“Simply put,” I add, irritated that she doesn’t trust my knowledge, “either you start having coordination issues and neurological malfunction, or you suffocate.”
She swallows hard and looks at Doc for confirmation.
Fuck you, Kat.
Doc nods.
Her lips tighten. “I can stay at my place, and if anything happens, I can call you, right?”
Unfuckingbelievable.
“And if you pass out and die from respiratory malfunction, who’ll be responsible?” I say sharply.
Doc confirms with a nod. “You can’t be unsupervised.”
“So I’ll stay with a friend.”
I snort. “Like who?” She hasn’t made any friends yet.
“I’ll stay with Marlow.”
I swear, I can almost see a forked tongue peeking between her pretty full lips as her eyes shoot arrows at me. Kat might be fine, but that snake might’ve died.
“Not a chance,” I say slowly. And no, it’s not jealousy. It’s anger. Because Marlow somehow managed to buy her trust, and I want to strangle the motherfucker.
“Yes, chance,” she argues.
“You are staying with me.”
“What?” She gapes at me just as Doc snaps his head in my direction and stares in curiosity.
“You heard me,” I say, gloating over her shock.
“No.” She snorts. “Not a chance.”
“I work at night. I can monitor you.”
“I don’t need to be monitored through a creepy-ass camera or anything,” she snaps, then murmurs, “Sorry, Doc.”
“Well, here are your choices, sweetheart.” I grit my teeth. “Either I lock you up in this room overnight so you don’t escape and die somewhere on the streets, snooping around.”
I smile because the anger on her face at my words is precious, and she glides a hand along her wet hair in that manner that gives her away.
God, I love that I learn all these little quirks about her.
“Or you stay atmyplace, have a nice dinner and—pinky swear—I’ll turn off my cameras, and we can discuss work.”
She crosses her arms at her chest to mimic me. It’s cute. It’s nice to have her cornered. Even nicer to rub her the wrong way, to watch her trying to be calm as her nostrils flare just a little as she tries to control her breathing. Even though just half an hour ago she was laughing, splashing in the ocean, and sticking her hand into my briefs.
Our eyes lock as she tries to figure out why I’m doing this.
No reason other than for my own sardonic enjoyment.
“Fine. What’s for dinner?”
18
KAT