Page 43 of Love Lies Bleeding

How dare that asshole throw our past in my face after what he did to me. My insides quiver with anger as I fight to keep control. “Honestly, Jake, I barely recall anything about you. You’re just a distant mistake from my youth. I’ve moved on and so should you.”

His eyes crinkle as he places one hand on the back of my chair and the other on the table in front of us, pinning me in place with his dominance.

“Who said I hadn’t moved on, Blossom?”

My heart is pounding in my chest so loud I’m sure he can hear it. His words sting, in a way they have no right to. This is what I want. For us to pretend that at one time my heart hadn’t only beaten for him.

I wave my hand at him. “This little display of yours.”

He chuckles as he slowly steps back, giving me some space to catch my breath. “So I take it you’ve moved on then? There’s a man taking care of you?”

“Really, Jake, it’s none of your business and I’ve never needed a man to take care of me, and especially not one like you.”

“Meaning?”

I watch his jaw feather as he grits his teeth and almost smile knowing that my barb landed. “What we had was a lie. I was a pawn in a game I didn’t know the rules of. You won. Move on and leave me alone.”

“Three things. One, you’ll always be my business, little Cherry Blossom. Two, you were never a game to me. What we had was the most real thing I’ve ever had, and three,” he lets his gaze run over me and does nothing to hide the hunger he feels, “I’ll never leave you alone.”

I stamp my foot as I jump from my seat to face him, my head barely hitting his chin. “Do not call me that. I am not your Blossom or anything else. You say we were never a game but the evidence suggests something different. Leave me the hell alone or I’ll make sure everyone knows what an asshole you are.”

“Wrong. You’ll always be my business and you’ll definitely always be my Cherry Blossom. Do your worst, I don’t care what people think of me. Let them believe I’m an asshole. I am to most people, but never to you, Blossom. I never intentionally hurt you.” His hand lifts as if he means to skim my cheek, but I step out of his reach, not sure I can cope if he touches me with tenderness. The softness in his voice on that last line almost undid me.

“You’re insufferable.”

“And you’re a liar.”

My temper flares white hot at his accusation. “How dare you.” My hand swings out towards his face before I can even consider what I’m doing, but he catches it in a firm grip, just inches from his cheek.

Heat flashes between us as everything else in the room falls away. Sound becomes muted as I glare at him, my breath heaving in and out like I’ve run a marathon. His thumb caresses the pulse in my wrist and it’s like a brand of pain followed by the most exquisite pleasure.

I lick my dry lips, and Jake’s gaze follows my movements, his eyes darkening with heat and desire. God, whatever we’d had still burns between us in some fucked up muscle memory.

“You get one free pass, Blossom. Next time you throw hands at me, be prepared for me to redden that sweet ass of yours.”

Visions of me bent over his knee as he spanks my delicate flesh make heat and need flood my pussy. I try to school my reaction but even now he knows my body and reads me too well.

“I see you like that idea.” He cocks his head, bending so his lips skim my neck near my ear and I shiver uncontrollably. His thumb continues to rub slow circles on the skin of my inner wrist as if he’s soothing me at the same time as torturing me.

“Tell me, Blossom, does your pussy miss my cock?”

His words are what I need to break this spell he’s woven around me. I yank my arm from his hold and step back, my butt bumping the table. “Stay the hell away from me, Jake.”

He shakes his head slowly. “Not until you let me explain.”

God, his words are like knives in my chest, the pain so fresh I expect to see blood pouring down my blouse. “Nothing you can say will excuse what you did.”

“And what is it you think I did, Blossom?”

“Do not make me say it, Jake,” I beg, hoping he’ll leave me in peace to shore up the defenses around my heart. “You already tried to break me once, Jake. Don’t think I’ll let you have the chance to do it again. Just stay away from me.”

“No can do. Hunter loves Lexi, and Hunter is my best friend, and you’re hers. I think that means we’re going to be seeing much more of each other so get used to it.”

With that he spins on his expensive heel and walks away, his back straight, head held high and proud. He commands the room effortlessly. Every eye is on him as he leaves, including mine.

My legs give out as I realize every person in the room has been caught up in our interaction. Sinking into my chair, I grab the alcohol and chug it down like it’s my job. Before I can summon the waiter, Frankie has already done it, ordering us two more cocktails and the check and telling them we’d be in the bar.

“We’re gonna need shots for this, not food.”

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