Page 84 of Dirty Hearts

Claudius smirked at him, which looked scarier than the look.

John practically fled. I waited until he was gone before I whirled around to face Claudius, who was already looking at me.

“What is the matter with you?” I snapped.

“What are you doing here?” he countered.

“Working. I work. I have a big day coming up, and I want it to be perfect. I can’t do that if I’m holed up in your place doing nothing.”

“Didn’t look like you were getting much work done to me,” he shot back.

I punched him in his chest and of course, it did nothing. My hand connected with hard muscle.

“Is that the type of guys you’ve been seeing?”

“Don’t you dare. Please do not act like I should have been celibate or something. You weren’t. You are no saint.” I knew that for sure. I’d known it way back when, and I knew it now.

Seeing the attention we were starting to get, I turned away and made my way to the office.

He came after me, closing the door behind him.

“Ava, I need you to come home with me. It’s safer. I don’t care about the guy.” He shook his head, then caught himself. “Lies. I care about the guy, and if I see him near you again, he’s dead.”

“You actually mean that? John is a nice person. He’s decent, and at least I know when he tells me he’s at work, it’s actual work. He’s—”

“He’s not me. Not like me,” he filled in, and guilt pulled on the strings of my heart.

“I wasn’t going to say that.” I wasn’t, but maybe I was guilty of thinking it on some level.

“You don’t have to,” he retorted. “He sounds perfect for you. But, I don’t fucking care how perfect he is. He isn’t me for damn sure. I’ll do what I have to, to keep you safe, even if I have to stay here all day.Here.” He shrugged out of his coat and tossed it to the side.

I watched him, watched him grab the chair in front of my desk and plant himself down on it.

Honestly… that declaration, as much as he probably meant for it to sound all controlling and authoritative, actually soothed me.

“What? What now?”

“You’ll stay with me? Here?” I tried to bite back a smile.

“Yes. Like it or not.”

I released a sharp breath, walked over to him, and sat in his lap. He slipped his arm around me, and I pressed my hands to his chest.

“I like it, but you shouldn’t have to. But I want you to.” I knew that made no sense, but it did to me.

He gave me a lopsided grin. “I’m staying.”

“Would it be bad if I was secretly, or possibly more than secretly, happy you’re here?”

“So, you don’t want John?”

“I want you.”

“Where?” Now, he gave me a cocky smile.

“Everywhere.”

He cupped my face. “Angel Doll, I’m sorry this is all happening. Because of me.”