I glanced over my shoulder at Lachlan. He glowered ferociously at us.
What. The. Actual. Fuck?
“You shouldn’t be in here at night.”
Pete retreated, the neutral mask of a trained security guard falling over his face. “Mr. Adair.”
“You can return to your duties, Pete. Thank you for seeing to Ms. Penhaligon’s safety, but I assure you, it’s already in hand.” There was a bite, almost a warning, in his tone that neither of us missed.
I bristled as Pete marched out of the gym.
How dare he come in here and try to pee around his territory.
I turned back to the bag and resumed punching it. Rapidly. Hard.
“Robyn.” His voice was near now.
I refused to look up.
“Robyn.”
Thump, thump, thump. Thump-thump-thump-THUMP!
My arms ached and sweat coated my skin, but I didn’t care. It was the bag or his face.
Suddenly, Lachlan grabbed the boxing bag, pulling it out of my reach.
Breathing hard, I stepped back, scowling at him. “What are you doing?”
“You shouldn’t be in here.”
“I told you where I was going.”
“Then left without looking at me. I deduced from your cold shoulder that the information wasn’t intended for me.”
“Then why are you here?”
Lachlan scoffed incredulously. “I don’t know. Because I’m concerned.” Then his expression darkened. “But I guess since you’re not my woman, it’s not my place to worry.”
“I’m not your woman. That’s not what we are.”
He pushed into my personal space, his chest brushing mine. I had to arch my neck to maintain eye contact. “I thought it was clear that while we’re having sex, we’re not to have sex with other people.”
I guffawed. “I was talking to Pete, not offering myself to him.”
“He watches you too much.”
If he did, I’d never noticed. “He can watch all he likes.” Free. Woman.
Lachlan’s eyes flashed. “I’m not playing this game with you.”
“What game?” I pushed him out of my space, and he stumbled a little, nostrils flaring. “You do not get to come in here and accuse me of something when I just walked into your bedroom to find Lucy in her lingerie on your goddamn bed!”
Blinking rapidly, his shock slackening his features, Lachlan took a few more steps back only to be halted by the boxing bag. “You cannot be serious.”
He wouldn’t make me feel stupid about this. It wasn’t stupid. “She’s your ex. You have history. And I repeat, you were alone in your room for the seventh night in a row, and unbeknownst to me, she’s in there in silk nightwear on your bed.”
“You’re making it sound as if it’s something it’s not.”
“Yeah?” I took a step toward him. “I guess I’m making a big deal out of nothing, then. You won’t mind if I invite Pete into my bed to watch movies while I’m wearing a silk nightie?”
His hot gaze ran down my body before returning to my face. “It wouldn’t be the same thing. Lucy was almost killed. She’s my friend.”
“I’m sorry about what happened to Lucy. And I’m glad she has good friends who want to take care of her, but the man I’m sleeping with does not invite another woman into his bed under any circumstances, so … this needs to end.” I gestured between us. “Maybe you don’t see it, but there’s something between you two, and I don’t want to get caught in the middle.”
Lachlan looked like I’d slapped him. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Don’t.” I snapped. “Don’t act like I’m making this up in my head. Here are the facts: You are sleeping with me. This person came after me too. He actually killed someone. And I’ve barely seen you. I’ve been alone in my room every night since. While you were taking care of her.”
He looked winded. “I … I didn’t think you needed anyone to take care of you. You’re stronger than Lucy.”
I laughed bitterly. Because that said it all. “Haven’t I already told you? There’s a difference between needing and wanting.”
At his silence, I shook my head, unable to look at him. Instead, I grabbed my shit. “Go back to Lucy. I don’t want you anymore.” Heart pounding, chest aching, I marched toward the ladies’ shower rooms.
I’d just opened the door when I heard his pounding footsteps. His arm reached over my head, his palm slammed into the door, and I was unceremoniously manhandled inside. “Adair!”
I dropped my gear, trying to maneuver out of his arms, but he caged me against the partition wall between the entrance and the showers. “Get off me.”
“I. Don’t. Cheat,” he growled through gritted teeth, his nose brushing mine.
“I never said you did. Now get off me. I won’t ask again,” I warned him.
“I don’t want Lucy. Not like that.”
“Adair.” I’d give him to the count of three.
Regret softened his expression. “It’s Lachlan. And I’m sorry I made you feel like I’d abandoned you when you needed me. That wasn’t my intention.”
“I don’t need you,” I lied angrily.
“This isn’t what I expected between us. But I shouldn’t have left you. If anything had happened to you …”
I pushed against his hold, but the bastard wouldn’t let up. “Don’t pretend like you care, Adair, just because you don’t want to be a bad guy. It doesn’t matter to me.” Another lie. So unlike me. The truth? Actions mattered to me. And he’d made his feelings clear this week. Rejection, fury, and the image of Lucy happy and taken care of in his bed awoke something ugly in me. “You don’t matter to me.”
He had the audacity to look wounded.
Ignoring a flicker of guilt, I pushed, “Go back to Lucy. I don’t care who you fuck now that it’s not me.”
He leaned in and whispered hoarsely against my lips, “Liar.”
To my horror, I could feel the burn of tears in my eyes. “I swear to God, you’ve got two seconds to get out of my way or I will make you.”
“You would have done it already. We both know you can leave whenever you want. So what do you want?”
“I don’t want you!” I pushed with all my strength against him, and he stumbled for a second but only to recover and use his whole body to hold me against the wall.
“Liar,” he snarled against my mouth. “You want me and you need me.”
The tears were coming, and I hated the vulnerability. In front of him of all people! It was horrifying. I hated—
“I hate you!”
Fury darkened his expression. “You want the truth?” he hissed. “When I realized that fucker had locked someone in the freezer, I thought it was you, Robyn. I’ve never felt terror like it. And a sick, awful part of me felt absolute relief that it wasn’t you.”
I stilled, shocked to my core.
“I’ve been drowning in guilt all week.”
Hence all the time he’s spent with Lucy.
Oh my God.
“The truth is …” His hungry gaze ravaged me. “I need and want and care about you. I have no idea what’s happening to me. What you’re doing to me …”