Page 88 of Shallow

I’m bouncing on my toes like a prize fighter by the time Taryn opens the door. I almost put my foot up her ass at the smirk she wears as if she’s been expectingme.

Stretching her arm up the doorframe, she plants her palm against it and taps her nails. “Good morning, Cary. How did your inspectiongo?”

I see red. Or maybe it’s black. I’m not sure, but the part of my brain that makes rational decisions shuts down, replaced by only noise and complete darkness. Holding her stare, I knock my arm into a crystal lamp that’s sitting on the table next to me. Although her eyes never break from mine as it crashes to the floor and shatters, uncertainty flickers inthem.

That flicker is all I need to know she’sguilty.

I don’t wait for an invitation. Grabbing her, I push her against the wall. “You think that was fuckingfunny?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She’s breathing heavily, but she makes no move to try to fight me off. In fact, the bitch is still smiling. It’s almost like she’s daring me. As if she doesn’t think I have theballs.

“I know you’re vindictive, but are you that heartless?” I growl, our noses an inch apart. “Do you know what she went through? Do you evencare?”

“Not in the least. And in your own words, Cary, if you’re gonna swing, swing hard. Because once I get up, I’ll swing back.” Same smirk. Same stare. Samechallenge.

“Then prove it,hot shot. You’ve wanted to get back at me for years now. Take your bestswing.”

“I don’t hit women,Shiloh.”

“Fuck!”With the exchange with Shiloh echoing in my head, I let her go and pace the foyer like a caged animal. I can’t hit a woman. As much as I want to right now, and as much as she deserves it, I’m not that guy. It’s not what I teach the boys, and it’s not what I toldShiloh.

“I think you need to leave,” Taryn says, smoothing out her dress as if destruction of property and assault is an everyday occurrence forher.

Still wired, I run my fingers through my hair and tug at the strands. “She was trapped in a burning car, Taryn. It’s taken nine months for her to crawl out of that hell, and in a few seconds, you dragged her right backin.”

Cocking her head to the side, she stares at me with renewed interest. “You fuckedher.”

“What I do is none of your damn businessanymore.”

Taryn just clucks her tongue. “Not true. I warned you not to fuck with me,Cary.”

Her words unlock a part of me I refused to believe still existed. A part that knows the pain of losing someone. Sweat beads on my forehead as I grind my teeth. “You have no hold over me anymore. Leave us both alone and go tohell.”

She doesn’t answer me. The smile she wore when she opened the door returns, but this time there’s something behind it that turns my stomach. Walking over to the mess of shattered crystal, she bends down and picks up one of the larger pieces. For a moment, I wonder if she’s going to try to cut one or both of us, but she doesn’t. Instead, she stands and holds it up to the window, turning it so the sunlight reflects through it, casting a ray of colors around the entireroom.

“You know what a prism is,Cary?”

My phone is buzzing like crazy, but I ignore it. I can’t take my eyes off the sadistic way she keeps twisting that jagged piece ofcrystal.

“It’s an optical illusion. Something that deceives the eye by appearing to be something other than what it actuallyis.”

“What the hell is that supposed tomean?”

Finally taking her eyes off the damn piece of glass, she glances over her shoulder at me and smiles, the corners of her mouth perfectly still. “It means it’sshowtime.”

* * *

I’ve drivenaround for an hour, breaking every speed limit on every side street and highway in this town, and I still can’t calm the rage inside me. I’m restless, on edge, and pissed off. I need to hit something.Hard.

My fingers tighten around the steering wheel, itching to feel tape around them. Needing to punch. The obvious solution would be to go back to the center and climb into the ring with Frankie, but I can’t. If I stand in the ring with him, it won’t be to spar. My anger will come through my fists and one of us will get carriedout.

It won’t beme.

Besides, I can’t let Shiloh see that side of me. It was bad enough when I popped Romeo, but that’d be a friendly shove compared to what she’d see right now. She knows I’ve changed, but whatever this thing is between us, I can’t risk screwing it up by showing her the extent of just howmuch.

Thou shalt notsteal.

Thou was a dick and did itanyway.