driven by pure primal instinct. Hate had replaced love as my primary motive, and anger was raging inside me. Nobody understood what I had been through, nobody had done more for the Resistance than I had, and yet here they all were, judging me, pointing out my flaws. Selfishly, I wanted to feel better. And I knew exactly what would make me.
âTiny,â Reed opens the door and glances past me into the hallway. âWhat are you doing . . .?â
I donât allow him to finish the question. I didnât come here to talk. I grab fistfuls of his hair and pull him down towards me, at the same time forcing him back into the small dorm room, and kicking the door shut behind me. His jaw drops open in astonishment and I seize the opportunity to kiss him as hard as I can, letting the heady sensation fill my senses and drive out everything else. I can feel the moment that he hesitates, pushing me gently away, so I leap up and wrap my legs around him, pressing myself against his hard, lean body and tugging his shirt up his back. He stops resisting and the next few minutes are wild and fierce, punctuated by heat and sweat, and an almost animal-like frenzy. It is all over in a matter of minutes, my weakened body sore but sated.
Abruptly, I push myself off Reed, who for once seems at a loss for words. Unabashedly, I make my way around the room, retrieving my discarded clothing, and his eyes follow my every move. I am buttoning up my jeans when he finally finds his tongue.
âNot that Iâm complaining, but do you mind telling me what that was about?â
âIt was nothing.â I pull my vest down over my bare torso and his gaze finally lifts to meet my eyes, comprehension dawning.
âNothing?â His voice is lower and I can hear the anger simmering just below his outward control. âI see . . . So I assume, then, that you donât want me mentioning this little episode to Braveheart?â
âIf it would make you feel better, go right ahead,â I shrug, tying my sneakers. I feel rejuvenated, and I want to head down to the dojo to practise.
âHave you completely lost your mind?â I glance up at that, at the disbelief in his tone. âWhat game are you playing, Rebecca?â
âIâm not playing any game.â
âYouâve got the two of us dangling by a goddamned string,â he counters. âYou say you donât want to be with either of us . . .â
âAidanâs been sneaking,â I snigger, recalling that I said this only to Aidan, but Reed continues, ignoring me.
âAnd yet you rock up at my door for a booty call.â
âYouâre over-thinking it.â
âWe just made love!â I had given no thought to what he would make of my passionate assault, but obviously he is reading far more into it than I intended. I donât want to hurt him, but I also donât want him to make something of nothing. What I say next is intended to push him away, but it is still one of the worst things I have ever done.
âNo, we didnât, Cowboy. I had an itch. You scratched it.â
Faster than ever, he launches himself from the bed and grabs me roughly by the shoulders.
âYou little bitch,â he hisses, his hot breath on my face.
âTake your hands off me.â I meet his gaze head on, refusing to be intimidated. âThatâs an order.â
Looking disgusted, he drops his arms to his sides. âIs that what I am to you? Just another soldier in your Legion?â
âNo,â I reply honestly, âyouâre more than that. I canât win this war without you.â
He nods sadly. âYour greatest asset.â
They are the same words he once teased me with when we were a couple. âWell, in that case, let me prove my worth.â He pulls on his jeans and T-shirt and then grabs me by my arm, his fingers biting into my skin, and marches me from the room.
âWhere the hell are we going?â I
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