I need a minute.
I need to sit in the flames I begged for.
I owe him this, even if it’s just a fraction of what he suffered.
I stay exactly where I am and watch them like I’m not two seconds away from crossing the room and slamming her face into the table just to stop her from looking at him like that again.
His black hair falls across his forehead as he leans in slightly to hear whatever the hell she’s whispering—probably begging him to shove her to the floor and let him fuck her dumb for the night.
The image alone makes my stomach tighten, but it’s nothing compared to the rage detonating behind my ribs when I watch her fingers slide into his hair. His hand snaps up in an instant, fingers wrapping around her wrist, stopping her from touching him twice—the rejection in his eyes clear from here.
It should be enough that his body recoiled, but it isn’t.It’s not even close, and my feet are already moving before my brain can catch up to this desperate need I have to get to him.
Phoenix’s face turns to mine.
Anger flashes first, then worry, then something that looks close to awe. He doesn’t know whether to haul me back from the edge or sit there and watch me jump, but I don’t give him a choice. I climb onto the table, my knees scraping the wood, glasses tipping and clattering as I crawl toward him like some feral creature. I swingmyself down into his lap, and my back hits the edge of the table hard enough to make it rattle.
Then I kiss him.
Mouth to mouth.
Tongue demanding entry.
My hands fist in his hair, yanking his head back, and he groans into my mouth. He grips my hips, his fingers digging in hard enough to leave marks, and I don’t stop kissing him, making it crystal fucking clear that this man is spoken for.
“Hey!”
I don’t acknowledge the shrill voice coming from the blonde beside me because right now she doesn’t exist.
I devour him, raking my nails through his hair—because I can—trying to get closer, but not being able to is driving me out of my mind.
“Excuse me!”she shrieks again, louder this time, but we both pretend she doesn’t exist—it’s not her fault, but I don’t care.
I pull back just enough to tear my mouth away from Phoenix’s, and when I meet his gaze, it destroys me. He’s hurt. I can see it written across his face. His eyes are completely wrecked, his pupils dilated so dark they’ve nearly swallowed the silver.
“No more,” I whisper against his lips.
His large hands slide down to my ass, holding my dress in place as he stands with me wrapped around him. I lock my legs tighter around his waist as he carries me through the club, weaving through bodies that press in from all sides while the music pounds up through the floor, vibrating through my bones.
I bury my face in his neck, breathing him in, trying to anchor myself to him as my mind spins out of control. He takes the stairs two at a time and kicks open the first VIP room door. Two beautiful women are kissing on the velvet couch, hands wandering, noteven blinking when we interrupt them. I reach over Phoenix’s shoulder and pull the door shut, and he moves to the next one. He kicks it open, and thankfully, this one is empty.
He places me down, turns to close the door, and when he faces me again, I can see I’m not the only one who’s angry.
“You get what you wanted?” he snaps at me, his hands braced on his hips, as if he’s trying to keep himself from reaching for me or putting his fist through the wall.
“How did you do it?” I throw my arms out becausehow the fuck did he do it? “You watched other men inside me and did nothing.”
He doesn’t answer, and I don’t know whether I want to punch him or collapse against him and apologize until I lose my voice.
Both.
Because right now, I’m hurting for him, but I’m also hurting because of him.
“I’m not trying to make this harder for you, Phoenix. I swear I’m not. I’m just trying to understand, and I—fuck—I can’t?—”
“Feel it.” He cuts in, and my eyes snap to his. “Whatever’s tearing you apart right now, feel it. Hold it. Then let it out. Let it out on me and let it go.Because we can’t get the last ten years back, baby. And I’m sorry—fuck,I’m sorry. But I can’t fix what already happened. I can’t undo it,so I need you to feel it. Tell me, Shannen. Tell me why you’re angry.”
“She touched you.”
