"This isTaylor’sshit. You shouldn't have gotten dragged into it," he said.
There went my guilt.
If I kept the truth to myself it would bother me forever.
"I did something stupid," I blabbed, looking up at the ceiling because any balls I had beforehand disappeared.
Just rip it off like a Band-Aid. Quick, quick, quick.
"I went to Busty's last week to talk to the Reapers to see if I could talk them out of going after Sonny. That jerk said it wasn't any of my business." I let out a weird breath continuing to damn myself. "He kissed me and I ran out of there."
Silence.
Complete, mind-numbing silence.
"I know it was stupid but I'm fine." Like that was going to help the situation but something was better than nothing. I hoped. Holding up my hands, I flipped them over.“See? Nothing happened.”
The first thing that came out of anyone's mouth was a long, drawn out, "Fuck." It might have been the hot guy or Luther.
The second thing that came out of someone's mouth was, "Get out."
Dex.
"Excuse me?" I asked, still looking up at the patterned ceiling.
"Get out, Ritz," he repeated.
What the hell? I lowered my gaze down, suddenly more confused than scared at his response. Dex had pulled the lid of his cap down tighter on his forehead, his fingertips white and pinched. "Why?"
"Get the fuck out," he snarled.
Ouch!
"Dex—"
"I said get the fuck out!" he yelled.
My heart started pounding so fast, I thought it was going to explode. My face went hot. My chest started to hurt. It was like my skin was being flayed.
I felt awful. So friggin' awful. Why the hell was he yelling at me like that?
So I snapped back for the first time in my life,because here was this stupid dick-brain of a man that I’d slowly started to like, started to feel something for, and he was going to act like a complete friggin’ dick?"Gofuckyourself, you...you...mean asshole!" And then I let out a breath that could probably rival a dragon minus the fire and bad breath. "Don't you talk to me like that."
I was embarrassed, so embarrassed that I felt a lump in my throat. I was mortified. No one had ever talked to me like that, and he was out of his mind if he thought he could get away with it.
Getting out of the chair like my joints were those of a senior, pissed and hurt, I shook my head but didn't bother looking at him. I didn't know how I'd feel if I saw his face. Right before pulling the door open with a little more force than was necessary, I muttered, "Dickface," under my breath.
The moment I was out of the office, my heartbeat tripled. The urge to throw up and cry was so overwhelming, I managed to stifle the gag and settle for sucking in a ragged breath that did nothing to keep my eyes from tearing up.
Those damn traitorous tears slipped out in sporadic pairs, streaming weak lines down my face before I wiped them off.
I wasn't going to cry.
You are not going to cry, Iris.
Wiping at my face again, I sucked in a breath that sounded strangled and weak but it worked.
The hallway seemed shorter than normal, and when I immediately spotted Blue, Slim, and a customer sitting on the couch, looking in my direction with pity in their eyes I wanted to bang my face against the nearest wall.
