Page 48

“I can’t stay, Duncan.”

Grasping her arms, I leaned back. “Why?”

“I have a commitment—”

“In six weeks, you said. A fling was all you could offer.”

She turned her head, hiding her eyes from me. I grabbed her chin between my fingers and pulled her back to face me.

“If you’re refusing me, have the decency to do it to my face.”

“I am not refusing you, Duncan.”

“Really?” I stepped back, dropping my hands from her body. “I don’t see your naked body in my bed, which is where I asked you to be. If that isn’t a refusal, maybe I don’t understand the meaning of the word. Maybe a stupid Mick from Boston isn’t good enough for Freyja Malpas. Is that it?”

Turning away, I yanked my tie loose, pulling it from my neck. Next came the buttons on my shirt. The tiny fucking buttons tempted me to just rip it open. Letting them fly through the room to hide in the shadows of the corners.

Fuck it.I grabbed hold of the button plackets and ripped the shirt open. The plinking sound of buttons hitting the wall only fueled my irritation.

“Duncan, please let me explain.”

“No need to explain, Freyja. You can go,” I said as I stormed toward the bedroom. The ruined shirt hit the floor in the corner, where it would stay until the cleaners came tomorrow. Toeing off my shoes, I unbuckled my belt and pulled it through the loops, tossing it on the bed. Next came my dress pants. I deftly unhooked the buttons and let them slide down my legs, stepping out in only my boxers and socks.

Freyja stood in the doorway watching me.

“Why are you still here? You made yourself clear.”

“You’re acting like a child.”

I stormed toward her, and she straightened. Holding her ground. Fuck, her courage made my dick hard. I wanted this woman more than I could explain, and it pissed me off that she was rejecting me.

“Are you going to stand there and tell me what we had wasn’t worth more?”

Where the hell did that come from?

“I don’t have the right to be angry that you’re walking away after one night? Are my feelings childish to you, Freyja?”

“Duncan.”

My hand went to her cheek. The back of my knuckles whispered against her skin. The soft sigh that slipped from her lips had me leaning in. “Stay,” I whispered, my lips caressing her cheek.

“I can’t.” She closed her eyes, blocking out the pleading I knew she saw in mine. “It wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” I growled, crowding her against the door, letting her feel how hard I was. I might have been angry, but I was still prepared to do everything I could to convince her to stay.

“There’s someone else.”

My hand dropped to her throat. Holding her neck in my grasp, I squeezed. Not enough to hurt her. I would never hurt this beautiful creature standing in front of me. But enough for her to feel the rage that was building inside me at her words.

Her eyes flared at the contact, but not in fear. No. Fire raged in her, too. She had no right to feel anger. She had made her choice. We stood toe to toe, neither of us speaking. My eyes locked with hers. My breath came in heavy pants as I tried to control my temper.

“Get. Out.”

With my hand still on her throat, I guided her out of the room and closed the door, turning the lock. Not giving her another thought, I walked to the bathroom. Slamming that door behind me, loud enough for her to hear.

Sal might not have been right. But his warning hadn’t been in vain. I should have listened. I hated this goddamn city and wouldn’t stay another night.

Turning on the water, I climbed in and let the frigid cold pour over me in hopes it would cool the burning rage that coursed through me. Once dressed, I left the bedroom expecting, almost hoping, she would still be here. That she would fight to explain herself.