Page 18 of No Shelf Control
"I was a guard in a former life."
"What?" She blinks. "Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack. I worked in intake for four years in Los Angeles before my first book was contracted."
"That explains so much," she mumbles…and I'm not entirely sure I even want to know what she thinks it explains. So I don't ask.
"You want me to drop the charges?"
Her hand falls back to her side, her mouth popping open. "Do what?"
"Do you want me to drop the charges?"
"Are you kidding me right now? You had me arrested, just to offer to drop the charges?"
"Yes." I pause. "But I want something in exchange. Go out with me. One date, princess."
"This is blackmail."
"I know. Genius, isn't it?" I say, just like I did the last time we had this conversation.
She splutters in outrage, pacing the length of her cell.
"Look around, babe. I'm your only option."
She hesitates, and I'm certain she's going to agree. I see it in her eyes…surrender.
And then Davidson pops back in, holding up her paperwork. "You're good to go."
Goddammit!
Her mouth snaps closed, her expression turning triumphant. "What was that about you being my only option?"
I just hold her gaze. "Ask him why you're free, Jasmine."
Her expression morphs again, unease filtering in. "My friends bailed me out."
"No, princess. You're free because I had the charges dropped."
She gapes at me, her lips slightly parted, like she can't believe what she's hearing. Hell, maybe she doesn't believe it.
"You were willing to camp on my doorstep to get what you wanted from me," I murmur, pitching my voice so she hears me, but Davidson doesn't. "But I'm willing to do whatever the fuck I have to do to get one date with you, even if it means sending you to jail just so I can bail you right back out again. That's how serious I am about you."
If this is war, I'm going to win because there is no other option. She's already complicated my entire fucking life. I'm willing to turn hers upside down and inside out until she has no choice butto agree to give me a chance. If she didn't want the fight, she shouldn't have picked it.
"You…you…" she splutters.
"Yeah, me," I smirk at her, loving the way her eyes are dark and stormy and a little awed at the same time. "You started this war, princess. I intend to win it."
I don't get her time to process or come up with a retort. I know if I wait long enough, she'll bounce back and shoot me down again. I don't want that. I want her to sit with what I just said, absorb it, and realize that I mean it.
"See you later, baby," I say instead, tapping the bars of her cell before I turn and stride away, leaving her gaping after me.
Chapter Seven
Jasmine
"Icannot believe I'm back here again," I grumble, staring at River's house like he might jump out of the damn bushes and have me arrested again. Actually, he might. I think he's a little unhinged.
