Fix It Up - Mary Calmes Page 0,93
Nick Madison standing there with his hands fisted at his sides.
“What do you want?”
He shoved me back, and I was suddenly annoyed that he had all that new defined muscle so he could move me if he wanted to. He slammed the door behind him. “What the hell is going on with––”
“Why did you tell Dez that I like to be fucked instead of doing the fucking?” I snarled at him before I turned and walked to the window, looking down at the now small crowd still milling around the tables.
“What the hell are you talking about?” he yelled, reaching me and yanking on my shoulder so I had to turn to face him.
“You were talking to him and laughing and––”
“How many beers did you have?”
“I’m not drunk, I know what the hell you were saying.”
“No, I can guarantee you don’t. I saw you. You were bored, so you were drinking, and then probably got to thinking something really stupid, like I don’t need you here, because you’re a fucking idiot.”
“I’m the idiot?”
“Yeah,” he railed, stepping in close, taking a breath. “You’re stupid if you think I would ever tell anyone what goes on in our bed. That’s between you and me alone. Just us. It has nothing to do with anyone else, and no one but me and you have a right to know.”
I searched his face for any sign of a lie, and found none.
“How dare you think something so vile about me?” he scolded, and I could hear the frustration and anger in equal parts. “You know better. You know me better.”
God. Had I misread it? Had Dez’s laughter been nervous instead of chiding? Had Nick forced a smile as he threatened him? Had that entire interaction flown right over my head?
“You were talking to Dez and looking at me, and he was laughing, and I––”
He took hold of my face with both hands and met my gaze. “I told him, ‘You see that ring on Loc’s hand—that’s my ring. He wears that because we’re together, just us, just him and me, and if you want to be here and stay part of my world, then show that bond the respect it deserves,’” he said flatly, his breath hitching as his brows furrowed. “‘Laughing, teasing, that’s great. You hit on him and you’re dead to me.’”
Desmond Landau was a big man. He wasn’t as heavily muscled as me, but it was a close thing. The fact that Nick had taken it upon himself to not only threaten him but make him laugh nervously, spoke volumes. He hadn’t been laughing at me; he’d been trying to convey to Nick that it was all just a big misunderstanding.
I lifted my face from his hands and took a step sideways to walk over and sit down on the bed. After a moment, I fell back on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling.
“Why would you ever think I would do that?”
“More importantly,” I said, realizing something about myself, “why would I care if you did?”
He moved over to stand in the V of my legs. “I don’t think you care if anyone knows that you bottom or top. It doesn’t define you, and you’re scary enough to know that.”
“I don’t feel scary at the moment.”
“Well, you are,” he assured me, moving, thinking better of whatever he was going to do and lying down beside me. “People see you, and until you smile or speak to them in that coaxing way you have, you scare the crap out of them.”
I grunted.
“Flint told me he almost pissed his pants when you glared at him.”
“I don’t remember glaring at him.”
“Well, now he’s coming home with us to get better, so yay,” he said sarcastically.
“He’s your friend.”
“Yes, I know, but I’d prefer he go to Gamblers Anonymous and not horn in on my time with you. I mean, I just got you. I had big plans for us to be all alone after this.”
“I don’t think that’s gonna work.”
“No. I don’t want to hear that from you now. Until we get back to Santa Barbara, you promised to––”
“But look what just happened. I didn’t even let you explain; I just jumped to the wrong conclusion and figured you were sharing everything about me, and that’s just––”
“Stop,” he ordered, turning on his side and bracing himself on his elbow, staring down into my face. “We don’t know each other yet, not really. I mean, I’ve been a spoiled brat for almost the entirety of our