Page 65 of Fix You

Peeking my head to the right, I exhaled a relieved breath when I didn’t see anyone. After throwing open the door, I stepped out into the side yard. I peeled off the robe and tossed it behind the trash can.

After fluffing out my hair, I smoothed my hands over my dress. A giggle bubbled from my lips that I had actually successfully snuck out of the house. Now I just had to get my Uber, and I’d be on my way.

As I started around the side of the house, the smell of cigarette smoke entered my nostrils at the same time someone said, “Who’s there?”

I jumped out of my skin as a squeal erupted from me. Whirling around, I came face to face with Rafe. At that moment, I had the oddest sense of déjà vu from our night together on the rooftop.

Rafe’s dark eyes bulged comically wide as his gaze began slowly trailing down my body. Once he was finished, he growled, “Where the fuck do you think you’re going in that?”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“That’s none of your damn business!” I snapped.

“You can sure as hell believe I’m making it my business.”

“I think you confuse me with your fiancée, Mr. Neretti. You have no say in what I wear or what I do.”

With a scowl, he replied, “Don’t bring up my fiancée.”

“Why not?”

“She’s an innocent in all this.”

A bitter laugh tumbled from my lips. “And I’m not?”

“You know she wasn’t my choice just as much as you know I never meant anything to happen between us.”

“But something did,” I argued.

“Yeah, it fucking did,” Rafe replied, taking a long drag on his cigarette.

Tilting my head at him, I said, “I thought you quit.”

His onyx eyes narrowed. “I did. But like all bad habits, I just can’t seem to give it up.”

That’s how I feel about you. A bad habit I need to give up.“While I’d love to stay and chat, I have an Uber waiting on me.”

“You’re going out without a bodyguard dressed likethat?”

“I am.”

With a slow shake of his head, Rafe replied, “Over my dead fucking body.”

“Once again, you’re not my fianceeormy brothers, so you don’t get to tell me what I can or can’t do.”

As I started past him, he reached out and grabbed my arm. “I’m not playing, Maeve.”

“Let me go,” I gritted out.

“Not until you get it through your stubborn skull that I’m not letting you throw yourself to the wolves in some desperate plan to get over me.”

Wrenching out his grasp, I jabbed a finger at him. “You egotistical bastard! How dare you think any of this is about you?”

Placing both hands on his broad chest, I shoved him.

Hard.