Page 42 of Toxic Things I Love About You

FOURTEEN

emilee

“Emilee, this way.”

I stopped and pivoted on my toes. So what if I wasn’t doing so great at direction? I walked my ass in the direction Roman called from. I felt better knowing the woman knew he was mine. I never got anything, but when I did, I didn’t play nice, let alone share. He was all mine.

Roman’s voice pulled me back in the moment. Was this a date? It sort of felt date-like.

“You can’t threaten every woman that looks at me, Emilee. I don’t have enough time to dispose of that many bodies.”

I stopped and firmly planted my heels on the floor.

“What is that supposed to mean? How many women are looking at you?”

There was that same thing that I was starting to wonder if it was a nervous tic I’d driven him to. His hand pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Probably the same number of men looking at you. Fuck, there are women who look at you. Why do you think it drove me crazy that you were coming into my club fucking naked?”

I pulled on my skirt. I was perfectly dressed, but not for a shooting range. I wasn’t dressed like Mary. She had more tattoos than I had shoes, and those jeans hugged her like a second skin. I’d note that, when we came here again, it was jeans.

“Not naked. It was club attire.”

He grabbed my upper arm.

“Come on, we don’t have all evening. Something seems to come up more and more the longer I know you.”

I didn’t move. “So you’re saying that threatening people that look at you is different from you acting like a damn caveman? Throwing me over your shoulder and fucking me in dark corners to keep me to yourself is not less inappropriate.”

He stooped and thought.

“Yes, it is. Now come on.”

My feet slipped over the concert floor, but I fought him anyway.

“So what you’re saying is that I have permission to reach down your pants and stroke you before I have your permission to glare down another woman?”

He paused at that. Good.

“Fucking hell, Emilee. I’m saying that you need to figure out who is on our side and who isn’t and those that aren’t, need to be. Sometimes we do what we need to.”

That was a lot of fuel for thought. A lot of shoulds and whos and business stuff that I really should keep in mind. I needed to keep a lot in mind. I needed to help my business. But I would do that on my own.

“So if I have to fuck your brother, it’s fine?”

The dark shadow that crossed his eyes was all I got for a warning before I was over his shoulder—again.

“No one said anything about fucking anyone, brat. Fucking hell.”

He slapped my ass and I damn it, did I wish it didn’t send heat straight to my pussy, but something about him and playing rough? I was game.

“Well, you said we do what we need to do.”

He pushed open a door, and we walked in.

“Is this a private booth?”

He put me down, his hands still resting on my hips.

---