Kneeling in front of her, I wrap my arms around her and press my face to her stomach, inhaling her clean scent.
“Baby, I’m sorry. So fucking sorry.”
Her hand is fast, and I don’t see it coming until it lands across my face.
“I don’t forgive you and I never will. How could you do that to me? To your brothers?”
After I open my mouth to try to explain, she holds her hand up, indicating for me to stop.
“Forget I asked, Killian. It doesn’t matter how or why. It wouldn’t change anything.”
“Killer?”
She glances at me, her expression filled with hatred, but still she stands and waits for me to speak.
“What if it did? Do you really not want to know why I made that call?”
Shaking her head, she refuses to hear me out. I wonder if it’s because she’s afraid she might change her mind about me when she’s quite content hating me.
“Maybe one day, but right now, no. I can’t stand being in the same room with you. It hurts too much.”
A tear rolls down her cheek, and I have no choice but to fight the urge to take her into my arms and kiss it away.
“It felt like things were changing between us. That’s the worst part. I felt something, and I thought you did too—I guess you did.”
Her voice comes out pained, her tone harsh, then she laughs, but it’s not genuine laughter instead it’s laced with bitterness.
“Hatred. At least now we are on the same page and our feelings finally match.”
I want to tell her how wrong she is, that I felt it too and it wasn’t hate. But what’s the point? She wouldn’t believe me anyway—not now. I have one trick up my sleeve, and I don’t know if it’ll work, but it’s all I’ve got.
She turns to walk away, and I stop her as I rise to my feet.
“Killer, do you remember when I beat you in our game of pool?”
She turns to me with a subtle nod.
“What did we say the winner would get?”
She flashes me an incredulous look before rolling her eyes at me.
“If I won, you had to be nice to me for an entire day.”
I step closer to her and place my hand on her chin, tilting her head back, forcing her gaze to mine.
“And did you win?”
Her breathing gets heavier from my proximity to her, and she whispers softly.
“No.”
“What did I win and never get?”
She doesn’t respond. The air around us is thick with tension. There’s still something potent between us. It’s visceral, and I know she feels it too, even if she wants to deny it.
“You. I was to get you. However, I wanted you. So I guess there are some questions for you to answer. Will you honor your unpaid bet? I told you, you don’t owe me anything—anything but this.”
I place my hand on her throat and enjoy her racing pulse on my palm while she continues to glare at me.
