“That’s not it.” I have to convince her of this. It might be the most important conversation we have. “Please, listen. I don’t want to manipulate...fuck. I can see why it looks that way. Hell, maybe I am manipulating our relationship, subconsciously. I really want you to like me. Because I like you.”
She laughs softly. “I thought we hated each other.”
Taking a risk, I reach for her hand. When she doesn’t pull away, I grin. “We can hate each other too, if you want.”
“If you hate me like you did at the engagement party, I could probably get on board with that.”
My cock hardens at the reminder. She tasted so sweet, and she’d been absolutely stunning as she came on my mouth and fingers. “I’ll hate you like that anytime.”
She nods. I don’t know if she believes what I said about liking her, but I feel like we’ve made more of a start with this than any of the arguments I’ve been pushing. Maybe we could make this work. And maybe I can get over my hang-ups about loyalty, and let it work with Troy.
14
Troy
“Hey, I’m home.” I step into the apartment and immediately search for Dani. She was asleep when I left this morning. Tired out from yesterday, probably. She slept all the way home from Mirarosa, and I carried her to her bed.
Edmund is still down in the lobby. He wanted to go over plans with the building manager to gut the first floor conference rooms and replace them with a high-end restaurant. Knowing I was eager to get home to Dani, he sent me upstairs ahead of him.
He seems to have relaxed his jealous hold on Dani. At least a little bit. Something changed yesterday in Mirarosa. I’m not sure what—other than he seemed troubled by Amber reaching out.
Join the club, asshole.
Dani isn’t in the living room, so I head down the hall to her open bedroom door. “Hey, you in here?”
She stands at the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out over the city. Her laptop is open on the bed. Cackle twines around my legs, insistent for attention as I make my way toward Dani.
Something feels off—Dani’s posture is too rigid.
I clear my throat in case she hasn’t heard my approach. “Hey, are you okay?”
“Get out, please.” Her voice is thick, emotional.
“What?” I reach for her. “Is something wrong?”
“Fuck you, get the fuck out.” She spins around. Her face is blotchy with tears and twisted in anger as she points to the door.
I can’t move—I can only stare at her, dumbfounded. “What are you talking about?”
“Out!” Her voice rises. “Get out, get out, get out!”
Cackle retreats beneath the bed.
Putting up my hands in defense, I listen to her. “Okay, I’m going. But Dani, please talk to me?—”
“Out.” It’s a whisper, not a scream.
I leave.
She slams the door behind me.
Only when I’m on the other side of the door do I hear her crying.
Fuck. Fuck. What’s wrong? And when the fuck is Edmund getting home? Maybe she’ll talk to him.
I pace the hallway for an eternity. Then I knock. “Dani?”
“Do not talk to me.”
