Page 142 of Torrid Love
Whoa.
“What the fuck is going on here?” I demand.
“Hey Rod,” he attempts to smile, but he grimaces instead. I assume from the pain.
He takes a step forward.
“Don’t come any closer,” I say lifting both hands in front of me.
“Rod, it’s me. I’m your friend. Your mentor. You can’t turn your back on me.”
“Gideon, I don’t know what’s going on, but you better not take another step.”
“Rod—”
“The window is nothing more than dust, Dom’s top is ripped, she’s exposed and she’s crying uncontrollably. On the flip side, your face is covered in blood and there are some pretty scary things written about you on the Internet.”
“What things?” he asks, indignant.
“There are some big accusations, Gideon.”
“Lies!” Something dangerous—demonic, even—flashes in his eyes.
“Okay. Just calm down.”
“I can’t believe you’d believe those sluts who are out to get me.”
“I don’t know what to believe anymore, Gideon.”
He takes a step forward despite my warning.
“I said don’t come any closer,” I growl.
“This is how you repay me after everything I’ve done for you, Rod?” My nostrils flare in and out in my attempt to regulate the violent pounding of my heart. “You’d be a broke son of a bitch, with nothing more than a high school diploma to wipe your ass with, working a shitty warehouse job, living in a crappy part of LA, driving a piece of junk. Imadeyou, Rod. Without me you’d be a loser. I mean, look at your parents.”Asshole.“I made you who you are, but you choose to believe women trying to take me down?”So he’s aware of the accusations.“You can’t trust women, Rod. They’re bitches and whores.” He tilts his head to the side, his eyes shifting past me.
Dom clings even harder to me.
“They’re backstabbers. They manipulate you and then cry wolf. Your bitch is no different.”
I don’t even know who this guy is anymore.
He takes another step.
“Stay where you are,” I warn.
“You’d really hurt me, Rod? I thought the other day was all talk.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to protect Dom.”
“You’re such a fool. You believe them over me. Thanks, bro,” he smirks. “Whores like yours are trying to ruin my life by running their slutty mouths to reporters. I’m here to teach yours a lesson.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask carefully.
“She thinks I don’t know, but I figured it out. She’s plotting to bring me down by spewing lies about me—just like that shit on the Internet you’re talking about.”
“You’re not making any sense, Gideon.”
“She’s a lying bitch!”
