Fucking jerk, took charge of everything else except for this. I should’ve known better than to even ask. Glaring, I tiptoed down the stairs towards the very thing I wanted to run away from. I wasn’t sure I would make it to her in time. She was winding her arm back, ready to smash through the front window. As much as I didn’t want her here, I couldn’t let her hurt herself either. I snatched her tightly bound fist with my hand, trying to ignore the sparks shooting through my body with the smallest of touches.

I watched her process what was happening–the fact she wasn’t alone. She wouldn’t be alone ever again. The thought brought a smile to my lips as she turned her face towards me.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” She was even more beautiful up close. A pretty little thing who had absolutely no idea what she had stumbled into.

She opened her mouth to scream, then closed it again, pulling her other arm back, subtly, like I wouldn’t notice. But rule number three was to always be ten steps ahead. By the time her free fist sailed toward my face, I had it clutched into my other hand. “I wouldn’t do that either. Whatever happened to manners? I swear, people these days have no idea what constitutes good manners.”

“Who the fuck are you, and why the fuck are you in my house?” A frown creased her smooth forehead, and I couldn’t help but laugh at her misplaced sense of propriety.

“Darling, I could ask you the same thing.” She tried to pull out of my grasp, but I squeezed her wrists tighter.

She glared, anger radiating hot off her smooth skin. The fact she was angry, not afraid was surprising, and incredibly attractive. “Let me go. I’m getting out of here, and then I’m calling the cops on you. You have approximately five minutes to get the hell out of my house before they show up.”

I rolled my eyes. If only the police were my biggest problem. “First, this isn’t your house. It’s mine.”

Before she could open her mouth to protest, I took my hand off the wrapped wrist and slapped it over her mouth. “No interrupting.”

If looks could kill, I’d be nothing more than a pile of ash on the floor. I found myself staring into her eyes, a unique hazel blend I don’t think I had ever seen before. Damn, she was stunning. But, no. If we were going to survive this house together, I couldn’t afford to give in to a pretty face.