Page 72 of Protect Me
“Duncan piss you off?” Liv asks with a knowing smile.
“Something like that. How are you feeling?’
“Tired. Jealous you get to be in the air tonight when I can’t even manage to lift my own ass out of the tub these days.”
I laugh. “You’re growing life, Liv. That is much more impressive than me on the lyra.”
“I saw your performance,” Liv replies. “You have skills.”
“Thanks, but my best medium is still silks.”
“Then why aren’t you performing on those?”
“I don’t know. The Ringmaster said he needed the lyra filled in your absence.”
She rolls her eyes. “He’d be fine with either, trust me. Do what you want.”
“Thanks,” I tell her. “It might be fun to do a routine that incorporates both.”
“Ohh, that's brilliant. Hey, I think you should stay on even after I’m back. We’d make an epic team. They wouldn’t be able to take their eyes off of us.” She winks.
The idea intrigues me. I’ve never performed with a partner before. It could be fun.
“True.” But even as I say it, something unfurls in my belly. Who the hell knows if I’ll even be alive until Liv has her baby? With Robert sending hunters after me, there’s no telling how long it’ll be before one manages to slip through the cracks. It’s not like they haven’t gotten close before, and I’ve only been here a couple of weeks.
“What’s on your mind?” Liv asks.
A lot. But since I don’t feel like doing a deep dive into all the twisted reasons I’m pissed this morning, I push up from the table. “Nothing. I’m going to go get some practice in. Let me know if I can do anything to help.”
“Unless your powers include the ability to speed up time, I’m afraid I have to just wait this one out.”
I smile softly but leave without another word.
“You’re not eating?” Duncan demands as I move into the hall.
“Lost my appetite.” I continue moving past him, pissed off that the rage burning a hole in me is only tempered by the desire I feel in his presence.
“What happened?”
“Nothing,” I snap. I cross over into the practice area, so glad to have it all to myself right now.
Duncan grabs my arm and spins me toward him. “What the hell is going on with you?”
“So, we’re talking now?” I ask sweetly.
Duncan releases me and steps back, his bright hazel gaze darkening. “We were never not speaking.”
“No? Because you’ve certainly made me feel welcome in your presence since the moment you showed up in my apartment this morning.”
“Why does my behavior bother you? Because I didn’t bend you over and fuck you?”
My hand cracks across his cheek. “Howdareyou cheapen what I have with Bracken and Killian.”
“Not cheapening it,” he replies, his eyes flashing. “Merely stating a fact since that’s why you seem to be pissed at me.”
I gape at him, anger and embarrassment at war within me as I realize he’s not far off. I’d wanted him to take me to bed, and when he hadn’t, I took it as a rejection. “If you’re so miserable around me, then why the hell didn’t Killian stay? Or Bracken?”
“They had somewhere to be,” he growls, a muscle in his jaw twitching. He’s pissed, but so am I. “So, you’re stuck with me.”