Page 123 of Tangled Kisses
He makes it sound so goddamn noble. Guess I should kiss his feet for all the paces I’ve put him through.
Sorry, cowboy, I’m fresh out of gratitude today.
In its place? A bottomless rage, teeming with humiliation and embarrassment.
I slam my fist against the dashboard, pain searing up my hand. “Unbelievable. My sister pays you to fuck me, and Capri pays you to babysit me. Tell me—how much?”
His head jerks toward me, his brows drawing together. “How much what?”
I grab my wallet from my bag, shaking it at him. “How much is Capri paying you to look after me? Tell me the number, and I’ll double it for you to leave me alone.”
Griffin braces one hand against the dash, leaning toward me, tension radiating off him. “No one paid me a damn thing.”
I clutch my chest in mock surprise. “Oh, so Iama charity case. Sabine was right. Good to know. That’s even fucking worse.”
Griffin flinches like I just landed the hardest punch of the day. His chest heaves once as a tremor runs through his shoulders, rage barely contained, his voice rough with it. “Is that really what you think I see when I look at you?”
“No idea, and I don’t want to know.” I swipe at the tears sliding down my cheeks. So much for maintaining a strong front. “Just go, Griffin. Your job here is done.”
I yank open the door and jump out of the truck.
I don’t make it two steps down the sidewalk before strong arms lock around my waist.
“What—hey!” I yelp as Griffin hauls me off my feet. “Put me down!”
“Not a chance,” he growls, carrying me like I weigh nothing.
I pound a fist against his chest. “Griffin!”
“In a second.”
He ducks us into the side alley beside a closed restaurant, the world shrinking to brick walls and shadows as his body blocks out everything else. The second my feet touch the ground, he cages me in, palms slamming against the wall on either side of me. The heat rolling off him is inescapable—every breath, every inch of him a barrier I can’t get past.
“Move,” I demand.
“Oh no,” he says, eyes blazing. “We’re not walking away from this. I can stand here all night if I have to.”
I fold my arms over my chest, defiant. “I have nothing more to say to you.”
“Good. It’s my turn, then.” He leans in, his mouth hovering against mine. “And you’re going to listen toeveryword.”
I jerk my head away, but he grabs my chin, forcing my gaze to his. “I know what Sabine told you.”
His words punch the air out of me. My gaze drops to the cracked pavement.
“And yes, your sister and I talked about you—your past, the things that haunt you, the belief that you’re not enough.”
Heat floods my cheeks, a stunning soup of mortification and rage.
“And I told Piper not to worry because I would take care of it.”
My head jerks up, finger stabbing at my chest. “Byit, you mean me?”
“Yes.” His eyes don’t waver. “You.”
“Youbastard.”
“Do you want to know why?” His hand comes up fast, cupping my face, holding me still. “Because I was already in love with you. Because there’s no way in hell another man could love you the way I love you. No way in hell I was going to let another man touch you.”
