He gave a short, rough chuckle. Anger still burned in his eyes, but something softer flickered beneath it now. “I was wrong. I should not have stayed on my phone that long. And I damn sure should have seen you leave.”
She blinked, stunned. What was she supposed to do with that? “Okay. Well then. You shouldn’t even be here if you are not going to do your job.”
He widened his stance and watched her, waiting. When she stayed silent, he said, “You’re right. I’m sorry. I should have paid better attention. Now it’s your turn.”
She lifted her chin. Her spine straightened one stubborn inch at a time. “Me? I didn’t do anything wrong.” The second the words left her mouth, she knew she had made a mistake.
Jaxon moved.
Fast.
She barely had time to draw a breath before he closed the space between them. His arm banded around her waist and lifted her clean off the ground, taking her to the wall and setting her down. “Hey!” Her protest came out as a startled squeak just before he pinned her arms gently but firmly against the brick wall.
Her breath caught.
“What did I tell you earlier about your personal safety?” he asked, voice low and rough.
“You are not my Daddy anymore. I don’t have to listen to a single word you say.”
His eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. “I strongly suggest you change your tone. Now apologize and promise me you will not put yourself in danger again.”
“Not in a million years.” She would not give in on this. She could not let him slip back into the role of Daddy again. She simply could not.
His eyes glittered with dark intent. “All right.” Then he kissed her. Hard.
She tried to pull her arms away from the wall, tried to kick at his legs… tried to stay angry. She meant to push him away. But the moment his mouth claimed hers, the fire that had been simmering between them exploded.
This was no sweet, gentle kiss. It was fierce and demanding, full of eight years of frustration, pain, and raw need. When she tugged against his grip, he let go of her hands. But he was still way too close. They were touching foreheads.
She stood there panting.
Then, without her permission, her hands flew to his shirt and fisted in the fabric before her brain caught up. Pulling his lips back toward hers.
Jaxon made a low, rough sound in his throat.
Then he kissed her again. This kiss was deeper. He took his time, letting the anger bleed into heat that rolled through her body like summer lightning.
Her arms slid around his neck. Without thinking, she wrapped her legs around his waist, clinging to him, her body responding even while her mind screamed that this was dangerous territory.
“Tazzy,” he breathed. His emotions roughened his voice. His words both dared and warned. She rested her forehead against him for a moment. “You are going to apologize, babygirl. The easy way or the hard way. Up to you.”
It took a second for the words to sink in. She leaned back, glaring at him. “No.” She knew he would take this as nothing less than a dare.
His smile was slow and full of wicked determination. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
Her stomach flipped. Heat pooled low and insistent. Her body was completely out of step with her brain. The man was solid muscle, nearly unbreakable.
She had noticed it when he moved her refrigerator, as if it weighed nothing. When he’d snatched the cigarette from her fingers and crushed the entire pack in his hand.
And now he looked at her like she was both infuriating and irresistible. Her tingles spread, vibrating every cell of her body.
“Time’s up,” he murmured.
She froze. “I don’t understand.” Her gaze kept drifting to his hair, so different now than before. The desire to run her fingers through it to feel how the lengths differed was too distracting.
What had he said? Oh yeah. “I am not scared of you,” she said. He might be terrifying when he was angry or with other people. But he’d never hurt her.
“I don’t want you scared of me. However, you will obey me when it comes to your safety. It seems I haven’t made that clear, but I can fix that.”