walk out my door.
Her eyes glittered as she angled her chin at me. “Sue me.”
Flattening my hand against the door behind her, I leaned down to her neck, my nose sliding up her throat. She smelled like that fucking scent I’d been dying for. Sugar. I wanted to lick her from head to foot. Instead I sucked in a shuddering breath, steeling myself against her.
“You don’t intimidate me,” she whispered.
“Oh yeah? You’re shaking, Remi,” I breathed into her ear. “Are you thinking about us in that hotel room? Are you thinking about how much better I am than Hartford?”
She pressed herself even further against the door, her chest rising rapidly. “What . . .”
“I am, aren’t I?”
She gnawed on her lip.
I wanted to kiss it.
She covered her face. “Stop—”
“You know how I know I’m better? Because any guy who’d leave you at the altar—any guy who’d let you live with me—isn’t a fucking man. He’s a goddamn pussy.”
Her throat worked as she swallowed. “Please . . .”
My mouth kicked up in a wicked grin. “Better yet, let’s have a repeat of the hotel room. Why don’t you get down on your knees right now and wrap those tight, wet lips around my—”
She slapped me, and I stumbled backward, my arse landing square on the toilet. God, I deserved it, but I couldn’t stop.
I smirked. “Damn. If you wanted me to sit down, all you had to do was ask, angel.”
“Don’t call me that,” she snapped. “You call everyone that and I hate it.”
Shaking it off, I shrugged and stood back up and faced the mirror, checking my appearance as her eyes spit fire at me. I pretended to be bored as my fingers fixed my hair. My hand trembled and I dropped it to my side.
My reflection looked like shit.
I had bags and shadows under my eyes.
My head hurt.
I needed a fucking lobotomy.
My gut was all twisted.
Confused.
Angry.
“I don’t even know you anymore,” she mumbled, shaking her head.
Welcome to my world. I didn’t know who I was since London either.
She made to open the door, and the voice of sanity permeated my thick skull. “Remi . . .” I grabbed her arm, but immediately dropped it at the scathing look she sent me.
“What?” She crossed her arms.
I rubbed my forehead. Exhaled. “Stay—please. I know you need a place for you and Malcolm. I promise, I’ll barely be here. I’ll spend a few nights at the Tau house and maybe Declan’s. Classes start Monday, and I want this settled. I know you do too. If—if it doesn’t work out, I’ll refund your rent and you can find somewhere else.”
“Don’t you have someone else coming to look at it tomorrow?”
I closed my eyes. “I lied.”
“Why?”
“You know why,” I said.
A knock came at the door, Hartford’s voice behind it. “Remington? Everything okay?”
DAX WALKED OUT ahead of me, his voice blasé. “Had to put some things on the high shelf in the closet for Remington.”
He paused and glanced from me to Hartford. “I’m headed downstairs for a drink. Either of you want anything?”
Hartford sent me a questioning look, and I shook my head.
“No, I’m going to finish up my bedroom now,” I said. It was decided. I was staying.
“Whatever.” Dax sent us a backwards wave and bounded down the stairs two at a time. Axel had already gone downstairs since we’d been in the bathroom, and over the railing, I watched them fist-bump as two giggling girls came down the hall from the kitchen. I recognized them as Tau little sisters although I didn’t know their names. Dax threw an arm around each of their shoulders.
And so it begins . . . Dax and other girls.
God.
How on earth would I be able to handle seeing him with someone?
You have to. You’ve done it before.
But, but . . . it was different this time. We were different.
No. You still have Hartford, my head reminded me.
“Is there tension between you and Dax?” He’d followed my eyes.
“No, just school starting. You know how anxious I get.” I smiled. “I haven’t even gotten my planner filled out yet.”
He nodded, looking uncertain. “Okay, but let me know if anything changes . . .”
“He said he wouldn’t be here much. I’m fine.” My voice sharpened at the end, and I immediately felt guilty.
Pivoting around so I didn’t have to watch Dax, I went into my bedroom. Hartford followed. Declan and Axel had finished getting the slats and the mattress on the bed, my dresser was against the window, and someone had