Chapter 30
“Trick me once, I’m a fool. Trick me twice, and we’re having words.” ~ Rhett
Rhett
I stroll into the hallway at work and make my way to Dakota’s desk. “What did the computer do to you?”
She scowls as she pounds on the keyboard. “Computer? Ha! Your brother is the one I wish I could pound.”
I growl. “You won’t be pounding my brother.”
She freezes before glancing up at me. “I didn’t mean pound as in…” Her cheeks darken. “As in the sexual variety. Gross. He’s my boss.”
I step closer. “But you enjoy bossy.”
She rolls her eyes. “How many times do I have to explain bossy is not a compliment?”
“It’s difficult to believe you when I know how much you enjoy me being bossy.”
Her eyes flare. “I do not.”
“Your squirming in your seat says otherwise.”
“Shouldn’t you be working?”
I bark out a laugh. “You can’t change the subject of the discussion when you’re losing.”
She frowns. “You don’t lose discussions. Discussions are not competitions.”
“You obviously didn’t grow up with five brothers.”
Her chin drops and I swear. “I’m an asshole.”
She blows out a breath before sitting up straight. “You’re not an asshole. At least, not over this. I should be less sensitive. You shouldn’t have to worry about what you say around me all the time.”
I kneel before her and cup her face. “You can be as sensitive as you want, Havoc. You haven’t had an easy life. I should be more considerate.”
“I don’t want you to have to worry about what you say.”
I kiss her nose. “And I don’t want you to be in pain, so we’re even.”
“Even?” She lifts a brow. “Everything’s a contest to you, isn’t it?”
She obviously doesn’t want to discuss the deep stuff now. I let her get away with it. “And I’m winning.”
“Of course, you are.”
I stand. “You ready for lunch?”
Her eyes widen. “Lunch? It’s lunchtime already?”
I indicate the clock. “Past lunch. It’s already one.”
“I didn’t notice the time.”
I offer her my hand. “Are you ready now?”
She slips her hand into mine and warmth spreads throughout my body. This must be how love feels. It’s not only sweaty nights spent tangled in sheets. It’s also the quiet contentedness of being around a person. Of wanting to spend all your time with that person.
She smiles up at me. “I’m ready.”
I can’t resist her smile. I need her taste on my tongue. I lean over and sip from her lips. The flavor of strawberry and sin fills me up. Since I’ve met Dakota, I can’t look at a strawberry without getting hard.
I wrap my arms around her but she pushes me away.
“No sexy times at work.”
I place my forehead against hers. “I have an office.”
“And every single one of your brothers knows how to pick the lock to it.”
“We can put a chair in front of the door.”
She giggles. “You’re incorrigible.”
I’m hard as a rock, is what I am. This woman has no idea how sexy she is. How she drives me crazy.
“Fine. We’ll have lunch at my house.”
She lifts an eyebrow. “Because your brothers have never barged in on us there?”
I herd her toward the door and outside to my SUV.
“You better have food in your house,” she says once we’re driving.
I waggle my eyebrows at her. “I know something I can eat.”
She slaps my shoulder. “Knock it off. I’m hungry.”
Her stomach rumbles in agreement. “I can tell.”
We arrive at my house a few minutes later. Dakota jumps out of the SUV before I can help her. I scowl.
“I told you I’m hungry. You shouldn’t mess with a hungry woman.”
“Lesson learned,” I mutter as I open the door and motion her inside.
She aims straight for the kitchen. By the time I catch up with her, she has the refrigerator open and is pulling out cheese and cold cuts.
I stop her. “I can do this.”
She startles. “Do you not want me rummaging around your refrigerator?”
I throw the food on the kitchen counter and slam the refrigerator shut before pressing her against it. “You can rummage around anywhere you want in my house. But you don’t have to take care of me. I want to take care of you.”
“I can take care of myself.”
I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “I know. But you don’t have to.”
Her gaze meets mine and I get lost in those green eyes. They’re full of wonder and a bit of fear. Damn. I don’t want her to fear me. I want her to trust me. To know I won’t screw her over the way her husband did.
I love her. She’s mine to care for. I open my mouth to tell her as much but no words will come out.
An alarm beeps on her phone and she startles. “I need to deal with this.”
She rushes off and relief pours through me. At lunchtime, while I have her pressed up against the refrigerator, is not the time to confess my love to Dakota. I should plan a romantic evening. She deserves flowers and chocolates, and romance.
As I prepare sandwiches for us, I consider the possibilities. A picnic on the beach or a candlelight dinner. Maybe I should make a reservation at Hideaway Haven Resort. The resort is on a secluded part of the island. I bet Dakota would enjoy it.
I frown when I realize she’s been gone for five minutes. My brother should leave her alone during her lunchtime. She works hard enough for him. She deserves a break.
“Dakota,” I holler but she doesn’t reply.
I go in search of her. She’s not in the living room or my office, as I expected. I knock on the powder room. “Havoc, are you in there?”
“Just a second!”
She sounds out of breath. “Are you okay?”
“I’m …” Something crashes to the floor.
I burst into the room. “What happened?”
My gaze lands on her. Her shirt is pulled up, and she’s pressing a cotton swab to her stomach. “Did you hurt yourself?”
She bites her bottom lip. “Not exactly.”
“Not exactly? What does …” I trail off when I notice the item on the vanity. A needle. There’s a fucking needle on the vanity.
“Did you inject yourself?”
“Yes.” She nods. “I—”
“You’re using drugs in my house!” I grind my teeth. I can’t believe this. Dakota is a drug user. “I fucking knew it!”
“Knew what?” she asks but I ignore her.
“I knew I couldn’t trust you. I can’t believe I ever thought I could. I can’t believe I thought you were special.” I shake my head. “Fooled again.”
“You don’t understand.”
I cross my arms over my chest and glare at her. “Hell yea, I don’t understand. I don’t understand how you could lie to me. Lie to my face. I introduced you to my family. My brothers consider you their little sister. And all this time it’s been a fucking lie.”
Tears stream down her face. “It’s not a lie. Let me explain.”
“Explain how you’re an addict? I don’t think so.”
“I’m not a—”
I slash a hand through the air. “Save it. I don’t want to hear any more of your lies. I’ve heard enough.”
“But—”
“In case I haven’t made myself perfectly clear, we’re over. I don’t want to see your face ever again.”
I slam the door and stomp to the front door. I’m in my vehicle, ready to pull out of the driveway, before I realize I can’t leave a drug addict in my home alone.
“Damnit,” I mutter as I make my way back inside.
Dakota is waiting for me in the foyer. Her eyes are swollen from her tears, and her mascara is smeared on her cheeks. Sympathy tries to push its way through my anger but I ignore it. She’s an addict. And a liar. She doesn’t deserve an ounce of sympathy from me.
“Thank you for coming back for me. Can I explain now?”
Heat flushes through my body as my anger flares. “I don’t want an explanation.”
“But—”
And I’m done. I can’t listen to her try to wheedle her way back into my life while we drive to the distillery. I throw my keys at her. She fumbles them. I usually find it adorable when she’s klutzy but now I have to wonder if it’s an act. If everything she ever said and did was a lie.
“Go back to the distillery.”
She opens her mouth to speak but I hold up a hand to stop her. “Leave the keys on my desk.”
She stares at me for a moment before nodding. Her shoulders slump as she leaves my house and walks to the vehicle.
She can look as pathetic and upset as she wants. I’m not buying it. Because she’s a liar.