Read Online Sabin, A Seven Novel by A.M. Hargrove - Free Book Online Page B

give me, so I’ll accept it.
    “I will, for now. I imagine you could’ve killed or raped me if you had wanted. But you haven’t. While I don’t exactly feel warm and fuzzy, I don’t feel threatened either.”
    His brow furrows for a moment and then it smoothes again. He nods and says, “I will tell the men to treat you better. But you are not allowed in the sec center.”
    “Sec center?”
    “Security center.”
    “Is there anywhere else that’s off limits?”
    “Not really, though I’d stay out of the other men’s quarters. I don’t think they’d appreciate you going through their things.”
    My mouth drops open and then I say, “I would never do that.”
    “I know how women can be,” he adds.
    I ball my hand into a fist and punch his shoulder playfully. His shoulder is solid. Like concrete. I rub my hand. “Damn, what are you, Ironman?”
    “Hardly. Why did you do that?”
    “Because all women don’t snoop around like that,” I huff.
    He raises his brows, indicating he doesn’t believe me. “The ones I know do.”
    “Then you need to get to know a better class of women.”
    “You’re not kidding,” he mutters.
    “Bad experience?”
    “You have no idea.”
    “We all have our crosses to bear.”
    “It wasn’t a cross, it was a fucking …” he stops and gives his head a firm shake.
    “What?”
    “Nothing. At least nothing I care to discuss.”
    Yeah, this man definitely has battle scars, and not just the physical kind. Something tells me there’s a whole lot buried in his head and heart.
    Sabin evokes empathy within me. Perfect. Not only do I want him to fuck my brains out, I completely understand his feelings. Not necessarily about a lover, but I without doubt carry scars from the way I was treated by my parents. And though I try to hide it and deny it, they’re there and they hurt. Profoundly. This conversation needs changing, needs a little lightening up. “So, tell me Sabin, where’d you grow up? I know it wasn’t the South. There isn’t a southern bone in that body of yours.”
    The look he gives me is not at all friendly and I don’t get it. One minute he’s all nice and soft, and the next, he breathes frost and ice.
    “Not a southern boy. You’re right about that, Ms. Callahan.”
    His use of my last name rattles me. “Ms. Callahan? I would think that since we’ll be sleeping together, we could at least be on a first name basis.”
    “Listen to what I have to say, because I’m only going to say this one time. We are here to save your neck. Understand? This isn’t some little weekend getaway, or a little joy time where you and I chat and get to know one another. I have a job, my men have their jobs, we will do them, and hopefully succeed, so you can live. Do I make myself clear?”
    “Perfectly.” I clamp my jaws together. What the heck did I say to put him in such a pissy mood?
    “Good. Now, I need to get some work done, so you can continue to fill those pretty little lungs of yours with precious air. Good day, Ms. Callahan.”
    Jesus Christmas, what the heck just happened here? We were having a simple conversation and he goes completely psycho on me. Who the hell are these people? And how many times am I going to ask myself this question before I finally get an answer? The hairs on my neck shoot up and I’m not sure I like the way this is turning out. At all.

What the fuck did I just do? Could I have possibly been any more uncivil to the girl? All she did was try to make conversation with me. My stride lengthens as it carries me to the sec center. All eyes land on me as I enter.
    “Well?” Rafe asks.
    “Well, what?”
    He grabs my arm and pulls me to the side. “Judgment Day? The girlfriend? Which one?” He fires off the questions, one after the other.
    Fuck. I scrub my face and look at him. Then I march back out and head for the bedroom, but Serena isn’t there. However, the bathroom door is closed. I walk up to it and can hear the shower running.