Free In Blood and Worth Loving 3 Kiss Cover by Marilyn Lee Page B

m not making any more excuses or allowances for him, Adrian.
    “ He made his lack of feelings for me crystal clear by his causal talk of rape and murder and the ease with which he shook me. He ’ s free to fuck as many fems as he wants. I just want him to leave me alone to get on with my life. Please. Make him leave me in peace, Adrian. ”
    “ Oh shit, Desi! I think you ’ re making a mistake. ”
    “ My mistake was falling for him! I don ’ t find a man who could do and say the things he did to me last night worth knowing. Please tell him to leave me alone. ”
    He sighed. “ He ’ s a full-blood with a mind of his own. I can ’ t control him, Desiree, but I ’ ll rel a y your message. ”
    She stared at him. “ Are you saying you won ’ t help me? ”
    “ No. That ’ s not what I ’ m saying. I ’ ll do my best to do as you ask because I like you, you ’ re Rayna ’ s friend, and I happen to know how Conner actually feels about you. ”
    “ But? There ’ s another damned but hanging in the air, Adrian. ”
    “ But I can ’ t control him. ”
    “ Are you saying if he comes after me again, you – ”
    “ He didn ’ t come after you , Desiree. Granted, his behavior was totally unacceptable from a human standpoint. But he ’ s not human. ”
    “ I didn ’ t know that when I fell for him! ”
    He sighed. “ I know you didn ’ t. Look, I said I ’ d do my best and I will. ” He rose. “ Now if you ’ ll excuse me, I ’m going home. ”
    She looked up at him. “ You ’ re angry. ”
    He shook his head. “ I ’ m not angry. I ’ m just confused. I thought you were in love with him. ”
    “ I was – ”
    “ Was, Desiree? You fell out of love with him overnight? ”
    “ Okay. I am, but that doesn ’ t mean I ’ m prepared to take the shit from him that Cayenne took from Jay or that Brandi probably took from you . ”
    “ Why not? I know Brandi loves me more, but does Cayenne love Jay more than you love Conner? ”
    “ Maybe they wouldn ’ t have been as forgiving had they been called sluts and had the hell shaken out of them! Do you have any idea how it felt to have him grip me and know he thought so little of me that shaking me like a damned rag doll meant nothing to him? ” Her eyes watered and she jumped up and ran from the kitchen.
    He followed her, caught her in the hall, and turned her into his embrace.
    She balled her hands into fists and hit his shoulders. “ He frightened me and he hurt me and he didn ’ t care! ”
    He drew her closer, brushing his lips against her hair. “ I ’ m sorry for what happened last night, honey and so is he. It ’ s not that he didn ’ t care . He just couldn ’ t help himself. Please consider forgiving him. ”
    “ No! ” She jerked away from him. “ Hell will ice the fuck over before I subject myself to the possibility of being treated like that again. You tell that abusive twin of yours that I want him out of my life! ”
    He shrugged. “ I ’ ll tell him and who knows, Desi? Say it often enough and you might even begin to believe that yourself. As for me, I know a woman in love with a full-blood when I see one.
    “ I know you ’ ve had a rough time of it and I ’ m sorry about that. If there ’ s anything I can do to help, I will. If Conner frightens you again, call me and I ’ ll come drag his ass away – if you ’ re sure that ’ s what you really want. ”
    “ It is… ”
    “ Before I go, I want to remind you that as bad as last night was, it could have been worse. ” He held up a hand to silence her wh en she parted her lips. “ Yes, you ’ re sore. Yes, you ’ re bruised. Clearly, he wasn ’ t as gentle as he should have been. But there was no one here to stop him if he ’ d really wanted to do permanent physical damage. ”
    “ You ’ re making excuses for him. ”
    He sighed. “ I came here hoping I could help mend things between you, but clearly you need a little time to see the larger picture. ”
    She