Page 52 of The Reluctant Siren
“You fucking will not,” Niall protested. “This is serious.”
“You think I care?” Harlow challenged. “I stopped caring thesecond you chose your revenge over me.”
“I chose you over everything else,” Jensen shot back. “Doyou know how much trouble I got in when my girl got arrested? It set me backfor months, and I had to compound it when I got your client out. They thought Imight have had something to do with it. It would have been so much simpler tokeep you with me. I did it to save you, but I don’t expect your forgiveness.”
“Good, because it’s not forthcoming, motherfucker.”
His eyes narrowed on her. “But I do expect you to not runoff recklessly and force Niall and I to put ourselves in danger to save youwhen it’s safe here. So that’s it for you. Here or with your parents inColorado. And if you keep cursing me, we’ll talk about punishment since that’swhat you’re honestly here for.”
“Excuse me?” Harlow asked, her brows rising.
Jensen held his ground. “If you didn’t want to start a fightthat’s absolutely going to end with my hand on your backside and likely twococks in your pussy at some point, you would be sulking in your room. Or youwould already be walking. No. You came out here to start something.”
Niall watched them both. “Jensen, she just wants to talk.”
Jensen didn’t take his eyes off her, and she stared at him.“She doesn’t want to talk, man.”
“You think you know me?” Harlow asked in a challenging tone.
“I know this much,” Jensen said with confidence he shouldn’thave. “Niall and I were discussing the fact that we know two different yous,but it’s the you I know that’s showing up tonight. I know the gorgeous bitchwho takes no shit from anyone. She also has trouble with shoving her anxietyand anger and sorrow down. Really any strong emotion.”
“You think a cry is going to fix this?” She moved into hisspace, her face flushing a pretty pink.
She was so gorgeous when she was mad. Maybe that was why hepoked her so often. Or he could accept that he didn’t always know how to handleher since she was more complex than he liked to admit. Niall was right aboutthat. His relationship with her was born in fire, and it would burn them bothif they couldn’t turn the flames down.
But not tonight. Tonight she needed the burn, and fuck all,so did he.
He put his hand around her neck, a gentle reminder of whowould be in control if she continued down this path. “I think a good cryfollowed by an orgasm would do you a world of good. It doesn’t have to meananything beyond we’re stuck here and both our lives were completely upendedtoday and we need something to comfort us. I doubt you want me to hold you andtell you everything is going to be okay.”
She moved closer, pressing her neck against his hand. “Itmeans nothing.”
At least she was done pretending.
He tightened his grip, though it was still gentle. He wouldnever hurt her in anything but a pleasurable way, and he wasn’t the type of Domwho lived to see his mark on a sub. But then his sub had always been her. Hegot into the lifestyle for the job, but he lived it for her. “Do I have to ripyour clothes off? Or is it acceptable for Master Niall to pull those pants downso I can spank your ass?”
“I’m confused, actually,” Niall offered.
“I don’t have any other clothes, asshole,” she shot back, adark look in her eyes. “Are you all about sharing now, or are you going to havehim do your dirty work and shut him out?”
How little she thought of him. Although it was plainly whathe’d been considering a couple of hours ago. The long ride and being back inthis place had him rethinking. He should have known Niall would fall forHarlow. Maybe he had deep inside. Maybe there had been a part of him thatwanted to know someone would love her after he died.
It hit him so forcibly that deep down he never intended tocome out of this mission alive, and he had to find a way to deal with it. Hehadn’t truly planned on a life after this, and he wasn’t sure of anythingexcept that any life without them would be hollow. “I think you require two ofus tonight. He doesn’t know this part of you. Have you played?”
Niall suddenly seemed less confused. “Light play only. Noheavy scenes. We haven’t even played publicly yet. From what I can tell shehasn’t had sex in the months I’ve been around her. I think it’s been going onsince she came back from LA.”
“Just because I’m picky doesn’t mean anything. Or maybe Ineeded time to get over some asshole setting me up to potentially die,” shesaid but she didn’t move. She didn’t walk away because she wanted what he wasoffering.
His cock tightened in his jeans. “We’ll talk about that atanother time. I certainly didn’t want you dead, but I accept that what I didhurt you. Do you want a sincere apology?”
He didn’t think so, but he needed to give her the option. Ifhe could do this with tenderness, he would.
“Fuck you, Jensen, and fuck your apologies.”
Hate sex it was then.
* * * *
Harlow felt the moment Jensen decided to take this tothe next level. One minute his hand was around her neck in a way that made herheart race, and the next he was picking her up and moving toward the back ofthe house. Such an odd house. Parts of it were updated with furniture and décorfrom this century. Parts were like a museum. There was still high school stuffin his old bedroom. A math book on the shelf along with some notes he’d writtenin a strangely neat hand. She’d been standing there looking at evidence thatonce this man had been a vulnerable boy, and she hadn’t been able to handle it.
