Page 89 of Bitter Secrets

She stiffened. “Don’t call me that.”

His fingers, which had been sifting through her hair, paused. “That’s what you are.”

“No.”

“What are you?”

“A pawn.”

“We’re all pawns.”

She didn’t believe that for one second. He wasn’t a fucking pawn. He was the chess master. “Why did you accept that dinner invitation?”

“Would you rather we stay in?” He pressed his lips against her temple as he murmured, “I can cancel and spend my time in you instead.”

She sank her nails into his neck and hissed, “Go fuck yourself.”

“Why should I when I have you?”

Her head snapped up. Molten hazel collided with fathomless black.

“This time, I’m not going to be soaccommodating.”

“You know I love a challenge.”

“Youmother—"

“Sorry to interrupt,” Penelope said gaily as she appeared beside them. “Daddy said you two are coming to dinner?”

She swallowed the nasty things she wanted to say and tried to look like a woman in love, but… what the hell did that even look like? It was hard to think straight when he was baiting her.

“Yes, we are, and I need an outfit,” she said, eyes spitting fire at Roth, who was completely unaffected by her temper.

“Shopping?” Penelope sounded thrilled. “There are some great places around here. I can show you.”

“Perfect.”

She retracted her nails from Roth’s neck and gave him a lethal look as she rose. She didn’t realize he still had a hold of her wrist until she tried to walk away and came to an abrupt halt. She looked pointedly down at his paw.

“I have things to do,” she said pointedly.

When he reeled her in, she gritted her teeth. He gripped her nape and dragged her down. When he kissed her, both of them kept their eyes open, gauging to see if the other was going to break.

“Know whatever you buy, I’m fucking you in it after,” he said against her lips.

She cupped his cheek to shield her face, which contorted with rage. “You touch me, I’ll kill you.”

He patted her ass. “You can try.”

She whirled away and came face-to-face with Penelope, whose mouth hung open. She hooked her arm through her friend’s and strode to the exit, but was waylaid by Roth’s peers, who extended invitations to more social gatherings she had no intention of attending.

She marched through the restaurant and would have gone even faster, but was forced to slow down, so Penelope could keep up. When they emerged onto the sidewalk, she sucked in the chilly air.

“You two are combustible,” Penelope squealed as she led her down the street. “I felt hot just watching you. Is he always like that with you?”

“No.”

Penelope gave her a sidelong glance. “Are you two fighting?”

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