Free Equity (Balance Sheet #3) by Shannon Dermott Page B

Griff’s hands were up, trying to calm me down. As much as I wanted to knock heads, I respected Ennis’s place. So I turned and ushered Bailey back through the doors she’d just come, surprising the cook. Then I shoved open the side door, leading us outside.
    Bailey slapped at my grip once we were alone.
    “What is your problem?” she asked, turning angry eyes up to me.
    “What’s yours? Why are you here working?” And that was it, wasn’t it? She was mine and she had no business working where everyone would assume I couldn’t take care of my own.
    “I wasn’t working,” she stated, shoving at my hands while I still held her.
    My muscles bunched with the urge to strike something. Not Bailey, but rather the wall. I should step away, but it had been far too long and I’d crossed over the edge. I caged her in. I wanted her and I hated myself for it. She’d chosen someone else. So why the fuck was I out here with her in reach yet her heart so far from mine?
    Her breaths were coming fast and she looked at me with frighten eyes. The urge to sooth took over. The back of my fingers made contact with her cheek. However, the need to kiss her made me take a frustrated step back.
    We stood in a battle of iron wills. I searched her eyes for something. Anything that would tell me what was going on in that lovely head of hers. She searched mine and I kept my face blank, void of all the emotions that gathered deep in me. I couldn’t let her know just how far I’d fallen.
    She’d obviously found what she was looking for because she turned and headed for the door.
    “Don’t,” I said dangerously. Don’t leave, I almost added but wouldn’t say it. She had enough power over me as it was.
    Her voice was sharp and cut into me more than she’d ever know. “Don’t what?”
    Don’t fucking leave and break my heart all over again. But I didn’t say that either. “Why are you letting some arse put his fucking hands on you?” I used the full force of my brogue on her, channeling the warriors of old who would have tossed the lass over their shoulder, taken her to bed and had their way with her.
    “My ass isn’t yours,” she spat as if I didn’t know that already.
    “Have a care,” I said.
    “What the hell does that mean? I care, I care that you made me look like I’d done something wrong in there.” She pointed her finger like it was a deadly weapon.
    “And what would Turner think if he’d seen what you did?” I said triumphantly. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. “Why are you here working of all things anyway? I can provide you with all you need.” I could take care of her always, if she’d let me.
    She flung her hands to her sides, balling them into fist. Her face flushed red, but not in embarrassment. She was preparing herself for the verbal assault I felt coming.
    Her eyes tunneled into me with a fierceness I’d felt pride over. “I was bored, alright? You were out with your new girlfriend and I had nothing to do.”
    I quirked a brow. It was almost cute. “Jealous?”
    “No, I’m not jealous. You’re free to do whatever the hell you want. So why don’t you go back and leave me alone?”
    There was a moment for me to do the right thing and leave her be. However, her jealousy gave me irrational hope. I stepped back into her and gave her little retreat to the wall at her back. I leaned in and did what I wanted to do. I pressed my lips to hers in an onslaught of need.
    She started to move, so I caught her around the waist, holding her there as she melted into me. Her hand slid up my chest and fisted in my hair. Prepared to hoist her up so she could wrap her legs around my waist, I positioned my hand at her thigh.
    The tug was sharp and caused me to curse under my breath. I pulled back and gazed into frosty eyes. “This can’t happen,” she declared before storming back inside.
    I stood panting, trying to work out my frustration. I shifted on my feet, trying to adjust the strain in