Page 108 of Bake the Town Red

He cups my cheeks until it hurts. His glare feral.

But his hips, how he grinds slowly against my body, that’s what gives him away. He wants to protect me, even from himself.

What he doesn’t realize is that him backing off is the only way to do it.

“Fine, fine.” Lying to him tastes rancid on my tongue. He’ll have the truth soon enough. Once he’s ready. “You can come in.”

His eyes narrow. Everything about him screams suspicion. As it should be. “Can I?”

“Nope.”

I barely finish the word before my fist connects with his jaw. The force of the blow pushes him off me, and I back up to the door to my shop without looking away from my hunter.

The fury in his eyes could burn down kingdoms. “Dahlia.”

He’s on me again. I have more room to rear my elbow back, and this blow lands harder. The pain from hitting Tyler reaches all the way to my shoulder.

I’ll take it. To save us, I’ll take everything.

He has his hand on his jaw, the shock forcing him to stay where he is.

Three quick steps and I’m inside the shop, locking myself in.

“Get back out here, Dahlia.” His hand slams on the glass door. “Right the fuck now.”

He’s so beautiful when he’s mad. I’m almost tempted to do as he says.

Not.

“Two hours.” I flatten my palm where his is. He growls. I do too. Two can play this game. “Two hours and I’m yours.”

It’ll be a tight fit, but two hours should do. I’ll work fast.

“I’ll punish you for this,” he calls after me when I head deeper into the shop. “You can count on that.”

Somehow, I feel that this was another reason for him being here. Like he came here with the intention to punish me in the first place. Hurt me because he loves me so much that he doesn’t know what to do with himself.

The old Tyler would’ve coddled and kissed me. The old Tyler was all smiles and requests instead of scowls and demands.

This version of him—that version that witnessed his grandma’s intestines slipping through my fingers—has a different kind of love to give me.

And that’s okay, I think as I lock the door to my back room behind me.That’s more than okay.

I love both versions of him the same. I love the light and darkness and everything in between.

Forever and ever.

He’ll see reason. In due time, everything will be okay.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Tyler

My fingers rub the spot on my jaw where Dahlia punched me.

Twice.

The first blow shocked me.

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