Page 42 of Hear Me Roar

Right then andthere.

That’s the moment I’d hadenough.

In seconds, I was on my feet and promptly discarding her without care onto the chair. A wicked grin split across her face as though she were expecting some alternate ending, but I snuffed that one out real quick when I grabbed my tee off the armrest and slipped it over my head en route to the door. I slammed it behind me on my way out and immediately noted the buzzing in the other room come to a halt. Pun’s giant stomps echoed behind me and then his door flewopen.

“Yo, man, everythingcool?”

“Fuck no, it's not,” I snapped, just as Pixie came barreling out of the piercingroom.

“What the hell is going on,” shesqueaked.

“Brie, that's what,” Ihissed.

She and Pun shared a look I understood. They were not pleased, and instantly remorseful of their decision to leave usunattended.

“I’ll get rid of her. She has no use being here for the rest of the night, really. Grab a beer from the fridge in the back and make yourself at home. I’ll be done with this dude in the next five minutes,” heoffered.

Fuckthat.

All I wanted was to get home to my girl and erase this shit from my mind; pretend it neverhappened.

“It’s all good, bro. I’ll come back another day. I’m way too fired up to sit through a session now, no matter howshort.”

“Fuck, I never should’ve asked her to help me out. My bad, Carr, forreal.”

“Don’t sweat it. You, however,” I said, pointing a warning finger at Pixie. “I know you didn’t schedule me for today, but the next time I call to schedule something, make sure she’s off for the day. I don’t wanna see her within ten feet of me. Hell, I don't even wanna hear hervoice.”

Pix nodded, green eyes wide, and as Brie emerged from the room she'd cornered me in, I stormed out of the shop and hightailed it to the parking lot behind the building, wondering whether I should tell Hazel what happened or keep that stomach-churning bit of information to myselfforever.

Mayaand I were laid out on the sectional watchingLivePDwhen Knox stormed in through the front door, slamming it with such force, I’m sure the neighbors were on high alert. Peering over my shoulder in confusion, I watched him stalk to the fridge, pull out a beer, and down half the bottle before even making it into the living room. What the hell happened? Had he gotten into an argument with Luis? Somehow, that didn’t seem likely. According to Reyna, Knox and Luis never fought, not even as kids. They might’ve disagreed on the odd topic here or there, but other than that, they weren’t the type to fuss and holdgrudges.

“I need to talk to you,” he said, his deep voice booming in a way I’d never heardbefore.

Clearly, I wasn’t the only one to notice it. Maya quickly lifted herself off the couch and reached for her mug on the coffee table, shooting me an uncomfortable look I wasn’t sure how to respondto.

“About?” I asked, raising a curious brow when he plopped down beside me, and I took in the disconcerted look on hisface.

“About what happenedtonight.”

That was all he offered. Those four little words, and still they had the power to catapult my stomach up to mythroat.

I must’ve blanched or perhaps Maya simply sensed this wasn’t the type of conversation she should be sitting in on, because from one moment to the next, she was gone. It wasn’t until I heard the click of her door that I realized she was no longer in the room. I’m not even going to lie… I was nervous as shit. What in the world could’ve happened that Knox was so anxious about? My natural reaction was to assume the worst. I mean, what girlfriend wouldn't? But that wasn't really fair on my part at all, given the fact Knox never lied tome.

“Before you go into fit of rage, I want you to listen very carefully to the entire story,” he began, startling me from the whirlwind of questions swirling around in mymind.

That soundspromising.

“Okay…” Igulped.

Running a hand through the longer strands of his hair, he turned to face me head on and let out deep sigh. “I wasn’t with Luistonight.”

My heart lodged in my throat a little more. “Then where wereyou?”

“AtSteelInk.”

“The tattoo shop?Why?”

“Because I had an appointment withPun.”

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