road whenever the mood strikes you.” Ignoring him, she started packing. She never heard his approach.
He grabbed her arm, spun her around, and slapped her hard enough to knock her down on the bed. Shocked, not deterred, she bounded up and lashed out, a jab to his mouth. He staggered back. Clearly not expecting retaliation, he didn’t have time to block the blow. Raising her fists, stance defensive, she braced herself, prepared to duke it out, toe to toe.
“Don’t you fuckin’ dare say you didn’t mean that.”
Cheek throbbing, she managed to keep the tears in check, and had the satisfaction of seeing blood on his fingers when he pulled them away from his mouth. His eyes widened, gaping at the blood, his look of surprise turned to rage, and he started toward her.
She closed the distance first, grabbed his shirtfront, and yanked him forward. Being as much a gangbanger as he might think he was she had the edge. She wasn’t a man governed by any sense of fair play.
“I’m not afraid of you, Joel,” she scoffed. “You might be able to kick my ass, but you won’t walk away without some hurt. More to the point, hit me again, and don’t kill me...hell, you figure it out.”
He’d grabbed her wrists when she gripped his shirt. Their gazes collided and she saw it in his eyes, weighing his options, debating whether he could take her, then his look changed. Anger gone, smile firmly in place, he released his hold.
“Baby, I’m sorry. I get angry, and I can’t help myself. I go a little crazy and get so carried away I don’t realize what I’m doing.”
“Really.” She gave him a slow appraising look before shoving him away, disgusted. In an attempt to provoke him into making another move on her, she turned her back to him. “I suggest you get a better grip on your emotions. Your anger is no more righteous than mine, and you’ve pissed me off countless times, but I didn’t hit you.” She whirled around to face him. “Believe me, it wasn’t fear, or any ladylike sense of decorum holding me back. I hit in self-defense or retaliation.”
He started to speak, but she raised her hand and shook her head.
“That makes two.” His blank stare prompted her to remind him. “Our first night together, then tonight... Your car is not robotic. It doesn’t bring you to this address against your will. If you’re not happy here, stop coming back.” Their gazes locked.
“Joel. Recognize what I’m telling you. Do not put your hands on me in anger, or threaten me again, unless you’re prepared to kill me.”
He seemed to pull himself together, and once again, with chameleon-like changeability, he smiled and tried to hug her. She stepped back. His smile vanished. A spark of anger darkened his eyes, but quickly dissipated. If her gaze hadn’t been riveted on his, she would have missed that glint of annoyance. The dazzling smile was back.
“Marissa, honey, I’m sorry,” he said, eyes hooded, concealing any emotion in their depths. “I hate leaving you alone so much, I get upset.”
“Bull. Shit. But let me ease your anxiety, by eliminating the need for you to apologize again.”
She stalked out of the room, headed for the bedroom, intending to pack and leave. It was his place. She’d go back to her family. He wasn’t worth doing jail time, but as sure as she breathed air, if he tried to hurt her, she’d protect herself, by whatever means necessary. Good thing she didn’t keep her switchblade on her when she was at home.
She’d started pulling clothes out of the closet when he spoke from the doorway.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like?” Tossing clothes across a chair, she dragged her suitcase from under the bed. “I don’t need this crap, and you’re not taking me down this road whenever the mood strikes you.” Ignoring him, she started packing. She never heard his approach.
He grabbed her arm, spun her around, and slapped her hard enough to knock her down on the bed. Shocked, not deterred, she bounded up and lashed out, a jab to his mouth. He staggered back. Clearly not expecting retaliation, he didn’t have time to block the blow. Raising her fists, stance defensive, she braced herself, prepared to duke it out, toe to toe.
“Don’t you fuckin’ dare say you didn’t mean that.”
Cheek throbbing, she managed to keep the tears in check, and had the satisfaction of seeing blood on his fingers when he pulled them away from his mouth. His eyes widened, gaping at the blood, his look of surprise turned to rage, and he started toward her.
She closed the distance first, grabbed his shirtfront, and yanked him forward. Being as much a gangbanger as he might think he was she had the edge. She wasn’t a man governed by any sense of fair play.
“I’m not afraid of you, Joel,” she scoffed. “You might be able to kick my ass, but you won’t walk away without some hurt. More to the point, hit me again, and don’t kill me...hell, you figure it out.”
He’d grabbed her wrists when she gripped his shirt. Their gazes collided and she saw it in his eyes, weighing his options, debating whether he could take her, then his look changed. Anger gone, smile firmly in place, he released his hold.
“Baby, I’m sorry. I get angry, and I can’t help myself. I go a little crazy and get so carried away I don’t realize what I’m doing.”
“Really.” She gave him a slow appraising look before shoving him away, disgusted. In an attempt to provoke him into making another move on her, she turned her back to him. “I suggest you get a better grip on your emotions. Your anger is no more righteous than mine, and you’ve pissed me off countless times, but I didn’t hit you.” She whirled around to face him. “Believe me, it wasn’t fear, or any ladylike sense of decorum holding me back. I hit in self-defense or retaliation.”
He started to speak, but she raised her hand and shook her head.
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