My heart jumped in my chest. I was so fucking sick of this, sick of myself. Sick of these feelings that wouldn’t go away. Neco had been my Superman, and last night, when he tried to take back that kiss, he showed me how he really felt. He might want me, but he didn’t want to want me. My fantasy of us together was never going to happen, and now he was going to try to get in the way of what I desperately wanted, again. Suddenly, I was—furious. Hurt. Broken.

Done.

Done holding it in. Done pretending that I wasn’t feeling what I was feeling.

My own anger rose higher, exploded past what was healthy, and mixed with the hurt hammering me. I just sort of . . . snapped, reacting in a way I never had before. I stepped closer to Neco, pressed my hand to his chest, and shoved . . . hard.

He barely moved, so I did it again, with both hands this time.

The elevator doors slid open. Neither one of us moved. Neco stood there, staring at me, his green eyes shooting fire at me, through me.

“I wouldn’t do that again if I were you,” he said, his voice low and hard.

The doors slid shut again.

“No? Why the hell not?” I shoved him again, this time putting my full body weight behind it.

He grabbed my wrists suddenly and came at me, striding forward, forcing me back. His body collided with mine, and I hit the wall behind me. Neco crowded in, teeth gritted.

Right then, I didn’t give a shit. “Oh no, you’re pissed off at me . . . again,” I fired at him, sarcasm dripping from my voice. “Well, news flash, I don’t give a shit.” I tried to yank my wrists from his hold, but he didn’t let go.

“Yeah, well, I’m sick of your shit, woman. Sick to death of your fucking games. There are a fuck of a lot of other things I’d rather be doing tonight than chasing your ass around the city.”

Taking that job with Harry was hardly a game. Neither was my decision to finally let Neco go, and yeah, I’d messed with him in the past, but not for some sick entertainment like he obviously believed. That he hadn’t worked it out, the truth behind all of this, that he thought I would play with him to amuse myself because I was bored, or some ridiculous attention seeker, hurt like hell. Why couldn’t he see? Why couldn’t he see me?

“You chose to come after me. I was just fine,” I said.

“Didn’t look that way to me.”

“That’s because you see what you choose to see.”

“I see just fine,” he snarled.

“What’s the real problem here? Did your need to interfere in my life get in the way of something tonight?” I said, my words fueled by pain and frustration. “Did you have plans to fuck your cop? Is that what has you so wound up, why you’re acting like such a giant asshole?”

He scowled down at me, actually baring his teeth.

“Good,” I yelled. His grip tightened, and I hissed like a wild cat. “I hope I ruined your night.”

“Ruby,” he gritted out.

I yanked my wrists free and shoved at him again, but he grabbed my hands and held them over my head.

“Don’t you fucking Ruby me.” I struggled to get out of his hold, but his fingers were like iron manacles.

“That’s why you did this? Quitting your job, threatening to work for Harry, just so you could get my attention?”

I was breathing heavily, heart pounding, pulse racing. “No. I wanted to get the hell away from you. And I can assure you it’s no goddamn threat.”

“Bullshit.”

I held his hard stare, refusing to look away. “I’m done with this, and I’m sure as hell done with you.”

“Bullshit,” he said again, his head dipping lower.

His mouth was only an inch from mine, and I could smell his minty toothpaste mixed with the soap or deodorant the used. The scent was dark and intoxicating. I squirmed and he held me tighter.

“You think you want a piece of me, baby girl?”

Oh God. My eyes dropped, locked on his throat as I tried to get my shit together, suddenly struggling to breathe.

He pressed deeper into me. “You must want it pretty fucking bad since you’re willing to lie to get it. Send me running in circles, like some asshole you can manipulate? Well, maybe it’s time I fucking gave it to you.” He ground into me.

He was hard. Holy shit. I stilled and forced my eyes back up to his. I knew I looked like a deer in headlights, because that was how I felt.

“You think you can handle me, Ruby?”

His voice damn near vibrated with rage, and when I looked at him properly, I could see all traces of control had vanished. The Neco I knew and loved was gone. I didn’t really know this one. This was the side he refused to show me. This was the Neco who had worked for Tomas Mendoza, a crime boss from our old neighborhood. The Neco who had come to be after all the awful shit he’d done for that asshole, before he got out and started working for Hunter and Van. The one he’d always tried to shield me from.

Neco stared back at me. “Nothing to say all of a sudden?” he said, voice cold and low.

I shook my head. “I’m done talking.” Then I leaned in, so close my mouth brushed his, trying to force him to retreat.

A rough sound broke past his lips, full of frustration and anger . . . and something else I couldn’t name.

I thought he was about to step back and let me go, but he shook his head, eyes darkening.

“Me too. Time I gave you what you want.” Then he slammed his mouth down on mine, growling against my lips, kissing me . . . hard.

Keeping hold of my wrists with one hand, he dropped the other to my ass and hauled me higher against the elevator wall, pressing me into it. His lips parted over mine on a snarl and his tongue delved deep, spiking into my mouth. I started to tremble as lust shot through me, kissing him back just as hard. His kiss was rough, hungry, wild, and my head started to spin out of control. I dug my nails into his shoulders, my thighs tightening around his hips, arching against him, against the hard flesh digging into me with enough force to cause pain. I wanted more. He ground against me, against my swollen clit, and I groaned against his lips, into his mouth.

He tore his mouth from mine. “This what you wanted, baby girl?” He started sucking the skin along my jaw to my ear. “This what you wanted from me? Why you devoted so many hours to fucking with me?”

I had no answer for him, barely registered what he’d just said. Words and logical thought had abandoned me. All I knew was that Neco was kissing me again, that I’d die if he stopped.