Page 16 of Damon

ATHENA

As we drove through town toward my apartment, I grew increasingly annoyed. Damon Price had one hell of an ego. I wasn’t in the business of feeding some delusional man’s egotistical needs. The more I thought about the entire situation the angrier I became.

“You’ve got some nerve showing up like that,” I snapped. “I am not your property. I’m not sure why you struggle to get that through your thick head. We are done with this shit.”

His lack of reaction only pissed me off more. He gave me the barest of glances, dismissing me with a look. “We’re done when I say we’re done. Settle down, Athena. You might hurt yourself.”

That flippant remark did something to me. I lashed out with a violent show of temper, punching him hard in the arm. I would have punched him in the side of the head if I wasn’t afraid of causing an accident.

Pain spread through my hand. I wasn’t used to hitting people. Violence wasn’t in my nature. However, I could get used to hitting Damon. After everything he’d done so far, it was the least he deserved.

“Feel better?” He smirked, navigating the car with ease, entirely unaffected by my outburst.

“No, I do not feel better. I’ve never wanted to hurt someone as bad as I want to hurt you right now.” My hand went to the door as we rolled up to a red light. Even though it was my car, I was severely tempted to leap out and run.

Damon’s gaze followed my hand. “Don’t even think about it. I would catch you. I will always catch you.”

“There is something seriously wrong with you. Have you been tested? Pretty sure you should be institutionalized.” I got the feeling that anything I said would roll right off Damon. He didn’t seem like the type to give a shit what anyone else thought of him.

Despite the genuine anger in my tone, Damon burst into laughter. “I’m sure there are many people who would agree with you. If you’re trying to hurt me, you’ll have to try a lot harder than that.”

We pulled up in front of my building. I took the opportunity to throw another punch, this time aiming for his head. As if he expected it, Damon caught my wrist.

“God, you are so aggravating. Give me my keys. I’m going inside.” Spying the way his gaze strayed to the flash of thigh my short skirt revealed, I did my best to tug it down lower. There wasn’t enough material to do so.

“I don’t think so.” Releasing my arm, Damon shoved open the car door and got out. I had no choice but to hurry after him as he let himself into my building with my keys.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I called after him. “You are not coming inside.”

Damon pulled open the door, letting himself into the lobby while I rushed after him. “You might want to keep it down. It’s getting late. You’re going to piss off your neighbors.”

Lowering my voice, I hissed, “That’s far enough. You are not coming up to my apartment. You are not welcome here, Damon.”

As if I hadn’t spoken, he punched the button on the elevator, strolling inside without a care. “What floor are you on?”

He really had me in a tough position here. His arrogant disposition was driving me nuts. With an angry jab of my finger, I punched the button for my floor. I knew what he was doing. Punishing me for Dillon. Trying to put me in my place. But we weren’t in the woods anymore, and I wasn’t afraid of him.

All right, maybe a little. That wasn’t going to stop me from telling him exactly what I thought of him.

“You’re a real asshole, you know?” I stood on the opposite side of the elevator, as far from him as possible.

“So I’ve been told. Is that the best you’ve got?” An amused smile played about his lips. Drawing my attention to his mouth. Making me think about the way it had felt between my legs. Dammit.

The elevator door opened to reveal one of my neighbors. I forced a small smile and nodded before storming down the hallway to my suite. Damon was ready for it when I tried to close the door on him.

“Nice try, cream puff. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” He caught the door with a heavy hand, pushing his way in behind me.

“I really don’t want you here,” I said, kicking off my shoes in the doorway. Suddenly nervous about having him in my apartment, I glanced around the living room, hoping there was nothing embarrassing left out that he might see.

Damon shoved past me, making himself at home in my space. “I really don’t care. You seem to think you have some kind of power here. I guess I need to remind you how wrong you are about that.”

My eyes narrowed as he approached a group photo of me and my friends, studying it intently. “Can you do that from outside? Because that would work much better for me.”

He chuckled, a devious sound that sent sparks dancing down my spine. “You’ve got one hell of an attitude. And here I thought you would be boring. This might be more fun than I anticipated.”

“You think this is fun? Just another example of something being extremely wrong with you.” As he picked up the photo, I snatched it from his grasp.

Undeterred, he moved to the couch, flopping down in the middle. Stretching his arms out on either side of him along the back of the couch, he gave the furniture an appraising glance. “Nice place. Could use a vacuuming. Overall it’s not bad. Seems like a good place for someone like you.”