Page 79 of Mark & Don't Tell

I stiffen and glance over my shoulder, taking in Ryan. “Oh. Hi.”

“Hi?” His face contorts, unreasonably angry over one simple word. Grabbing my elbow, he drags me into the elevator.

“What the fuck, Ryan?” I yank out of his hold. “Don’t fucking touch me.”

“Still cussing like a sailor, I see,” he says with a sneer.

“Still an asshole, I see.” I lunge to get off the elevator, but he grabs me and pulls me back. My heart skips a few beats, and for a second, it feels like the blood in my veins freezes, a sharp, frigid sting that echoes through my entire body before repulsion snaps me out of it.

His touch is slimy, tainted by the wrongs he’s committed.

“Get off me,” I snarl, bucking in his grasp and throwing my elbow back into his ribs.

He grunts and releases me, but it doesn’t matter—the door is closed.

Seething, I glare at him and retreat to my side of the elevator. The enclosed space isn’t nearly big enough. His scent is everywhere. It’s hard not to gag.

“What are you doing here, Daria?” Something is off about him. Ryan has always been a bit of a hothead, but it’s like anger is rolling off of him. Is he really that bothered by my being here? Where does he get the right to be mad?

He presses the button for the lobby. Of course, the fucker doesn’t think to ask if that’s where I’m going.

“I work here.” My pulse is racing and my hands are shaking. I’ve never been scared of Ryan. Then again, he’s never manhandled me like this before. The rough blow jobs and vile words were one thing, but physically preventing me from leaving? That’s a new one. The handrail presses into the small of my back as I try to find more space between us. Only ten more floors. Or maybe I’ll get lucky and the elevator will stop on another level.

“Are you stalking me and the pack? Trying to worm your way back in?”

A bark of laughter slips out of me. “You’re a real piece of work if you think that I would come crawling back to you.”

He shakes his head. “You loved us.”

“No. I loved the idea of you. Maybe I was close to loving the guys, but you?” I pull a face. “Hard pass.”

The elevator is almost to the lobby.

“You’re telling me you ended up working for my dads’ company by accident? No, no way. This is some next-level clinger shit.”

“You know what, Ryan? Maybe I did want to be in love with you guys. I’m a hopeless romantic, but one thing I’m not? Clingy. And you’ll be hard pressed trying to find me pining after the assholes who cheated on me.”

“It was one time,” he shouts. Fisting his hands at his sides, he directs a whole lot of hate at me, but I get the feeling it’s not only me he hates.

My omega instincts are screaming that I’m close to danger. This alpha is so furious, but so am I. With fate. With him and the pack. With myself for not leaving his pack the first time Ryan crossed a line.

“Like that makes it better?” I ask, keeping my cool when he’s so clearly close to losing his.

“You need to get over it.”

Remember when I said I don’t feel bad about sleeping with his dad? Yeah, this is why. Anyone else, and I might feel bad. But this asshole can choke and die. As the elevator doors swish open, I get off, speed walking away from him.

He closes the distance in a matter of seconds. “Hey, I’m not done talking to you.” He grabs my elbow.

“Well, that was a mistake,” I tell him right before turning and slamming my knee into his crotch.

“Fucking cunt,” he wheezes, dropping my arm and clutching his stupid dick.

“Miss? Is he bothering you?”

I glance at Von, the security guard. “No, he’s not bothering me,” I say, pinning Ryan with a hard glare. “At least, not anymore.” He’s still hunched over and recovering. I step forward and put my mouth by his ear, curling my lip in disgust when I almost touch him. “Don’t you ever put your fucking hands on me again, or I’ll find a way to chop it off.”

Then I step away and leave him clutching his dick.

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