Rush(52)

Caroline shrugged. “Well, let’s put it this way. I absolutely think he’d find a way to come up here and drag you out of this apartment. Might be better to go peacefully and figure out the Blondie situation firsthand. After all, he’s here and she’s not.” She checked her watch. “But now you only have like two minutes before he tears the building apart.”

Mia sighed and then bolted for her bedroom, unsure of why she was even giving Gabe the time of day after the scene at the cocktail party. It was enough to turn her stomach. Still, she hurriedly dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and as an afterthought, shoved clothes to wear to work the next day in her bag. Better to be prepared than sorry.

After collecting her toiletries, she hurried back past Caroline and blew her a kiss.

“Text me and let me know you’re still alive or I’ll assume he’s killed you and I’ll start looking for the body,” Caroline said.

Mia waved over her shoulder and let herself out of the apartment, hurrying toward the elevator. When the doors opened, Gabe was standing a few feet away, his jaw bulging and a look of fury in his eyes.

He stalked toward her, not giving her any time to advance on her own. He was one big ball of pissed-off alpha male, and he was coming right at her.

She took one step off the elevator and his hand closed around hers, yanking her past the alarmed-looking doorman toward the entrance to the apartment building. Mia managed a reassuring smile at the doorman, not wanting him to call the cops, before she turned her attention back to Gabe. His grasp was tight and uncompromising, and his anger rolled in hot waves from his body.

What the hell did he have to be so pissed off about? It wasn’t like she hooked up with some other guy in front of him at a cocktail party they were at together.

She sighed when he stuffed her in the back of his car and then walked around to the other side. As soon as he slid in next to her, the car pulled away.

“Gabe…”

He turned to her, his expression fierce. “Just shut up, Mia. Don’t say a goddamn word to me right now. I’m too pissed off at you to be reasonable. I need to calm down before I can even think about discussing this with you.”

She lifted a shoulder in a careless shrug and turned away, refusing to meet his stare any longer. She could feel the burst of frustration from him, heard his low growl of impatience and irritation. But she ignored him, continuing to focus on the passing lights and the city all a twinkle with the colors of night.

She should have just remained at her apartment, but she wanted this confrontation. She’d simmered with anger all evening and now that Gabe was forcing the issue, she was armed and ready.

They rode in silence, though his anger was a force all on its own. She never once looked in Gabe’s direction, refusing to show any weakness. And she knew it only pissed him off more.

When they reached his building, he yanked open her door, grasped her hand and hauled her out. His fingers wrapped firmly around her upper arm, he walked her into the building and onto the elevator.

As soon as his apartment door shut behind him, his lips tightened and he seemed to be working to maintain his temper as he stared down at her.

“In the living room,” he ordered. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“Whatever,” she muttered.

She wrested her arm from his grasp and walked into the living room. She flopped onto the couch and then stared expectantly at him.

He paced back and forth in front of her, stopping to glare at her. He sucked in his breath and then shook his head. “I can’t even talk to you right now I’m so pissed.”

She arched an eyebrow, unimpressed by the fact that he was the one angry. She was pissed. She had a right to be.

“You’re pissed?” she asked incredulously. “What the hell for? Did your floozy turn you down after all? I can’t imagine that to be the case. She was pretty hot to get into your pants.”

Confusion wrinkled his brow. “What the hell are you talking about?”

When she would have been more than happy to explain, he raised his hand, cutting her off. “First you’re going to listen while I explain just why I’m so goddamn pissed off. Then, when I’ve had a chance to calm down, I’m going to redden your ass.”

“The hell you will,” she snapped.

“You disappeared,” he bit out. “I had no idea where you went, what happened to you, if some asshole had taken you or if you were sick or hurt. What the fuck were you thinking? Did it ever occur to you to give me the courtesy of an explanation? If you had said you wanted to go home, I would have taken you myself.”

She surged to her feet, angry at his obliviousness. Was he really that thick?