Page 94 of Her Dark Angel

Nash doesn’t say a word as he gets in the car and drives away. I have so much I want to say to him, but I’m grateful for the silence because it’s a chance for me to collect my thoughts after what happened back there.

I have been getting triggered far too much in the past few months that I fear I may be regressing in the progress I made. Well, progress I thought I had made over the years.

It’s been a lot to handle, to say the least.

The memories of what happened to me are fucking awful and I wish I could erase them from my mind forever, but that would be wishful thinking.

They will haunt me for the rest of my days.

I want to forget about what happened to me and the lasting effects it has had on my life, but it’s now part of who I am and I hate it. I hate him for what he did to me, but I hate even more that he still haunts me to this goddamn day.

I’m so lost in my thoughts I don’t register the car rolling to a stop in Nash’s driveway. Nash silently exits the car and walks around to help me out.

I’m unable to speak the entire walk up the pathway to the front door. My hands are shaking slightly as I wrap my arms around my waist. I want to say it’s because of the cool breeze in the air, but that would mean lying to myself.

Nash wraps an arm around my waist and guides me into the warmth of his house. I had been expecting him to drive me to my house, but I’m glad he didn’t. I don’t want to be there right now with the chance my parents might have spent the night waiting for me to return.

The last thing I want to do is see them after the events of the night.

My gaze sweeps across the foyer, noticing the rest of the house is cast in darkness. Now we’re away from the loudness of Limelight, I feel slightly more relaxed. But now I have a multitude of questions racing through my brain.

“Thank you for saving me back at the bar,” I say softly.

Nash shoves his hands into the pockets of the black jacket clinging to his torso. “That guy is lucky I didn’t beat his ass into next week for fucking touching you like that.”

“But you didn’t,” I point out, my words gentle, “and that’s the main thing. You didn’t act on your urge to hurt him and I’m proud of you for that.”

Nash’s mismatched eyes snap up to meet mine. The intensity behind them is unmissable and the tick in his jaw as he regards me intently makes me wonder what the hell is going through his mind right now.

I never know what this man is thinking and I don’t anticipate uncovering the mystery that is Nash Beck any time soon.

Nash chuckles dryly and rocks back on his heels. “I’ve been a fucking mess because of you, little devil.”

My eyes widen in surprise. “Me? What did I do?”

“I just can’t get you out of my goddamn mind and it’s driving me insane.”

I fold my arms over my chest, gazing up at him. “Yeah, well you’re driving me insane too. Don’t even get me started on this goddamn scandal and the issues you caused with that, let alone being radio silent the past two weeks. I know we’ve been busy, but a phone call from you would’ve been nice.”

Nash clenches his jaw as the fire I witnessed in his irises earlier tonight roars to life. He takes a menacing step forward, the same way he did with Creepy Man. But I refuse to back down. I don’t know why he suddenly has an attitude after he saved me at Limelight and drove me home. I didn’t ask for his help—although I do appreciate it—so I don’t know what his problem is.

“What I was doing is none of your business.” His voice is so low I almost don’t hear him.

“Oh, but it is my business. Did you forget we’re fake dating?”

“How could I possibly forget, little devil,” he retorts. His chest moves rapidly with each breath he takes, and I’m sure my breathing mirrors his. “Not when your face is all I see when I close my eyes at night.”

I don’t know what it is about Nash that makes me want to slap him across the face while simultaneously rip his shirt off his body.

I take a step forward until our chests are almost touching and feel the heat radiating from his body. Narrowing my eyes, I jab my finger into his chest. “Yeah, well, you’re an asshole, remember? You drive me up the fucking wall, and it seems the feeling is mutual.”

Nash blinks at me, his eyes roaming my face. His chest is heaving as he stares down at me. I just know his hands are clenched in the pockets of his jacket in an attempt to control his anger. It’s a habit of his.

Before I can open my mouth to hurl more words at him, his hand wraps around my throat, not too tight, and Nash uses his large mass to back me up against the wall beside the front door. A sharp gasp leaves my mouth in response to the sudden movement, but the sound quickly dies on my tongue when intense blue and green eyes find mine, pinning me in place against the wall.

“Is the feeling also mutual that you want to kiss me as badly as I want to kiss you, huh, little devil?” His free hand travels up my thigh to rest firmly on my waist. I suppress a strangled cry of pleasure when he presses his body against mine, his hard cock digging into my thigh, revealing his true feelings. “Is the feeling also mutual that you want me just as much as I fucking want you?”

“Ye-yes,” I manage to say around the pressure he has on my throat. “I do.”

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