Page 75 of Bitter Arrangement

“Those guardswereMantis. Maybe indirectly, but still. And I know, I get it, my anger was a little misguided.”

“So you shot someone. You shoot people all the time, right?”

“Not all the time.” He opens his eyes and looks at me. “But yes, with some frequency.”

“Then you’ll get over it. That still doesn’t make your behavior downstairs okay.”

He leans forward, elbows on his knees. I expect him to argue. If this were my father or any of the other men in my life, they’d have a thousand reasons why I’m being unreasonable and they’re totally justified in being a total prick.

But he doesn’t do that.

Instead, he nods slowly.

“You’re right,” he says.

I pause. I’m not used to hearing that during a fight. “I’m right… about what?”

“I shouldn’t have been rude to your friend. I’m stressed and processing a potentially very bad decision, and I wasn’t available to be a decent husband. For that, I’m sorry. And tell Cass I apologize as well.”

I just stand there, anger slowly draining away. “I think this is the first fight I’ve ever actually won,” I admit, not sure what to do with myself.

“Don’t think of it as winning. Think of it as engaging in a mutually respectful relationship.”

“Whoareyou?” I ask.

He gets to his feet. My big, beautiful husband levels that cold, icy stare at me, and his lips curl into a smirk.

“I’m yours,” he says and comes toward me. “How angry are you?”

“I was pretty pissed coming up here,” I admit.

He stops in front of me and puts his hands on my hips. I keep my arms crossed as he leans forward, his body pressing into mine. “Angry enough that you want to lash out at me?” he asks softly.

“Are you turning this into a sex thing?”

“I’m offering to make up for my mistake.”

“By doing sex things?”

“If you want to be crude about it.” He leans forward and kisses my neck. A tingle runs down my spine. “Then yes.”

I lick my lips. God, what’s wrong with me? Is my libido really that hungry?

He did apologize, though. And if he’s not messing around about shooting some random Mantis guy earlier, I can understand why he might be a little distracted.

Cass will accept his apology.

As I run my fingers through his hair, I realize I’ve already accepted it too.

Chapter28

Riley

He kisses me hard as he pins my hands above my head. I push back into him, finding that last bit of frustration and using it to fuel the desire ringing down into my core.

“I think we’ll play a little game,” he says, suddenly twisting my arm. I yelp in surprise as he turns me around and pins me face-first against the wall. It doesn’t hurt, but he’s definitely pushing hard enough that I can’t get away. “I’m going to help you work out all that frustration.”

“How are you going to do that?”

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