Page 73 of I’m The Worst

I drag my sleeve over the cut and lean harder into the wall, forcing space between us where there isn’t any. I don’t need this. I don’t need her body pressed against mine, her breath brushing my neck, her existence turning every goddamn thing into a complication.

My eyes snap open when I feel Savva staring from across the warehouse. If that bastard says one wrong word to me right now, I’ll put a bullet in his mouth. I push to my feet, muscles tight, and haul her up with me. She goes limp in my arms, half asleep, head falling heavy against my shoulder as I carry her down the hall.

I kick the door open, step into the small room, and drop her onto the cot.

She groans, eyes fluttering open. “Wolff…what⁠—”

“Sleep,” I cut her off, turning toward the door.

“Wait.” Her fingers wrap around my wrist.

My whole body locks. I turn my head just enough to look down at her. Her hand is still around me, frigid against my skin. My nerves tingle from the contact.

“Don’t leave me in here alone.”

“You’ll survive.” I yank my wrist out of her hold.

Something flashes across her face—hurt first, then anger. She pushes off the cot and steps into my space.

“You act like being around me is unbearable. Like touching me is some kind of punishment. But last night, you didn’t seem to mind.”

My jaw clenches enough to crack teeth.

“Shut your fucking mouth,” I bite out.

She gets closer, chest nearly touching mine, eyes blazing.

“I don’t understand why you’re always so cruel to me. You fuck me, you calm me down when I have a panic attack, then you act like I disgust you. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Something hot and violent twists low in my gut. No one has ever pissed me off this much and made me hard at the same time. Last night was a fucking mistake.

“Back the fuck off. Now.”

She lifts her chin. “Make me.”

Her words snap whatever shred of control I still have. I shove her hard.

Her shoulders slam into the wall with a sharp crack, and I’m on her instantly, forearm braced beside her head, caging her in before she can move.

“You think I won’t kill you? Keep pushing me, see what fucking happens.”

Her breathing comes fast, chest brushing mine, but she stares straight into my eyes.

“If you were going to kill me, you would’ve done it already. I’m not scared of you.”

I lean closer until we’re inches apart. “Then you’re even stupider than I thought.”

Her hand flies up.

I catch her wrist before it lands, slam it above her head against the wall, and pin it there hard enough to bruise.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” I snarl.

Her pulse jumps wildly beneath my grip as the tension between us grows thicker.

My free hand lifts of its own accord.

I grab her jaw, fingers digging in, forcing her head back against the wall. My thumb drags across her bottom lip, pulling it down.