Page 68 of Playing Hard to Get

“All you gotta do is fuck me, Mitch. Drop your whore and be mine instead.”

My eyes slammed shut when her hand disappeared between her legs. The air squeezed out of my lungs and I struggled to find more.

My life.

My freedom.

Vivian.

I opened my eyes and looked at the spoiled little brat who wanted to take everything away from me.

“Go fuck yourself, Anna.”

Spinning toward the door, I walked away. Heard her racing behind me as I took the stairs two at a time.

She yelled out as I reached the front door, “You're going down, Mitch! I will ruin you!”

Pulling to a stop, I glanced up at where she stood in the middle of the staircase. “Go ahead and try.”

* * *

Indecision knotted my insides. Once I was out of the Carrington’s neighborhood, I slowed my car and drove aimlessly. All I wanted was Viv. To curl up and fall asleep in her arms. The three texts I sent her since we landed were still unanswered. I ended up driving to her place. Stole inside and searched the apartment. She was notorious for hiding out when people thought she was gone. Like when I found her at that cafe the day I took her home and showed her how to feel.

But her apartment was as empty as the dark blue eyes that haunted me.

Returning to my car, I made it halfway home before I turned around. Anna’s threats weren't just against me, and I needed to warn Frankie. Needed to let her know what lies were being thrown at me before they had a chance to ruin her, too.

I keyed in the code at the elevator and took the slow ride up to Frankie's floor. Her door was slightly ajar, as if she knew I'd be coming. I followed the voices coming from her office and found her and Lee sitting there.

My old commanding officer, my ex-roommate, my landlord, my boss, my friend, was hunched over with his head in his hands, elbows on his knees, when I walked in. Emerald eyes full of fury looked up and locked on mine. I glanced across the table and found Frankie glaring at me.

“Mitch.” All the soft was gone, only a hard edge greeted me.

“How could you?” Lee shoved himself out of the chair and paced to Frankie's desk and back, his thick palm to his forehead. He stopped and trained his glare at me. “Do you realize what you've done?”

My brow knit in confusion. “What is it you think I've done?”

“Don't play stupid,” Frankie spit as she shook her head. “We just got off the phone with Officer Linden at the police station.”

Lee threw his hands up in the air. “You fucking raped her, Saunders? Out of all the goddamned women out there, any number of whom would gladly climb into bed with you, and you have to fucking rape our client?”

My mouth dropped open as my stomach dropped to the floor. A knife to the gut would have been more pleasant. My voice squeezed past the lump that seized my throat and came out just a whisper. “I didn't touch her.”

“That's what they all say,” Lee grumbled as he plopped down in his chair.

“I can't believe this.” Frankie's hands gripped the arms of her chair so tightly her knuckles were white. “I thought I knew you. I've welcomed you into my home, trusted you with my life, and this is how you repay me? This isn't just about you, Mitch. This will ruin our company. This will ruin our names. Did you ever stop to think, for one second, what your actions would do to anyone else?”

A wave of memory hit me. Flashes of gunfire sparked across the barren wasteland as blood rained down upon me. My eyes clenched shut. My breath stopped, unable to get past the hole in my heart.

My jaw trembled as I looked at my two bosses. At my friends.

“You think you know me?” I swallowed hard, willing my voice not to crack. “You think you know a goddamn thing about me? If you had a fucking clue about who I am, you’d know this is bullshit. I've only ever thought of you. The both of you. And this is how you repay me?”

Pushing a hand through my hair, I yanked hard. Welcomed the pain that added to all the rest. I shook my head and grabbed my phone from the breast pocket of my jacket, pulling up my photo app.

“I don't need this shit right now.”

I tossed my phone on the table, the last video I took queued up and ready on the screen. Then I spun around and left as Lee and Frankie yelled after me. All I caught over the pounding in my ears is the words you're done here and police.