Page 19 of Dangerous Pursuit
MY TIRES SQUEAL as I pull over by the curb, outside Sin on Skin, turning heads. Glancing toward the entrance, my jaw clenches. The one head I care about doesn't seem to notice me at all.
Liam's half-sitting, half-standing, his ass propped against a tall stool that has no business trying to sustain his muscle-mass. There’s no one in line at the entrance. He has one hand resting casually inside his pocket, the thumb on the other tapping away on his phone screen.
So youdohave your phone on you.
Of course he does. He's just ignoring me on purpose.
The thought that's been pumping adrenaline through my veins for a week doesn't disappoint, and with a fresh wave of vigor and determination, I exit my car and slam the door shut as hard as I can.
And now he sees me.
I'm seething as I cross the empty alleyway, closing the distance between us. Liam doesn't rise up, but his back does straighten and he crosses his arms over his chest, his shades reflecting all the pinks and purples where they're sitting on the top of his head. Perfect. At least I'll get to see his eyes as heliesto me.
I stop a mere foot away from him, personal space be damned. "So what the fuck?" I bark.
His expression remains neutral, but the corner of his mouth twitches. Asshole. "What?"
"Don't what me. You know what. Why aren't you answering my calls?"
He has the audacity to shrug, arms still crossed. "I didn't see any calls."
Wow. Straight to my face. Amazing.
I fold my own arms, mirroring his position and tilt my head to the side, bringing all the mockery I can muster to my voice. "Oh, really? How so? Lost your phone?" I ask, looking straight at it.
He regards me for a few beats, stoic. It's infuriating. "Nope," he finally says. "Blocked your number."
"I— Wait, youwhat?"
"You heard me."
If my blood was hot before, it's now boiling. "Why would you do that?"
He looks to the side, stretching his neck with that maddening unhurriedness. "Maybe I got bored."
I grit my teeth. "Don't bullshit me—"
He doesn't raise his voice. Instead, he raises his body from the stool, so that he's now standing an inch from me, towering over me. That shuts me up.
Still, I stand tall. As tall as I can, all things considered.
"Don't give me attitude." His voice remains low and steady, but there's something about it that makes me shrink inside after all.
I swallow. I won't let it distract me. "We had an agreement."
"Did we now?" he asks from somewhere in the stratosphere.
"Yes!"
"Xander," he warns.
"Yes," I repeat, my tone calmer this time. It's like he controls it or something. "We agreed to give friendship a try. Remember?" I almost say,Or are you too old to rememberinstead, but something tells me that wouldn't end well.
Liam's head shoots back so that all I can see from my angle is his thick neck and he lets out a rumbling laughter that echoes into the outer space. "Friendship, you say? I don't think our last conversation was particularly…friendly."
I take two steps back to be able to see his face because let's face it, this predicament is ridiculous.
Much better.
