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He moved closer, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off his body. “I’ve never felt that kind of rage before,” he admitted. “The thought of someone hurting you... it made me want to tear him apart.”
My breath caught in my throat. The intensity in his eyes was overwhelming, and I leaned towards him, drawn in.
For a moment, it seemed like he was going to kiss me. His eyes flicked down to my lips, and I felt my heart race for an entirely different reason. But then, just as quickly as the moment had come, it passed. Fury stepped back, clearing his throat.
“I should go,” he said abruptly. “Gavin probably needs help to deal with the aftermath. You should head home, get some rest.”
Before I could respond, he was gone, the door closing behind him with a soft click. I stared at the space where he’d been standing, more confused than ever.
What the hell just happened? One minute he’s looking at me like I’m the only person in the world, and the next he’s running out the door like I’ve got the plague. I couldn’t make sense of it.
This had been such a weird day. I needed a drink.
Probably more than one.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Fury
I stormed out of Sienna’s office before I could succumb to my urges and kiss her senseless. Maybe even bend her over her desk and make her forget the past hour. But it was clear that she needed some time to think things through, not for me to act like a Neanderthal, which I definitely would have if I had stayed. Every primal instinct in my body screamed at me to take her, claim her, lose myself in her. To just let everything go and surrender to passionate desire.
And that would’ve been an even bigger mistake than our impulsive encounter a couple of days ago.
I shoved my hands into my pockets to conceal their trembling and kept my head down as I headed for the exit.
As I hit the cool night air, I realized my usual coping mechanism wasn’t an option anymore. The thought of seeking out a casual hookup left me cold. There was only one woman I craved, and she was decidedly off-limits.
Gavin’s warning echoed in my mind, and I hated to admit it, but maybe he had a point. I was far from the calm, composed man Sienna needed right now. The way I’d lost control earlier proved that.
I pulled out my phone, thumbing through my contacts until I found Carson’s name.
Even though Carson and Cory were twins, I’d always been closer to Cory, even before we’d gone into business together. Still, it wouldn’t be weird for me to reach out to him, especially since he’d already invited me over for dinner. I hadn’t been able to take him up on it yet, so this could take care of two birds with one stone.
Making my way to my car, I texted Carson, asking if he wanted to meet for a drink. His reply was quick enough that I didn’t feel guilty about pulling him away from his gorgeous fiancée, Vix. He gave me the name of the place to meet him and I plugged it into my GPS. Thirty minutes later, I entered the bar and looked around for a familiar face.
While Carson and Cory were fraternal twins and had slightly different coloring, their features were similar enough that it sometimes felt like looking at Cory with baby blue contacts and hair dyed a burnished copper. The pair of them had even pulled off switching once in a while when we were teens, though only if they could wear hats and sunglasses.
I weaved through the crowd, my eyes scanning until they locked onto Carson’s familiar form at the bar. My shoulders relaxed a fraction as he caught sight of me, his hand lifting in a welcoming wave.
“I ordered us each a beer,” Carson said, sliding a frosty glass toward me as I settled onto the neighboring stool.
“Thanks,” I muttered, wrapping my fingers around the cool glass. The condensation dampened my palm as I lifted it to my lips, the bitter taste a welcome distraction.
Carson’s brow furrowed, his eyes searching my face. “Everything okay?”
I let out a long, weary breath, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me. “Not even close,” I admitted, my voice rough with frustration and barely contained emotion.
“So is this a ‘I want to sit silently with someone and brood over whatever’s going on’ or a ‘I need to talk before I punch someone’ kind of thing?” Carson’s mouth quirked into a small smile but I couldn’t blame him.
“Shit.” I shook my head. “Sorry. Seeing you the first time since I got here should have been just because we’re family, not because I’m having a shitty day.”
“Hey, no need to feel guilty,” Carson assured me. “That wasn’t my intent. I just wanted to know what you needed.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Okay, we weren’t raised in an emotional vacuum, but I don’t remember you being insightful.”
He shrugged. “Wait until you spend more time with Vix. She just brings out that sort of thing in people.”
We sat for a couple minutes in silence, nursing our drinks, until I decided to talk.
