Page 23 of Together We Burn
Stefany glanced at me, almost like she just remembered I was still here, and sighed. “It was your choice to stay and watch. I’m not going to apologise for doing my job.”
“I–”
“You look disgusted, Jake,” she interrupted, and the twinkle in her eyes that had been there from the adrenaline that filled her veins seemed to dim when she took in my expression.
Wiping her foot on Martinez’s definitely now dead body, she dislodged the eye.
“I’m not disgusted,” I said honestly, taking a step toward her. She scoffed and itched at the wig. “Okay, maybe slightly, but only because I had been imagining you wearing nothing but those heels as I fucked you.”
This time, she laughed loudly and shook her head. “In your dreams, Jake.” She reached down to her ankles, pushed the thin straps off her heels, and stepped onto bare feet. Picking up her shoes in one hand, she tiptoed past me toward the door leading back out to the club.
My hand darted out before she could leave, and I wrapped it around her neck. Her breath hitched as I pulled her back flush against my chest, and her shoes tumbled to the floor.
“We’re not done here, Stefany,” I growled into her ear. I felt her back stiffen.
“Unless you want to end up with one eye and half your intelligence on my other heel, I suggest you let go.”
“You don’t scare me, baby.” She scoffed, and I felt her throat roll beneath my palm. “I’ve read every report, every little detail, and nothing you’ve done for Will evokes fear.”
I could see her brows knit in the middle at my declaration as I bent over her shoulder and began leaving open-mouthed kisses along her jaw.
“Then you know what I’m capable of,” she said breathily. I chuckled, moving my lips to the shell of her ear.
“But you won’t do any of that.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Oh, sweet girl, by the way you’re wriggling your ass against my crotch, I know there’s no way you’d kill me.
That’s what I wanted to say, but right now wasn’t the time to be cocky. So instead, I said, “The same reason I know I won’t stop fighting until you forgive me, the same reason I won’t stop trying to win you back because you belong to me. Your broken pieces were made for me to fix.”
She elbowed me in the gut so hard the wind flew out of my lungs, and my hand slipped from her throat. Pivoting on her bare feet, her eyes flared with irritation.
“Fuck you, Jake,” she spat, pushing into my stomach, making me take a step back. “I can fix myself. I’m not some princess in need of rescuing.”
Stefany pushed at me again, but I caught her wrists and hooked my foot around her ankle, pulling her legs from under her, so she toppled onto the chair Martinez had been occupying.
“C’mon, baby, I never called you a princess. It was always the queen I liked best in fairy tales.”
“Then go back to my mother,” she growled with her teeth bared. I sighed and propped my arms on either armrest, blocking her escape. Having to repeat myself was getting tedious.
“Drop the fucking attitude, Stefany. I’ve told you. I never touched her.” Leaning closer, my eyes moved to the throbbing vein in her neck. “Why does that make you so mad? Because you hate that you believe me when I tell you that’s the truth, or because you fell for your mother’s little act, and it made you jealous?”
Barely finishing my question, she kicked her foot out again, but I was ready for her. Latching onto her ankle and bringing her with me, I stumbled backward, out of her reach.
I’d overestimated how far I’d stepped back when the thump of Stefany’s ass hitting the floor made me drop her leg. Excitement flooded her face as a sardonic smile crossed her lips.
“I hate you,” she whispered before grabbing one of her discarded heels and throwing it full force at my head. Ducking, I managed to miss the bloodied heel–little brat grabbed the one that had been in Martinez’s head less than five minutes ago–but I couldn’t dodge her colliding against my ribs with her knee.
Jumping back, she bounced on the balls of her feet with her fists raised high. Mischief flashed in her eyes as she used two fingers to beckon me forward.
I shook my head. “I don’t want to fight you, Stefany.”
“Pussy,” she mocked, then ran toward me, her feet slapping on the wooden floor with every step. Her body bent like she was going to ram into me like a goat, so I got lower and grabbed her thighs, hauling her against my body and grabbing her ass with one hand, squeezing so hard that it was sure to bruise.
Growling, she slammed her elbow down between my shoulder and neck, sending a bolt of pain down my arm, nearly causing me to drop her. Shifting my grip on her legs, it gave her the time she needed to tug my hair, yanking my head back, my entire body following the pull.
Jesus, she was scrappy. She wanted a fight, then I’d give her a fight.
