Rough Edges Read Online Free Page B

I let you go back in there. I’d really rather not have that happen.”
    â€œSugar, don’t you think I’d do the same thing if you tried to keep me out of my own home?” she asked, almost sweetly.
    Franklin’s eyes widened. His ruddy skin went splotchy. He looked to the man next to him for support, but found none. He opened his mouth to say something, then clamped his lips shut.
    Victor took pity on the poor kid and spoke up. “I’m sure she’s just teasing,” he said. “Bella has no need to resort to violence. She knows you’re only doing your job.”
    She fixed Victor with a death ray stare. Her gray eyes narrowed, and he swore he could feel the heat of her anger blasting through his clothes. “I try to always reprimand in private, so you all should leave now. Victor and I need to talk.”
    The men scurried off. She didn’t spare them so much as a glance. As soon as they were on their way down the street, she got right into his face. “Don’t you dare speak for me again. Ever.”
    â€œYou were scaring that poor kid half to death.”
    â€œGood. Proves he has half a brain. You’d be smarter if you were a little scared, too.”
    Victor tried not to scoff. Sure she was tough as nails and deadly in a fight, but he never once imagined she’d inflict violence that wasn’t deserved.
    Perhaps that was his mistake.
    â€œYou want to hurt me?” he asked, refusing to so much as blink under the force of her furious stare. “Go ahead and try. I dare you.”
    â€œTough talk.”
    â€œWe both know how it will end. You’ll be on your back under me, pinned and panting, unable to move until I let you go.”
    Her pupils flared so wide he was sure it had to have hurt. “You got lucky once. Doesn’t mean it will happen again.”
    â€œAnytime you want a rematch, I’m ready to go.”
    She pulled in a deep breath. “I don’t have time to waste on your petty pissing matches. I have a company to run.” She turned and headed for her truck only to realize it was locked and the keys were inside her house. “Shit.”
    She looked at her front door as if she was actually considering going back in there.
    No way was Victor going to let that happen.
    â€œCome home with me so you can get some sleep. I know you’re exhausted.”
    She stared at him for a full ten seconds. He wasn’t sure if she was deciding whether to accept his offer, or calming herself down enough to speak. Either way, he stood there, taking the heat of her gaze for as long as she needed to give it.
    Finally, she said, “Take me to work.”
    â€œYou won’t sleep at work.”
    â€œI might. We have on-call rooms I could use.”
    â€œI know you better than that. If you go to the office, you’ll work. And if you don’t get some sleep soon, you’re going to start making bad decisions. We both know you can’t afford to do that.”
    â€œI know my limits. I haven’t reached them yet.”
    â€œAnd if a new lead comes up tomorrow, sending you on another two-week chase after Stynger or Gage with no time to sleep? What then? Will that be past your limit?”
    She closed her eyes for a split second, but it was long enough for Victor to see the dark stain that fatigue had left beneath her eyes, as well as the slight wilting of her slender frame. “I don’t suppose you’d front me the cash for a hotel room, would you? My purse is inside.”
    He wanted her in his space, in his home. He knew that having her in his domain would change nothing between them, but the urge to drag her to his lair by her hair was clearly still encoded somewhere in his DNA. “When I have a perfectly good guest room available? Are you that afraid of me, Bella?”
    She snorted. “Afraid of you? Hardly.”
    â€œThen what’s the problem? We’ve slept in close quarters for weeks