I clenched my jaw and counted to ten, wi
lling her to let this shit go. She didn’t, though, and I didn’t make it to ten before she’d convinced me to have it out with her.
Spinning back around, I glared at her, resentment and frustration choking the air around us. Why did we always—always—have to hurl our pain at each other like this? Why the fuck couldn’t we express ourselves without all this extra bullshit?
I slammed my hand down on the table next to us. “All right, let’s get this shit out then.”
She flinched before quickly recovering, every inch of her body tense and ready for battle. “I told you I have study and that I want to finish cleaning the kitchen, but no, you decide—and like always, it’s your decision—that we’re going to have sex. I’m sick of never getting a say, King. And I don’t like that you accused me of always being pissed off. I’ll admit I’m stressed with my study and work, but I’m not always going off at you about stuff.”
I wanted to tread carefully with her, but she’d worked me up so much that I didn’t have that in me anymore. “Almost every fucking day lately, I come home to a new fight with you, and the thing I’ve worked out is that whatever the fuck you’re arguing with me over isn’t actually the issue. So dig deep and figure out what it really is, and spit that shit out fast because I’m running out of patience for all of this.”
She took a long breath and stared at me like she was trying to figure out which way to go now. Finally, she spat out, “Fuck you and your patience!”
A second later, she attempted to barrel past me out of the kitchen, clearly having changed her mind about wanting to get into this with me, but there was no way she was leaving until I got to the bottom of whatever her issue was. I was done with coming home to yet another tongue-lashing.
Scooping her around the waist, I lifted her and carried her into the living room. She kicked and fought me, but she was no match for my strength. Depositing her on the couch, I straddled her and pinned her in place so she couldn’t escape. Gripping her chin hard, I stared into her eyes and demanded, “What’s really going on?”
Winded, she fought for breath, remaining silent while glaring back at me.
“I’ve got all fucking night, Ivy. I’m not moving until we sort this out.”
She continued to glare silently at me, until finally she exhaled and said, “You told your mum you don’t want me taking that job at the hospital.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it’s the job I’m going to take, and I know you’re going to make it hard for me to do that. And it pisses me off that you always do this and—”
I placed a finger to her lips to quieten her. “It’s not safe for you to work there. Not when I can’t guarantee I’ll always be available to come pick you up when you finish your shift in the middle of the night.”
“I don’t need you to come and pick me up. They have security for nurses who work that shift. I’ll be fine.”
Ivy wanted two things in life. Me, and a job in nursing. She had both, but she’d decided to do further studies, which meant she wanted to switch jobs so she could work nights and have the days to study. She’d found a job, but I didn’t like the fact she’d be walking out of work at 2:00 a.m. alone. Now that I’d been made a prospect, who the fuck knew when I’d be called out at night for club business.
“I don’t know that for sure, and I won’t allow something I’m not one hundred percent on.”
“Oh my God, you can be an ass!” She pushed hard against my chest, trying to move me, but I resisted.
Taking hold of her arms, I held them by her side. “I’m not fucking putting you out there on the street for any motherfucker to do what they want to you. Do you have any idea of the kind of men who walk those streets?”
Her eyes flashed with wild anger. “Do you realise how impossible you’re being? And that this is how you always handle me?”
“Now you’re being dramatic. I don’t handle you.”
“Yes! You do! It’s like you’re saying I’m a weak woman who can’t fucking look out for herself, and I’m over it. I’m not doing what you say this time, King.”
My chest tightened at the loss of control I felt. Keeping her safe was all I fucking cared about. It was my goddam mission in life to never let hurt come to her again. Under my watch, she would never experience the kind of pain her parents had permitted. After they’d fucking rented her out as a child to men on weekends to do whatever they wanted to her, I’d looked out for her and dedicated time helping her find a way through that. And I’d continue doing that for eternity.
My hands crushed harder around her wrists, ensuring she couldn’t leave. Not until I’d made her understand I was right. “You will do as I say, Ivy. And if you go against me, I’ll take you out there myself and show you the kind of shit that goes on. You’ll change your mind real fucking fast.”
Her eyes bored into mine while she considered that. If hate were a physical thing, it would have been smashing into me. That knowledge scared the fuck out of me because it was the first time Ivy had ever looked at me this way.
Finally, she nodded and said, “Fine. You win.” Jerking her wrists, she added in the coldest tone she’d ever taken with me, “You can let me go now.”
My eyes searched hers, needing to read the truth in her agreement. “You won’t take that job?”
“I won’t take that job.” Her voice turned flat, resigned.
I wanted to figure out how to get us both on the same page happily, but right now I had the answer I needed, so that could wait for another time. And bringing up the fact that she sounded so down about it would only stir this argument more. Letting her go, I sat back. “Good.”