Page 1 of Touch Her and Die
ONE
halle
“Of all theapartments in all the world, you had to walk into mine,” I paused. “Well, you know what I mean.”
It was dark in his apartment, but his shoes thudded against the floor as he stormed in. I guess he was mad.
“Halle? Fuck. Where the hell have you been?”
I put my bare and slightly bloody foot out as he approached me, and he stopped.
“Odd you should ask that. Where have I been? Where have I been? Let’s have you start first. Where have you been?” I asked.
The moonlight shone through the windows, highlighting his silhouette the closer he got. He ran his hand through his hair and let out a long, exaggerated breath.
“Aw, you seem so tired,” I chided.
He stopped. Everything seemed to pause as he glared.
“Whatever those assholes said, I guarantee it’s not the truth.”
I nodded. I also let my gaze fall over his body. Why was my kryptonite this gorgeous man? What did he have that no one else did? I should be able to replace him with just about anyone else. But that was the issue. My heart wanted him. The stupid organ. Dead for years and yet? Around him? Well, he had a direct line to whatever feelings my body and brain could find. He seemed to wake up the highways of nerves that I’d thought were damaged beyond repair in the triage of my life.
I watched him move. He was shifting his weight from foot to foot. Was that sweat dripping down his face? He stepped closer and paused just as my foot brushed his rather rumpled suit. This wasn’t my usual overconfident cocky Parks. This was a man that, well maybe I should ask.
“Do tell me what really happened,” I said.
I narrowed my eyes. The strange spider dance along my spine that always accompanied bad news told me I wouldn’t like whatever was going to come from his gorgeous and possibly deceptive lips.
“Look. I didn’t have a fucking choice. One minute I’m going to a meeting as the backup like always and the next they’re threatening you if I don’t marry some heiress. The heiress my cousin was supposed to marry, the one you killed I might add.”
I shifted in the seat that I liked to think of as mine.
“Sucks to be you doesn’t it.”
I swear he growled at me. I flashed the extra-large knife I had in my hand and started to clean my nails.
“Where the hell have you been Halle? I agreed to this sham of a fucking deal to buy myself time. Not to show up at a warehouse where there was a pile of bodies and my sexy and crazy as fuck girlfriend isn’t there.”
I smiled at that. Although, I didn’t want to admit the strange feeling that the word girlfriend gave me. But that’s what I was. I was his girlfriend. If I admitted that out loud though, I would also have to admit maybe I wasn’t as broken as I was the day before. Or the day before that. And broken was the only thing I still had from my past.
“Aw. You think I’m crazy? That’s so sweet.”
He pushed against my foot and honestly, I was a bit tired. Or that’s what I was telling myself as I let him near me. He put both hands on either side of the chair and boxed me in.
“Answer me. Where have you been? And where are the heads of the men who were supposed to be watching you at that hellhole?”
Instinct had me licking my lips and lifting the knife to his chest.
“Put the fucking knife down Halle,” he said.
I glared at him. I hated the anger swirling inside me.I hated the anger of something I didn’t want to realize. I was the girlfriend, but the words of his previous statement ping-ponged around my head.
He’d agreed to marry someone?
“Why? Worried I’d slit you in two? Guess you wouldn’t have to marry some heiress.”
He grunted.
