“I need to apologize, Bella,” I said as she went to retract her hand.
“You’re fuckingrude,” Alice said, yet I noticed her hesitation.
“I have a request.”
Her eyes flashed as she stared at me in disbelief before glancing around us.
“Can I take you out to dinner to apologize?”
“You had better be joking.”
Alice laughed, her eyes traveling down my body.
I could feel the heat from her as I moved closer, hooking my arm around her waist. When I pulled her close to me, her sweet aroma invaded my nostrils, and I dipped my head to her neck.
“You smellincredible.” I groaned, my lips grazing her collarbone as she tried to move away. I was too strong, though, and I held her close to me as her eyes bore into mine.
“You’re still a prick.”
Despite her words, she seemed to breathe heavier than before.
“We can do this one of two ways, baby,” I said, my thumb brushing against her lips. “You can come to dinner with me and decide if you want to come home with me for the night—”
Alice’s eyes widened as she shook her head, moving away from me with a scowl.
“Never.”
“So it’s option two then.” I grinned, gripping her wrist tightly.
“I’m not afraid of you.” Alice glared at me.
I believed her.
“You fuckingshouldbe. I’m a nightmare. Do as I say, or I will kill your entire family without a second thought.”
I had tried to reason with her, but she couldn’t see past our minor disagreement from earlier today.
Let’s see how she handles this.
“Listen,dickhead.” The fire was back in her eyes now that I had mentioned her family. “My brother is—”
“A police officer. Caleb. Nice looking wife too. Jade. A nurse.” I finished for her, and she paled visibly. “Daddy used to be a gangster, but that was a long time ago, and he is getting old now.”
She stilled, her heart hammering against my chest.
“Come home with me.Fuckthe dinner.”
Alice’s eyes fell on my lips. She was struggling internally; I could see the battle.
I had threatened her family; where I was from, there was no worse threat.
“Ihateyou,” Alice said with a growl.
I stroked her cheek softly, her breath hitching in her throat.
“It’s just one night, baby. If you don’t like it, I will walk away from you. I swear.”
“And if I don’t, you will murder my family? Who the fuckareyou?” Alice choked out as I guided her to the exit.
