Keeping Her - Jordan Marie Page 0,28

burning from the impact.

“Don’t pull that shit on me! You’re married.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. I’m not married,” he growls.

“You have a woman you fuck regularly then,” I mutter. “Whatever—”

“Yeah I do have a woman I fuck regularly,” he admits, and my body goes solid. There’s a pain that bubbles up inside of me that fills my entire body with a sick feeling. It spreads over me like a virus, threatening to drag me under. My stomach churns.

“I knew it,” I groan, my voice little more than a hoarse whisper, because I’m pretty sure I’m going to be sick.

“There’s this crazy-ass redhead who blew into my life and I can’t seem to get enough of her. I fuck her every chance I get and when I’m not fucking her, I think about fucking her. She’s like a fire in my blood and she’s burning me from the inside out. I’m obsessed with her,” he growls as I go still, listening to him.

“That doesn’t sound like you like it…or me…I mean, if I’m the redhead you’re talking about and I assume I am, although you know what they say—”

“It’s you and right now, I honestly don’t know if I like it or not, Jasmine. You’re driving me crazy. I’m trying to make shit better for you and you go off like a crazy woman.”

“Luke—”

“You’re making me crazy.”

“You make me crazy, too,” I mumble.

“At least there’s that, I guess,” he grouses.

“So, you’re saying you don’t have someone important in your life?”

“Jasmine—”

“I mean, besides whatever you and I have going on,” I add, blushing and not really knowing why.

Luke lets out a grunt under his breath, his hand going to the back of his neck and he rubs it, his face appearing frustrated. This tingle of fear begins at the base of my spine.

“Luke? Are you in another relationship?” I ask.

His hold loosens on me, his eyes downcast as he wrestles with whatever demon he has nipping at his heels. I immediately leave him, standing up, needing the space between us. I rub my suddenly sweaty palms on my pants and wait for him to answer. I feel as if my entire future hinges on his answer.

“Shit,” I hiss, when he looks up at me.

I may not know a lot, but I know when a man is wearing guilt like a badge on his face.

Shit, shit, shit!

“It’s not what you think, Jasmine.”

“It never is,” I whisper, feeling like the world is falling down around me.

How could I allow this? How could I allow Luke to become so important to me, and know so little about him? What in the world was I thinking? Didn’t my time with Dewayne teach me anything? That sick feeling in the pit of my stomach explodes.

I turn away from Luke, unable to look at him.

“Damn it, Jasmine stop!” he growls, and until just this moment, I didn’t realize I had started running. He grabs my hand pulling me back around. I ignore the pain I feel, I let my anger feed me.

“Will you talk to me?” Luke growls, but I shake my head no.

“I’ve heard enough,” I yell.

“Bull—,” I take off running again. I’ve had enough. I just can’t handle anymore. Luke’s arms come around me from behind in a giant bear hug.

“You have to listen to me, Red,” Luke mutters, his breath hot against the back of my neck as he tries to lift me and pull me back.

I don’t let him finish. I don’t have to listen to a damn thing he has to say.

Luke is a big man, but I grew up among some of the biggest, meanest men God ever made. They also take women being able to protect themselves seriously—after what happened with their wives, they had to. So, I call upon all those long lessons that Dad and my uncles gave me. Skills that my brother helped me hone constantly.

I bend low, pushing my weight and forcing him to let me plant my legs on the ground. I let out a wounded-sounding breath to throw him off. I turn into him, bringing my elbow up as I go. My elbow connects with the upper part of Luke’s throat, making him stumble and loosen his hold.

I pivot quickly, straightening out my left hand, and holding it stiff. Uncle Dragon always told me that being left-handed was an advantage because most men looked for their attacker to be dominant with their right hand.

I’m praying he’s right now.

I strike out, catching Luke’s nose. Bullseye. I wince