Page 281 of Hateful Games

Never in my life have I felt so horrible and objectified. Hardly anyone or anything gets past my walls. I’m losing my edge. That’s why I prefer being called rude or having a resting bitch face.

At least then, people think twice about saying things about me.

Chest burning with a wave of agony and my insecurities flaring to the surface, I wash my face in a desperate attempt to wash their vile comments off me. Scrubbing my arms until they’re raw and pink, I give up.

I need to leave.

With my purse and phone in Nova’s office, I can’t simply escape. It’ll also make him suspicious and I don’t want to rehash the incident. Cleaning myself up as best I can while pushing those cruel voices to the back of my head, I march back to Nova.

I pause, gulping a deep breath and form a fake smile before I enter. I catch him sitting behind his desk, his suit jacket draped over the back of the chair. He looks up but I avoid his sharp gaze and stalk to the couch to grab my stuff.

Afraid he’ll see the lingering shame.

“Hi, I’m going to go home,” I breezily say. “Can you call the driver, please?”

I jerk at the scraping noise of his chair, his confident gait approaching from behind. I can’t control the shaking of my hand as I busy myself picking up my Kindle and phone. A ball of anxiety forms in my throat, suffocating me.

“You’re busy and I think I’ve disturbed you enough,” I rush to add, an awkward laugh spilling from my lips. I quickly shut my mouth.

Firm and strong hands lock around my waist and slowly turn me around.

I fix my stare at his chest, counting the buttons on his vest.

“Look at me, Rose.” His voice is soft like petals.

I fight the tears, biting my lip to hold back a sob.

A single calloused finger tilts my chin up.

I squeeze my eyelids shut, causing the first tear to slip.

“I only have one question.” His finger brushes the saltiness away. “Who?”

The grit in his tone, the barely restrained edge, gives away to his fury. I know that tone. I’ve heard it before. The one that makes grown men tremble. The one guided by protectiveness for my peace.

I can’t keep letting him defend me every time.

One day, he’ll go too far and the regret will eat away at me.

Strengthening my resolve, I muster courage and reply, “It’s not a big deal, Nova. I just need to be alone and I’ll be fine.”

I should’ve known he wouldn’t budge.

“Not what I asked.”

I raise my eyes to his, silently begging him to let it go. “I just want to forget.”

“I’ve told you what your tears do to me, Rose,” he reminds me. His jaw tight and brown pupils darkening into pitch-black viciousness by the second. “Someone in my building had the foolishness to make you hurt and cry, I can’t let them walk free. There are consequences to actions and they’ll face theirs.”

“Please don’t. It’ll spread like gossip. I don’t want that,” I say, anxiety flaring. “It’s not like they said anything I didn’t expect.”

His lips purse in displeasure, features locking so tight I can make out the cut of his cheekbones. “No one disrespects my wife. Not under my watch.”

Emotions surge from deep inside my chest and the last of my braveness shatters. He tucks my head against his steady heartbeat while I feel his other arm move as though he’s texting someone.

A minute later, he’s guiding me to his chair. His scary silence unnerving and frightening me. The expression on his handsome face is impassive and cold as he settles me on his lap before clicking on his laptop.

Gone is the man who made me writhe on his thigh with adoration.

---