She looked pissed. Her eyes were wide with danger, and her hands were up with skepticism. “What the hell was that? Who do you think you are? I’m talking to a cute guy, and you think—”
“Shut up.”
Her mouth hung open because she couldn’t believe my audacity. She grabbed her clutch off the table then slid off the stool to get to her feet. With impressive speed, she pulled her hand back and slapped me hard across the face.
I knew it was coming, so I didn’t bother blocking it.
“You have a lot of nerve, asshole.” She turned around and stormed off.
I watched her sexy body move in those impressive heels as my hand went to my cheek to feel the heat that flushed my skin. People automatically moved out of her way, and she still turned heads everywhere she went, despite her violent outburst.
It took me a few seconds to compose myself before I went after her. I had no justification for my behavior, no excuse that would vindicate me, but I went after her anyway. I caught up with her once we made it outside and onto the sidewalk. It was almost midnight, so it was pitch black. Her heels echoed against the concrete as she continued her speed to the car.
“Sofia.” I walked behind her.
Without turning around, she flipped me the bird and kept going.
This time, I jogged to her and grabbed her by the wrist. “Sofia.”
She spun out of the grasp like a pro and slapped me across the face again. “Fuck off, Hades.”
This time, she hit me so hard I turned with the hit.
“You said you didn’t want me. You said you didn’t love me. So you had no right to do what you did. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t break my heart and then block me from moving on. I never really thought you were an asshole until now.” She turned to leave.
I grabbed her by the wrist again. “Let me talk.”
She squirmed out of my touch again and tried to hit me.
Now I was ready for it, so I squeezed her hard and restrained her.
Her eyes burst with hatred when she realized how easily she was overpowered. “I don’t care what you have to say. I killed Maddox so I could be with you, and you acted like such an ass. I gave you a son, I risked my life for you. If you don’t want me, fine. But don’t stop me from being with other people.”
I stared at her beautiful green eyes and loved how pretty she was when she was mad. Her eyes lit up like emerald fire, and her mouth was so sexy when it was pursed like that. Her entire body was tight with adrenaline, and her palm against my cheek was a turn-on too. “I don’t know why I did that…”
“Then you shouldn’t have done it.” She pushed against my chest so she could be free. “You can play your games with your bimbos, but I’m better than that. I deserve more respect than that as the mother of your child. Don’t pull that stunt again.” After one final look of viciousness, she turned around to leave.
I couldn’t think straight anymore. I couldn’t reason with my emotions. I couldn’t understand what I wanted. Now my thoughts were dead in my head, and instinct kicked in. I rushed her, and this time when I grabbed her, I pulled her hard against me and kissed her.
Kissed her good.
My hand moved into the hair I’d been admiring all night, and my lips burned when they were reunited with hers. My arm pulled her lower back close to me so I could feel every curve of her frame. My breath left my mouth and entered her lungs, and my heart started to beat once again.
Instead of slapping me again, she kissed me back. Her arms circled my neck as she pulled my face down to hers. One moment she hated me, and the next, she desired me as much as I desired her. It was instant chemistry, instant fire. Passion ignited both of us, and now I couldn’t stop touching her, couldn’t stop kissing her.
I didn’t want that guy to have her because I wanted her all to myself.
Since it was late on a weeknight, the sidewalk was empty of pedestrians. It was just the two of us, combined lips and tangled limbs in a patch of illumination beneath the streetlight. I could’ve gone home with someone else, and it would’ve been much simpler if I had, but I was wrapped around the person I wanted to be free of instead.
My mind was long gone in the gutter, and I backed her up into the alleyway shrouded in shadow. It wasn’t romantic, especially with the dumpster and the pile of wooden crates that sat beside it, but it gave enough privacy that no one would ever see us.