Page 127 of Things We Hide from the Light
It was the please that damned me. I would give her anything, as long as she gave me everything.
I bit out a curse and stepped back, letting her slide to the ground.
“If I’m not going to be your emotional support fuck, I sure as hell won’t be your hate fuck.”
“Angel.”
She held up a hand. “We’ve already proved we can’t trust each other. And I’m pretty sure we just proved we can’t trust ourselves to be anywhere near each other.”
“I don’t know how long I can fight this,” I confessed.
She leveled me with a look. “Try harder.”
“I am trying. I’m furious with you. You betrayed my trust.”
“Oh please,” she scoffed. “I was more honest with you than I have been with anyone. You just refuse to acknowledge that there’s a whole world out there beyond the black and white.”
“As I was saying, I can’t stop thinking about how mad I am at you. But all I want to do is get down on my knees and bury my face between your—”
She slapped a hand over my mouth.
“Don’t finish that sentence. We’re dangerous to each other. I can’t keep my head on straight when you’re touching me. We’re the worst decision we could make. And ifI’mthe one saying that, it means something.”
But for once in my life, I wasn’t worried about consequences. I wasn’t thinking six steps down the road. All I knew for certain was that I wanted her. Even though she’d lied. Eventhough she’d hurt me. Even though she wanted to fight me on everything.
I wanted Angelina Solavita.
“Excuse me? I know you two are in the middle of a fight, but I really have to pee.”
“Shut up, Melvin!”
I rodethe ass of the red Charger the entire way to the station, not giving her an inch of breathing room. When we arrived, I was out of my SUV, opening the door of her car before she’d even shut off the engine.
“Back off, hotshot,” Lina warned.
But I was already hauling the scrawny felon out of the back seat. “Let’s go, asshole,” I said.
“I feel like the name-calling is uncalled for,” he complained.
“What’s uncalled for are bruises on her face,” I said, spinning him around to look at Lina. Seeing her hurt unleashed something ugly inside me. Something that wanted to sweep all her infractions under the rug. Something that wanted to keep her close so no one else could get near her.
“I told you, she’s the one who tackled me after the brunette hit me with dog poop and the blond showed me her boobs. It’s not my fault she got banged up.”
I shot a look at Lina. She shrugged. “Naomi and Sloane,” she said by way of explanation.
“Listen, I’m really hungry,” Melvin whined. “I ran out of my cousin’s place before dinner. You think I could get some crispy nuggies or maybe some of those smiley face mashed potato things? You know, comfort food. I’m feeling pretty stressed out.”
Christ. Did his mom still cut the crusts off his bread too?
“If you apologize to the lady for assaulting her, I’ll feed you.”
“I’m sorry your face ran into my elbow, Lina. Honest. My mom would kick my ass if I even thought about hurting a lady.”
“Apology accepted,” Lina said. She turned to me. “Now give me the receipt.”
“Let’s go,” I muttered, pushing Melvin ahead of us.
“Damn, gorgeous. What the hell happened to you?” Grave asked Lina when we trooped inside.
