Page 79 of Crush

“How dare you. He was more of a man than you’lleverbe.”

And I lost it again. I pushed my chest aggressively against hers which forced her back a step. “Oh, I dare alright. And that’sbullshit. I know you’ve beenhappier this last week and it hasnothingto do with that cunt andeverythingto do with me!”

And then we grabbed a ton of attention as Amber drew back her hand and slapped me across the face.

SMACK!

Christ, that was hard, my entire face jolted to one side.

It took me a beat to compose myself amid the gasps from a couple standing close to us. My hand came up to test my jaw, fuck me she packed a wallop. I rocked my chin back and forth feeling dazed but then realised she was already storming away through the crowd on the dance floor. And I knew I needed to go after her.

I counted to ten and then followed her general direction.

“Ladies,” I said in greeting with a fake smile to the old bitches that had been eavesdropping, clearly enjoying the drama.

It wasn’t over. Being twice her size and burley, I struggled to cut a route through the dancing bodies and ended up having to rudely half-shove myself through a huddle of guests. As I came to the other side of the dance floor, there was an archway to a corridor and another door leading to the bar. Which way had she gone?

I cracked my neck from side to side and then went for the archway leading towards the washrooms.

As I rounded the corner I ran slap-bang into a body, a very small soft one. My hands shot out to steady whomever the fuck I’d barged into. I glanced down into wide blue eyes surrounded by a mass of white blonde hair.

Christ on a bike, Leonie Smith!

“Max?” she panted as I released her arms.

Looking up and down the corridor, I searched for Gabe. “Leonie, this is a surprise. Did Gabe bring you?” My question was barked out and she flinched slightly. I needed to calm the hell down,especiallyif I were to get Amber to see reason.

I was only half listening as Leonie was speaking. She asked why my cheek was red.

Feeling deflated, I explained. When I told her I was looking for my date, she realised it was Amber. I had spoken with her about the pain in my arse that was Lady Swift many times. Although I hadn’t told her how things had been changing between us. How good it had been. Or at least it was before tonight's clusterfuck.

As Leonie said she’d seen someone fitting Amber’s description in the bathroom, relief was soon replaced by an indescribable feeling. Leonie told me Amber had beencrying. That was rich considering that therehadn’t been even the suggestion of a tear when she’d physically assaulted me.

Again, she was hiding and I was sick of it. The monster in me snarled.

I gently pushed Leonie aside and headed to the bathroom.

The day of reckoning had arrived. I’d make Amber see how wrong she was about me, about us. Therewasa connection, and what had happened between us over the past thirty minutes would not cock that up. IhatedAlexander, aka Zander Harker with a deep-seated vengeance.

I needed to touch Amber again, hold her, andfeel her body against mine. The heat between us both in and outside the bedroom didn’t automatically exist withjust anyone. Therewassomething special and raw between us. Real. If the way to get through to her had to be physical, so be it.

Pushing open the door, I entered the room like I had every right to be in the women’s bathroom. My eyes scanned the area, it was empty apart from a couple of sofas and a large wooden counter that was scattered with girly shit. There were boxes of tissues and several different appliances that women used to do their hair. A large mirror there showed my reflection as I passed, including my bright red cheek. Moving forward, I entered the archway that led to the toilet cubicles.

Amber was staring at herself in another mirror; it ran down one wall above the sinks. Her eyes clashed with mine in the glass and she twirled around, hair flying over her shoulders in disarray. Amber’s face was flushed and I could tell she’d been crying though she’d tried to hide it. I could see fresh shit under her eyes, that stuff women put all over their faces to make their skin look better.

And then that thought echoed through my mind;Amber had been crying and you were the cause.

“This is the lady's bathroom, are youinsane?” she whisper-shouted.

“My sanity left me the day I met you,” I volleyed back, stalking towards her. Amber watched me warily and moved back, her bottom pressing against the counter behind her.

Holding up one hand to stop me, Amber shouted, “Stop. Anyone could come in here. You’ll be kicked out of the hotel.”

I stopped in my tracks and glanced towards the door; there was a lock. Turning my back on her I stormed over and used it, before resuming my position in front of her. She’d dropped her hand and now looked like a cornered cat and I liked that.

You’re going nowhere until we’ve sorted this shit, end of.My expression would have read.

“You’re really locking us in here?” Amber said with disbelief.

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