Page 19 of Trident: Mayhem Makers

Frustration coursed through me, mixed with anger because dammit, he had a point. Shame also weighed me down. I wasn’t proud of what I’d done, especially now that he was standing close enough I could smell the leather of his cut, while he called me out.

“I assumed you’d just gotten caught up in the moment. You know? Like in the movies when a guy gets horny and promises a girl the world only to be done with her by morning. Figured I’d avoid that scene, save us both the trouble and get out first.” I paused, looking down at my feet before continuing, “Not too many people have ever stuck by me. I, ah, try to avoid addingnew rejections to my memories if I can.”

Moving his hand, he curled a finger under my chin and gently forced my face up.

“Look at me,Ula’ula Mõ’i.”

With a wince, I slowly rose my gaze to his. My breath caught at the gentleness in his dark irises.

“First up, your momma didn’t choose to leave you, yeah? Neither did your brother. From what I’ve heard about Taz, if he’d known you were alive, he would have moved heaven and earth to keep you safe and by his side. Secondly, you get that in your desperation to avoid feeling pain, you just transferred it to me, yeah?”

My throat clogged with emotion, tears stung my eyes. As much as I’d always respected people who were straight shooters, I didn’t appreciate being forced to examine myself so deeply. “I’m sorry. I never meant to—”

He cut me off again, this time with a shake of his head.

“It’s done, babe. Over. But we ain’t doing this again. Me and you are gonna be fucking open and honest with each other from here on out, you feel me? No matter how much you think I don’t wanna hear it, know that I do.”

I frowned. “Not sure that’s exactly realistic, T. I work for a security firm, and you’re in a MC. We’re both gonna have secrets we can’t share.”

He tapped his forefinger against my nose before straightening and folding his arms over his chest as he hadbefore.

“So much sass. Yeah, babe. We won’t be sharing shit that’s not ours to share, but everything that affects us? That, we tell each other. I won’t have bullshit coming between us.”

With a raised eyebrow, I mirrored his pose, arms crossed over my breasts.

“Why do you even care so damn much? I mean, we just met last weekend, and only had one night together. Which, in case you don’t remember, started with us fighting. Now you’re saying I’ve insulted and hurt you. How can you even want to see me?”

He chuckled, the low gravely sound lighting me up, hardening my nipples that thankfully where hidden behind my forearms.

“Now that I know you didn’t sneak off to be cruel, just to protect yourself—that’s easy to forgive,Ula’ula Mõ’i. And we weren’t fightin’ last weekend. That was just a little verbal sparring to get the blood pumping. Just so happens I like your fire, Jacie. Like it a fuck of a lot. So much so, I’ve spent way too much of my time this week fantasizing about all the ways I could put that smart mouth of yours to use when I caught up with you.”

Groaning, I looked to the ceiling and tapped my head against the wall.

“Why must all the pretty ones be such alpha-holes?”

His low growl had a shiver running up my spine. Instincthad me side stepping away from him before turning to dash across the room. A heartbeat later, I was face down on the bed, sandwiched between his large, hot body and the mattress, my wrists once again in one of his hands, but this time they were trapped against my lower back. I tried to buck him off, to wriggle free, but couldn’t move him. With a low growl, he leaned in and nipped at the edge of my ear.

“I’m not sure what to be more insulted over: you calling me pretty, or whatever the fuck an alpha-hole is.”

Twisting my head to the side and blowing my hair out of my face, I glared daggers at him.

“Take your pick, babe. Because while you might be nice to look at, whenever you open your damn mouth, your inner alpha-male-arsehole comes out, destroying the illusion of you being any sort of Prince Charming.”

His grin was wicked as he tilted his head down, one sexy eyebrow going up.

“Really? You trying to tell me you don’t like me just as I am? That you don’t get hot and wet for me? Because remember that little rule I just made about lying? I didn’t expect you to go breaking it so fucking fast,Ula’ula Mõ’i. Prince Charming is always such a sissy. I’m more like a knight in shining armor—well, a knight on a shining Harley. I’ll come to your rescue any day…”

He ground his erection in against my butt. I tugged at my hands, anger mixing with the arousal I wasn’t going to admit to.“Release me, dammit!”

“Ask nice, and I’ll think about it.”

Swallowing down a growl, I took a deep breath before I cleared my throat, putting on my sweetest tone.

“Please, Trident, could youpleaselet me go.”

He stilled, like I’d shocked him. Then with a bark of laughter he lifted up off me, but before I could celebrate my freedom, he lifted me, turning me over and moving me further up the bed, so my head was now on the pillow. Then he settled in beside me while I lay there trying to catch my breath.

“I’m not a damn doll, T!”

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