Page 119 of Quinlan

My heart won’t feel as raw and exposed.

Adrenaline floods my veins. The dim lights on the second floor shine brighter from it. My pulse is a drum beating in my ears. I hear it so loudly.

I make it to the landing, one foot up there and—

“No, you don’t.” A large hand—a manacle—closes around my arm. Hauls me into the sturdiest chest I’ve ever collided with. Rome’s lips are in my ear. “You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart.”

“Leave me alone.” My attempt at sounding in control fails. Epically. There’s a lilt to my voice that exposes my pain. “Put me down, fucker.”

“How about no.” The way he folds me into his arms is possessive. His front is pressed to my back, and he picks me up off the stairs easily. I weigh nothing compared to him. All muscle. All fury. “Here’s another no for you, sweetheart. I’m not mad at you.”

“You?” I twist my head, though I don’t get very far. Strands of my hair cover my eyes. “Mad at me? That’s rich.”

“Yes, I’m not mad.” Rome carries me downstairs as I kick and wiggle in his hold. I don’t scream. Last thing I need is the other men coming to help him.

This cheater.

“You’re fucking crazy,” I hiss. “Why wouldyoube mad atme?”

“You refused to eat last night.” Such a simple explanation. His voice is smooth, confident without a hint of anger. “You made up for it with your pussy. And by eating today. You’re such a good girl when you want to be.”

We’re on the first floor, and he flips me effortlessly. One of his arms goes beneath my thighs, the other supporting my back. His stormy eyes are as calm as his voice is. A rock, despite the hell I put him through.

Me, on the other hand, am still riled up. Can’t forget this man is a cheater.

“Fuck you.” We pass by the living room, where his laptop and papers are scattered. Papers he talked to Anne about. Jealousy and rage work their way through my body. My nails claw at his shoulders. “Let me down, asshole.”

“I thought we were over this. Over you pretending to hate being here.” My butt slams against the dark marble kitchen counter. A hand on my hip hauls me to Rome. His other hand cups my cheek, tilting my head up to him. “Do you need a reminder for how much you like your kidnappers? Need me to lick your needy pussy until you remember?”

The nerve on this guy. A scowl curves my lips downward. I’m dead-set on hiding how hot I am for him. How his words affect me. How his masculine scent sends heat through my body. How his lips are so close that I justhaveto taste them.

I hide it, because he’s been hiding Anne from me first.

“We’re not over anything.” I glower at him, hiding my pain. “First off, you three have given me, what, thirty-six hours? To be okay with being kidnapped?”

An hour ago, I would’ve never said that. I felt at home, sort of. I wasn’t angry.

Things have changed since.

A lot of things.

Curiosity swirls in Rome’s eyes as he studies me. I try my best to not give him anything. He sees it anyway.

When understanding flashes behind them, I know I’m fucked.

“What do we have here?” Rome’s thumbs stroke my feverish skin. “This isn’t being a captive at all, is it?”

His nose brushes mine, and I bite on the inside of my cheek. I won’t moan for this cheater. I won’t.

“Of course it is.” Jerking my body gets me nowhere. “Let me go.”

“Not before you tell me what’s bothering you.”

Indignance and loathing. And jealousy. My God, am I jealous.

“Tell. Me.” He shakes my head. His jaw tics. “I’m not going anywhere until you do, and neither are you, sweetheart. You better start talking.”

The raging beat of my heart and his fill the air.

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