Primal Instincts_ Volume 2(35)
Author: Nicole Edwards
“Feel better?”
“Much,” I admitted as his hand slid up my forearm before gently cradling my elbow.
I leaned into him when he didn’t move away, soaking up his warmth. I sighed when he cradled the back of my head and held me close. Instantly, I wanted to cry, but I wasn’t sure why. Garrison’s disappearance? Hawk’s distance? Wayne the Fucker’s betrayal? Creed’s high-handedness?
I was more confused than I’d ever been, and here I was, seeking solace in the arms of the man who was at the root of all the chaos. I should’ve done the smart thing and walked away, yet I didn’t move until he did, and only then did I look up when he put his fingers under my chin.
I met his stare, and for a moment, I was lost in the warmth of his eyes. They were darker than I remembered.
“I have a meeting to get to.” His thumb caressed my jaw. “I want you to wait for me after work.”
Right now, I’d do anything he asked. It was like I was in a trance, my body and mind at ease for the first time in … too long.
“If you need to freshen up, that’s my private bathroom,” he said, pointing toward a closed door at the opposite end of the room.
Self-consciously, I slid my hand over my hair, wondering how bad I looked for him to say that.
Creed gripped my chin more firmly, tilting my head back until I met his gaze again. “Wait for me,” he repeated.
“Okay.”
He smiled, and it ignited a spark between my legs. Unfortunately, he didn’t stick around to fan the spark into a flame, but on the flip side, I no longer wanted to throttle him.
18
Garrison
“Tell me you didn’t abandon Journey yesterday because you fucked her the night before.”
My gaze snapped up from my computer monitor. Hawk stood a few feet in front of my desk, his eyes blazing with fury. I glanced around to see how many people had just heard that. The answer wasn’t good since several people were now peeking over cubicle walls to see where the commotion was coming from.
Yep, his coarse statement had drawn the attention of several employees, and while some pretended not to be listening, I could practically feel them hanging on by every beat of silence.
“Not here,” I said gruffly, getting to my feet.
“You did, didn’t you, asshole? You fucked her.”
I didn’t bother to pretend not to be offended by Hawk’s rude comment. I grabbed his arm and dragged him toward one of the second-floor conference rooms. I shoved him inside, then slammed the door behind me.
“I talked to Cheryl,” he barked. “She said you were MIA yesterday. What the fuck, Garrison? Creed asked you to keep an eye on her.” He threw his hands in the air and pivoted away from me. “You just couldn’t keep your fucking hands to yourself, though, could you? It’s bad enough she has to work with that jackass, and now you!”
I didn’t speak, figuring he would eventually tire himself out. I wasn’t in the mood to argue with Hawk. It was bad enough I was plagued by guilt, and it was pecking away at my insides like fucking seagulls with a loaf of bread. I was conflicted because, on the one hand, I couldn’t stop thinking about Journey and the incredible night we’d spent together. I wanted more than anything to go to her, to see her beautiful smile, to hear that raspy voice. I damn sure didn’t want to be hiding like a fucking coward. But on the other hand, I couldn’t stop thinking about how my actions had affected Hawk and Creed. I felt as though I’d stolen something vital when they had their backs turned, and it made me sick to my stomach.
Hawk pivoted to face me again. “Did you fuck her?”
I didn’t answer him, nor did I look away. I wouldn’t lie to him even if I weren’t willing to own up to it. I wasn’t ashamed of what I’d done, and I knew in my gut that, given half a chance, I’d do it again. Hell, I’d do just about anything to be with her. That didn’t mean I wanted to rub it in Hawk’s face, and based on his frustration, that was what he was aiming for. He clearly needed a fight, and he’d come to me to find it. I refused to give him one.
“She was in Creed’s office,” he finally said. “He called me up there to give me this.” He flapped a manilla folder. “Wants me to dig into Wayne’s life, see what I can find while he plays with her like she’s a goddamn toy.”
I wasn’t sure whether he was pissed that Creed was with Journey or because Journey was with Creed. Maybe both. It was difficult to tell with Hawk. While the man wore his emotions on his sleeve, he invited chaos into his life in a way that confused those of us around him. I never knew what he wanted, and I wasn’t sure he did either.
“Was it worth it?” he bit out. “Did she have a solid gold pussy?”
Those words snapped the chain holding me back. Without thinking, I charged him, slamming him into the wall, my fingers tightening around his neck.
“Don’t do that,” I hissed. “Don’t belittle her like that.”
His eyes widened, and I saw the pain there. It caused the vise holding my guts in to twist, making me nauseous. There was no doubt that my actions had hurt him.
Hawk held my stare for the longest time, and I couldn’t look away. With each breath, shards of glass rattled around in my lungs, shredding me from the inside out.
“At least tell me why,” he whispered.
“I don’t know why,” I said truthfully.
“Are you in love with her?”
I glared at him as I released his neck, taking a step back. “Don’t be stupid, Hawk.”
I turned away because I couldn’t risk him seeing the truth. Of all the people I encountered on any given day, of all the people I’d fucked in my lifetime, I’d gone and fallen in love with the one woman whose heart was likely already taken by another man. Perhaps Hawk wasn’t willing to accept that Journey was infatuated with Creed, but it didn’t make it any less true. It was only a matter of time before she chose him. It didn’t make sense to dwell on the fact that I’d somehow managed to do the one thing I promised myself I would never do again: fall in love.
“Jesus Christ!” Hawk bellowed. “You did. You fucking fell in love with her.”
I kept my back to him, unwilling to look him in the eye.