Is that all she was? A juicy lure to pull out more and more bad guys? No wonder Ryan didn’t want to switch hotels. He was accomplishing his mission there.
Ryan opened the door to their suite. He went in first. She lingered in the hallway and perhaps she shot a sullen glare Jamar’s way. The term bait had truly rubbed her the wrong way.
Ryan closed a hand around her wrist and tugged her inside. When the door shut, the sound seemed incredibly final.
“Oh, look,” she murmured, aware that she was dripping water onto the floor. “We’re back where we started.” Her shoulders hunched in his coat. “I’ll go change, get into something dry, and when I come back, I’ll get you bandaged up.” She tried to walk away from him.
Only Ryan did not let go of her wrist.
He stood before her, all big and strong and dripping, too. His shirt clung to him like a second skin, and the man appeared way too sexy and dangerous.
“You were leaving me,” he accused.
“I’m attempting to leave you now,” she clarified, tugging on her wrist.
But he just tightened his grip. Not hurting her. Physically, he’d never hurt her. But his hold seemed unbreakable.
“I’m talking about at the Arch, Simone. You were going to run away from me. You knew I had to stay with the perp. You were trying to take that opportunity and run. If Harry hadn’t been there, would you have vanished into the night?”
That had been her plan, yes. Now you see me, now you don’t.
“What. The. Hell?” Each word from Ryan was bitten off. “You were leaving me? Is that your MO? You have sex then vanish?”
Her stomach twisted. “Release my wrist. Now.”
He did. “Look, dammit, I’m sorry, I?—”
“I’m not your bad luck.”
His dark brows shot up. “What?”
“Frankly, I’m the best thing that ever could have happened to you.” She squared her shoulders. “But you are too much of a jackass to realize that fact. All too focused on being a super spy and not seeing what is right in front of you.” Anger vibrated in her voice. Anger shook her body. But so did pain. “And I don’t fuck randomly. I am very, very particular when it comes to my lovers. I thought you were someone special.” He’d saved her life. He’d fought for her. He’d…
Dammit, he’d made her care.
“I am no one’s bad luck,” she said once more.
His eyes had widened. “Baby…”
“Don’t you dare ‘baby’ me right now.” She put some needed space between them and hurried for the hallway that led to her room. “You should have let me go.”
“I don’t want you to go.”
There was a ragged edge in his voice that had her pausing. Glancing back.
“I didn’t mean it,” he told her.
Her heart hurt.
“I don’t even remember saying that bit about bad luck. Hell, I was fucking terrified and furious, and I just wanted to destroy the bastard who’d come to kill you.”
“You were terrified?” Mocking laughter as she glanced back at him. “I don’t think so.”
“I do.” And he stalked toward her.
Chapter Nineteen
Simone whirled to fully face Ryan.
