“They’re in the middle of the ocean, Rika. Cut her a break.”
He grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and tipped it up, gulping down the whole thing.
“I wouldn’t have bothered you unless I was worried.” I shot a quick glare at Damon for planting the seed in my mind. “If I can’t reach her, that’s one thing. But she hasn’t called me, and that’s unusual.”
Michael finished drinking his water and set the bottle down on the island, planting his hands on the countertop before him. Raising his head, he stared at me, narrowing his eyes as if thinking about something.
“Come to a party with us,” he commanded.
I heard a breathy laugh behind me, and I pinched my eyebrows together in confusion.
Was he was playing with me?
“No,” I answered. “I’d like the number to the satellite phone.”
I heard shuffles behind me, and one by one, each of the guys came up to the island, positioning themselves around me and watching.
Michael stood across from me, while Kai and Will leaned their forearms down on the counter to my left and right. I shot a sideways glance, seeing Damon with his arms crossed and leaning his shoulder against the wall between the living room and kitchen, staring at me.
They’re just messing with you. That’s what they do. They push, they intimidate, but they’d learned their lessons. They wouldn’t cross the line.
“Come to the party,” Kai chimed in. “And you can have the number.”
I shook my head, letting out a bitter laugh. “‘Come to the party, and I can have the number?’” I repeated. “Yeah, this isn’t Thunder Bay, and I’m not as easy to push around as I was then, okay?” And then I turned my eyes on Michael. “Screw you. I’ll get the number from your father.”
I turned and stalked off, taking a left down the hallway toward the elevator. The doors opened as soon as I pushed the button, and I stepped inside, trying to calm my racing heart.
They still intimidated me.
And excited me. And challenged me. And knotted me up.
I’d kind of wanted to go to a party but not with them.
The doors started closing, but just then a hand shot into the elevator, and I jumped, seeing the doors re-open. I sucked in a breath, staring wide-eyed as Michael reached in, grabbed my shirt by the collar with one hand, and pulled me out.
“Michael!” I shouted.
I stumbled into him, and before I knew what was happening, he grabbed my wrists and locked them behind my back, walking into me and forcing me backward, back down the hall toward the kitchen.
“Let me go!” I demanded, my lips brushing the tip of his chin.
“I don’t know, guys,” he teased over my head, “she still seems pretty fucking easy to push around. What do you think?”
Laughter greeted me as he forced me back into the living area.
Every muscle in my body was on fire, and the tips of my toes kept getting caught under his sneakers.
I twisted my body, trying to break his hold. “What the hell are you doing?”
I pushed against his chest and jerked my body to the left, tearing out of his hold with every muscle I could muster.
I stumbled, losing my balance, and fell backward, crashing to the floor. Pain shot through my ass, running down my legs as the fall knocked the wind out me.
Shit!
Shooting my hands behind me, I pushed myself up and bent my knees, looking up at him as he advanced.
He stalked over and then stopped, towering over me. I immediately moved my hands and feet, crawling backward, away from him.