Page 79 of Worth the Risk

“Sorry, what was that?” I shout louder. “I have groceries for a Noah Fedders.” I pound on the door again. This time his voice and footsteps grow louder.

“I said I didn’t order any groceries—” He swings the door open, his face growing white when he sees me standing there.

“And I don’t recall Taylor asking you to stop by her apartment unannounced and get involved in our fucking business, but here we are.” I push the door open wider and step into his apartment, thrusting the spoiled bag of food into his hands.

“What the…?” He looks down at the bag of food, then up at me, a good four inches above his normal eye line. “You need to leave.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I slam his door and grab a chair from the small kitchen table nearby. “Sit.” I point to the chair, but he doesn’t move.

“I’m calling the cops.” He pulls his phone from his pocket and I reach out and smack it across the room.

“Sit in the fucking chair!” This time he listens.

“I’m only going to say this one time.” I hold up my finger. “So, I’m going to need you to pull your head out of your ass and listen really good, okay? Don’t you ever speak to Taylor again. Don’t show up at her job, her apartment, anywhere you might possibly think she could be.”

“What, are you her lapdog now?” He sneers, like his comment is some original, below the belt dig.

“I’d rather be her lapdog than a pathetic man-child who can’t accept the fact that he fucked up and lost her.”

“I never even had her.”

“You did. You were just too fucking jealous and stupid to see it. But that doesn’t matter now so grow the fuck up and either go to therapy for these issues you’ve clearly left unhandled or I will make your life a living hell in this city. And we both know there’s no point in you trying to make yourself feel better by arguing with me. The kind of people I know, are the kind of people you don’t want to know you exist, you understand me?”

Noah might be an immature asshole who thinks it’s okay to show up and manipulate someone who once loved him, but he’s smart enough to know the weight that threat carries.

“Yes,” he mumbles the word so low I can barely hear him.

“What was that, Noah?”

“Yes,” he spits.

“Good.” I reach down and pat his shoulder. “Glad we’re on the same page.”

“She’ll get scared and run away from you too, ya know; that’s who she is. A scared little head case.”

“No, she won’t,” I say confidently, “and no, she isn’t. With a manipulative little man like yourself, yeah, she felt insecure in her relationship. I saw how she was with you. Terrified and anxious of doing the wrong thing. With me, she’s a confident, self-assured woman who is going to be my wife and have my babies. All while still being my business partner.”

I turn and walk toward his front door, pausing to give him one last piece of advice.

“Grow up, Noah, and forgive your mom for whatever this is. Women deserve to be loved and cherished. You’re never going to find love through manipulating them.”

CHAPTER 23

Taylor

Ifluff my hair again, then double-check my lip gloss in the reflection of my microwave.

“Shit!”

I panic when I see the time. It’s been fifty-six minutes and if I know Austin, he’s probably seconds from opening that door.

I tiptoe to the edge of the kitchen island, making sure my heels don’t click loudly on the floor. Then I quickly hoist myself up in a very unceremonious fashion, thankful that he isn’t here to see me inthisposition with nothing but these shoes on. I’m on my hands and knees, attempting to very ungracefully maneuver myself into a sexy position.

“Okay, think sexy,” I say, glancing around as if I’ll see something that will assist me in coming up with a sexy pose. But it’s too late because I hear the jingle of my keys in the lock of my door.

“Oh no.” I whip my head up, turning to look over my shoulder just as Austin opens the door. “You’re early,” I squeak out in a panic, hoping it will somehow explain why I’m on all fours, naked, with my ass facing him.

The red roses in his hands fall to the floor. The Gibson’s bag hanging down by his leg in his other hand drops as well, thankfully only a foot or so. He slams the door behind him quickly.

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