Page 45 of Diamond Angel

She whirls around, her green eyes shining with renewed fury. “Fuck right the hell off, you…you pompous ass!”

And all I can think is—I’ve missed this.

18

TAYLOR

“I had things handled.”

Ilarion rolls his eyes. “He was about to ask you for some panties to sniff and a lock of your hair to wear around his neck. I saved you from becoming the newest pet locked up in his basement.”

“You’re jealous.”

“And you’re welcome.”

My palms itch with the desire to slap him. “Every time you open your mouth, I’m reminded of why I left. You didn’t have to step in. After the way I treated him, I could handle—”

“How did you treat him?”

I frown. “Mind your own business.”

He smiles that wolfish grin that never touches his eyes. “I think we both know that’s never going to happen.”

I pivot on my heel and start marching away. “I’m going home.”

“My car is parked right down the street. I’ll drive you.”

“I prefer to walk.”

“It’s a thirty-minute walk to your house.”

“That’s thirty minutes without you hovering over me. Sounds like a dream.”

It’s annoying how easily he keeps pace with me. My breath is already coming in drags, and he just looks like he’s strolling along casually.

“Someone’s very defensive about Mr. Nice Guy—”

“His name isCallan. You know that.”

He ignores my correction. “Might that be because you led him on, and you’re just taking out your anger on me?”

I come to a screeching halt. “I’m taking my anger out on you because you deserve it. What do you want from me, Ilarion? This is already exhausting.”

“What I want is to know, whydidyou lead him on? As much as I despise saying this, you’re free to make your own decisions. I want to know why you madethisone.”

“It w-wasn’t like I planned to lead him on,” I stutter. “It just sorta…happened. I was lonely. I needed adult company outside of work and home, and…I don’t know. I was hoping my feelings would catch up with his. I wanted to try my hand at a relationship. Someone without strings attached. But I just couldn’t bring myself to take the next step. All I could think about was—”

I stop short, teetering on the cusp of saying something I won’t be able to take back. It’s his eyes that do it to me. Five years since they first tore me open and they still have the same scalpel’s edge effect whenever he deigns to use it.

“About what?” he presses.

Just to be safe, I quit looking directly at him and start walking again.

I can hear him chuckling behind me. “I’m impressed at your willingness to keep this up, Taylor.”

“There’s nothing to keep up,” I snap back over my shoulder. “I left you and I built something here. You’re the one who’s decided to drag me back to a life I never wanted in the first place.”

“Don’t you ever get tired of your own bullshit?”

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