When he doesn’t do either, I’m even more flustered.
“Where is your car?” His voice is tight as he looks around the lot.
“It’s…still downtown,” I whisper. “I was in the middle of dinner when you called and I thought it was an emergency, so I didn’t want to waste time by rushing back to my car a few blocks away.”
“You took a cab at night by yourself?”
“You didn’t give me much choice, Roman.” I roll my eyes. “Like I said, I thought it was an emergency. Not a silly basketball mishap.”
Roman clenches his jaw, sighing heavily. “Wait for me in my truck. I need five minutes inside and I’ll drive you home.”
He stalks back inside, leaving no room for argument. For a minute, I’m frozen, the authority in his voice turning my insides into putty. I shouldn’t let him get to me the way he does, especially tonight. The slam of the door makes me jump and kicks me back into gear. Roman’s truck is parked right in front of the warehouse and I climb into the passenger side. It’s so quiet out here I can hear my panicked heartbeat ringing in my ears as I wait.
Chapter Thirteen
MaybecallingMaddietothe warehouse in the middle of her date wasn’t my best idea. In fact, as we drive home and the two whiskeys I had start to wear off, I realize it might have been my worst.
It was dumb and immature, and Maddie’s more than pissed. She’s livid, actually. The look on her face is so harrowing it could spook the most hardened of criminals. And the worst part is, she looks so goddamn beautiful. Whoever she was out with was important enough for her to impress, and even though my raging jealousy started this, it bites at me again.
Fuck, this girl has my number. The way she can so effortlessly get under my skin is downright impressive, and she’s a hell of a lot ballsier than I gave her credit for. I almost lost my shit when I saw her rubbing on Sammy that way. It took an exorbitant amount of strength not to tear her off of him and rip Sammy to shreds right then. But as usual, I’m the one to blame, and for a split second, I kick myself for not faking the injury myself.
Maddie hasn’t said a single word since I got in the truck, and neither have I, mostly because I’ve been trying to find the words to tell her that I’m sorry. Apologizing isn’t something I do often—a trait I got from my father. He used to say that a man’s got to stand behind his actions, even when he’s wrong. Even with four divorces under his belt, he still maintains that. I’m not nearly as stuck in my ways, but it’s still hard for me to admit when I’m wrong and I just can’t seem to stop fucking up with Madison Taylor. Kind of like a car crash. I can see it happening, but I can’t do a damn thing to stop it. Maybe I’m trying to push her away subconsciously because I know how this ends.
Maybe I want her to hate me.
If tonight’s any indication, I’m doing a damn good job of it. I pull into the garage, and we’re about to walk inside when she finally speaks.
“You were right earlier.” She doesn’t even face me, and she’s so quiet I barely even hear her.
“Huh?” Maddie’s words completely catch me off guard.
“You said that you were paying me to be available for all medical emergencies that come up with your men, and you’re right. But we both know that wasn’t what tonight was about.”
“What do you think it was about, then?” I clench my jaw.
“You’re jealous.” Her painted red lips press into a firm, defiant line as she crosses her arms over her chest. “You called me to the warehouse for a bogus injury to assert your dominance because you thought I was on a date.”
Well, she hit the nail on the fucking head there. I grip the doorknob so hard that it almost pulls off as I let us inside.
“Maybe Sammy’s injury could have waited until tomorrow,” I concede, tossing my keys onto the counter.
“Maybe?” Maddie hisses, whipping her head around to face me.
“I’m sorry, okay?” My words lack any level of sincerity, because I’m really not. The thought of Maddie out with another guy looking as insatiable as she does enrages me, and truth be told, I’m glad I did it. That’s not what she wants to hear, though, and I was married long enough to know that a man can end most fights by just telling the woman what she wants to hear.
It’s shitty relationship advice, but right now, all I want to do is get away from her before she sees how hard my dick is. Angry Maddie is hot and there is no way around that. Add the low cut dress and high heels she’s wearing and I’m basically a lost cause.
“I shouldn’t have interfered.”
“Yeah, you’re damn right you shouldn’t have. You don’t own me. You don’t get to say who I spend my time with, or what I do.” She’s got her hands perched on her hips, and she stares me down.
I shake my head, eyes trained on the floor. She’s right, and there isn’t even anything I can say to defend myself.
“I know that you’re used to people bending over backwards to do whatever you ask, but if there’s any chance of us working together cohesively these next few months, you need to understand that that’s not how it’s going to be with me.”
I snort.God, that smart little mouth.There’s something so sexy about the cheekiness in her voice. That sass and attitude only turn me on, but the sharp scowl on her face makes it clear that’s not her intention. Maddie is nearly the first woman I’ve met who doesn’t throw herself at me, or as she said,bends over backwards to do what I ask. I’m drawn to a challenge, but deep down, there’s nothing more attractive than a woman who can hold her own and call me on my shit.
“No?” I arch my eyebrow, closing the distance between us with two strides as she backs her way against the kitchen counter. We’re so close now that I can almost taste the tequila on her breath. “It won’t be like that with you?”
