Page 46 of Arrogant and Merciless

“You tell me. I wasn’t there—you were.”

It only takes her a few seconds to grasp what I’m implying; when she does, I see her flawless face shift from shock to anger, yet she still won’t speak. Jealousy slams into me with full force.

“Is that why you quit your job?” I ask, since she keeps refusing to talk.

“Why I what? I didn’t quit. I got fired. Now I want you out of my apartment.”

“Not before you explain what happened.”

“I don’t owe you any explanation. Our arrangement is only about sex.”

“Sex with exclusivity.”

She places both hands on my chest and pushes. “Go away, William.”

“Tell me it’s not what it looks like.”

She opens the door, waiting for me to leave. “Never.”

“Never what?”

“I’m never going to defend myself. Think whatever you want about me. I told you at your place—maybe I’ll be the first to get tired of whatever we have.”

“Nice try, but I’m not a kid, Taylor. You literally just came all over my cock, screaming my name. You’re far from sick of what I do for you.”

“Maybe I’ve decided we’ve reached our limit. Maybe I want more than sex with a man.” She tries to slam the door in my face, but before it closes, she says, “And maybe you’re not the one who can give me that.”

I know she’s fiery and she can also bring out the worst in me. Taylor didn’t mean those words, just as I didn’t. The moment the door slams, I ring the bell. She ignores me the first time, and also the next two tries. I decide we both need to cool off.

I’ll come back tomorrow, and we’ll talk.

My life is arranged in compartments, but Taylor has seeped into all of them, occupying every space, so if I can’t control that, I need to redefine her role in my world.

I regret even suggesting what I did. Taylor wouldn’t have allowed my father near her after spending the weekend at my place. I grab my phone and type:

I’m sorry. I was an idiot. I’ll be back tomorrow. Have dinner with me and I promise I’ll fix this.

What I don’t realize is that tomorrow will never come.

Taylor

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

I stareat the message on my phone, feeling my heart patch itself back together from where his distrust had torn it:

William: I’m sorry. I was an idiot. I’ll be back tomorrow. Have dinner with me and I promise I’ll fix everything.

Normally, I’d ignore him forever because that’s one of my flaws: if you hurt me, I turn my back on you, don’t give second chances, and never look back. The stronger the love I feel, the more determined I am to walk away from whoever hurt me.

By that logic, then, I should want to get as far away from him as possible, because I have all the warning signs that William is bad for my heart. Yet I know I’m not going to do that.

Not when every time he kisses me, his eyes tell me I’m his, even though his mouth refuses to admit it.

I’m really angry but in love too, so walking away from what we have would hurt. Still, we need to have a serious talk about his issues with his father.

I admit that Mrs. Marshall’s son coming to my workplace today was strange and inappropriate, and the idea that William might have been watching me doesn’t sit well either. He even took photos of me with Mr. Marshall, and no matter which angle I look at it from, it’s just wrong.

From everything Dad taught me, at minimum you need respect and trust for a relationship to work.

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