He taps his phone on the card reader, then flashes her a tight smile. “Thanks, sweetie.”
“No problem, see you later.” The girl doesn’t look at me again, but her cheeks are bright red.
What the hell just happened?
He stalks off, Bob at his heel, and I follow close behind. “Why did she call you that?”
Fiz ignores me.
I fold my arms. “Look who doesn’t want to talk now.”
He still doesn’t speak as we get into the car park and he loads the stuff into his boot.
I haven’t known Fiz for barely a week, but I already feel uncomfortable with his silence. He always has something to say. Always has a quip or a dig.
“Get in the car,” he orders. His face is weird without the menacing smirk.
I go to get in the back but he holds his arm out, stopping me. “In the front.”
My heart starts thumping faster. With a heavy gulp, I climb into the passenger seat. Fiz gets behind the wheel and before I can even blink at him, his hand is wrapped around my throat and squeezing.
“If you ever,” he starts, his dark eyes narrowing, “belittle me like that in front of anybody again, I will make your life even more of a hell than it already is. Do you understand me?”
I gurgle around his grip, unable to form words, but my frown tells him I don’t understand.
He huffs, releasing me. I splutter, heaving in a breath.
He turns on the car, his jawline tight and sharp as he clenches his teeth. He whips his cap off, ruffles through his curls, then flips it back on, the bill facing the front and obscuring his eyes.
Once I can speak, I spit, “What the fuck are you so uptight for?”
“Uptight?” he spits right back, turning his head again to glare at me. “What gives you the right to belittle me? You don’t know any of the shit I’ve done to earn my place in this family. Just because I’m not a Blackwood by blood doesn’t mean I’m not one of them.”
I rub the tender skin of my neck. I can tell not only by his words but his bleak tone that I’ve not just pissed him off, I’ve really hurt him. Well,good.
I don’t get why he’s so upset over the truth, anyway. Why would hewantto be a Blackwood? That alone is a testament to how depraved this guy is. At least Caden and Alfie could use the excuse of being born into the family for being monsters, if they wanted. Fiz didn’t have to become a monster. Hechoseto.
“But you’re not. Don’t you guys have some law that you can’t hurt each other or some shit? I’ve seen Alfie smack you.”
Fiz grips the steering wheel hard. “Some law.” He chuckles humourlessly, shaking his head. “You don’t have a clue about anything, do you?” He presses his foot on the gas and drives toward the exit.
Be careful with this one, the darkness warns.
The warning gives me pause. Sure, I hate this guy, but being stuck in a car with him and his giant Boerboel, with nothing but woods around us, doesn’t bode well for me if I push him any further. His eyes already have the promise of death in them.
I drop my hand from my neck and wring my fingers. “I didn’t mean to offend you,” I say quietly.
Fiz huffs, but it’s more resigned this time, rather than irritated.
His hand comes over and drops on my thigh, making me stiffen. “Princess, you’re new here. There’s a lot to learn. I didn’t mean to snap. I’m sorry.”
My eyes bulge. He can apologise for snapping at me but not for biting on my fricking clit? This boy’s brain’s screwed on backwards.
Still, I can’t complain.
“I’m sorry too,” I say under my breath.
“What was that?” Fiz arcs his neck, tilting his ear closer to me.
