Embrace the Darkness (The Maura Quinn Series Book 1) - Ashley N. Rostek Page 0,109
us.
It was the perfect distraction. Jamie’s eyes slid slightly left to look at Louie and I took advantage. I smacked his inner wrist with one hand and yanked the gun out of his grasp with my other, disarming him. Before he even had a chance to stop me, I had his own gun pointed at him.
I shoved the barrel into his chest, wanting him to take a step back, but was met with a huge wall of unbudging muscle. “Don’t you ever pull a gun on one of my men again.”
A twisted smirk lifted the corner of his mouth, like he was laughing at me. “Your men, huh? I think you’re forgetting how things work—”
“I think you’re forgetting who the fuck you’re talking to.” I paused for a breath, unblinking as I held Jamie’s eyes. “I don’t give a shit where you sit at Stefan’s table. I am the Banphrionsa. No one outranks me. Not even you.”
Silence fell on the room once again despite the large audience we had drawn. Not only had Brody trickled in from the kitchen, but also Jeana and Skank Barbie. I was sure she was enjoying the show. A few goons had come from the direction of the control room. What was worse was Stefan’s presence. He was standing behind Jamie with his arms folded across his chest, frowning at the two of us.
Louie took another step closer, putting his hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “Let’s go for a walk.”
Jamie shrugged Louie’s hand off his shoulder. Closing his eyes, he took in a calming breath. When he opened them to meet mine again, some of his anger had faded. I thought I saw the tiniest hint of hurt shadowing his rage, but he turned away from me and stormed off.
Louie looked from his best friend’s retreating back to me. His shoulders sagged. “He loves you,” he said as if that statement alone was supposed to make everything that had just happened go away or make it alright. If that's true, he has a shitty way of showing it, I thought, clenching my jaw. Louie must have realized his stupid excuse wasn’t reaching me because he let out a frustrated sigh and took off after Jamie.
I glanced around at everyone remaining and grit my teeth. “Why don’t you all grab some fucking popcorn and pull up a chair if I’m that entertaining!” I bellowed, startling them, and almost everyone scurried away apart from Stefan, Dean, and Asher. I stared at Stefan as I released the magazine from Jamie’s gun and tossed both the clip and gun on the foyer table.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, eyes bouncing all over my face, reading me.
Is he expecting me to cry? I wanted to.
Looking away, I shook my head. It was taking everything I had to hold myself together. What if I screwed everything up with Jamie? I couldn’t think about that right now. I needed to make it to the privacy of my bedroom first.
Biting the inside of my cheek to help hold my emotions at bay, I pivoted toward the stairs. With each step I took, the burning behind my eyes intensified, causing me to stumble on the last couple of steps before reaching the top. Arms steadied me, preventing me from falling. By the hands alone, I knew it was Dean. Asher’s hands were a lot bigger.
Stupid heels! Blaming my clumsiness on them was better than admitting the truth. In an uncontrolled fit, I kicked them off and tossed them as hard as I could. One hit the wall in the hall with a thud while the other bounced on a slim table standing along the wall, knocking over a vase. I watched it roll its way off the table and shatter on the floor. The shattering of the vase shattered my remaining strength. My eyes flooded and hot tears escaped, sliding down my cheeks. Not giving a damn about the mess, I continued on toward my room.
CHAPTER 33
Jamie spent the night at Louie’s. I became privy to this information via Stefan. He assumed by telling me that I’d be willing to get out of bed and join him for dinner. It didn’t work. Closing my puffy red eyes, I rolled over and tried to bribe the Sandman. I’d sent Dean and Asher home hours ago. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere and there was no need for them to hang around outside my bedroom, hopefully not listening to me cry. I wanted to