I’m digging myself a hole. I haven’t drummed up the guts to confront Rebel yet. I don’t know what I’m waiting for, but every time I see him, I end up biting my tongue. I hate confrontation, and it’s impossible to stay angry with him when he’s being nothing but sweet to me.
How am I supposed to yell at someone whose smile is so perfect and endearing?
Hanging out at the club all night, Rebel watched me dance, and then he waited for me to finish working the floor and collect my tips before escorting me home. He stayed the night, ravishing my body and mind with his powerfully addictive hands and mouth until we were both too exhausted to keep our eyes open. He’s infusing my every waking moment with his presence so that all I can think about is him.
As soon as the sun came up this morning, he rolled out of bed and made us a hearty breakfast of blueberry pancakes and fresh squeezed orange juice. Now, we’re in the back of a limo driving to God knows where. All he’ll tell me is that I’ll find out when we get there and to sit back and relax.
That’s impossible to do. I’m a person who thrives on having control, which I never have with Rebel. He knows this, which is probably why he’s so amused now.
Glancing away from the window, I catch him watching me from across the seat with that damning half-smile again, and I narrow my eyes. “You’re a little too happy about this. I demand to know where we’re going.”
His left eyebrow arches up. “You demand to know?”
I tip my head. “Yes, demand.”
Stretching out his long legs, he smirks. “Be patient, pussycat. We’re almost there.”
“You’re abducting me, Rebel. I have no qualms about rolling down this window and screaming for help,” I warn him with a playful lilt as my finger twitches over the automatic window button.
“Gerardo,” Rebel barks, directing his attention to the driver behind me.
“Sir.”
“Would you please place the child lock on the windows?”
“Yes, sir.”
Gaping, I flick the button, testing it. The window doesn’t budge. “Was that necessary?”
“You threatened, I answered.” He shrugs casually. “Now sit back and behave.”
“Treating me like a child now. Check,” I mutter to myself, just loud enough for him to hear me.
“Check?”
“Oh, I didn’t tell you?” I say, feigning innocence. “I’m keeping a list of grievances. It’s getting quite long.”
“Is it now?” Leaning forward in his seat, Rebel’s large hands cover my bare knees. His eyes dance with humor as he stares into mine. “I’ll have to ante up soon, then. Can’t have my best girl working herself into a tizzy.”
I know he’s being playful, but his choice of words is poor. “Best girl” reminds me that I may not be his only one. Just the thought of Florence ruins my good mood. Casting my gaze out at the passing city streets, I bite down on my tongue until I taste metal.
“Did I say something wrong?” Rebel asks, his voice holding a note of concern.
Shaking my head, I tell him, “No. Just wondering where you’re taking me.”
Rebel doesn’t say anything right away, piquing my curiosity. Turning my head, I glance up at him to find him already looking at me. I smile shyly and my eyes dart away again.
“Forgive me, but I was under the impression we’d agreed to trust one another. Was I wrong?”
Once again, I’ve managed to upset him, but damn it, he’s upset me, too. I refuse to feel guilty about that. “Not where I’m concerned, no,” I hedge. My blood pressure is starting to rise and no matter how hard I try to bite my tongue, I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep it up.
“What are you getting at, Josephine? And don’t say nothing, because I can tell you’re hiding something.”
I feel his onyx eyes boring into the side of my head. Coupled with the hard edge in his voice, I know I’m treading on dangerous waters. I don’t mean for it to happen, but the words I’ve been avoiding spill out of their own accord.
“Why didn’t you tell me that Florence is your boss? Or that she has a key to your apartment? You speak about how we’re supposed to trust each other, but you flat out lied to my face when you said I’m the only woman in your life.”
Shit. If possible, his eyes grow darker than I’ve ever seen them before. They’re not just black, they’re an abyss, a black hole that threatens to suck everything around it into its vortex and destroy it.
“Florence doesn’t have anything to do with you and me. She’s not a factor here.”
I hear Ransom’s voice in my ear saying different, and my blood boils. “The hell she isn’t. She’s smack dab in the middle of us.” With her still in the picture, I’m certain I can’t be. It will hurt like a sonofabitch, but I will walk away.
Heaving a tired sigh, Rebel reaches across the seat and hits a button on the door panel. A tinted window slides into place behind me, dividing us from the driver and creating a private enclosure for us to argue freely.
Still watching out the window, he says, “Like I said, we’ve been done for months. As soon as I came to my senses and realized what a mistake it was to be involved with a coworker, much less my boss, I ended it. The only reason I didn’t say anything was because of this. You would have thrown a fit just like you are now, and what would it have accomplished?”
I gape at him. “Trust, maybe? If you’d been forthcoming from the start, I might not feel like I can’t trust you now.”
“Come on, Josephine,” he says, casting me a doubtful look. “You decided not to trust me long before you knew she was my boss. Telling you would have just added fuel to the fire.”
“What fire, Rebel? I’ve been nothing but patient and understanding from the get-go. I wouldn’t be sitting here if that wasn’t true. If anyone has trust issues here, it’s you,” I accuse. “You’ve been withholding from me from the beginning, so don’t blame what’s happening now on me.”
“Then who should I blame it on? My brother? Because he’s definitely got something to do with it. Trust me on that.”
“If you’re referring to him ratting you out, then yeah, he has a lot to do with it. At least he has the balls to tell it to me straight.”
Rebel glares back at me. I can see the muscles in his jaw clenching as he considers me.
“Are you going to tell me what Florence—your boss—is doing with a key to your apartment?” I question. “Or is that asking too much?”
With great reluctance, he bites out, “She has a key because she owns the building.”
I feel my eyebrows shoot up into my hairline. “She’s your landlord? Jesus, talk about shitting where you eat.” And I’m sure he’s feasted at her table more than once. My stomach drops at the sickening thought.
“If you’re determined to fight with me tonight, then maybe I should turn the car around and take you home.”
I laugh, because I’m too pissed off for words. Crossing my arms over my breasts, I stare blankly out the window. “That’s great. You do that.”
I wait for him to give the instructions to the driver, but Rebel falls silent as death. Time seems to pass at a sluggish pace, and the tension in the air surrounding us only grows thicker with each passing second.
I want out of this car. The curiosity and excitement responsible for getting me in it with him in the first place has been replaced with animosity and a serious need to be alone. Rebel is not my favorite person right now. Far from it, actually.
“Do you know the difference between you and me?” Rebel asks, his voice a low, thick rumble.
I don’t bother answering him because I know he’ll tell me anyway.
“I don’t give up that easily.”
Rolling my eyes, I reply in a defeated tone, “Just take me home, Rebel. I’m not in the mood to play your games.”
“I agree. I’m not in the mood to play games either. So I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.” Inching closer, Rebel seats himself directly across from me. From my peripherals, I can see him watching me. “I’m going to take you to this exclusive shop I know and I’m going to buy you a dress. You’re going to wear it to accompany me to dinner, where you’ll put on an award winning smile while I introduce you to some colleagues. Then, I’m going to take you home and fuck you blind and we’re going to forget this tiff ever happened.”
“You’re a real piece of work, Rebel,” I say through a huff of laughter. “I can’t believe you think I would do anything you want right now.”
“I believe it because I know you.”
My head whipping around, I level him with an icy glare. “Listen close, Rebel. I’ve said this once and this is the last time I’ll say it. You don’t know shit about me. I’m not your little pet, I’m not a toy, and I will bite the hand that feeds me, especially when it belongs to an overconfident pig like you.”
The bastard has the nerve to smile as I say this. My hand twitches in my lap, itching to reach out and smack him.
“There’s my saucy little vixen,” Rebel purrs, and the look he gives me is so dark and sexy, my stomach flips. His hand delves between his thighs and begins stroking his hard length through his trousers. “Why don’t you come over here and let me help relieve you of some of that aggression?”
“Ah! You’re so infuriating!” Shifting in my seat, I bang on the partition. Moments pass without answer, and I pound my fist on it again.
“You’re wasting your energy. Gerardo answers only to me.”
“So I’m your prisoner now? What do you think you’re going to do, Rebel? Drive around the city until Stockholm’s sets in?”
“If that’s what it takes,” he says casually, completely unaffected.
Outraged, I open my mouth and release a bloodcurdling scream that leaves my ears ringing. Yet, still, Rebel rests easy, staring at me through that eternally cool façade. “Fuck you, Rebel,” I snarl. “Just fuck you. Take me home, right fucking now, or I swear I’ll throw myself out of this car.”
Rebel is across the seat and has me in his arms before I can blink. He takes me by the shoulders and turns me to face him. “You listen to me, Josephine,” he growls. “As much as I enjoy it when you’re feisty, I’m finished with this stubborn, dramatic bullshit. So shut your mouth and listen up.
“I went to a lot of trouble setting this evening up, and I’ll be damned if it’s going to be ruined by baseless conjecture. I’m calling the shots tonight. You’ll do what I say and follow my lead. Whatever you want to fight about, save it for later. Are we clear?”
Admittedly, Rebel is a little scary when he gets like this. The unrelenting look in his eyes leaves no room for argument. He’s determined to get his way and he’s willing to hold me hostage to do it.
Knowing the only danger he poses is to my sanity, I decide it’s probably best to play along. Rebel wants me on his arm. He wants to show me off to a roomful of coworkers. Fine by me because, it occurs to me that in this instance, being complacent is working in my favor. I have a good feeling that a certain redhead will be in attendance and I intend to use this opportunity to my advantage.
Rebel’s taking me into the heart of the lion’s den, only I intend to be the lioness…and I’m out for blood.
Smoothing my features out, I meet his waiting gaze and tell him, “Crystal.”