Nero spins toward me. “I walked in to the two of you giggling and another man’s hands on you. What’s to like about that?”
My arms flail at my sides. “You seemed to like it the last time it happened.”
He narrows his eyes. “We both know that’s different.”
“How?”
“I’m the one calling the shots there. I decide what does and doesn’t happen, and the other guy participating knows nothing is going to happen between you and him. It’s purely sexual.”
“Pretty sure Jarvis knows nothing is happening too.”
Nero scoffs, and his head rolls back. “Are you kidding me? That guy wants to fuck you. It’s all over his face.”
I shrug. “So?”
His hands fist at his sides, and his jaw tics. “So?” He steps forward. “So… I don’t like another man thinking he can try to steal what’s mine.”
“You’re being ridiculous. No one is trying to steal anything, and if he ever did try something, I would put a stop to it. You embarrassed me in there. He’s working for me, and you’ve made it super awkward.”
He turns away from me and pushes a hand through his hair. “You don’t get it.”
“Nero, do you not think that some of the men I danced for at the club wanted to fuck me? You didn’t seem to have any issue with that.”
He grunts, keeping his back to me.
“I’m done with this conversation.” I unlock my car and get into the driver’s seat, slamming the door. When I put the key in the ignition and start the car, Nero turns around and faces me, so I roll the window down. “Let me know when you’re ready to talk.”
I reverse out of the spot and head back to Midnight Manor.
What the hell has gotten into him?
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
NERO
My footfalls are heavy as I make my way to Cinder’s room the next day.
I’d never seen her angry before last night, and I hate the way she left me standing in that parking lot. I wanted to run after her car and demand she stay by my side. But at the same time, it was clear she needed space from me. I just hope she’ll feel like talking this morning.
When I reach the closed door of her bedroom, I hesitate before I knock. I hear shuffling behind the door, then it swings open.
“Hey.” She looks at me briefly, then at the floor.
Fuck. My stomach bottoms out. She’s clearly still pissed.
I clear my throat. “Can we talk?”
She doesn’t say anything, but she does swing the door open wider and gestures for me to come in.
I turn to face her and push my hands into my pockets. “I want to apologize for my behavior last night.”
She arches an eyebrow and crosses her arms. Clearly she’s not going to make this easy on me.
“When I saw the two of you together, it didn’t sit well because no one knows you’re mine. We’re pretty private about our relationship, which is fine, but… I don’t know. Looking back on it, I think me being upset had more to do with watching you smile and laugh at him than it did with the fact that he wants you. That he touched you.”
Her arms drop to her sides, and her shoulders sag, then she tilts her head. “You don’t actually think I was entertaining the idea of starting something with him, do you?”