Page 24 of Ravage

“I don’t need you to.”

“I know you think you don’t, but you’re wrong.”

There it was.

That damn tone, the same one I’d heard from the Fury men whenever they decided I was too young or too female to handle something myself. I rolled my eyes as I grabbed my phone and keys. “The leftovers are in the fridge.”

“Emery…”

“Goodbye, Ravage.”

I charged for the door, and as soon as I opened it, the cool night air hit me in the face. Before he could stop me, I rushed out to my car and got inside. I was angry, but beneath that anger was something more humiliating. Maybe it was the fact that he had treated me like a child, or maybe it was the fact that he’d spoken to me like I didn’t understand the world I’d grown up in.

Or maybe it was the fact that a piece of me had spent the night wondering if there could ever be something more between us than my childhood fantasies, and he’d just proven me wrong.

“Asshole.”

I started the car, and as I backed out of the driveway, I glanced up at the porch to find Ravage standing in the doorway, glaring at me as if I’d just kicked him in the balls.

Pfft. I wish.

I rolled my eyes and continued out to the main road, and in a blink, I was pulling into my parking spot at my studio. I killed the engine and just sat there for a moment. The anger that was rushing through me just minutes before had settled into something different… something heavier.

Something that hurt deep down in the pit of my stomach.

I hated that I’d let something so trivial ruin my night, but at the moment, it didn’t seem so trivial. Even after all these years, even after I’d started my own career, had my own place, had my own life, he still saw me as some kid to take care of.

He was wrong. I didn’t need him or anyone else. I collected my things and made my way upstairs. I’d barely gotten the key into the door before Angel started crying. I opened the door and knelt down next to her, rubbing her little head. “Hey, baby.”

She let me pet her for all of two seconds before getting to her feet and sauntering over to her food bowl. I shook my head. “Really?”

She meowed, long and loud, letting me know that she was, in fact, demanding food yet again. “You could at least pretend that you’re happy to see me.”

She meowed again, and I stood and went for her food. “Yeah, yeah. I hear you.”

I filled her bowl, kicked off my shoes, and headed for the bedroom. I changed into my PJs, washed my face, and grabbed my phone before crawling into bed. I doubted she was still awake, but I needed to vent.

Me:

Hey.

Are you awake?

Chrissy:

Sadly, yes.

I watched a super scary movie, and now I can’t sleep.

What about you? Why are you still awake?

Me:

I may have gotten into an argument with Ravage.

Chrissy:

What? When?