Page 80 of Beyond Rosy Irish Twilight

She smirked at me and crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. “Either I walk in front of you, or you’re not going anywhere.”

“Woman,” I growled just as Lock came around the corner.

He sighed heavily. “Well, that lasted longer than expected.”

“Make her fucking move,” I snapped.

“She’s there to keep you in bed. Couldn’t you just fuck him or something?” he asked Jade.

Her eyes widened as she saw my face turn bright red. I felt like steam was coming out of my ears as I tried and failed to charge at him. I stumbled and fell against the wall, barely catching myself. Fuck, I was dizzy.

Lock laughed, but ran up the steps and caught me before I fell down them. “Christ, you’re a stubborn fucker.”

“Just get me down to the office, and call a meeting.”

“That’s the last time I leave you in charge,” he said to Jade.

“It’s not her fault,” I argued, granted it was a weak argument.

“Yeah, what part ofkeep him in beddid you not understand?”

Jade huffed at him. “He’s twice my size!”

“And about as useless as a kid.”

“I’m not fucking useless,” I grumbled as we finally reached the bottom step. Now that we weren’t on a moving staircase, the ground seemed to level out under my feet. I took a steadying breath and continued to the office as Lock and Jade followed behind me.

“Jade, you should find yourself something else to do.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” she snapped. “After everything I just told you, you’re going to talk to me like that?”

I walked around my desk and sat down with a sigh of relief. Now that I was sitting, I didn’t have to worry about falling over. I stared at Lock. “I want everyone here now. Emergency meeting.”

He rolled his eyes and turned for the door.

“Are you really going to let him order you around?” Jade asked.

“He’s the boss,” Lock said as he left.

She came around to my side of the desk and spun my chair. She planted herself on my lap, which only encouraged blood flow in that direction.

“Jade, you’re playing a dangerous game.”

“Maybe it will keep you from doing something stupid,” she said angrily.

“Or it will make me do something we’ll both regret,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her closer.

Her breath hitched as her lips were just a scant inch from mine. I saw the tears in her eyes, though. “You’d regret it?”

“Not for the reasons you think,” I murmured, brushing my lips against hers.

“You don’t want to see,” she said, closing her eyes tightly.

“I already saw,” I admitted. “The night you got drunk on our honeymoon.”

Her eyes flew open and fear crept into her gaze. “That’s why—”

“No. It makes no fucking difference to how I see you. I have scars too, baby. Maybe more mental than on my body, but they’re there. But that’s all they are. They don’t define us.”

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