Page 37 of Stitched Up in You
I lean a bit to see if he’s really gone and wince.
Jeez, you would think after my efforts last night the guy would let loose a little, but he seems to be wound tighter than ever. But the poor schmuck has another thing coming if he thinks he can boss me around.
I made damn sure to be on the roof at 9 a.m. to see his reaction, and I guess I just got it.
My brows raise when I hear the door opening and shutting again, and Frank’s broad back stomps back outside and glares up at me.
I offer him a smile in return, and he scowls harder. What did he think was going to happen? That I’d trot down like a well-heeled bitch?
“This is your warning. I don’t do well with being disobeyed when I give an order, Miss Crenshaw.”
I scoff at that and cross my arms over my chest. “And I don’t negotiate with terrorists. At least not at the buttcrack of daw?—”
I’m left slack jawed the next instant when he moves in a blur of motion. He bends his knees and in a burst of speed jumps and grasps the roof's edge. Muscles ripple beneath his shirt, and I watch awestruck when he vaults himself onto the roof’s eaves like a ninja. “What the actual fu?—”
“I fucking told you to get down,” he says, spreading his big legs to keep his balance.
“Now just you wait a minute,” I say, getting to my feet. “You are so not yanking me off this roof,” I argue, noticing how his hands flex as if to grab me.
A devious light sparks in his gaze as he steps closer.
“Ach! No, no,” I say, pointing and waving my finger like I’ve seen parents scold their kids on walks in the park. “Why don’t you join me instead?” I find myself saying, and it’s not a half bad idea, since he’s up here now he can tell me what all this stuff is in his backyard.
“It is not safe up here,” he states, as if I don’t already know it’s unsafe to walk along a roof when the roof is this many stories in the air. Frank takes a step toward me.
“I’m fine. I was only trying to see the buildings off in the distance. What are they?”
“They’re none of your concern,” he replies, and takes me by the waist.
“You really need to work on your communication skills.”
I catch a glimpse of what looks like a huge round paddock in the distance as I’m tossed over his shoulder with a hardoomphthat knocks the wind from my body.
A firm slap rains down on my backside, his palm so wide he crosses both my cheeks with one hand next and I attempt to hoist myself off of him.
“Ouch! You asshole, that hurt.”
Another slap, and true terror shrieks from my mouth as he jumps off the roof and lands on the balcony below, holding me easily and breaking the impact of my fall.
“Let me go!” I cry out, wriggling harder, wanting away from him in case he decides to jump the two stories to the ground.
He doesn’t make a sound as he rolls his shoulder and effectively drops me, letting me fall to the balcony floor.
“Oomph.” My hip smarts where I land, but I can tell he only hurt my pride. “God, you are such a dick, you can’t just go around jumping off of houses with people, you jolly green giant,” I mutter. I get to my feet and pad off my backside of debris, checking over myself as I do. Thankfully, I’ve only bruised my dignity while the dickhead stands looking down on me like a disproving parent.
“I wouldn’t have to, if youfoolishlyhadn’t climbed up onto it,” he says, glancing at the edge of the balcony and then up, as if wondering how I got up there in the first place.
Pfft. He can keep wondering. Just because I’m short doesn’t mean I can’t do things. I take one last glance at the backyard.
I’ll just have a look around later, and if he thinks to bar me in my room, well, I’ve always wanted to escape somewhere using bedsheets.
“As much as I appreciate your ability to toss me around like a damsel, no means no, Frank.” I stalk to my mug of coffee, knowing there’s no way it’ll be warm after being outside this long.
“Your opinions are irrelevant, anduntilyou fix what you fucked, I need you alive more than dead, so traipsing about on the rooftop isn’t happening,” he bites out. “After all of my belongings are returned, I’ll toss you to the roof myself.”
He crosses his meaty arms over his chest, and the urge to punch him becomes almost insurmountable.
“Ugh! You are the most aggravating male I have ever met in my life,” I toss back at him and move past to grab my cup, emptying the contents over the stone rail before making my way back inside my new room.
