Page 108 of Boost

“And this is no place forthis.”I motioned back and forth between us. My mood had gone from apprehensive, to comforted, to outright murderous since leaving his mom’s room.

“At least that’s something we both agree on.”

With a firm hand planted on my back, he walked me through the exit while exuding casualness and control. I broke away from him as soon as we reached the parking lot. When I stopped beside my car, it took him a moment to realize we’d reached my ride. As he backed up several paces, he ran an approving gaze over my immaculate white Maserati Quattroporte GTS.

“This is yours?”

“It is.”

Raf’s eyes ping-ponged between me and my car. Rolling my eyes, I folded my arms across my chest and waited for his stupidity to subside.

“Really?”

My hip popped a little further. “Yes, really. A woman can’t own a sexy car, but a man can?”

Maintaining my glare as he smirked down his nose at me, I held my ground in wait. It took all my willpower to stop a sassy retort from escaping, especially when he arched a single brow and allowed his smirk to widen.

“You’ve got good taste in cars, mamacita.”

I let out an unladylike snort, but otherwise remained silent. I had a bone to pick with him and he wasn’t going to make light of it with smirks and cute compliments.

“You’re deflecting.”

Although the lopsided grin stayed frozen in place, the lines around his eyes hardened. An edge of warning shadowed his dark irises.

“I’m complimenting.”

“As a way to divert my attention off the real issue.”

Raf threw out his arms and backed up a pace. “I didn’t come here for a fucking lecture.”

“Don’t walk away,” I snapped.

“We’re finished here.”

An angry little laugh found its way through my clenched teeth. “Oh no, we’re only just gettingstarted.”

“I ain’t got nothing to discuss with you, Boss Lady. Not today and not about what you want to talk about. It’s over.”

Over?Over?What was over? Us, or the conversation?

“It’s notover,”I hissed to his departing back, making him pause.

A stone crunched under his boot as he half-turned, and what regret there may have been in his eyes was cut off when he plucked the dark sunglasses from his crew neck and shoved them on.

“Do you want me, or the conversation?” His voice sliced through me like jagged shards of glass, and I swallowed to try and ease the uncertain squeeze in my chest.

“You, of course. But we need to have that conversation whether you want to or not.”

Raf hesitated as if painfully contemplating, and when his reply finally came, it was soft and left an empty ache in my heart.

“I ain’t got nothing to say, baby girl.”

The dismissal left me breathless and floating through a state of disbelief. Defiance then rose to pierce the ever-lengthening void between us.

I lifted my handbag higher and snapped into action, striding after him like the seasoned-pro I was walking a mile in stilettos every damn day.

“Well, I’ve got a little something to say to you, and I’m not doing it in a damn parking lot. So, either you ride with me, I ride with you, or we both drive somewhere to meet up. Because you are going to hear what I have to say, and so help me God,Rafael, you are going to shut up and listen!” I ended with a yell and my fingers pinched at eye level when he started to interrupt.

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