What If I Never (Necklace Trilogy 1)

I rotate in front of Dash, back to his chest, and point at Tyler. “You, walk away. Neither of you can afford to have this go any further.”

“I’ll take you home,” he says, when I know he knows that he’s going too far, punching at Dash without ever lifting a fist, but he just won’t stop. He keeps going. “It’s better that way,” he adds, “I know it and so does Dash.”

Dash grabs my arm and turns me to him. “Me or him, Allie. Choose now.”

“We already had this conversation. There is no choice to make. There was never a choice to make. It was always you. It’s still you.”

He stares down at me, seconds ticking by, in which, thank God, Tyler keeps his mouth shut, but suddenly Dash releases my hand. Then he’s stepping around me and Tyler, and walking away. I move to go after him, but I’m halted as Tyler catches my arm. I whirl on him, seething. “Let me go, Tyler. This is not your business.”

“If he fucks you up, you’ll pack up and leave. So yes, it’s my business.”

“I don’t know what this is tonight, or what happened before I walked up. I don’t even care what set you off. We both know it’s not about that. It’s about you and Dash, and you and Dash alone, and I don’t appreciate being made into a game piece. I have too much going on in my life to be in the middle of this war. I quit. I’m done.”

I jerk at my arm and he doesn’t let go. “You’re choosing wrong.”

“It’s my choice to make, right or wrong. Not yours.”

His jaw clenches and he releases me.

And I’m already moving, rushing after Dash, my heart racing. I push through the crowd, lifting to my toes, trying to see over the crowd, but I can’t find Dash. I finally make it to the door and explode onto the sidewalk, looking left and right. Dash is walking to my left and he has a good lead on me. So much so that I launch into a run. He’s cleared the main strip now, and I’m breathless when I catch his arm, but at least there aren’t people all around us now. At least we have some semblance of privacy.

“Dash, stop. Stop, please.” I step in front of him, press my hands to his chest. “I would have come right away, but Tyler grabbed my arm and I had to go off on him. Why are you leaving me?”

“He was right. I’m not good for you.” He literally sets me aside and starts walking again.

“Don’t do this!” I call after him. “This is about you and him, not me and you. Don’t make it what it isn’t. Don’t let him control you by using me.”

He stops walking but he doesn’t turn around.

I hurry forward and step in front of him again, but this time, I don’t touch him. “Don’t do this,” I say again, softly. “Tonight was a great night. The best night. We had so much fun. I had so much fun with you, Dash. I always have fun with you.” He draws a breath and just stands there, looking at me and that pushes my buttons. Now my temper flares and my hands go out to my side. “I don’t even know what this is about, but as I told Tyler, it’s not about me. And still, I’ve tried to fix this and I did nothing wrong. So you know what, Dash? If you walk away, it’s because you want to. You don’t get to blame it on Tyler. So whatever, Dash. Go on. Keep walking.”

I try to step around him and he catches my arm. “Let’s go,” he captures my hand and starts walking with me in tow. I let him lead me forward, but my anger is here now and it’s not going away. And so is his. We walk in silence, but that silence screams of what is to come. And it’s not going to be gentle or quiet.

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

Angry sex wins.

The minute Dash and I are inside his apartment, we’re all over each other, kissing each other, hands all over each other. I end up against the door, my shirt and bra shoved to my waist. His hands all over my breasts, and not gently, an erotic tug of my nipples, as painful as it is good. The bite of anger between us is a live charge, driving every taste, and every touch. Dash turns me to face the door, forcing me to catch my weight with my hands, yanking my skirt to my waist, and then impatiently ripping my panties away. We’re back to where we were that first night together and I knew then, as I know now, this is all about control. He needs it. He wants it. And I respond, God how I respond. I am hot and aching, and in need of him now, everywhere, anyway I can get him.