the marble floor. “You’re telling me that shithead laid his hands on you because you’re moving in with me?” “I didn’t say that.” Daire slowly turned his head, and his dark hair fell across his hooded eyes. “Prove it. Pull up your sleeve.” “No, I—” “Gavin, I’m not gonna touch you after whatever you’ve been through. But if you don’t pull up that fucking sleeve, so help me God…” I reached for my sleeve and tugged it up my arm, and as five very distinctive reddish-purple welts came into view, Daire cursed and shot to his feet. I sucked in a sharp breath as he began to pace back and forth, muttering under his breath, and all I could think was thank God he couldn’t see my back. Hell, I couldn’t either, but I could feel the way it stung from my being thrown up against the bureau in Joey’s room. “How long?” Daire bit out. His hands were fisted by his sides, his back to me as though he didn’t trust himself to look my way for the answer. “Just this once,” I said quietly. “Don’t lie to me.” “I swear I’m not. This was the first and last time.” It was the truth, and something that still shocked me hours later. Joey had always leaned more on the mentally controlling side, and he’d never physically hurt me before. That wasn’t something I would endure with anyone, and I’d ended it right then and there. His surprise and hesitation when I said we were over gave me the time I needed to get the hell out of there and not look back. I’d blocked his number. His email. Taken away guest privileges here at the Towers. There was no way he could get to me, so here I was safe. But the way Daire’s body vibrated with rage told me that Joey wasn’t. I got to my feet, but he was already turning around and heading for the door, like his mind was in in
