Page 52 of All Jacked Up

Hearing him say my name—my real name—in that deep, husky voice of his only heightened the turmoil of emotion currently churning inside me.

I couldn’t ignore him now. I had to speak. Not make an idiot of myself. Placing my well-rehearsed smile on my face, I turned my head to him. “I’m fine,” I replied as pleasantly as possible, then went back to watching the football game.

Something happened on the screen, and Forge groaned as Gathe began to chuckle.

“I warned you,” Locke drawled, but didn’t look away from the action.

“You’ve not eaten all day,” Ransom said, entirely too close to me now.

I held my smile in place.

“I ate on my flight here,” I told him.

“That was twelve hours ago.”

Well, I lost my appetite at the sight of Big Boobs Sally.

Gathe was in front of me now, holding out a glass. “Here you go.”

Reaching up, I took it from him. “Thank you.” I wished it were possible for me to chug it down without witnesses.

“Come on,” Ransom ordered. “You’re eating something.”

I did not want to eat, and he didn’t get to tell me what I was going to do.

“I’m fine.”

“Shakespeare, do I need to carry your ass into the kitchen?” he asked, the warning clear in his tone.

Not wanting the entire room to witness that, I stood up. I’d force something down if that would make him stop talking to me. Then I could go to bed. Or at least close myself off in the bedroom.

“She’s a big girl. She can handle feeding herself.” A feminine voice made me tense up more.

“Come here, Cass,” Forge said, patting his leg. “Stay out of that shit, or you’ll set him off.”

The girl didn’t argue as she sauntered around the sofa, wearing the T-shirt that Ransom had worn earlier today. Why did that have to be painful? I was a grown woman, for God’s sake. How long was a crush supposed to last?

“Giving you to three, Shakespeare,” he warned behind me.

I licked my dry lips and turned to walk toward the door I’d entered through, not sure if that was the correct way or not. When Ransom said nothing, but I heard his footsteps following me, I assumed I’d gone in the right direction. Seeing as I had noclue where to go from here, I paused and stepped to the side.

“I don’t know where the kitchen is.”

Ransom moved past me and smirked as our eyes met. “You’re sulking because I’m making you eat?”

No, I was sulking for reasons I would never admit.

“I’m not hungry, and your friend is correct. I’m a big girl.” I’d sounded normal. I wanted to pat myself on the back for that.

“You’re hungry,” he replied, then began walking again.

Glaring at his excellent backside, I followed him.

I should have stayed at the hotel. I could still go stay at one. I didn’t have to stay here. I’d be more comfortable alone. Away from this. Watching Ransom live his life.

“I wasn’t sure what you’d want or if you’d wake up before morning,” he said as he turned and entered a luxurious kitchen. “I saved you some of everything we had.”

Was that before or after your topless female showed up?

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