Chapter 22 #2
Oh hell. I almost swallow my tongue. My attraction to him must be a mental impairment or something magical. It’s not real. It can’t be.
My thumb points behind me in the door’s direction. “I need to go to an appointment tomorrow. I’m just letting you know.”
“An appointment for what?” His voice changes from polite and chocolatey to deep and aggressive.
I bet if I look, his eyes will be glowing orange.
I have a strange urge to say, “A gynaecology appointment.” Teach him to not be nosy.
But I refrain from lying, even if it would be funny to see his expression.
“To view a livery yard for Bob.”
“No,” he growls. In John’s mind, the conversation is finished. He drops his arms and turns away from me in apparent dismissal. He continues with his cooking.
My mouth drops open…how rude. What. A. Nob.
My temper flares. “Am I your pet?” I growl at his back. I try to keep the venom and the frustration out of my tone, but I fail miserably. He turns back around to look at me.
“Of course you aren’t. You’re a demon—you are no one’s pet,” he bites out.
“A prisoner?”
John shakes his head.
“That’s great, then you can’t stop me. As soon as I can find a home for Bob, I’m leaving.”
John shakes his head at me as if I’m a naughty, disobedient child. He steps closer to me, and I’m enveloped in his scent.
I’d like to say the hellhound smells of wet dog, but he doesn’t, he smells of campfires and linen fabric softener. His scent tickles the back of my nose and throat. It makes me dizzy.
“You do not understand the dangers of the world out there—”
I lift my head and meet his green eyes with a glare. The edges of his eyes glow orange. My heart misses a beat.
“Oh, don’t I?” I plough on, choosing to ignore the orange eyes that scare the crap out of me. I also have creepy eyes, so John isn’t a special snowflake. “Well, from the viewpoint of standing here, the world looks mighty safe in comparison.” I point to the floor in front of him.
“Emma, I apologised for our misunderstanding.” Misunderstanding? Ha, the bloody crazy hellhound…he calls what he did to me a misunderstanding?
A laugh slips from my lips and darkness creeps into my vision. I can almost sense my eyes bleeding demon black. Now that I know what it is, it takes nothing for me to blink it away. I have a lot of work to do in controlling the demon part of me, but I will not start by letting it control me.
I huff and slam down on my accusatory words that are screaming in my head to be heard.
I cross my arms across my chest and glare at him.
I was going to sleep at my new place and pretend to be still living here, but stuff it, I won’t do it—I’m not pretending anymore.
I will not be a hypocrite like these two idiots that claim they are protecting me.
I have to live my life with my rules, and I’m not pandering to this…this hellhound.
For a few seconds, I clamp my lips closed, afraid to open my mouth again in case he accuses me of being overemotional.
My nostrils flare with my building rage, and between clenched teeth, I carefully say, “Look, John Hesketh, I’m not your pet or prisoner, and if you’ve forgotten, I’m not a minor either.
I’m a twenty-two-year-old woman, not a child.
Frankly, I’m done. I will not live under your roof for one more minute.
I don’t trust you. I have a safe place to live, but to be honest, if I didn’t, I’d rather sleep in the stables or on the streets then take any more of your hospitality.
” I spit the word. John’s eyes flame more with his growing frustration.
“I am not asking for your permission. I’m telling you out of courtesy, but you take my good manners, twist them, and demand more of me.
I’ve had enough. Just so you know, John, I have already moved out.
I do not need, nor do I want”—I curl two figures on both hands and do the annoying finger-quote thing to make my point—“your ‘protection.’” I indignantly huff out an angry breath.
I turn to leave, then stop and spin back—I have another bone to pick with him, “Also, what the hell did you do to my friend? She won’t even look at me.
My only friend and you had her spying on me?
Reporting back to you? What happened when Sam, my only friend, told you she’d known me since I was ten years old, that she watched me grow up?
Sam practically raised me. Did you not think, ‘Huh, grunt-grunt. Emma isn’t a demon mastermind after all’?
I didn’t take you for stupid, John Hesketh, so don’t take me for a fool.
Leave my friend alone. Oh, and while you’re at it, forget about me.
” He moves his arm and I flinch. His eyes soften.
“I was angry with you and I took it out on her, blamed her. When I should have blamed you. You manipulative twat.” I drop my voice and whisper, “Why do you ruin everything?” John regards me with solemn green eyes.
“Please, pay her what you owe, protect her if that’s your agreement.
Then please, for the love of God, leave her alone. ”
Now it’s my turn to turn away, dismissing the monstrous hellhound.
Take that, you dickhead, I think smugly as I stomp out of the house. I slam the door as hard as I can behind me. I know it’s childish, but I don’t care.
I’m going to get a pizza, I’m starving. Huh, it hits me. Without Bert, I can now eat what I want without pain. Wow.
“Emma,” John calls out from behind me. I jump with a squeak at the sound of his voice. Gah, I didn’t even hear him follow me outside. Creepy hellhound.
I take my time in turning around. I school my face into a blank mask as I turn to face him. I do an Eleanor and plant my hands on my hips. Even though he is at least a foot and a half taller than me, I tilt my head as if I’m looking down on him. He is total scum. I am so over this man’s shit.
When I look at him, all I feel is anger.
Anger is good, healthy.
“One thing I want to say in case we do not see each other again, is, if you are ever stuck, need a doctor, a solicitor, or a portal to get you out of somewhere…you know you can call me. I’ll be there for you.” His eyes have gone back to green, and he slumps his shoulders in defeat.
My left eye twitches at his words, and I slap my hand over it. My soft heart squeezes…No—I can’t let his pretty words and solemn eyes sway me. I don’t believe him for one second. His whole sad posture is a lie. He is attempting to manipulate me.
Too right, hellhound, you owe me, but it’s not a debt I’m willing to let him pay.
“I’m good. Oh, if you wouldn’t mind letting me use the equestrian facilities for a few more days, a week at the most, until I can get Bob somewhere safe, I’d appreciate it.
Please let Bob stay until I can find him somewhere, that’s all I ask.
” John nods in agreement. Then he lifts his hands and rubs the back of his head.
His top rises with the movement, flashing more toned skin and abs.
Gah. He so did that on purpose.
“You know that won’t make us even.” He speaks softly, his voice warm and deep. His energy trickles around me, playful and cajoling.
“We will never be even,” I whisper as I spin away from him.
“No,” he says quietly to my back.