Page 105 of Carnal Games

“He would’ve killed the pup if we hadn’t intervened, Nova,” Iris argues with her arms crossed, coming to her friend’s defense. “We had it under control. Ro was grabbing the puppy while I distracted and held him back.”

Held him back? Has she seen her size? She couldn’t hurt a damn fly if her life depended on it.

I swear the more she talks, the more my temper rises. The girls aren’t doing themselves any favors by relaying what occurred.

“How were you accomplishing that?” I snap, drawing the trio’s attention to me.

A panicky glance passes between Iris and Rosalie as Iris chews on the inside of her cheek and doesn’t answer.

“Look,” says Rosalie, trying to distract us. “The point is, we were fine…”

“I bailed you out a minute ago, little hellion,” reminds Nova, clearly exasperated.

“Only because someone started recording us and called the damn cops!”

“There’s a video?” roars Nova, and he raises a hand when both women try to answer. “Get in the car. We’ll continue this discussion at home.”

Realizing she’s lost the argument, Rosalie slides back into the car. Rolling down her window, she gazes at Iris. “Sorry about this disaster of a morning, babe.”

“It’s okay, Ro.”

The couple drives away, leaving the two of us alone. Thinking I’ve let her off the hook, she goes to sit in the back of the SUV but pauses with her hand at the door. “Where’s Ganesh?”

“I drove here,” I answer, unsurprised she’s on a first-name basis with my driver only after meeting him once. I unlock the car. “Sit in the front.”

Rounding the hood, she slides inside while I do the same. As I reverse the vehicle out of the parking spot, I comment, “You never answered me.”

“About?” She acts as if she is clueless.

It amuses me. “How were you holding him back?”

“Does it matter? Everything’s resolved.”

“Color me intrigued.” Her ass begins to fidget in the leather seat while she wrings her hands in her lap. “I can be as relentless as you when I want something, Miss Mannan. You’re locked inside this car with me for another hour, which I’ll turn into two or three by driving around aimlessly. So, spill.”

“That’s kidnapping.”

“Kidnapping would be throwing you in the trunk of my car while you scream for help.” With a gasp, her flushed face swings toward my profile. “I’m waiting.”

Showing her displeasure by huffing, she says, “I threw my heel at him and threatened to stick the other in his eye if he came at either me, Ro, or the puppy.”

“Unbelievable.” I’m highly motivated to find the public video of them to watch her do just that. “Would you have gone through with it?”

“You think I can’t hurt someone?”

“Not intentionally.”

“Even if it means protecting myself?”

I arch a sardonic brow at her. “You screamed bloody murder because of a lizard. You’re too damn sweet to ever raise a hand—the fuck!” A pinprick of pain shoots up my leg, and I give her a stupefied look. “Did you justpinchme, Miss Mannan?”

Smug ocean blue eyes stare at me. “Still think I can’t hurt someone intentionally?”

“Oh, that was for my benefit?”

“Oh yes, Mr. Singhania.”

I’m beginning to hate my own name because she reserves it for when she’s pissed at me.