Dangerous Love(41)
“How do you earn your money?”
He raked a hand through his hair, climbed out of bed, and pulled on his jeans. “I’m really tired on the inquisition, Mac. Never in my life have I answered to anyone.” He liked Mackenzie, really he did, but enough was enough. “We’re done here. You can come with me on Saturday to the Murphy home and meet the people I work for and see for yourself what kind of man I am.”
“I’m pretty sure I already know,” she spat as she found her jeans.
“And what’s that?” he challenged, stalking up to her.
“A shady character who can’t be truthful to anyone, including someone who he’s sleeping with.”
He got into her space. “Oh, Mac, I’m not just sleeping with you, sweetheart. You belong to me now.” He leaned down and whispered into her ear, “There’s no running from me because I’ll come after you and it won’t be pretty if I’m forced to.”
“Are you threatening me?” she whispered, her voice cracking as if frightened.
He didn’t want to scare her. He didn’t want her to fear him, but he wasn’t lying. The hardcore truth was he couldn’t and wouldn’t let her go.
“Only making you a promise, babe.” He took the pants out of her hands and whipped them across the room.
“Take me home.”
“No.”
“Take me home, Derk.”
He shook his head. “Not happening.”
“Take me home to think about this. Please don’t hold me hostage.” She bit her bottom lip when it started to quiver.
Fuck, what the hell did he do now? He didn’t want her to leave and possibly never see her again. Though it didn’t matter, he’d never allow that to happen. But he didn’t want her to feel like a prisoner.
“M.” He reached up to stroke her cheek, but she flinched. He took a hard, retreated step. “Don’t tell me that within the matter of minutes you now think I’d physically harm you?” he growled.
“I…I don’t know what to think,” she whispered.
Derk knew then he had to take her home. If she felt unsafe with him, he couldn’t force her to stay. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“Get dressed,” he ground out. “I’ll take you home.”
If he hadn’t been staring at her, he would have missed the flash of hurt and disappointment cross over those beautiful features.
Derk may have agreed to take her home but that didn’t mean he’d agreed to leave her.
23
Mackenzie couldn’t keep up her second guessing. She couldn’t keep crying over what decisions she should or shouldn’t make about Derk. It’d been three days since he’d brought her home. And two days since she last heard from him. The day after she left, he’d tried calling her and even showed up at the bar to try to speak with her. Luckily Cards had been packed and she couldn’t be cornered. But avoidance hadn’t given her answers. And neither had Derk. His evasiveness about what he did for a living left her reeling inside and out.
Kayla strolled into the living room, iPad in hand, and plopped down on the sofa. “All right, let’s see what answers we can find out. I’m tired of watching you mope around. You’re a real Debbie Downer, Mackenz.”
“I wonder why,” she snipped.
“Listen, I know he didn’t answer your questions and actually left you with even more, but you can’t sit here and mourn him. Either figure it out or move on.” Kayla pegged her. “Don’t allow him to mess with your head.”
“Too late.”
“How did that happen?” Kayla squeaked. “How did you manage to let him do that to you?”
She shrugged. “He’s really great in bed.”
Kayla stared at her blankly for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Oh, Mackenzie, you’re too good for him or any other man.”
“Grant’s still around,” she said. He’d asked her out again last night. She managed to put him off for a week, but he called her out on her game and stated he’d leave it alone…for now. Whatever that meant.
Kayla murmured something under her breath that she didn’t catch.
“What’s that?”
“I just said that Grant is convenient for you. He’s a distraction from the real issue at hand. Derk. Until you figure out and sort through the mess he’s created in your head, no relationship will work out because you’ll continue to be strung along by his bad boy rugged badness that’s so naughty it’s consuming.” Kayla sighed. “I totally get it.”
“At least one of us does.” Mackenzie closed her eyes. “You think I should tell Grant I’m not interested?”