Page 53 of Unwritten Rules

“Nate, calm down. It was just a debate.”

Gritting his teeth, he hisses his next words. “What the fuck were you playing at, Mila? Making a spectacle of me like that. At my place of work, no less! I specifically warned you…” He trails off, returning his full focus to driving as fast as he can as he mutters. “Christ almighty, we can only hope it won’t be reported!”

I inhale sharply, the shock of his words and the contempt in his tone hurting me down to my very marrow.

And in my usual kill-or-be-killed style, I hit him back – right where it hurts.

“Christ, so that’s why Zara went with the more mature Hawthorne? Gaslighting is just plain nasty—”

I’m brought up short when Nate slams on the brakes, and I realise we’ve reached the gravel driveway of Hawthorne House, probably in record time.

As though in slow motion, he pivots in his seat until he’s staring straight at me, though it feels like he’s staring right through me and the pang of guilt I feel almost bowls me over.

Until he hits back with a viciousness of his very own. A venom that I’d never have thought him capable of.

“Don’t play coy with me, Mila DeMarco. Those big, golden come-fuck-me eyes you were throwing at me spoke volumes, and you fucking know it. Tell me, is that how you enticed an almost married man into your bed, Hellcat?”

Sucking in a shocked gasp, I’m unable to stop my hand from flying up to connect with his cheek, but he stops me with the speed of a rattlesnake, grabbing my wrist before I can land a strike.

His flushed face is unreadable, with his teeth clenched so tight that his stubbled jaw looks more chiselled than ever. My heart stutters in my chest when I take in the rage teetering just beneath the surface and something inside of me snaps into focus.

My nostrils flare, and my eyes narrow into thin slits as I pull away from his touch, desperate to be anywhere but here, breathing the same air as this absolute wanker.

“Don’t fucking touch me. And you best believe that if you darken the door of my room tonight, I will hurt you.”

Tumbling ungracefully from the SUV, I stride across the gravel as tactfully as possible, head held high and spine stiff.

Fuck you, prick.

* * *

Marching straight in the door, I ignore an onlooking Johanna and head directly towards Nate’s suite. I’m so angry, I feel like I could spew fire at any given moment.

And my rage is further compounded when I realise there’s no door key to be found, meaning I can’t ensure Nate’s banishment from his own quarters.

Shit!

I spend another twenty minutes scouring the place for a key, but it’s a fruitless task, which only serves to feed the fire in my belly.

Making the decision to soak in the tub, I set about running the hot water as my phone dings from my discarded handbag. A smile quirks my lips when I open the message.

CAL

I’d kill for a man to look at me the way he looked at you today.

ME

What? Like he’d happily throttle me?

His response is immediate.

CAL

Like he wants to fuck you into oblivion.

I bark out a laugh that echoes around the oversized bathroom, my friend’s playful banter easing my aggravation.

Having filled the tub, I shuck out of my clothes and before climbing in, I begin to type a reply. But before I can finish, another message from Cal pops up.