Page 90 of Tamed By You

“I do when you are bringing drugs into my fucking club, Alice, risking my business.”

I still, shocked he knows I asked Brad to keep quiet. Raging and on the defense, I yell, “How the hell do you know about that and, that wasn’t me, that was Cassidy.”

“Don’t fucking lie to me,” he shouts, swiping the glass I just placed down off the desk, sending it crashing against the wall, shattering into tiny pieces just like my heart.

I wince again, covering my face with my hands.

“Shit,” he huffs. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He’s on me, cupping my face in between his calloused hands and my skin tingles at the touch.

Oh, how I’ve missed his touch.

“I just… Ali… what's going on? Things were good, and you left, and you won’t talk to me, and I find out you're out with Cassidy, taking pills and throwing yourself at men.”

My hackles rise. “Throwing myself at men.” I swipe his hands away from my face, stepping back.

How dare he.

“I just saw you with another man’s hands all over you.”

I fold my arms across my chest. My heart thumping so loudly in my ears. “So, I’m a grown woman. I can fuck whoever I want.”

“Fuck, is that what you were gonna do? Fuck him.” I shrug my shoulders like a disobedient child. His face drops, and I am flooded with guilt.

He doesn’t deserve this, but it’s for his own good.

“This isn't you. Why are you doing this?”

I straighten my spine, trying to stand a little taller. “Actually, Harry it is. You are seeing my true colors in all their glory.”

“No, it isn't. I know you, the real you. I saw it in London. You care, you care for me.”

I scoff, “You fucking wish.”

But I do. More than he’ll ever know.

Closing the space between us, his body now pressed firmly to mine I gasp. “You know what I think? I think you got scared, and now you're running. You just need to take a second and really think about the road you’re heading down.”

My body heaves, I’m ready to explode. “I don't take orders from you; I barely take your suggestions. I hate to break it to you, but this is the real me. I don’t do feelings, I warned you, but you and your ego thought you were special, thought you could be the one to break me, well guess fucking what…”

I crane my neck and look up into his midnight blue eyes. Knowing I’ll regret what I’m about to say.

“You can’t break what’s already broken, Harry. This is me. Every fucked-up bit of me. This is what I do. So, save your judgment and your opinions because guess what? I still didn't ask for them.”

His nostrils flare and my body begins to shake as the adrenaline takes over.

“So, London meant nothing to you?”

I shake my head, regretting it instantly, but I keep talking “No, London wasn’t real life. This is real life. It would be easier for the both of us if you got that through that thick head of yours.”

It hurts, those words physically hurt because London was everything and I am trying so damn hard not to beg him to scoop me up in his arms and take me back there with him.

“So, that’s it, we’re done? We’re over? Just like that?”

“What were you expecting? A farewell party? We fucked Harry, we fooled around, that’s it. I didn’t promise you anything. There’s nothing to be over or done with. It was sex, nothing more.”

“Do you really expect me to believe that, that it was just sex?”

“You can believe what you want, but this…” I say, gesturing between us, “is finished. We can go back to hating each other now.” I flick my hair over my shoulder and straighten my dress. “Now, if you can move, I need to get back to my friend out there.”

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