Page 75 of Embrace the Darkness

“I did what I had to! I won’t apologize for that!”So much for staying calm.I didn’t just chase the rabbit, I outran the bastard straight to hell. Staring at Jamie, all I sawwas red. Hell fire red. “What did you think was going to happen when Stefan tasked me with all of this?”

“I didn’t expect you to act like a whore!”

I reeled back from him.Did he really think that?Why couldn’t he see it hadn't meant anything? Did he not trust me or was it his pride that was smarting? Maybe a woman taking charge wasn’t something he could handle. “Fuck you! If I were a man, we wouldn’t even be fighting about this! It’s because we’re fucking!”

“You’re damn right it’s because we’re fucking!”

I shook my head, disappointed. He was just like the rest of the men in this family. “So tell me, is it your jealousy or a fractured male ego that’s the issue here? Or is it both?”

Jamie went eerily still before taking a step toward me. I stood my ground. What the hell did he wish to gain from his stupid posturing? Intimidation? He knew it’d be a waste of time, just like I knew he’d never hurt me. Dean, on the other hand, didn’t seem to feel as confident. He stepped between us, forcing me to take a step back.

Jamie’s fevered rage shifted to Dean. The look in his eyes as they locked on my unneeded protector caused an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. “Move.” It was one word, but the threat behind it made my heart race.

Dean didn’t even blink. If anything, his demeanor changed slightly. He looked ready to take on whatever was to come. Even though it wasn’t necessary, his willingness to go up against Jamie again to protect me proved that I'd read him right. I'd picked a good goon.

“You need to back up,” he told Jamie as he put a hand to my stomach, gently pushing me back even further.

Jamie’s eyes dropped to Dean’s hand. It was that moment when things went from bad to worse. I knew what Jamie was reaching for when he moved his hand behind his back. It wasn’t just the movement that gave it away. It was the murderous intent that flared in his eyes. As his gun came into view, I pushed Dean’s hand out of my way and stepped between them, putting the barrel of Jamie’s gun level with my head.

I could feel the nervous shock blanket the room. Asher took a stealthy step behind Jamie. Dean, as if in tune with Asher’s thought process, grabbed the back of my shirt. The longer Jamie continued to point his gun at me, the more anxious everyone else seemed to get. As for me, my rage and hurt grew. My eyes held his while I lifted my arms straight out at my sides in a daring gesture.

“Jameson,” Louie said, cautiously stepping toward us.

It was the perfect distraction. Jamie’s eyes slid slightly left to look at Louie and I took advantage. I smacked hisinner wrist with one hand and yanked the gun out of his grasp with my other, disarming him. Before he even had a chance to stop me, I had his own gun pointed at him.

I shoved the barrel into his chest, wanting him to take a step back, but was met with a huge wall of unbudging muscle. “Don’t you ever pull a gun on one of my men again.”

A twisted smirk lifted the corner of his mouth, like he was laughing at me. “Your men, huh? I think you’re forgetting how things work—”

“I think you’re forgetting who the fuck you’re talking to.” I paused for a breath, unblinking as I held Jamie’s eyes. “I don’t give a shit where you sit at Stefan’s table. I am the Banphrionsa. No one outranks me. Not even you.”

Silence fell on the room once again despite the large audience we had drawn. Not only had Brody trickled in from the kitchen, but also Jeana and Skank Barbie. I was sure she was enjoying the show. A few goons had come from the direction of the control room. What was worse was Stefan’s presence. He was standing behind Jamie with his arms folded across his chest, frowning at the two of us.

Louie took another step closer, putting his hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “Let’s go for a walk.”

Jamie shrugged Louie’s hand off his shoulder. Closing his eyes, he took in a calming breath. When he opened them to meet mine again, some of his anger had faded. I thought I saw the tiniest hint of hurt shadowing his rage, but he turned away from me and stormed off.

Louie looked from his best friend’s retreating back to me. His shoulders sagged. “He loves you,” he said as if that statement alone was supposed to make everything that had just happened go away or make it alright.If that's true,he has a shitty way of showing it,I thought, clenching my jaw. Louie must have realized his stupid excuse wasn’t reaching me because he let out a frustrated sigh and took off after Jamie.

I glanced around at everyone remaining and grit my teeth. “Why don’t you all grab some fucking popcorn and pull up a chair if I’m that entertaining!” I bellowed, startling them, and almost everyone scurried away apart from Stefan, Dean, and Asher. I stared at Stefan as I released the magazine from Jamie’s gun and tossed both the clip and gun on the foyer table.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, eyes bouncing all over my face, reading me.

Is he expecting me to cry?I wanted to.

Looking away, I shook my head. It was taking everything I had to hold myself together.What if I screwed everythingup with Jamie?I couldn’t think about that right now. I needed to make it to the privacy of my bedroom first.

Biting the inside of my cheek to help hold my emotions at bay, I pivoted toward the stairs. With each step I took, the burning behind my eyes intensified, causing me to stumble on the last couple of steps before reaching the top. Arms steadied me, preventing me from falling. By the hands alone, I knew it was Dean. Asher’s hands were a lot bigger.

Stupid heels!Blaming my clumsiness on them was better than admitting the truth. In an uncontrolled fit, I kicked them off and tossed them as hard as I could. One hit the wall in the hall with a thud while the other bounced on a slim table standing along the wall, knocking over a vase. I watched it roll its way off the table and shatter on the floor. The shattering of the vase shattered my remaining strength. My eyes flooded and hot tears escaped, sliding down my cheeks. Not giving a damn about the mess, I continued on toward my room.

CHAPTER 33

Jamie spent the night at Louie’s. I became privy to this information via Stefan. He assumed by telling me that I’d be willing to get out of bed and join him for dinner. It didn’t work. Closing my puffy red eyes, I rolled over and tried to bribe the Sandman. I’d sent Dean and Asher home hours ago. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere and there was no need for them to hang around outside my bedroom, hopefully not listening to me cry. I wanted to be alone.

I heard Stefan sigh. “Men act stupidly when they’re jealous.”

I turned over slowly and glared at him. “Are you making excuses for him?”