Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
ELENA
I could feel his irritation prickling my skin. What had gotten into him?
Lowering my phone, I asked, “You okay?”
Was Orion having a bad day? He didn’t appear frustrated earlier when he first saw me. Butterflies had erupted in my stomach when our eyes connected. The silky butterflies still fluttered in me, but I was trying my best to ignore them. My attraction to this complex man increased every time I saw him.
How would I survive next week when I had to work with him?
“I’m fine,” he blurted out, still looking annoyed.
He was obviously upset about something.The man’s mood reminded me of the New England weather—unpredictable. I thought I had mood swings, but I always had a reason. But then again, maybe hewas experiencing something he wasn’t comfortable sharing with me. We didn’t know each other that well.
The past few months had been extremely stressful, so I could empathize with him.
The EMT had already taken off with the deceased man. I gestured toward the SUV. “I don’t think it was a mechanical error.”
He looked at me, and the frustration seemed to have disappeared. “How can you tell?”
“Just a hunch. I’ve been investigating strange deaths around the city.”
“Why?”
Shit.
I hadn’t meant to share that much with him.
“Tell me.” His gray eyes darkened.
My inner thighs twitched as though they sensed the lust from him. Was it lust? Or was it my wild imagination?
His gaze didn’t waver from me as I pondered what I should share. I didn’t know if it was the way he was looking at me or how his voice had a huskiness to it that made all my reservations disappear.
“I think it’s suicide.”
His face tightened. “Suicide isn’t something you cantoss around like that.”
Where did that defense come from? I considered myself a patient person most days, but right now his condescending tone cut into me. Whatever was going on in his mind was his problem, not mine. I didn’t appreciate him taking his anger outon me. I was done with men blaming me for their shortcomings.
Weren’t we having a casual conversation just seconds ago? I’d triggered something, but I was too angry to inquire. He might just piss me off even more.
With the stress I’d been dealing with, I should have been the one lashing out. Liam used to take out his frustration on me, calling me names and making me feel unworthy, and then apologizing after. I hated his excuses.
Just because Orion had a handsome face and a bazillion dollars didn’t mean he could make me feel like shit.
I glared at him. “I don’t know what your problem is, but you need to fix it before Monday. Otherwise, it’ll be hell for both of us.”
Something flickered in his eyes, but I didn’t stay to find out. I stalkedtoward the accident, trying to inspect the scene from a different angle.
Arrogant and moody men could all go to hell.