I made my bed and curled up on my side. I wanted to cry, but more so, I wanted to punch him. How dare he treat me like this? And to make matters more upsetting, I still didnt know what had happened at the meeting.

Somehow I fell asleep. I guess all the stress had taken its toll. I was in that place where I wasnt fully under, but I was relaxed and floating. Then I felt a hand on my arm and I freaked.

Jesus, Layla, I yelled as she jumped to her feet and took a swing at my face. f.u.c.k.

She moved fast. I hadnt expected that reaction.

Luckily, she connected with my ear and not my nose. I held onto her arm as she struggled.

Let me go, she snarled.

I did and moved to hit the lights. Now that the room was illuminated I saw she was sitting on the back of the sectional, rubbing her upper arm.

What the f.u.c.k? she asked as I moved closer.

I was coming to check on you. I didnt like that she was still rubbing her arm.

You didnt need to. She shot me an angry glare. Christ, you scared me. The look she gave me was still a little fearful.

You took a swing at me, I said, frowning I was asleep. You snuck up on me. Her eyes turned angry, which was an improvement from scared. Id take the lightning flashes over the haunted shadows anytime.

I dropped my a.s.s to the coffee table facing her. Look, Im sorry about how I sounded earlier. I wanted to apologize.

She looked at me, like she was trying to see into my brain. Fine, now can I go back to sleep?

Apology not accepted.

I thought youd want to come back to bed, I said, not liking it one bit that she would prefer to sleep alone.

No, Im fine out here. She slid down to the seat.

Look, I apologized. I said through gritted teeth. My fuse was short tonight. That was the reason Id wanted to hold her off earlier. Id felt like it would only take a tiny spark for me to blow and lose control.

You did, and now you can go to sleep. She shook out the blanket, ignoring me.

You arent going to make this easy are you?

She let out a loud sigh. Look, Forde"

I didnt like the sound of that. I had a feeling about where she was going to go, so I cut her off. Just come to bed, Lay.

No, I will not come to bed with you, Lucien Forde. Im not going to be with a man who shuts me out. She got to her feet and moved away from the sectional. Never again.

I followed her down the hall and back into our room. Now this I could work with. Location, location, location"and she was nearing the bed.

She started stuffing clothes into a tote bag. She then headed to the front door.

This wasnt a game anymore. Where the f.u.c.k are you going?

Ill call Tony to come get me. Theyll let me use the sofa until I can make other arrangements. She pulled her phone from her purse.

I smacked the phone from her hand.

Hey, she sputtered as it went airborne.

I yanked the bag from her hand and pushed her against the wall. You arent going anywhere, I growled.

Wrong. Im not going to stick around when you dont want me here. Her eyes were slitted in anger.

I didnt say I didnt want you here, I shouted in her face. f.u.c.k. I was losing my s.h.i.t.

Oh, the whole dont touch me thing was an invitation to stay? To crawl into bed with you? she asked sarcastically.

I moved in closer and dropped my voice as I spoke directly into her ear. Tonight, the meeting was tense. I came home on edge, feeling dark, like I wanted to do some damage, inflict some pain. I didnt want that to spill over onto you.

She jerked her ear away from my mouth and turned her head so that we were face to face. Her brow was furrowed, and her mouth has partially open.

I watched her process my explanation. She was breathing hard as she opened and then closed her mouth a couple of times"like she wanted to say something but couldnt find the words.

My rough edges might come out if we f.u.c.ked. I dont have a lot of control tonight as you just witnessed. I dont want to scare you, or worse, hurt you. I didnt want her to ever see that side of me.

G.o.d, her eyes were so expressive. I watched them change from angry, to confused, and then finally, they flared with heat. What the f.u.c.k?

Who says I wouldnt be into that?

Her voice had gone low and raspy. I felt her body relax against mine, and it sent a thrill through me. I didnt know what to say.

I need to know whats going on, Forde. When I dont, I start thinking, and then I get upset.

I nodded. That made sense.

Brian kept so much from me. A good relationship works only if theres transparency. All of his secrets, I sensed them, but I never asked. I cant be like that again. I wont be. Her gaze searched mine. You have to talk to me. The good and the bad, even the dark. Just tell me. I promise I wont run. Its when Im stuck in my head that I panic and feel the need to rabbit. She dropped her eyes for a few beats. I knew it was difficult for her to give that much away.

I dont like the thought that I hurt you, that I could hurt you. Not when she was being open and giving herself to me, like every time we had s.e.x.

She met my eyes. Lucien. Her voice caressed my name. The physical stuff, I think Id like.

The look she gave me was pure invitation, and my c.o.c.k went hard.

Its the emotional stuff that rips at my heart. Theres a big difference.

I got it. Lay, I whispered as my mouth lowered to hers.

How we made it to the bed, Ill never know.

I intended for the kiss to be gentle, a promise that Id made to myself once Id heard what shed shared, but the second our lips met, the kiss turned into something more. Hot, hungry, wild.

I half carried, half dragged her to the bedroom. She was trying to tear off my shorts. Her hands were everywhere, as were her lips and her teeth.

I threw her face down on the bed and kicked off my shorts. I yanked her yoga pants down her hips and legs. G.o.d, she wasnt wearing panties. She was trying to pull her shirt over her head. I grabbed the back of the neck and ripped it off of her.

As soon as the fabric shredded, I was on her. I could feel her still trying to free her arms from what was left of her top. I looped one arm under her waist and raised her hips. I pushed my other hand between her legs and ran it over her mound. Mine, echoed in my head. I used my index finger to test her wetness.

G.o.d, she was so hot and so ready. I didnt think or ask. I lined up my c.o.c.k with her entrance and filled her in one thrust.

Yes, G.o.ddammit, she cried.

My hands gripped her hips as I hammered into her.

Christ. I was making noises, low animal growls, but so was Lay.

She used her arms to push her shoulders up, and it changed the angle of my thrusts. Jesus f.u.c.k, thats good. Her voice was pure s.e.x.

I think thats what she said. I was fixated on how good my hands looked holding onto her hips. Each finger was digging into her pale skin. Tomorrow, the bruises would be a reminder of what we did.

Layla chanted, Yes, yes, G.o.ddammit, yes.

I felt her o.r.g.a.s.m, those strong inner muscles clamping down on me.

f.u.c.k, I groaned as I felt my c.u.m shoot into her. I collapsed on her, covering her back with my chest. I ran my tongue along the fleshy part of her shoulder where it met her neck, and I bit down. Hard.

Lucien. She moaned but didnt try to push me off of her.

I think only a few minutes had pa.s.sed before I pulled free of her and moved off of her back.

She rolled onto her side facing me. Christ, the lights are still on.

So? I pushed her hair away from her face.

I dont want to think about how big my a.s.s looked. Her eyes were lowered, and then she ducked her head.

Thats what youre worried about? Jesus, Lay, youre worried about whether your a.s.s looked fat? I would never understand women.

She went up on her elbow and leaned over me. Did you just call me fat?

f.u.c.k that look she was giving me. I used my most reasonable voice. Stop trying to turn everything into a fight, Lay. When you were on all fours, all I could think about was burying my c.o.c.k in your heat, getting my hands on your t.i.ts, and my mouth at your neck. Christ, the thought of you like that makes me hot now.

She threw her leg over my hips and straddled me. She leaned over me and grabbed two handfuls of hair. I noticed that her hard nipples were rubbing against my chest. Dont you dare use that tone of voice with me, like Im some, I dunno, some idiot you need to placate. I liked the s.e.x like that"hard, rough, with a little bit of pain. Stop treating me like someone you have to baby.

Then stop acting like one. I didnt really want to fight, but I liked this side of my woman, all aggressive and hungry. I felt my c.o.c.k wake and stir against her a.s.s that was planted just above my groin.

Im not the one who had a meeting with a gang leader, and then explained nothing to me. You know how worried I was. The only thing you managed to tell me was you didnt want me to touch you, and we both know thats a lie. We just f.u.c.ked our brains out, and it was good. She purred the last word as her eyes flashed at me. Baby, you wanted me to touch you just as much as you wanted to do me.

Then that explains it. Our brains arent working right, I said, my lips beginning to curve upward. I stretched upward, toward her, and nipped her bottom lip, while I put my hands on her t.i.ts.

She lowered her head, pushing mine gently backward until it rested on the pillow. f.u.c.k you, she said when I let go of her lip. She sucked it into her mouth to ease the sting.

Id like that, I said with a laugh.

She rode me hard and fast.

G.o.d, I loved watching her with her back arched, and my hands working her big t.i.ts.

As I moved them down her belly, I ran my nails across the delicate skin.

Lucien, please, she said, her tone begging for release.

I moved to her c.l.i.t, squeezing it hard between my fingers.

She screamed as she came, and I bucked my hips upward and followed her.

When she dropped onto my chest, she turned her head and bit me on the pec, right above my heart.

I was going to f.u.c.king get that imprint tattooed as a reminder of tonight. As soon as the skin healed because I was sure shed drawn blood.

At some point, we moved onto our sides and covered our bodies with the comforter. I didnt remember any of it. The next thing I knew, my alarm was beeping.

No way, Layla mumbled.

I twisted my upper body and grabbed my phone to kill the alarm. Its six. My voice was rough this morning. I repositioned and wrapped my arm around her soft body.

Can you hit snooze? She rubbed her a.s.s against my c.o.c.k that was always hard in the morning.

Got s.h.i.t to do today. I had a meeting with one of Tyes clients at nine.

She rolled over and pushed me onto my back. Her eyes widened. Oh, My G.o.d! I hurt you. She ran her finger over the dried blood where shed bitten me.

I think we did our share of leaving marks. Your hips should have the individual outlines of my fingers. I patted her a.s.s.

That got kinda crazy last night, she murmured, running her fingers across my chest.

h.e.l.luva way to end a fight. I smiled.

I dont like being kept in the dark. She stopped touching me and leaned up on her elbow so she could see my face.

I missed her touching me. I get that.

I dont like it that you didnt tell me what happened at the meet. You should have told me last night. She lifted her chin a little as she locked her lips together.

Vador got the message.

But something happened that you dont like, or you had to give up something for that guarantee. She pushed up to a sitting position.

She wasnt going to let this go. I sat up too and moved pillows behind my shoulders. He knows my position. This s.h.i.t keeps on and we go to war.

I dont want that, she whispered, and then bit her bottom lip.