Page 53 of The Prey
Gia had been a fighter two years ago, too. Jason’s body tightened as he remembered, as he dragged her up the back stairs. As every sexual thought he’d had about her came roaring back with a vengeance. He yanked her against him, pulling herinto the far right conference room. It had been empty for years—it was too damned small to be of any real use now. It was dusty, filthy—and private.
“We’re going to talk. Right here.” He wasn’t going to reallyhurtthe bitch here. That would be damned stupid. He wasn’t going to do anything else to fuck up his plans. He was just going to make her listen and understand where it would benefit them both if what had happened between them before remained a secret.
He shoved her in the room and slammed the door shut. Trapping her in there with him. He liked the thought of that. “We’re going to talk. Now. And you’re going to listen.”
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Gia was trying to think.There was no way she was going to get away from him—or around him. There was only one way out—the door. The windows on this floor of the courthouse weren’t operable now. They probably hadn’t been in a long, long time. This part of the building wasn’t open to the general public—or anyone. It was mostly used for storage. As far as she knew, only a few offices were still up here. Those were occupied by the judges, she thought. Not chambers, just offices. She didn’t think they were used much at all.
She probably wouldn’t get to the door. Jason was big—equally as big as her brothers. “What are you hoping to accomplish here?”
“We’re going to talk.”
“About what? I have nothing to say to you—except to tell you that your ass belongs in jail. This…isn’t helping your cause.”
“No. It probably isn’t. But you are going to listen.”
He looked so…erratic. Not as polished and smooth as he normally did. Why? What had changed in the lasthourto make him do this?
“Do I have much choice?” If she screamed, would someone hear her on the floor below? She had no guarantees.
But Hudson…Hudson and her brothers would come looking for her very soon. She just didn’t know if they would think to look uphere.Before it was too late.
“What has Hanan been doing?” He shoved her against the wall. The windowsill jammed into her lower thighs. Gia swung out with her good hand—aiming for his eyes. He grabbed her wrist and twisted. She cried out. “Answer me.”
“What do you think he’s been doing? Why don’t you enlighten me?” She wasn’t going to be a victim again. Not ever again.
“Don’t play games with me. You aren’t very good at it.” His hand crept up her front. His fingers encircled her neck. “Tell me what your boyfriend’s been doing. Who has he been talking to? Why has he been digging into my life in Wichita Falls?”
“I didn’t know he was.” But it didn’t surprise her one bit. Not Hudson. Of course, the moment he learned what Jason had done to her,of coursehe would be trying to find a way to make him face justice. It was that core of honor that was so woven into that man she loved—how could he not do just that? “He knows what you did to me, you idiot. And he loves me. Why wouldn’t he want to make you pay for what you did? But I did not know he was digging.”
“Even the fucking FBI was asking questions. Aboutme.I don’t need this bullshit right now.”
“Well, a man’s sins are bound to catch up to him sometime.” Gia put her hand against his chest. And shoved. As hard as she could. “Get off of me. Or I’ll have Sheriff Addy arrest you for assault.”
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What in thehell was he supposed to do now? He hadn’t planned on this. Jason was aplanner,not an impulsive idiot. Technically, by forcing this woman into a room against her will he had committed kidnapping and a few other things. He’d physically assaulted her and committed battery.
His hand squeezed around her neck lightly. The woman had the softest damned skin of any woman he had ever touched. He wished he’d had a chance years ago to finish what they’d started. “How long have you been fucking around with Hanan anyway? Years? Were you screwing around with him behind my back when we were dating?”
She just stared at him, as her phone rang from somewhere. Like he was worthless or something. “Get this through your thick head. We were neverdating.We had two dates, that was it, remember? And what is between me and Hudson is none of your business and it never will be.”
“Just answer.”
“No.”
She would defy him every minute. Jason wasn’t fucking stupid, he knew exactly what kind of a situation he was facingright now. The longer he kept her in that room against her will, the more likely he would face charges. She would be the bitchy type to do it, too. Just to screw things up for him—because a woman like her could. “Look, I just want to put what happened between us behind me. Get you out of my head and move on.”
“Works for me. Why don’t we start by pretending we’ve never met?” She was pushing against his chest. Her hand was right over his heart. Jason could smell the sweet scent of her shampoo mixed with warm woman. His body tightened with lust, like it always had when she was close by.
“No wonder Hanan has always wanted to screw you.” The words just came out before he could stop them. Jason couldn’t help himself. He cupped her cheek in his hand, ran his finger over her bottom lip. He ignored the way the woman snarled and tried to pull away. To bite. The window was right behind her. It didn’t matter how much she was fighting him. She couldn’t get away. “I have always wanted to finish what I started.”
That was when he saw it—the fear went across her face. And he knew…she still feared him. Especially likethis.
Jason had the power now.
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