Unable to withstand the excruciating pain any longer, I climb out of bed, grab my handbag, and rummage through it until I find some ibuprofen.
With my shoulders slumped, I trail to the bathroom to grab some water.
A series of knocks stops me in my tracks.
My head snaps to the door.
Oh, so my neighbor’s aggression just went up a notch.
Another series of knocks ensues.
Slamming his fist against the wall isn’t enough?
Fuck him. The TV isn’t that loud.
The knocking turns to banging.
You picked the wrong day, asshole.I stomp towards the door and yank it open. “Listen—” Panic jostles in my stomach as shock bulldozes into my body. I blink, my mouth opening and closing like a fish. “Ka—Kaz?”
Ocean-blue eyes meet mine and narrow to slivers, as if the man I ran away from can see my internal scattered bruises. Alarm, then anger, strikes his handsome face.
My heart is beating so fast, I have to place a hand against my chest. Fresh tears blur my vision, as a ripple of shame hums through me. “How the hell did you find me?”
Clouds veil those eyes, turning them to stormy gray. “What the fuck are you doing in New Jersey?”
“You can’t answer my question with a question.”
He growls.
I flinch.
It’s as if this New Jersey dump just got invaded by a pissed off grizzly bear. When that growl was directed at my despicable ex, the sound was scary enough, but now that it’s directed at me, the threat causes my knees to wobble.
“You want a fucking answer?” His nostrils flare.
I nod. “Yes.”
“I’ll give you one, but not here.”
“Well, I’m going nowhere.” I lift my chin in defiance.
His brows pinch. “The fuck you aren’t.”
“Kaz, go home.”
He shakes his head. “Not without you, Harley.” His eyes lift over my head, scanning the room, horror shining in his eyes.
I sigh. “Please don’t make this more difficult?—”
“You either come with me, or I’ll carry you to the car.”
I scrunch my nose. “Car? What happened to your tank?”
He scoffs. “That’s what you retained of what I just said.”
“You’re wasting your?—”
Kaz slams a hand against the door, the sound of it hitting the wall causing me to jump. In the flash of an eye, the grumpy giant grabs me and hauls me over his shoulder.
