Page 79 of Bad Blood

“I’ll be right back. Left it on the stairs.” I sense the heat of his gaze on my face.

“Why’d you take the stairs?”

“To think.” I palm the handle and jerk the door open, needing to get Liam off my back.

“About this?” he holds the napkin by the edge, waving it in the air, and our eyes meet. He deciphers the fear on my face and goes in for the kill. “Who did you say you ran into?” His jaw flexes as he takes the tray from the counter to inspect it himself.

“I didn’t.”

“The girl from the gym?”

I take hold of his offer, knowing there’s no way I can dig myself out of this hole. “I’ve never mentioned her before.”

Axel and Bane sit at our feet. I ruffle Axel’s ear, wishing Liam would drop it. Now that his radar has gone off, I have no hope.

“This is hers?” He holds the napkin by the corner, still unsure whether or not it’s safe to handle.

I stare at it, wishing I had been more observant. “Guess so. She must have put it in the wrong bag after we ate.”

“At Yogi’s?”

The tension is killing me. This is how Liam does it. He annoys me until I have no choice but to spill my deepest, darkest secrets.

“No, the park.” I give up. “I ran into Brighton—Dr. Fields. We walked to the park and ate sushi. She went home. That’s it.” I flick my hands up in relief, probably giving away more information than necessary.

The look of shock on his face registers a second before he recuperates. “Dr. Fields, as in my doctor?”

I should run to my room and lock myself away, but the last thing I need is for him to dig when there’s nothing for him to find.

“I was being nice.”

“What’s wrong with you?” He’s like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Once he smells blood, there’s no going back. “You’re on a first-name basis with my doctor?”

It’s a good thing I didn’t mention her giving me her number.

I wait for him to explode.

I can feel it coming.

I brace for the impact.

I’d deserve it.

But nothing happens.

He stands in silence, fists balled at his sides, refusing to look at me.

“I didn’t plan it or anything,” I try to explain. “It just happened.”

“Do you have to cross the line with everything?” His voice trembles as he flexes his fingers. “I was going to remind you I have an appointment on Monday, but I can go by myself. I don’t want you around her.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong.” His question takes me off guard, and I wipe a hand down my face, trying to reiterate nothing happened.

“Nothing’s off-limits to you. Women throw themselves at you constantly, and you go after my fucking doctor?”

I bite my tongue. He knows how to piss me off without trying. I should have considered the outcome of my asking Brighton to join me beforehand, but I didn’t do anything.

Yet.

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