Page 16 of Fury

“The wrong man will do that to you,” I murmur.

“Stay.”

His statement shocks me, and I look at him with narrowed eyes. “Pardon?”

“Stay here with her. You’re the only person who seems to understand her. I’ll pay you. Just ... stay. I’m not made for this.”

Biting my lower lip, I wish I could do just that, but I can’t.

Not because I don’t want to, but because Ethan would never allow it.

“I can’t,” I say softly. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t.”

“Why not?”

There is an underlying demand in his tone, and as he stands before me, his presence is incredibly overwhelming, yet I’m not afraid of him. He’s a man I should be afraid of, he’s powerful and dangerous, his very presence reeks of strength, and yet I don’t feel any kind of fear when I’m around him.

“I have a job, Fury,” I say, quickly, a little too quickly. “It would go against all the rules and ...”

“Bullshit,” he cuts me off. “I know for a fact that there would be a way around it. You could be a friend of the family livin’ with me. Don’t try and make excuses. Tell me why you’re really sayin’ no.”

“I have a life,” I attempt again. “I can’t give it all up to take care of her. She was given to you, not me. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

Stepping closer to me, he leans in so close I suck in a breath. The overwhelming dominance he radiates is enough to make me weak at the knees as I look up into his intense gaze. “You’re lyin’ to me.”

My voice comes out shaky when I speak. “Please, I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“Is it your husband?”

I take a step away, not wanting to get into it, not wanting to tell him anything. That’s a secret he’ll never find out. Not if I have a choice. He is getting too close and I can’t allow it, this is not a part of my life he has a right to know.

“My personal life is none of your business,” I murmur, turning away from him.

He reaches out, taking my arm.

Once again, my reaction is immediate. Wincing, I freeze, closing my eyes. I hate anyone grabbing me like that. Something about the feeling of their fingers wrapping around my arm has everything inside me seizing. It’s Ethan’s favorite method of control, because it doesn’t matter where we are, he can take my arm and squeeze so hard that nobody around us notices.

But I do.

Oh, I do.

Fury takes the sleeve of my shirt and jerks it up, revealing my upper arms. I know he’ll see bruises there, and I quickly pull away, stepping back and growling, “How dare you?”

“He fuckin’ hits you.”

His voice is ice, and his eyes flash.

Before he can say anything more, Hope appears all dressed in her pajamas. Her eyes move between the two of us, and I know I need to calm my face. I force a smile and say, “You ready for that book? Uncle Fury is going to make your grilled cheese.”

She nods and rushes to the bed.

Fury steps up closer to me, his hard chest pressing against my back as he leans down and murmurs into my ear, “We’re not done here.”

Swallowing, I move toward the bed and as far away from him as I can get.

He’s getting too close.

I need to put a stop to this.

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