Page 77 of Stroke of Fate

“What are you doing here, Sadie?” I ask once I’ve delayed the inevitable for as long as possible.

“Coming to see you,” she says with what I guess is supposed to be a sultry smile.

She takes a step closer, but I put up a hand to stop her.

“I have nothing to say to you.”

Her smile slips slightly, but she quickly composes herself, stepping further into my personal space.

There’s a car parked next to mine, so walking around her isn’t possible. And with a steep embankment at my back, turning around isn’t an option either. So, unless I physically move her out of the way, I’m stuck listening to whatever crap she wants me to hear.

“I’d like us to pick up where we left off.” A long red fingernail trails over my pecs, and I force myself not to recoil away from her touch. “You know how good it was between us.”

The thought of ever going there with her again makes my stomach turn, but I keep my expression neutral, knowing she’ll twist any reaction into her narrative.

The need to get away from her and back to Bear causes me to make an impulsive decision.

My free hand cups her jaw, and she smiles, triumph lighting her eyes. I spin her around and press her back against the passenger door of my car. As I lower my hand from her face to the side of her head, I make sure no inch of my body touches hers.

My path out of here is clear now, but I need to make sure she doesn’t pull this kind of shit again. I need her to understand that what happened between us is in the past and will never happen again.

How the fuck we even got here is beyond me, but this is the last time I’m dealing with this bullshit.

Leaning close to her ear, I hiss, “Get this into your head because I’m only going to say it once. I’m not fucking interested in you.”

Straightening, I step back, not wanting any more part of her personal space.

Her face screws up like she’s sucking on something sour, and her nostrils flare. She’s angry.Good.Hopefully, now she’ll leave me alone.

“Is it because ofher?” She spits, one foot stomping away from throwing a tantrum.

“Who?”

“The slutty blonde who works at Static.”

Anger I didn’t know I could feel bubbles in my veins. I grip the blankets tighter to keep a lid on my emotions. Sadie isn’tworth my time or energy. But there’s no way in hell I’ll stand here and listen to her talk about Bear that way.

“Don’teverfucking call Bear a slut again,” I say with a deadly calm I don’t feel.

If I thought she’d cower under my words, I was wrong. Her lips press into a thin line, her fingers curling at her sides. We stare each other down until she stands straighter, flicking her long hair over one shoulder.

“You know we had something good.”

“You’re delusional.” Frustrated, I scrub a hand down my face. “It was a one-time thing.”

“You fuck me and sleep in my bed, and I’m supposed to think it meant nothing to you?”

“Don’t try to turn what we did into something more.”

“So that’s it, huh?”

Yes, that’s fucking it.

A weary sigh leaves me. “I’m not interested in going there with you again.”

Her eyes harden, and the smile on her face is anything but friendly.

“We’ll see,” she murmurs. “See you around, Levi.”

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