I follow the direction of his hateful gaze and see Jake standing about twenty feet  from him. He has another few men in front of him, talking to him. He looks completely unscathed, less agitated than Ben and requiring a lot less force to keep him still, not a hint of anything wrong with his attire at all. I let go of Leila and run for him, pushing in between him and the man shielding him back with a hand and throw myself around him. The tears coming from nowhere. He seems to jolt back to reality at my touch, and instantly relaxes, tension I hadn’t seen in his face seeping from his rigid body. His hands come to my face and pulls my chin up to bring our eyes to one another.“Hey … Don’t cry.” He soothes, the furrow on his brow deepening and showing remorse instead of anger. “Bambino, hey … Stop now.” His arms come around me completely, his face and mouth come into my neck, surrounding me wholly. He squeezes the lif

I sit for what feels like an eternity, waiting with bated breath and extreme anxiety coursing through me. Finally, the door opens, and voices come into the apartment. There seems to be more than one and I can’t tell if any are Jake. I wait and listen. A male laugh that sounds like Daniel, possibly Arrick too and then I hear Jake, low and husky and my heart constricts with relief.The bedroom door opens almost instantly, and he sticks his head around sheepishly, his brows furrowed as he locks eyes with me. Like a child about to meet the headmaster. There’s no evidence of any fighting on him at all, no messy face or mussed hair, no torn clothing. I look away from him, emotion rising in my throat, relief and upset. I want to cry suddenly now that he’s finally here and safe.He walks toward me, I can smell the outside air from his clothes and the faint smells of nightclub and a lot of alcohol as he gets closer.“You still mad at me, bambi

“I don’t think so. I said when I choose, not you.” He lifts me up from the floor around the waist, igniting my flight or fight mode and I begin clawing and kicking furiously. Physically fighting him but he just laughs at me when he dumps me back on the bed. The anger searing now, teen Emma so undeniably on show and spitting teeth. All hands and claws, slapping and launching at him. No hiding my crazy from him anymore, she is on full show and he isn’t fazed by her at all. Instead he handles her like a pro.I was so close to orgasm that his stopping has sent me over the edge. I throw myself at him, trying for a slap, his hand catching my wrist, I try with the other, but he catches that too. Throwing me on my back hard on the bed and following fast, he kisses me harshly, his mouth demanding, his touch forcing me to open and let him in. His tongue pushing against mine almost commandingly. He’s forced my arms at the side of my head,

 “You said you wanted to go see her, so we’re going.” He hands me my case to pack, but I put it back down on the bed moodily.“I’ve changed my mind.” I pout, trying to avoid his gaze on me, sitting on the edge and pulling at my hair. I’m emotional again and I’ve no idea why. This was decided by me and yet now he’s making good on my decision, I’ve changed my mind.“Look, Emma … I know things with her are messy, but I don’t want you waking up one day and regretting this. Go, talk … Just do it.” He picks up my case and flips it open, pulling my fingers out of my hair as he passes, wandering to the wardrobe he starts pulling out some of my casual clothes and throwing them toward it.What is this obsession he has with packing for me?“Why do you care if I see her or not?” I snap, irritated by his pushiness. We’ve had a week of lazing arou

“What the fuck?” I spin, yelling at her. “Is that how you justify it to yourself? That I just imagined it?” My pain can’t conceal itself. “Or was it that I asked for it, Mother? Like I seduced Ray?” I swipe the counter in my rage, sending crockery flying and smashing to the floor. Jake’s on his feet  instantly and comes to me in two strides, pulling me to him as tears fill my eyes and he tries to reign me in a little. I push him away and turn on her again. Putting myself in front of him so I can face her.“Why do you always do this?” I yell but she continues to sit with her eyes faced forward on the wall across from her, her expression blank as though her child is just having a tantrum. “You always make me feel this way! You always act this way whenever I try to broach this subject.” It’s all ripping loose from inside of me, teen Emma not caring if Jake sees her in all her ugly fury. Jake tries