Page 81 of Forbidden Love Still Blooms

I yank at my hand—Jake grips firmer. “Stay,” he says harshly.

“You tricked me,” I hiss. He doesn't even look ashamed, he simply crushes my wrist, dragging me around the counter.

Chico blocks the door. That's what he was doing all along while waiting for Dezmond to arrive. I'm not escaping, it's obvious. Dezmond stretches his arms, folding them behind his head as he walks over to me and Jake. He yawns, then says, “You're dumb as shit. You really thought they'd betray me? You must not have any friends, Lori, or you'd know better.”

“That's not real, is it?” I look at the envelope.

“This?” Dez plucks it between his fingers, flapping it. “Nah. I wasn't going to go this far, but Jake thought it'd be fun to fuck around with your head.”

Chico sneers openly. “It was hilarious. She looked so excited, acting like we were in some action movie exchanging hostages or something.”

“Fuck you,” I spit.

“I was gonna,” Chico says slyly, “if you came inside my house. Too bad.”

“Hey, that's my future wife,” Dez scowls. But his anger is false, he's back to laughing. “Anyway. We'll take the money and leave. I think you learned your lesson."

"What fucking lesson?" I snap.

"My guys have my back over yours, no matterwhatyou tempt them with.”

I'm sizzling in every pore, so angry, so worked up, I worry I'll cook my own brain from the hot hatred. Looking directly at Dezmond, I ask, “Money doesn't work?”

“Nope,” he chuckles.

My eyes dart to Chico. "Not sex, either."

He sneers with a bored shrug.

I finally look at Jake. His hand is firmly on mine, as if I'm a fish he's hooked, one he's proud to show off. "And kindness," I say to him, "that means nothing?"

"Can't buy a good time with kindness," Jake laughs. "Hey, think of this as a life lesson, Lori. Being nice is never enough. Our crew is ride or die. Loyalty comes first."

Loyalty.I'd heard that before.

I say, “Thanks for the advice. I won't waste my time being nice to you again.” My free hand snaps towards the counter. Jake thinks I'm going for the money—he lets go of me to grab it. He's wrong, though. My fingers curl onto the edge of the ceramic bowl packed with coins. I'd wanted to smash it on Dez the first time they robbed me, never got a chance. This time will be different.

“Shit!” Jake yells when I slam the bowl into his cheek. He releases my hand, spins away, hunching into a ball with muffled curses. Blood seeps between his fingers.

Chico is stunned, slow to react; he can't get to me before I throw the bowl into Dezmond's forehead. It collides, cracking on impact, shattering as it drops to the wooden floor. His arm whips up, blocking my view of his face but not his roar of"FUCK!"

That's two down.I crouch half-way, glaring at Chico where he's standing slack-jawed in front of the door. He's done being surprised, he's ready to run at me—all the muscles in his neck and arms flex.

I can't fight Chico. Can't slip past him, not enough space in here. I'll have to scream.I fill my chest cavity, preparing to screech for help. It's late, but we're downtown, someone will hear me.

Dezmond tackles me. I'm not ready for it, didn't see him coming. My back slams into the floor, knocking all the air from my lungs. A soundless scream exits my lips.

“You're crazy,” he pants, holding me down with his entire weight on my stomach and shoulders. His forehead has a thin slash in it, long as my thumb, red blood dribbling over the bridge of his nose, into his mouth as he talks. “You think you can take on all three of us? Come on, Lori. Get some sense.”

No, no, no, no.Everything is crumbling into dust in front of me.

I'm furious, and at the same time, helpless. Hands yank me upwards until Jake and Chico are each gripping an arm. They force me to my feet in front of Dezmond. He cradles his head where I cracked him with the bowl. Pieces of ceramic are all over the floor, balls of sea glass shining where they stopped rolling.

Dez looks at his hand, confirming he's bleeding. His eyes fix on me with seething rage. “Go ahead. Tell me why I shouldn't make you pay for what you did to me. I'll give you one shot to beg for my forgiveness."

Every breath I suck in is labored. Pieces of my hair dangle in my eyes, get caught in my mouth as I drag in oxygen, but I don't end our eye contact. I also don't speak. I can tell it's driving him crazy that I won't do what he wants. That I never will. The silence stretches as I test his patience.

His scowl is intense enough to pull the wound on his forehead wider, more blood rolling. He doesn't bother to wipe it away. He's too focused on me. I'm all that exists for Dezmond Hartford. "You're making that same fucking face again.”

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