Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

No way...

Was it that suffocating cloud of smoke when I opened the door?

God, what a cheap trick.

I've been around the block, seen every dirty play in the book. But Dan? This bastard's got a whole new level of low.

He strode over, long legs eating up the space between us.

The pressure he gave off made it hard to breathe. Instinctively, I stepped back.

"What-what do you want?"

Shit! Was he really going to pull the same crap as he did at The Night Owl? Was he going to tear me apart all over again?

"If you even try, you jerk, I swear, this time I'll kill you. No more mercy."

"Mercy?" Dan let out a bitter laugh when he heard that.

He sat on the edge of the bed and yanked me into his arms. "Yvonne, you really think you went easy on me that night?"

You came at me with a damn SWAT team, totally caught me off guard.

And when you made your move, you sure as hell didn't hold back. You were out for blood.

I glared at him, cold as steel. "What do you think?"

15

"Or are you just blind? Can't tell if someone cares about you or not? I'll admit it, though-I used to be pretty blind myself."

Once, I couldn't even tell if someone's feelings were real or fake.

I was so blind I didn't see how many times you used me, and I kept running back to you like a fool.

Looking back now, damn, I was really an idiot.

How did I ever end up handing my heart to you, letting you stomp all over it and not even knowing?

Dan clamped his hand around my wrist, his eyes burning with a cold, pent-up anger.

"You really wanted to kill me that night."

He wasn't blind.

He'd seen it all.

That murderous rage-I wanted him dead, and it showed.

I met his gaze, steady. "Yeah. I did."

I wasn't about to hide it. I owned it, plain and simple.

Dan actually laughed at that-bitter, almost mocking, with an edge of real sadness.

The sadness in his voice made me press my lips together tight.

What the hell was he sad about? Was he acting for pity?

He's the one who played me, used me, faked his own death just to get away from

me.

Now he stands there looking all tragic? Please. Give me a break.

Dan stood, straightening his shirt sleeves where they'd gotten messy from grabbing me.

"So, what now, Yvonne?"

I shot him a look. "What do you mean, what now?"

He stood over me, those dark, soulful eyes of his still carrying that fake tenderness, even in this heavy, stifling moment.

And I had to admit, once upon a time, I'd fallen for those eyes. Hard.

All those years he was gone, every time I remembered the way he

ther at me, I convinced mys

was something genuine there.

But since he came back, that illusion shattered for good.

And suddenly, I remembered what someone once told me: Guys with puppy dog eyes? They can look at anoveldrama

true

goldfish and make it seem like t

love.

Dan opened the nightstand drawer, his voice casual. "Love like yours isn't

something you can just take back."

I stared. "Excuse me?"

Dan smirked. "It's not your call."

"Are you insane?" I shot back.

Did he really think I was some naive girl who couldn't even control her own heart?

Too bad for him, I'm not.

Even at my weakest, if I ever found

out

'meone was a threat to met

I wouldn't hesitate to crush

so-called love to dust.