After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 12

Rebecca answered by biting his finger hard.

She put all her pent–up anger into the bite, clamping down with surprising force.

Jeffrey winced but didn’t let go. Instead, he cradled her face, his voice still gentle. “Since when did you get so feisty?”

Rebecca responded by biting down even harder.

Jeffrey tightened his hold on her face just enough to make her release his finger.

“Keep that up and I’ll return the favor later,” he warned, his tone deceptively soft as he tilted her chin up. “I’ll have you crying and begging me to stop.”

“Let me go!” she demanded, struggling against him with tears of frustration in her eyes.

Her resistance only made him want to see her defiant attitude crumble into pleading submission.

He pulled her firmly against him, and when she began struggling again, he leaned close to whisper, “If you keep squirming like that, I won’t wait untii we’re somewhere more private.”

Rebecca froze as she felt his body tense up and his skin grow warm against hers. After five years of marriage, she knew exactly where this was heading.

“We’re in a hospital,” she said, her eyes widening with alarm at what he might try “Have you lost your mind?”

“Nobody’s coming in here without my permission,” Jeffrey said, his intense gaze never leaving hers as his hands grew more daring. “I’ll give you time to think about whether you’re going to apologize.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Rebecca protested, trying to stop his roaming hands. “Why should I be the one to apologize?”

Jeffrey lowered his head and nipped at her neck, leaving a faint mark behind. “Just think about it. I’m not asking for an answer right now!

Rebecca pushed against him with all her strength, but he didn’t budge an inch.

“You can’t even scrape together fifteen grand right now,” Jeffrey said, his hand sliding higher on her waist while keeping a straight face. “How are you gonna come up with a hundred fifty? Unless you don’t really want your mom to wake up.”

Trapped against him, Rebecca bit hard into his shoulder.

Jeffrey caught her chin, forcing her to release him and look at him.

“You’re not the only one with money in this world,” she shot back, her chin throbbing but her defiance unwavering. “I may not have the money, but I’ll

find someone who does”

“Is that so?” Jeffrey’s voice turned icy.

“Yes,” Rebecca shot back, her eyes rod but blazing.

Jeffrey storm off. He’d always been possessive, never allowing anyone

did.

situation. Jeffrey was afgry, yet

most. Releasing

hard, and the coppery

1/3

Chapter 12

kissed her more intensely. His free hand slid downward, pausing to

in Rebecca’s eyes, but against Jeffrey’s

body too well–chery spot his

all her might

especially sensitive

why the tears?” he murmured, gently

right?” Rebecca

calm. “What are you calling it

“Rape.”

shot back without hesitation.

serious

doing what he always did–making se things sound trivial. “You’re

well. No matter what she

up,” Jeffrey said, checking his watch and finally letting her go:

your decision?”

him like he

even

a long time ago, Rebecca said firmly. There was no way in hell she was getting

at his fingertips, still warm from her touch. “So you’ve

silent, her stubbornness

looking as composed as if they’d just had coffee instead

his cuff. “But none will loan you money. Not even

trying to do?” Rebecca asked, her heart

closer. “But we’ll have a problem if you

actually had been counting on borrowing from

drawled, making Rebecca’s heart

his wrinkled shirt

finally overflowed, and she swung her hand to slap him across the

firmly in mid–air. She tied to pull back, but he

doesn’t solve anything,” Jeffrey remarked, holding her hand for a moment longer before releasing it. As he turned to leave, he added,

Rebecca retored, her voice sharp with anger

jacket, his expression returning to its usual detached demeanor. “We shall see about that,” he responded

back, as if the intimate moment they