She stood up, dusting the dirt off her hands and congratulating herself on escaping and not tearing her skirt, when a shadow loomed in front of her.
“Going somewhere?” Vincent asked with his arms crossed, feet spaced far apart.
She was caught. There was no point in trying to talk herself out of this. “Just let me leave, pretend you never saw me. You’ll never have to see me again.” She definitely didn’t ever want to see him again. She knew what his answer would be even before he spoke.
Vincent didn’t move a muscle. “You’re right; I won’t, because you’ll be going back to Florida where you belong.”
Fiona saw red. “I’m tired of people telling me what to do.” It was her life. She was tired of other people dictating it.
“Then stop acting like a child.”
Fiona’s eyes narrowed into slits. She was so tired of him telling her she was acting like a child. She balled up her fist and swung, hitting him right in the nose. She smiled as blood dripped down his face. She had hoped to break it, but bleeding was just as good. He deserved to feel some pain. With him busy attending his bleeding nose, she walked toward the front of the house. Escape would come soon enough. When her jail warden wasn’t expecting it.
She wasn’t surprised when he easily caught up with her. Deltas were the best of the best. Trained under harsh environments and taught to push through any pain to get the mission done. A bloody nose or smashed balls wouldn’t stop this man for long. She’d have to think of something else to subdue him longer. She quickly squashed one thought that came to mind. No way was she using sex as a distraction. She had once thought to give herself to Vincent and he stomped on her heart and left without a care. Never would she allow him near her body again. Even if no man had ever compared to him. No one had kissed her like Vincent had. Gentle yet claiming. He had made her feel special. Even if for only a moment.
“Go to hell, Vinny,”she snarled as he followed her back into the house. If she had hoped calling him a ridiculous nickname would get a reaction out of him, she was sadly mistaken. He led her back to the table as he went to the sink and washed the blood off his nose. She wouldn’t feel bad. It was his own fault. If only he’d stop treating her like a kid and more like an adult.
Even as she told herself not to care, she stomped to the counter, grabbed a dish rag, then filled it with ice. Vincent looked at her skeptically but took the bag from her. “I’m not going to thank you since you keep clubbing me. When did you turn so bloodthirsty?”
Since he crushed her heart and called her a child four years ago. “I’m only that way with you,” she said, sitting back down and reclaiming her mug like the past few minutes hadn’t happened.
“Lucky me.” Vincent took the seat across from her. “Let’s try this again. This time without the dramatics or swinging fists.” His words were muffled from the rag covering his face. “Why are you here?”
“Look, Vinny, you don’t have to pretend to give a shit about me. You’ve made yourself more than clear regarding what you think about me. So how about you just go home, ice your nose and mind your own business.”
Vincent looked at her, perplexed, blinking several times. “Vinny? That’s the second time you’ve called me that ridiculous name. You really are a child. Reduced to name-calling.”
“Is that all you heard? Typical,” she whispered loud enough for him to hear, not rising to the bait.Just to add insult to injury, she pretended to study her nails.
“What the hell does that mean?” he demanded.
He was so easily riled. He made it too easy.
“It means you only hear what you want to hear and fuck all the rest,” she said with a grin, just to further irritate him. She’d learned it from her brother as a child. He annoyed the living hell out of their eldest sister, Elena, doing that.
Vincent’s eyes widened in shock. Whether it was her outburst or swearing, she didn’t know. “When did you get such a mouth?”
“A lot has changed since the last time we saw each other.” She shrugged, leaning back in her seat. Her back was hurting after the long drive and the guest bed wasn’t the most comfortable. She didn’t dare takeJoaquín’s bed. Who knew how often those sheets got washed. She’d check Joaquín’s medicine cabinet later. He had to have some Icy Hot or something for sore muscles.
Vincent scoffed. “What, in a week?”
“It’s been longer than that. I’m not that naïve little girl you love to accuse me of being.”
Vincent’s shoulders dropped. “Look, Fiona, about that night.”
“Nope,” she practically shouted, knowing what night he was talking about. She didn’t want to talk about that night. Ever. “We are never talking about that night.”
“But, Fiona.”
“Drop it or I’ll punch you again.”
“I’ll drop it if you tell me why you’re here and not in Florida.” He got that defiant look in his eyes again. He wasn’t going to drop this until he got answers.
“I ran away.”
“And,” he prompted.
“And what?” She blinked innocently.
