Or they wouldn’t because they were working on opposite sides.
She didn’t need this tonight. “I’ve got to talk to my parents anyway. Do we know if they’re back?”
Lucy nodded. “I tracked them coming back an hour ago. Damon and Penny, too. I think Rob and Ari went back to their place, and so did Nick and Hayley. I don’t understand it. I like it here. Communal living makes sense.”
She was sure it did. To Lucy, who’d basically grown up in acommune known as Bliss. “I’ll handle it.”
Lucy reached out, putting a hand on her arm. “Hey, are you okay and how much wine should I steal from the bar?”
Kenzie sniffled. “Maybe one. For me.”
Lucy pulled her in for a hug. “Two then. It’s going to be okay, sweetie. My mom’s going through a witch phase. We can curse him so his dick falls off.”
Somehow she didn’t see Nell Flanders working dark magic. She would work to manifest world peace or something.
“Kenzie Taggart,” a familiar voice called out.
She turned and Ben was there wearing nothing but the leathers he’d dragged on during their fight. Or rather the first part of their fight, since it looked like he was up for round two.
Her gut twisted when she saw his face and realized Huisman’s work had been superlative tonight because Ben was angry. Volcanically angry.
She needed to get them someplace quiet or he was going to cause a scene, and he would hate himself when he could think again. “Let’s go back to the privacy room. You need your boots and vest.”
“Fuck the boots, Kenzie.” He towered over her, getting into her space and using his height for full intimidation.
“Uh, you’re not going anywhere with him,” Lucy said. “And I think you should back off, Parker.”
He ignored her, staring down at Kenzie. “I bet you would love to get me alone again. Isn’t that what you do? You get me alone and suddenly I’m doing whatever you want.”
She was confused. Their sexual encounters—she wouldn’t call it making love again—were dominated by him. He brought her enormous pleasure, but she served him in those sessions. “Ben, I’m sorry for what I said. I didn’t realize those words would be such a trigger for you. I won’t say them again. I told you I need some space.”
“I don’t give a damn about theI love you, Kenzie. I see it for what it is. That’s what you have a problem with. You figured out you can’t manipulate me with words. So you want to get me in private so you can manipulate me with your pussy. Well, sweetheart, I’ve had that and I can get better.”
Lucy moved closer now, and her whole body was primed for a fight. “Back off now, Parker. I think she’s trying to spare you. If youdon’t then I’ll go get backup, and I don’t think that will go well for you.”
Those words from Ben had been like a kick in the gut. She felt hollowed out. Never once had she attempted to manipulate him. She handled him at times because he was stubborn and could be his own worst enemy, but never once had she thought he would viewheras the enemy.
But then she was sure Huisman had done some serious damage. He’d tried it with her team, tried to split them up, but it hadn’t worked. It looked like he’d found an easier target. But then she loved Ben and he didn’t love her.
“Stay out of it,” Ben barked.
Lucy strode away. Kenzie blinked back tears because she was certain who Lucy would go straight to, and it was everything she was trying to avoid. She reached out and put a hand on Ben’s arm. “Please, let’s go somewhere and talk about this.”
He pulled his arm back, jerking it away like she was poison. “I didn’t give you permission to touch me, sub, and I told you I’m not going to be alone with you so you can work your magic on me. I understand that it’s worked well in the past, but I see you clearly now.”
Wasn’t this her nightmare? That Ben would turn on her because Huisman told him to, and the truth was Huisman was always more important than she was. She’d always known if she went into a relationship with Ben, Huisman would be there, too. But she’d been sure her love could overcome his hate. That’s what love did. It conquered. It won.
Except he didn’t want her love. He didn’t even believe in it, and he couldn’t possibly feel the same way if he was saying the things he was saying.
She wasn’t doing this with him. It was time to retreat and build up her defenses. Hell, maybe it was time to request another assignment. If she convinced her team to pull out and allow Ben to work with another Agency team, would Huisman leave them alone? “Write up whatever story Huisman told you and present it to my team. They can decide if I’m a whore they want to throw away or not, but I’m not doing this with you.”
She tried to turn but he reached out and gripped her arm again.
She was covered in his marks, every one of them a gift she’daccepted with glee because she was proud to have the whole world know she belonged to this man, that she’d finally found her one. Not this time. He gripped her tight enough that it would bruise, and she would look at it and feel how much he hated her.
She might not be able to play that way again.
“I’m not some asshole you get to order around, princess,” he growled.
