Collide (Collide #1)(158)

Bewildered by the breakneck pace of the conversation, Emily figured she would answer as truthfully as she could. "I think the answer's pretty straightforward, Fallon. I'm marrying the man who loves me. I'll talk to you later," she said, setting off at a brisk pace toward the door.

"Emily, wait!" Fallon called out.

Emily held up a silencing hand, and reached for the door.

As she opened it to leave, her breath caught when Gavin's brilliant blue eyes locked on hers. Shock rushed through every limb in her body, settling like heavy steel in her chest. She stared at him as he leaned against his car, uncaring of the cold rain pelting down around him. With his arms crossed, Gavin's eyes raked over her from head to toe, and if Emily wasn't mistaken, they showed something akin to anger. Momentarily, confusion crossed her features, but it quickly faded as anger of her own set in. Though she didn't want to deal with any bullshit excuse he was about to spew out of his mouth, there was no hiding this time. She needed to face this - face him. Pulling in a quick breath, she gathered her nerve, composed herself, and stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"Ah, there she is. The girl who's smashed my heart to pieces," he said, his voice loud and menacing over the rain. "Was that your sole purpose in all of this - breaking my heart? Because if so, you've thoroughly accomplished that. "

"How dare you say that to me!" she yelled, her anger welling, bubbling deeper now.

"How dare I say that? I was nothing but a f*cking reprieve for you while he was gone!" Uncrossing his arms, he stepped forward, flinging his hands aloft in complete surrender. "Is this some kind of f*cking joke?" he laughed with no hint of amusement in his voice. "I took that pretty face for many things, but I have to admit a sick little player wasn't one of them."

Emily's mouth hung agape. The frigid rain had nothing on the tenacity he had showing up and accusing her of being a player. That alone had her nearly frozen in disbelief. However, she decided to remain quiet. If he wanted to play games, she would allow him, but she would win at the end. Something inside her screamed to let him bury himself. She crossed her arms as defiance shimmered in her eyes, inviting him to his own funeral.

And Gavin would take the bait because that look in her eyes nearly drove him mad.

Though she ripped his soul from within his body, not touching her wasn't an option. Not kissing her was impossible. He had to kiss her right there as the rain fell around them. Gavin moved to her with the fluency of a tiger attacking its prey. Before Emily could stumble back a few steps, he captured her by the waist and brutally crashed his lips over hers, his tongue parting them while she tried to push him away. For a second, she could taste his anger, aggravation, and possessiveness - and, damn him, if it didn't confuse and piss her off more. As he sucked the rain clear off her bottom lip, lightening flashed above, its booming sound cracking to the earth in the distance.

"Are you f*cking crazy, Gavin?" she hissed, jerking her head back as she tried to wiggle her way out of his hold.

"Am I crazy? Like a fool, I had faith in you - in us!" he growled, his voice rising, barely controlled, as he gripped her waist. He looked into her eyes, watching the beads of water trickle along her lashes and down her cheeks. "When did you take him back, Emily? Answer me that f*cking question!"

Puddles pooled around their feet, and rain-soaked commuters dashed past them.

She stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest, with mutiny bold in her eyes. "I took him back about an hour after you left my apartment!" she hissed, her voice malicious in her attempt to cut every piece of him to shreds. She tried to pull away, but he held her firmly in place. "I took him back an hour after you brazenly hovered over my body and told me that you loved me!"