don’t belong to him.” He doesn’t squeeze enough to hurt, but only to hold me in place, close.
“I don’t belong to anyone!” I smack at his wrist, and he releases his hold on my neck, his brows pinched as he stares at his hand.
I turn to the window, giving him my back while I try to sort out the emotional tornado swirling inside me. Like, why the hell when I saw him was my first instinct to cling to him as if he’d disappear if I didn’t hold on tight enough? We had sex, and the next day he treated me as if I meant nothing to him. He sent his brother to try and buy me off, to have me sign away our time together, bribe me into never speaking of it again. He thinks just because he’s rich he can purchase away people’s feelings?
My train of thought continues along this track until we pull up to his high rise, and then I’m well and truly pissed.
“Why are we here? I thought you were taking me home.”
He opens the door, and I dig my fists into the heated leather, refusing to move. He sighs, reaches inside, grips my arm, and tugs me easily to him.
I smack at his hand, but it’s useless as he pulls me out of the car. “If you don’t take me home, I’ll just get a cab,” I hiss.
“Over my dead body.”
“Keep manhandling me, and that can be arranged.” I shove at him with two hands and wince. “Ow—dammit!”
He pulls me to his chest and wraps his arms around me. “Shit. Are you okay?”
“My stupid ribs.”
“Stop fighting me, and they won’t hurt.”
“Stop dragging me around, and I’ll stop fighting you!”
He releases me and backs away. “Okay.”
The only people outside are Murphy, a valet guy, and the doorman. All of them keep their eyes averted.
Alexander’s jaw flexes, and his lips peel back from his teeth. “Come inside with me… please.” That last word sounds like it was smacked from his lips.
“Fine, but only because I really don’t want to walk in on my ex-boyfriend and my ex-friend banging in my ex-bed.”
Alexander
Jordan storms through the lobby ahead of me. She slipped her hoodie off in the car, and with her hair pulled into a ponytail, I had a full view of her slender throat. The memory of what she felt like against my lips slammed into me with a force I wasn’t expecting and only worked to make me angry. Angry that she’s exposing herself to people who don’t appreciate her or have her best interests in mind. Angry that she doesn’t have her best interests in mind.
Mostly angry that I let myself go an entire week without her.
The elevator doors close, and I put my back to the door to face her.
“What are you doing? Turn around.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Nobody rides an elevator like that. It’s uncomfortable. Stop staring at me.” She turns around to face the wall of windows that overlooks the city.
I hit the stop button.
She startles and tries to turn around, but I’m already at her back, my right hand on her hip and my left hand flat against the glass, pinning her in place. She sucks in a breath, and I dip my nose to her hair and breathe her in.
“You smell different.”
Her muscles tense. “That’s because I’m clean.”
A hum rumbles in my throat, and I dip my nose lower to the space behind her ear and inhale. “I liked you better dirty.”
“I liked you better silent.” Despite her words, she tilts her head, opening her neck to me.
I smile, grateful she can’t see how easily she brings the expression out in me. “You’re too good for that job.” I run my lips along her skin.
“On that, we agree. You have no idea how hard it is to find a job in New York.”
I press a kiss to the throbbing vein at her neck and feel her pulse flutter against my lips. “You’re too good for Lincoln.” His name is acid on my tongue.
She turns in my arms and looks up at me. Her makeup covers the freckles on her nose and makes her eyes look bigger and more defined. She’s gorgeous, but I prefer the natural dusty rose color of her lips over the artificial pink. And I miss her freckles. “The day I got lost, I saw Lincoln and Courtney making out and got upset. I ran off. He doesn’t know that I know about them. While we were at