In Blood and Worth Loving (24 page)

Chapter Fifteeen

“I haven’t been with anyone who matters, Brandi.”

“So you have slept with other women?”

He sighed.

She pulled away from him. “Is that a yes?”

He raked a hand through his hair and turned away.

She jerked on his arm. “
Adrian
!”

When he turned to look at her, he’d bared his incisors and his eyes glowed. “I said they didn’t matter.”

“And you expect me to accept that answer?”

“Yes, Brandi, I do.”

His arrogance was breathtaking. She did something she’d wanted to do since he first walked out on her. Fear had stopped her before but it wouldn’t now. She was no longer afraid of him. She raised her hand and slapped him so hard her palm stung.

He stepped back and stared at her, his jaw clenching and his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down.

While she was aware that she’d only managed to slap him because he’d allowed it, she struggled to suppress a smile. She felt almost certain he’d never allowed any other woman to slap him.

“Fine,
Adrian
. The women you slept with didn’t mean anything but then neither do I since you’ve spent the last week sleeping with other women while totally ignoring me—even when you must have known I needed to see you.”

“It wasn’t safe for me to be around you.” He closed his eyes briefly. When he raised his lids, his eyes no longer glowed. “I was afraid I’d hurt you again.”

“So I’m supposed to pretend I don’t care you’ve been fucking other women?”

“They meant nothing and it won’t ever happen again!”

“Really? Well maybe I’ll tell you that
after
I’ve spent the weekend in Doug’s bed!”

“Call him and cancel your date.”

She stared at him. He forced himself on her, left her stranded, attempted to impregnate her without her willing participation, and then just expected to waltz back into her life and dictate who she slept with? “No.” She turned away.

He caught her hand and turned her back to face him. “Call him and cancel your date.”

“No.”

She watched him struggle to control his temper before he exploded. “Call him and cancel your date or I’ll kill him!”

She met his gaze. A shiver danced down her spine. He was serious. He really would kill Doug. “You do that and I’ll never feel anything for you! Never!”

“His life is in your hands, Brandi. Don’t make the mistake of thinking I won’t kill him. I will. And if he touches you, I’ll make it as painful as possible.”

She wanted to storm away from him but feared for Doug’s life. “You’d kill a good, decent man who’s never done a damned thing to you?”

He curled his lip. “Good and decent, is he?”

“Yes!”

“In a moment you’ll be telling me how worth loving he is,” he taunted.

Brandi blinked hard to hold back tears. While she knew she no longer needed to fear for her safety with
Adrian
, he still had the power to hurt her. And he clearly didn’t mind doing it. His willingness to mock the feelings she’d been foolish enough to reveal to him, indicated how little she meant to him.

She pressed her tongue against her top lip before she responded. “He, unlike you, actually is worth loving,
Adrian
.”

He sucked in a breath and stared at her as if she’d attempted to drive a stake through his heart. “Are you saying I’m not?”

There was no denying the dismay she heard in his voice or the injured look she saw in his eyes. She hardened herself. She had to unless or until he was willing to admit he wanted more than drive-by sex with her. “I’m saying he is.”

He responded in a low voice that was almost a growl. “If he shows up here and you attempt to go with him, I will kill him, Brandi. If you value his good, decent, worth loving life, cancel your god damned date!”

He wouldn’t hurt her, but he would kill Doug. She turned away from him and picked up the phone to call Doug. “Hi, Doug. This is—”

“Brandi! Hi! Happy Birthday, baby.”

“Thank you. The roses were gorgeous.”

He responded after a moment of silence. “I’m glad you liked them, but something tells me you didn’t call just to tell me something you could say in person when I pick you up.”

She moistened her lips. “I…ah…”

“Brandi, please don’t tell me you’re calling to cancel our weekend.”

Hearing the disappointment in his voice hurt. “I’m sorry, Doug, but I have to.”

“Why?”

She shook her head.

“Is it something I said or did or didn’t say or didn’t do? Should I have—”

“No, Doug. It’s not you. It’s me.”

“You? Or him?”

She watched
Adrian
tense beside her. She turned her back to him.

“It’s really him. Isn’t it, Brandi? You want to spend the weekend with him instead?”

Adrian
moved to stand in front of her, placing a hand on her arm.

She glared at him as she answered Doug, knowing he could hear Doug’s part of the conversation as well as hers. And not caring. “No, I don’t want to spend the weekend with him.”

“But you don’t want to spend it with me either?”

“I do, but I can’t.”

“Why if it’s not him?”

“I know you deserve an explanation, but I don’t have one to give you, Doug.”

“I made special plans for us tonight, Brandi. We have reservations at the Water Works with a table for two on the terrace overlooking the water. And then I thought—”

“I know you spent a lot of money preparing for the weekend and—”

“It’s not the money, Brandi. It’s you. I…I miss you and I just want another chance to win you back. If I just knew what I did wrong or what you need or want me to be…”

Oh, God! She compressed her lips, aching for the pain she heard in his voice. “Please don’t think it’s anything you did or didn’t do, Doug. It’s not. It’s me. I have issues.”

“Can’t we work through them together?”

“I’m so sorry, Doug.”

“Oh, God! Can I call you?”

She closed her eyes. “It would be better if you didn’t. I’m sorry.”

“Then you’re not only canceling our weekend, but you’re ending our relationship again before you’ve even given it a chance?”

No matter how things turned out with
Adrian
, she knew she could never try to rekindle a relationship with Doug. The risk of hurting him was too great. And she suddenly realized he deserved better than she could ever give him. “I’m sorry, Doug.”

He sighed. “Then I wish you the best.”

“Oh, Doug…I wish the same for you. Please forget me and be happy.” After she ended her conversation with Doug, she jerked away from
Adrian
. “There! I hope you’re happy. You made me hurt a kind decent man that’s worth three of you!”

“You saved his life.”

“I shouldn’t have had to save it! Who the fuck are you to think you have a right to threaten someone who never did anything to you just so you can keep having your drive-by fucks whenever you want them? Doug is a better man than you ever were or ever will be!” She slapped him again and ran towards her bedroom.

He followed her, catching her hand, and turning her to face him.

He projected an air of menace that momentarily sent a chill through her. But when he spoke in a low, tortured voice, her fear vanished and her resolve to never forgive him weakened.

“Brandi…I need you. Please…”

She stared at him, her eyes filling with tears. “I hurt him…like you hurt me.”

“You didn’t mean it anymore than I meant to hurt you.”

“I’ll bet he’s no less hurt because of that than I am,
Adrian
.”

He put his arms around her and held her. “Please…please tell me you can forgive me and still want something real with me. Tell me.”

“I want your promise that you won’t hurt him, Adrian.”

“If he stays away—”

She jerked away from him. “No! Damn it! I want your promise you won’t hurt him, Adrian. I want that promise without restrictions or conditions. If you can’t make that one promise to me and keep it, I want you out of my life for good!”

“You have it.”

“And you’ll keep it?”

He nodded. “Yes. Do you…love him?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“I don’t have to love him to realize he’s a good, kind, and decent man who doesn’t deserve to be killed because he was foolish enough to fall for me. I was an even bigger fool for falling for you.”

He cupped her face between his palms. “I know I hurt you, but it was never intentional. Forgive me…I’m sorry…I couldn’t and can’t control myself with you…please forgive me for ever hurting you…forgive me.” He slid his palms down her body and touched his lips to hers.