“You want to continue our conversation?” He pushes on, regardless of my “go away” posture. Lays his hand casually on my bent knee, propping it up at the wrist and rests quite happily there.
“What conversation?” I ask, genuinely confused but stay concealed under my arm, my gut churning like I may not like this.
“You don’t remember?” The surprise in his voice makes me a little wary. I shake my head and the color rises in my cheeks; Jake never presses for no reason.
What the hell did I say to him last night?
“I put you to bed.”
Well, that explains why my cell was off.
He turns his off every night, whereas I normally don’t. Just in case I’m needed.
“Thanks.” I mumble. I want to ask him what I said, but I don’t, because I’m scared. I’m scared I might actually have told him something I didn’t want him to know.
“You talked about your father.” He says matter of factly.
Crap. Like that.
The anger rises in me unexpectedly and it’s too quick to grind back down.
“He’s not my father! … He’s just a donor to my existence, and nothing more.” I snap, jumping to my feet, his hand falling to the couch, surprising him. The heat rises in my chest; teen Emma’s anger renewed with a fury and I’m pissed at myself for her appearance once again. I angrily storm to the kitchenette, I need water and a second to calm down.
And a boss who stops bloody well digging into stuff that has nothing to do with him.
“And Ray?” The question is so precise and unimposing yet has a devastating effect on me. Stomach lurching to my throat, I falter and drop my water bottle hard on my foot, giving out a shocked yell and jump back as pain sears through my toes.
“Are you okay?” He leans around, looking at me. His eyes steady on me as I scramble back but my head reels as I bend down to retrieve the Evian bottle and try to take a deep breath through instant dizziness.
Control Emma … Control.
and more deliberately,
does he know about
“Fine.” I answer stiffly.
this.” He watches me intensely,
to know, don’t want to talk about this. I feel sick, maybe I should tell him I need to throw up and lock myself in my room for an hour, make
it hurts me too and knocks me sideways in
I trust you.” I turn to him, flashing anger. Incensed at
could he
trust him, I do trust him. I have never told him
realize it’s the first time I’ve admitted to myself that I actually
trust a man! When did that happen? How did
playboy Casanova Jake Carrero … my
on me. I shake my head and turn away because I
that certain things don’t need to be brought up
done, and I’m done with the past; talking about it only makes it linger.
about this.” I huff, urging him to
He has that determined expression on his face, the one usually reserved for stubborn clients. He grabs my upper arm gently and pulls me to face him, visually his expression is angry, but his manner is calm. I try to twist free, but he holds me tighter; I think he knows I’ll walk off
you and
and withdraw from him, shocked that I even let that much out in
know about this. What the
looking at me like some
would I tell
seems surprised by my reaction and lets me go
I stalk past him. I can’t do this; he has no right. I can’t get upset and let him see weak Emma, she doesn’t exist anymore; I’ve
He follows me, and the anger writhes inside of me once more. Teen Emma raising her ugly head and losing control like she always did, fiery
little too aggressively and throw him a hateful
Shit …
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