Passing His Guard

Fuck . . . was the only half-intelligible thought resonating in his mind at finding her steps from leaving him. Just then the undeniable truth hit him with the force of a sucker punch in the gut. She knows . . .

His abrupt stop in the doorway caused Nikko to bump into him. “What the fuck, man?” he grouched, sidestepping Aiden. Then he took one look at Rya

“So this is it?” Aiden asked. The hard edge in his voice betraying none of the emotions raging inside him—desperation, fear, panic—all weak, pathetic sentiments she’d reduced him to.

“Nikko, will you please give us a minute?” she asked quietly.

Del Toro nodded, moving past Aiden who had yet to take another step. As he walked by her, he heard the guy murmur, “Don’t do anything you’re going to regret.”

Yeah, it was a little late for that advice. Aiden waited until he heard Nikko’s door shut before speaking. “I can’t believe you weren’t even going to give me a chance to explain.”

“What is there to explain, Aiden? I know the truth! I know your father had mine killed. What’s worse is that you knew about it and you didn’t tell me.”

Exhaling a frustrated sigh, he closed the door behind him and stepped toward her. It killed him when she countered with one step back. “Fuck, Rya

“It is that simple, Aiden. I’ve given you everything—my trust, my heart, even my father’s secrets—and in return you betrayed me!”

“Is that what you really think, Rya

“I thought . . . I thought you loved me.”

“Dammit, Rya

“Are you drunk?” Accusation was ripe in her voice.

“No, I’m not drunk.” There was a long silent pause. “All right, maybe I am a little bit,” he growled, realizing now might not be the best time to lie to her. He moved toward Rya

“Where were you tonight? For that matter, where have you been for the last three days?—or the last two weeks?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Both.”

“Then we have nothing left to say to each other.”

She started forward, dragging that blasted suitcase behind her—eyes straight ahead, spine rigid, and shoulders back as she marched past him. Aiden wasn’t aware how close to the edge he walked until Rya

“Oh, sweetheart, we aren’t even close to being finished.” He grabbed her arm, jerking her to a stop and bringing her around until she crushed up against him.

She winced and he bit out a sharp curse, loosening his grip when fear flickered in her eyes.

“Aiden, let me go.” Her voice wavered in her attempt to sound calm and in control—both were a fucking lie.

“Dammit, Rya

She jerked back, wresting herself from his grip, only this time he released her. “You say it like I’m the one being unreasonable here. Aiden, you used me. You used me to get my father’s evidence and then you brought it to yours. You’ve been whiling away your days in a strip club while leaving me to believe all this time you’ve been working with the DA. I trusted you.”

Her accusations couldn’t have caught him more off guard if he’d been sucker-punched blindfolded. “That’s what you honestly think I’ve been doing all this time? You believe I would do that to you?” He grabbed her shoulders and gave her a shake he wished to God would rattle loose some sense in her. Her doubt, her mistrust, her utter lack of faith in him were like daggers in his heart, but he wouldn’t let her see his pain—his weakness. “Clearly, the shock over discovering the truth about your father has addled your brain.”

Her outraged gasp was accompanied by the sharp crack of her palm co

Rya

She let out a startled yelp, then an oomph as he deposited her over his shoulder and kicked the door shut.

“Let me go!”

He ignored her cry, her small fists hitting his back as he carted her through the dining room and then into the living room. He was numb to her pain, because his own was too raw, too severe. He knew his words had cut deep, but she’d backed him into a corner, and the fighter in him had come out swinging.

She was making a lot of racket and putting up one hell of a fight. As they entered the hall, Nikko’s bedroom door flew open and the fighter filled the doorway. Aiden wasn’t sure he appreciated the look on that guy’s face, which toggled between wary and protective with a general undertone of what the fuck do you think you’re doing?

Hell if he knew. He was acting on pure anger and instinct at this point—not a healthy combination.

“Nikko,” Rya

And for a moment, he thought the ex-marine might do just that. Aiden hated the desperation in her voice, and hated even more that she was enlisting the aid of his friend against him.

“Don’t do it, Rya

That simmered her fire a little and she stopped struggling. Aiden shot his friend a stay the fuck out of this glare, and thankfully Del Toro let him pass with a warning glower, or things really would have turned ugly. He marched her into his bedroom, kicked the door shut behind him, and unceremoniously dumped her onto his bed.

She shoved her tangle of fiery hair, as hot as her temper, out of her face and glared up at him. “You can’t keep me here!”

Wa