Page 88 of Savage

“Which were what, exactly? To go to the one place you were told not to?”

I whirled on him and took a step forward so Cooper’s back was against the brick wall again. “That’s none of your business.”

“It is if it means you could get hurt.”

My chest tightened at his words, warmth flooding me at the emotions I could see swirling in those blue eyes of his, the sincerity in his voice—andthatjust pissed me off even more.

How dare he put himself in danger, forme?

I grabbed his shirt and pulled him in close. “Youwere supposed to stay at Libertine.”

If Cooper was intimidated by me in any way, he sure didn’t show it. “So were you.”

I sighed and let him go, irritated. This was getting us nowhere, and since my plan was now shot to shit, the best thing I could do was get him somewhere safe.

I grabbed his arm and pulled him out into the main street.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

I didn’t answer. I was too annoyed to deal with conversation now. Anything I did say would likely get me in trouble.

“Are we going back to Libertine?”

The fact that we were indeed going back to the club without any subterfuge or visual impairment because he now knew where it was—that was a whole other fuck-up I wasn’t even going to think about right now. Otherwise I might just turn around and strangle him myself.

Ever since I’d laid eyes on Cooper, he’d been nothing but trouble. But apparently trouble was exactly what I’d been looking for, because I couldn’t get him out of my fucking mind.

Annoyed by that little revelation, I took the necessary turns and side streets to get us back to Libertine.

“Should I shut my eyes?” Cooper said as we rounded the final turn, and I glared at him over my shoulder.

“No fucking point now, is there?”

“You know, you’re a real grump when you don’t get your way. That’s interesting.”

I grunted, figuring that was better than telling him what I thoughthewas right now.

“Oh, for God’s sake, I signed an NDA. It’s not like I’m going to post the address somewhere.”

I marched up to the nondescript door and banged on it a little harder than necessary.

The narrow panel slid open and our doorman saw me, then unlocked the door.

Cooper trailed in after me, and as the door shut behind us, I whirled around on him.

“Do yourself a favor. Go back up to the room.”

“Is that whereyou’regoing?” he asked.

“Don’t worry about where I’m going or what I’m doing.”

“Why? You’re so concerned withmywhereabouts.”

“Because you lack the ability to keep yourself out of danger. You run toward it, and for someone like you, that’s going to be a death sentence.”

“Someone like me? Wow. You really think highly of me, don’t you?”

That was half the problem—I thoughttoohighly of him.

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