Release (Off Balance 3)

He blew it off. "It is no issue for me. Come."

"Don't you have a wife to get home to?"

"Katja is out of town with some friends again. I have all the time in the world."

"How convenient," I mumbled under my breath.

"I do not like this side of you."

"What side?" I snapped. I turned toward him, my hand on the door handle.

"This pale face full of makeup and black shit covering your eyes, clown cheeks, vulgar mouth, and rude ungrateful attitude of yours. You never wear makeup, and you never snap for no reason. I can look in your eyes and tell something is wrong."

Sometimes I wished he didn't know me so well.

My raccoon eyes flared as I stared at Kova. "My cheeks have been rosy for days. I figured I was allergic to the detergent used on the bed sheets, so I used blush to try and even out the tone." I gave him a sarcastic look. "Happy?"

He wasn't amused. "Not in the least."

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "For once, I don't care to please you. Thank heavens. Maybe I should run to Sephora and buy out the store so I can paint my face every day."

"Oh, I beg to differ on that one. You still please me very much, I just do not like how you are right now. Something feels off and I want you to talk about it."

"Jesus Christ. You're impossible!" I threw my hands up in mock annoyance. "Has anyone ever told you that?"

One side of his mouth pulled up into a smirk. "A time or two." I hated that I loved that look on him.

"When was the last time you had your period?"

Well, that escalated quickly.

Why did I even like this man again? Shaking my head, I pulled the door handle and stepped out of the car and walked to the driver's side.

I reached for my carry-on, but Kova was quick and pulled my bag out first. Dropping my arm, I glared. "Is there something wrong with you?"

"Not that I am aware of."

"That was a rhetorical question. You're demented and completely out of line. You have no right to ask me that and you know it. I’m beginning to think there's something going on with you but you're just not telling me. And for the record, I had my period like two weeks ago."

He stepped around me and walked toward the entrance. We walked side by side, me fuming with resentment, and Kova as cool as a cucumber. This was just like the time he asked me when my last orgasm was.

"I think we are well past that line you speak of. Has your hair started to fall out yet?"

My brows shot up. I couldn't believe he was asking me these questions. "Why would my hair fall out? What are you getting at?"

"I am extremely concerned with how you look. You are pale, and your cheeks are sunken in. You look like a bag of bones. Your father would be furious with me if he saw you now. Are you starving yourself? Making yourself vomit?"

An angry scoff flew from my lips. He thought I was purposely making myself sick. Many gymnasts had eating disorders, but I wasn't one of them.

"Since when have you ever cared about me in that sense? If I recall, you once told me I sound like an elephant."

We stopped in front of the elevator and Kova glanced at me, his face knotted, hurt. Good. Served him right.

"Just because I do not voice it, does not mean I do not care immensely for you."

Oh, yeah. I was getting good and heated.

"So immensely that you had to go and marry Katja, right?" I was still bitter about that. Obviously. "Are you asking me these questions as a concerned parent, or as an unhappy husband who's looking for a good time but wants to make sure everything is still in working order before he dips his dick into someone he shouldn't?"