Page 80 of Brutal Obsession

Probably.

And a tiny, microscopic part of me believed that after last night, Cian would understand.

“Was I wrong?” Spitting out the words only drives home their truth. “I thought?—”

“You thoughtwhat?” Cian throws his hand at the wall behind him with enough ferocity to bruise the wallpaper. His resemblance to my father stuns me.

How could I have been deceived by some good dick?

I shake my head, reality blooming like a mushroom cloud over my mind.

“You just want to control me, same as all the others.”

“Let me tell you something.” His voice drops low as he prowls my way again. I back up until the bathroom door obstructs my retreat.

“Cian—” I force strength into my words, but he’s undeterred.

He corners me against the bathroom door, slamming his hands down on either side of the frame. “I’m taking you back to New York City. I don’t give a fuck what you have to say.It’s not up to you.”

His heat intrudes my personal space. His scent crawls up my nose, intoxicating me without my consent. I stand my ground.

Even as Cian looms over me with all the menace of the grim reaper, I refuse to back down. Our eyes clash.

“If you really think that you can just rip me away from my life, shoot some people, and fuck me all night, and I’ll just roll over and do whatever you say, keep dreaming, Mahoney.”

Offense ignites in Cian’s eyes. Hard and intimidating, he crushes his body closer into mine. “Whatdid you just say?”

“You heard me.” I force every ounce of strength I have into those three words. It’s not easy. As soon as the line of Cian’s body touches mine, lust begins to whir inside me.

This ferocious staring contest is going to devolve into sex. I hope.

Why am I even thinking this right now? He pisses me so much, I could claw his stupid handsome face off.

“Move.” I tuck my forearm against Cian’s chest like a crossbar and push. He doesn’t budge, still giving me that skin-piercing scowl.

“You enjoy making messes other people have to clean up, don’t you?”

Fire burns my cheeks. I didn’t expect him to hit me where it hurts. All the guilt inside me over the messes in my life that remain unclean, unresolved, festering even now…

How dare he ask me if I enjoy this half-life full of self-loathing and secret pain?

I don’t know how he always burrows beneath my skin, and I don’t care.

“Fuck you.”

I thrust the words at him, but I guess I’ve said this to him one too many times for him to take me seriously. All the curse earns me is a clipped, humorless laugh.

He pushes away from me and pivots on his heel, leaving me to burn a hole in his head with my eyes.

I’d rather die than let him have the last laugh.

“Must be nice.” I toss the words at his back. “Using women like toys for your dick. It’s just one of the perks of your job, huh?”

Cian stops walking. He’s only a step from the bed when he swings back to face me, somehow angrier than before.

His voice is coarse with rage. “You thinkI’musingyou?”

“Aren’t you?” I glare, daring him with my eyes. “Isn’t that why you came here? Because you were sex-deprived and wanted to break the dry spell?”

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