Page 74 of Harmless Secrets

“Okay,” she said, running off with her new friend.

Devon carried her up the stairs, much like he had the day before. Had it really been only a day since they’d spent the night making love?

“Devon, you can’t just order me into bed.”

“I think I just did that, with the blessing of the nurse.”

“You really should take me to my room.”

“No.”

“What?”

He stepped into his room and walked over to the bed. Alicia noticed that the bed had been made and then the sheets turned down. Devon had apparently made sure the room was prepared for them.

He set her down, again being gentle, then covered her up.

“Don’t do that.”

“I’ll do what I want.”

“It’s hot, Devon. Remember, I’m accustomed to Seattle weather.”

With a sigh, he shoved the sheets aside.

“There’s no need to be a complete jackass, Devon.”

Every muscle in his body seemed to still. “What did you say?”

“I said you’re being a jackass.”

He said nothing and she looked up. When she saw his face, she wished she hadn’t.

Rage tightened his jaw and anger darkened his eyes. “Let me get this straight.”

She opened her mouth, but he held up his hand.

“No. You will let me finish. I’m the jackass? Not you, who ran off as if you didn’t have a care in the world, except for confronting your cousin.”

“Yes, but?—”

“No,” he said, his voice a little more forceful. “You will shut up right now. You ran out there with the knowledge that the bitch might kill you. No thought to your daughter, no thought to me. You are a selfish, heartless woman, Alicia Hughes.”

Then, he turned and stomped out of the room.

She stared at the empty doorway thinking he would return, but he didn’t. Her vision wavered and she realized she had started to cry. The fear, pain, and anger came rushing back to her. Her body started to shake as she sobbed. Turning onto her good side, she buried her face in the pillow and cried.

Twenty-One

Devon ignored everyone in the house and strode to his office. He slammed the door behind him, not caring if it made him an ass or not. He headed straight for the whiskey on his desk. After filling the shot glass to the brim, he downed it in one long gulp. It stung as it slid down his throat and he was happy for it. Rage still poured through him as the scene in his bedroom came back to him.

She had called him a jackass. The man who had saved her from being killed, the one who loved her, father of her child…and she didn’t give a damn. Rage surged and pain twisted his heart. She didn’t even understand why he was so pissed or how he was feeling. And he hated to admit it, that hurt more than anything.

She didn’t have the same depth of feelings.

There was a loud knock at the door. He ignored it. He wasn’t in the mood for his sister agreeing with Ali or his brother-in-law telling him what he was doing wrong.

There was another loud knock and he sneered at the door as he poured another shot a whiskey and downed it. Fuck them.

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