Page 71 of Malice and Surrender
“That you asked her to have sex with you. She said that you pushed her up against the freezer and said that you could fuck her better than her husband. She said it wasn’t the first time you’d gotten aggressive with her, and she’d feared for her life but was too embarrassed to say anything.”
“Son of a bitch,” I growled and marched away. I spun around and faced Raine. “Let me guess, you heard that, and on top of the tattoo, all you could picture was me attacking you?” Her eyes flicked away, but she didn’t need to say it. I saw it in her eyes. “You know what the irony is?” She shook her head. “I was fucking Irene.” Raine’s mouth dropped open, and her hands fell to her sides. “The bitch hit on me watching a movie and then cornered me in the garage and threatened to have me kicked out if I didn’t fuck her. Don’t get me wrong. I was seventeen and horny. The idea of sex with anyone interested me, but I didn’t force her. Not even once.”
Raine put her hands on her hips. “Let me get this straight. We were hanging out all the time, and you kissed me, but you were fucking our foster mother?”
I ran my hand through my hair. “As I said, she threatened to toss me out. Besides, I was young, dumb, and horny, and you were off limits, anyway.”
Raine tilted her head to the side as she scrutinized me with her stare. “Doesn’t look like much has changed in the dumb and horny department.”
I growled and was on the move before I realized I was even walking. Raine squealed as I grabbed her and pushed her up against the wall.
“You’re pretty mouthy for being inside my home,” I said as she glared at me. I was tempted to kiss her. She licked her lips, and it was all I could think about, but I pushed away from her instead.
“Get out. I don’t want to see you again.”
“I need to ask you something,” she said as I marched away from her and went to the kitchen to make another coffee.
“Yeah, well, I’m done talking to you,” I snarled as she followed me.
“This is important,” she said and leaned against the doorjamb. She looked way too sexy and adorable. I wanted to crush her and eat her up all at the same time.
“Will it get you out of my house if I answer?” I asked and busied my hands, making the pot of coffee.
“Yes. I just need to know if you’re clean,” she said, and my hand stilled as I was about to dump the little grounds into the filter.
“What the fuck did you just ask me?” I turned my head and stared at her.
“Don’t do that, Kai. Don’t act like I don’t have a right to know,” she said, her voice inching up a few octaves with her anger. “You attacked me last night, and I haven’t seen you in over eleven years. Most of that was spent in prison, and I have no idea what you’ve done since you got out. You could’ve screwed your way around the world and back again for all I know.”
My teeth ground together, and I wanted to tell her to fuck off and take her chances. Just looking at her brought up the memories of last night and what it felt like being inside her. I needed to calm the fuck down, or I was going to take her right there against my wall. I might’ve contemplated it longer if my hangover didn’t choose that moment to bite like it was trying to rip out my brain.
“You okay?” Raine asked as I squinted and sucked in a breath. She took a step toward me, and I hated that she still acted the exact fucking same. Worrying, checking up on me, and showing affection when I didn’t deserve it.
“Stay away from me, Tink, unless you want more of last night.” She froze, her eyes going wide. Fuck, that was hot. “Haven’t you learned your lesson by now? Don’t put your arm inside the dangerous animal’s cage.” Raine swallowed and backed up to the doorway again.
Stomping over to the black organizer in the corner by the old landline, I thumbed through the paperwork until I found my last test results. I tested all the time. I wasn’t unsafe, but I wasn’t exactly celibate, and prison can make you a little paranoid. Yanking the sheet out, I walked over to Raine and tossed the paper at her.
“In case you’re wondering, I only got tapped once in prison. Luckily, the guy was clean, but he had an unfortunate accident a few days later.” Raine’s mouth dropped open. If she only knew the body count, I had in my wake. “And other than you, your royal highness, I have always used protection and get tested every six months. So yeah, I’m fucking clean.”
I turned back to the counter as Raine unfolded the page and began to read. “Maybe I should be asking for one. Who knows where your pussy has been?” I growled.
“Fuck you, Kai.” Tossing the paper on the floor, she turned and marched for the door.
My body shook as I held myself in place and didn’t chase her swaying ass down. Fuck, she made me hard and hot, and I wanted to put my fist through another wall and fuck her until she was screaming my name.
“Show yourself out,” I yelled. She didn’t say a word or look back, which pissed me off even more.
I leaned against the counter and slumped at the sound of the front door slamming. Fuck, why didn’t that feel right? I should never want to see her or her big blue eyes again, but…
“Fuck!” I slammed my fist on the counter. She was making me crazy all over again.
Raine
I wandered down the sidewalk toward my house, my head a swirling mass of confusion, as I tried to ignore my aching muscles. Even if I could, my body wouldn’t let me forget what happened last night.
No matter what Kai said, he wasn’t blameless. I understood his anger. I was angry at myself for not giving him a shot to explain that it wasn’t him, but last night happened. He attacked me in my home, and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he had planned to kill me until he decided to do what he did instead. What was worse was that I’d started to enjoy it, and I hated myself so much for that. Why? That was the burning question with no answer.
I hoped that what I offered him as an olive branch was enough for him to leave me alone. It was his clean slate.
