Page 151 of Twisted Knight

“Sometimes it’s good to remember where you came from.”

He lifts his brows and purses his lips as he nods, clearly surprised by the comment. “Or to punish yourself for making it.”

“That too.”

But I’m grateful that he accepts my response and serves me up another cheap scotch that tastes like shit but whets the palate nonetheless.

I wanted to go to her house tonight. To sit on her porch and wait for her. To explain who Mallory was and the why behind me bringing her to the barbecue.

But isn’t that the whole reason Audrey invited her to be my date? Because I do want to explain? Because it’s obvious to the person who knows me best that Rowan is getting closer than I’ve let someone get before?

It was Audrey’s shot over the bow. A shot I understood, that I needed to see, but I’m not liking the taste it left in my mouth.

My cell rings.

I look at it.

I debate answering.

“Knight here.”

I’m met with Rowan’s silence. Silence that oozes emotion—if that’s even possible.

“The ‘no touching what’s mine’ thing? That goes both ways,” she says resolutely. “I don’t know what stunt you tried to pull today, but if you plan to keep doing whatever it is the two of us are doing, it won’t be happening again.”

“Is that so?” My grin widens. Christ, she’s sexy when she’s assertive.

“That’s so,” she says. “I can’t have a conversation with Chad without you going all caveman on me, but you can bring a fucking date to my family barbecue? Not cool, Knight. Not fucking cool.”

“What are you saying, Sunshine?”

“You’re a smart man.”

“Yes but you’re making me fucking hard talking to me like this with all that authority.”

“Let’s get something straight. I’m not a doormat.”

“No one would ever claim that about you.”

“I’m not sleeping with you because I can’t get someone else. I’m with you because I want to be. Because it’s great fucking sex. So don’t let whatever it was today fucking happen again. Understood?”

I chuckle. I can’t fucking help it.

“I’m waiting for an answer.”

“Understood.”

“Good,” she says and hangs up the phone.

Fucking hell. This woman is something else in the best kind of ways.

Most women would have called me up and whined. Asked a million questions. Thrown a fit and demanded answers.

Not Rowan.

No.

She stood her ground. She put us back where we are supposed to be—just sex. And left me without having to answer a damn thing.