“I think I have every right to know what’s going on since my life is at stake.”
And perhaps my life is. A shiver of terror crawls up my spine. It all started when a truck rammed into our car from nowhere andmen trooped out. Gunshots exploded on both sides before I was yanked out by a scary-looking man.
“After the truck rammed into ours and gunshots exploded, there was a scary-looking man.” Low and strained, I release the words, leaning my good shoulder against the threshold. “He dragged me by my hair out of the car, but someone shot him, so I ran away from the fray and took shelter in the alley…praying, hoping that you’d come.”
My voice cracks and it’s as if I’m reliving the experience all over again.
“You won’t have to go through that anymore,” he grits out, hands pausing his endeavor.
“I know,” a slow exhale pulls from my lips, “and that’s why I’m asking who they were.”
“My men are working on it,” he deadpans, then resumes his search.
I scoff, “That’s not what I asked.”
“I don’t care what you asked.”
“No.” A frown mars my expression. “You don’t care about anything at all.”Even me.
There’s a pause before he turns and cocks a brow at me as if wondering where the statement came from. Hell, I wonder, too.It’s not like I expect him to be all roses and sunshine with me after getting shot.
“You’re my responsibility by reason of alliance. Your safety is my priority.”
Something about his words sends a shiver down my spine and sparks a wave of anger through me. I hate that he’s right. Of course, I’m a liability—just an obligation he has to take care of because of the stupid alliance.
“Noted.” Pain shoots through my arm as I straighten my spine abruptly. “I’ll be in my room when the doctor arrives.”
Before I move another inch, his voice stops me. “You’ll stay here from now on.”
“What?”
“The maid will move your things in today.”
Oh, fuck no.
I half expect him to laugh and say he’s joking, but the way his jaw tenses as he watches me shows he’s serious. There’s no way I’m staying in the same room with this asshole.
“No.” My voice comes out hard. He says nothing but stalks toward me with a dangerous poise. I hold my breath as he infiltrates my space, the air between us now electric.
“No,” I say again, watching how something flashes in his eyes.
“Your desires are invalid,” he says, like he’s restraining something. “You’ll stay until I say otherwise.”
An involuntary snort leaves my lips. “Why? Because I’m inconvenient? A liability? Is that why you can’t explain what’s going on wi—”
Before I finish, he slams his hand roughly into the wall beside me, then shoves his other hand into his hair. That’s when I see it. The confusion, fear…the anger in his eyes.
“Because you’re a fucking target. Because you were almost fucking dead a few hours ago and I don’t trust a damn soul to keep you breathing but me!”
His eyes are blazing, and his jaw is working like there’s a fight behind them. Oddly, something flips in my stomach. Something…comforting?
Still, I don’t lower my chin. “I’m not some damsel in distress. I can take care of myself.”
“You will do as I say,” he grits out, inching so impossibly close to my face that I can taste the heat of his words.
“What do y-you care anyway?” I stumble on my words, almost out of breath.
“Because you’re mine.” His eyes dart to my injured shoulder, a deep frown breaking across his face. “And if someone breaks what’s mine…I’ll break them harder.”
