Rick glances at me briefly before following Joaquin and Harley into the house, leaving us alone.
I plant my sneakered feet on the porch, sidestepping Kai so he’s forced to turn around.
We face off, and tension bleeds into the air.
The woodsy, citrusy sent of his cologne wafts around me, testing my self-control, but I stand firm, narrowing my eyes as I glare at him, purposely ignoring how fuckable he looks in the dark jeans hugging his slim hips and muscular thighs and the tight-fitting gray Henley that clings to his biceps and chiseled abs. The top is unbuttoned, offering a glimpse of the chest tattoo I’ve admired at close quarters. The growth on his chin and cheeks is thicker than usual, but his hair looks recently cut, the sides shorn close enough to highlight the skull tattoo I adore.
Kai is devastatingly gorgeous.
There’s no doubt about it.
And the dark glimmer of hate still lingering in his eyes only adds to the appeal. My body strains toward him, pleading with me to touch him. And the craving is almost uncontrollable.
My heart aches because there was a time I allowed myself to hope.
To think I might have someone worth fighting for.
I allowed myself to fall, and despite what he’s done, those feelings are still there, bottled up inside me.
But I fucking hate him too, and I make sure he reads that in my eyes.
I’m vaguely aware of our audience, whispering in hushed voices at the back of the hallway as his brothers watch our silent face-off.
Kai’s eyes drift lower, latching onto my enlarged chest before wandering lower to my flat stomach.
Pain slams into me again, and I hope I have the strength to do this. Subconsciously, I flatten my palm over my stomach, and his eyes burn with undisguised rage as he’s dazzled by the giant diamond on my ring finger.
I momentarily gloat, thinking of all the ways I can use Charlie against him.
His head jerks up, and he takes a step closer.
I stand my ground, tilting my chin up defiantly and piercing him with a venomous stare.
He closes the gap between us, pressing his body against mine as he glares at my mouth. Adrenaline courses through my veins, and my heart is hammering against my rib cage. Our eyes enter a battle again, and his nostrils flare as he trails his fingers up my arm, along my collarbone, and over my neck before gripping my chin.
I keep the same hateful expression on my face as he tips my chin up, staring at me with a mixture of desire and frustration. “I can’t decide if I want to kiss you or kill you,” he admits, his voice bordering on a growl, sending shivers tiptoeing up my spine.
“That’s not a dilemma I’d struggle with,” I coolly reply.
“And why is that?” he replies in an equally cool tone, but the way his body is locked up tight gives the game away. His hand continues to grip my chin, but I don’t struggle.
I flash him a malicious smile. “Because I know my mind, and killing you trumps kissing you every time.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
“It’s cute how you lie to yourself, but I know the truth,” Kai says, and I pull away, fighting the urge to wipe that smug smile off his face. “Your body betrays you every single time.” He sweeps his heated gaze over me again, before settling on my lips. “You’re begging to be kissed.” He presses his hot, arrogant mouth to my ear. “Screaming to be fucked.”
Conceited asshole. So much for his supposed concern for me.
“You’re full of shit, because Iloatheyou.” I roll the word around my tongue, piercing him with a scathing look. “You’ve fed me a pack of lies, and I’ll never forgive you for it!”
Something close to remorse briefly flashes across his face. “You haven’t exactly been wholly truthful now either, have you?” He crosses his arms, daring me to challenge him.
My jaw hangs open for a moment. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I roar, shoving at his immovable chest.
“You’re every bit as deceitful as me. What else do you think this thing is between us?” He smirks as he points between us, and it enrages me. I lash out without thought, slapping him viciously across the face.
His cheek reddens, and he grits his teeth, looking like he wants to bash my head against the wall. Or maybe choke all the air from my lungs.
