Page 27 of Treachery

So, he thought he could get bossy, threaten her, and act like he actually gave a shit about hernow?

She growled, and kicked the door, pissed as hell, and he chuckled at her fit, deep and sexy, the sound barely muffled by the door.

Something wicked stirred deep within her, warring with the spitting mad, rational woman who’d just been locked in her bedroom like a toddler.

That wicked woman wanted to know: where wasthis man,this bossy, growling beast, months ago when she’d first met James? She mentally grumbled, hating that she was attracted to all that…maleness. Take her feminism card, because she liked that he was angry and protective—she lapped that shit up in her dark mafia and biker romances. But…right then, when she knew he was just being an ass, it wasn’t as cute.

The spitting mad, rational woman was still there, though. Yeah, the bossiness, protectiveness, and dominance was sexy as hell, but it was out of fucking place! She wasnot histo boss around, protect, or dominate! He lost the right to tell her what to do for her “own protection” when she found out their entire relationship was fake.

Growling again, she stared holes into the door, knowing that trying to get through Locust would require the body mass and speed of a linebacker.

She was smarter than this.

Turning, she spotted the window on the other side of her bed…and grinned.

Oh…the petty was strong….

On light feet—so jackass couldn’t hear her moving around—she hurried to the window. It was only about three feet off the ground, so it wouldn’t be too difficult to get out, though, swiveling her wide thighs and ass through the opening would be tricky. The window itself slid up, but there were stoppers in the frame that kept them from opening completely—it was a safety measure to keep people from climbing through from the outside.

Fat lot of good that does when they can just walk through your wide-open back door!

She rolled her eyes at herself, ignoring Locust’s voice in her head, telling her, “I told you so!”

Getting through the window would be the toughest part, but what was to stop Locust from just coming after her and stopping her before she even got down the block. She was angry at him, but not angry enough to run him and his bike off the road, so he’d catch up to her, make her pull over, and then drag her back, kicking and screaming.

Besides that, her cell, purse, and car keys were on the kitchen counter. Sure, she’d get out of the house, but what the hell would she do then, stand on the road and stick her thumb up her butt? Wait…she had a spare car key somewhere.

Right! Her nightstand. She couldn’t remember why she’d put it there, but now she was glad she had.

But that solved only one part of the problem.

She rubbed her forehead, frustrated at the situation. Finally, her gaze caught on the screwdriver she’d left on her dresser. She’d used it two days ago to tighten the screws on the vent cover in the bathroom, and she’d been too busy to put it back in the kitchen drawer.

Eureka!

She could feel the smile on her face turn malicious, like that evil, green grin the Grinch was so famous for.

Taking a moment, she checked what she was wearing—her best jeans and her lazy tee, which was more like a see-through camisole than a t-shirt, so she threw on a plain gray sweatshirt over it. Snagging her spare car key from the bedside table drawer, she slipped on her flip-flops, snatched the screwdriver off the dresser as she passed, then pulled open the window. Thankfully, they were so new they made no noise, because if Locust was standing outside her bedroom door, glowering at her through it, he’d hear it and know she was up to something.

Staring at the opening, she knew she was going to have some bruises tomorrow, but the petty was riding her something fierce. She refused to be locked in her own home like a felon on parole, and she refused to let Locust turn her inside out with his back and forth, hot and cold, fake and real—she was done with him playing the protective biker boyfriend; his treachery had pulled the blinders from her eyes, and now she was seeing all of his actions clearly.

Oh, so youaren’tconfused and horny because you want to believe what he’s feeling is real? Youaren’tturned on by his alpha-ness?

Forcing that voice into the box in the back labeled “de-lu-lu,” she pushed her upper body through the window opening, dropped the screwdriver and spare car key so she could use her hands, then—somehow, without breaking her freaking neck—slid right out the window, onto the grass outside. If her neighbors saw her, they’d stare at her like she was crazy.

Iamcrazy—crazy petty!

Snickering, she righted herself, grabbed the keys and penetrating implement, and slunk around the side of her own house. There, parked along the curb, was Locust’s bike.

God, she knew she shouldn’t, but she knew he’d be on her ass the second he realized what she’d done…and she was feeling particularly vengeful right then. Checking to make sure Locust wasn’t standing near the front windows, Nadia hurried past her car—thankful Locust hadn’t parked right behind her—and stopped at the back of Locust’s bike. It was a beautiful piece of machinery, and she knew Locust had built the beast with his own two hands.

Sad, really, what she was about to do.

Taking the screwdriver in her hand, she squeezed the handle, raised her hand, and thrust down, puncturing the back tire. The blade of the Philip’s head pushed cleanly into the rubber, andslid right back out, leaving a small hole behind. She stood there, silently, waiting to hear if he’d seen her and would tear out of the house after her, but when all she heard were cars in the distance, she let out a relieved breath. Smirking, she scurried to the front tire, and repeated the motions, puncturing that one, too.

Two flat tires, coming up!

She couldn’t wait to see if they’d actually go flat, because she still had to get to her car, get in her car, then start her car without Locust hearing or seeing it. Hopefully, he was still pouting and grumbling outside her bedroom door, so he wouldn’t be alerted about her escape until he actually checked on her.

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