Page 23 of Volatile

He drew in a deep breath and steeled himself. “No, this has to do with your rude and disrespectful behavior. I’ve been far too lenient with you already, and I’m not going to tolerate it any longer.”

“Jon?”

Her bewildered expression only infuriated him more. Did she think she had the right to do and say whatever she pleased without consequences?

“Are you here because of Lily?”

Her face reddened. “Not exactly.”

“Then leave.”

Her mouth widened further and that pissed him off to no end. It distracted him. He wanted to stick his cock inside and make her swallow him down. But, fuck. She had no business poking through his house, and for that, she needed to get the hell out.

“Excuse me?”

Jon was halfway to the door. “You heard me, Ivy. You’ve gone too far. Now, get out. I don’t have time for this shit.” His jaw ticked. His blood was pumping hard, angering his head and awakening his cock.

“I didn’t mean to offend you. Honest. But your reaction... I don’t understand. There’s got to be more to it. It has to be about that woman. I’m sorry I asked about her. Did... does she mean something to you?”

Her voice cracked, and he wondered what the hell was going on with her. She needed to pick a personality and stick with it. No, scratch that. He just wanted her out.

He opened the door and made a sweeping gesture. “I’m not raising my voice. I’m not picking you up and throwing you out by force. So don’t make me doubt those decisions. Now, for the last time, I asked you to leave. I might not do it again nicely.”

“But....”

“Get. Out.”

She stiffened, then quickly breezed past him. Who knew what was going through her mind, but he didn’t care to find out. He shut the door after her, trying to tame the tornado swirling inside him.

Fuck.

He barged off to the study and locked the portrait in the closet. He should never have left it out, should never have left the door open, but he never fucking thought he’d have to worry about it either. There was a brief moment of regret over how he’d treated her, until all her damn questions popped back into his mind. She had no business asking about Julia. No business looking around. Who the fuck does she think she is?

Conflicting thoughts ran through his head. Should he bring her back and apologize... but for what exactly? She’d overstepped her bounds, by several miles as far as he was concerned. He’d kept it together, didn’t lose his temper or frighten her in any way. He didn’t owe her shit.

But yet... part of him wanted her back, despite her sassy mouth and wandering eyes. He wanted to pull her towards him, not to utter undeserved apologies but to show her what it felt like to experience real passion. He didn’t know what infuriated him more—her finding Julia’s portrait or wanting her to come back. Because despite everything that confused the shit out of him, he did want her back. He wanted her. Period.

Fuck.

*****

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SHE FINGERED THE SUN-warmed metal of the car door and froze. Ivy glanced back towards the house and took a deep breath. No, screw this. She swiveled around and stepped onto the curb. She was not getting dismissed that easily. Who the hell does he think he is?

She stomped up the front walk, eyes beamed to the door. When she arrived before it, she raised her fist, ready to pound as long as needed, but stopped before the first hit. Change of tactics. Ivy tried the knob instead, and it turned easily. He hadn’t locked her out.

If she didn’t do this now, she probably never would. It’d already taken her a full day to persuade herself to come. She wasn’t a timid little mouse; she could speak her mind with ease, but this was different. Her nerves were doing a tap dance, and the easiest thing would have been to get in that car and take off. And to never deal with that man again.

Ivy pushed the door open and took the first step inside before another thought convinced her otherwise. This was either a brave move on her part or a very stupid one. He’d just kicked her out because he thought she was invading his privacy, and now she was trespassing. Who knew how that would play out, but she reiterated: She came to his house for a reason, and she would damn well have her say before she left again.

Jonathan locked eyes with her from across the room. He did not look pleased. A shiver snaked through her. His scowl did not frighten her. It pissed her off a little, but it excited her more.

She continued to stare at him, wondering what was going through his mind, other than the obvious. He couldn’t be too happy that she’d barged in without permission. She disregarded all the tingles, the tiny jabs in her belly, the thump thump thump in her chest. It only served as a reminder of what she sorely lacked in her love life.

“I’m sorry,” she finally said, “but I didn’t think you would’ve let me in if I’d knocked.”

“Whatever gave you that idea, considering I just kicked you out a few minutes ago?”

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