Chapter 53

For the rest of the day, Jadon tended to his anger and frustration toward Asher and the Tapiwa situation like a pot of stew on the stove. Every time his friends dared to distract him from it, Jadon knew exactly what thoughts to conjure up to mentally adjust the heat and ensure he was still bubbling hot by the time he drove back home to face the woman again.

It was either he held on to the anger or he allowed the desire sizzling under his skin to take over, and he knew neither of them wanted that. Hell, the woman had made the rules. No sex. No complications. Jadon was determined to stick to that.

For a long minute, Jadon remained in his car outside in the driveway, thinking of the best approach for the rest of the evening. He wanted to avoid Tapiwa but knew in his gut he wouldn't.

With a huff of frustration, he got out of the car and made his way into the house. The first thing he noticed was how clean the foyer seemed. There wasn't a thing in disarray from his earlier scuffle with Asher, not even a drop of blood. The house also smelled strongly of his cleaning products and the distinct smell of Tapiwa, which explained why it was so clean.

Suddenly, Jadon wasn't sure he could hold on to his anger and keep the distance between them. This felt too domesticated, like a husband returning home from work to his sweet little wife. The thought sent a jolt so strong down his body that Jadon nearly dropped his keys. That wouldn't do.

Dragging a steadying breath into his lungs and willing his growing cock to behave itself, Jadon cautiously made his way further into his house.

His first stop was the kitchen, where he was met with a delicious smell, thankfully clear floors and counters, but no Tapiwa. Frowning, Jadon checked the living room. She wasn't there and there didn't seem to be any evidence she had been in there at any time today.

Feeling suddenly anxious and wondering if she might have left after all, Jadon quickened his steps. He was already halfway to the guest room when his brain kicked in and pointed out that she couldn't have left if there was a hot cooked meal in the kitchen.

Jadon came to an abrupt halt and tried to steady himself. He didn't want to rush into the room and have to explain that he'd thought she left and the idea had twisted his gut to the point of pain.

After a minute and feeling more relaxed, Jadon made it all the way to the guest bedroom. However, when he knocked on the door and almost immediately heard a crush and a yelp from the other side of the door, all the composure he had gathered evaporated in a heartbeat.

Alarmed and concerned, Jadon threw the door open and rushed inside. Déjà vu hit him as soon as he was in the room.

It was like the kitchen that morning all over again. Jadon looked down at the stacks of books on the floor and bed, which should have been neatly sitting on the wall-to-wall shelves on one side of the room.

The woman responsible was once again on the floor, except this time it seemed she had fallen off a chair, which he was sure had come from his dining room and shouldn't have been in the room. She was on her back, eyes wide with shock, he guessed. She was also dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, so there was very little skin on display. Shame.

Still trying to understand what it was exactly that he was seeing and ignoring his immediate concern for her wellbeing, Jadon studied the books on the topmost shelf and those scattered around Tapiwa's legs in a way that put Jadon's teeth on edge. Suddenly, understanding dawned. She was rearranging his bookshelves and had fallen off the chair when he knocked.

He guessed he should have anticipated the woman would feel the need to poke at his books. She'd worked in a library, for crying out loud. But still, he couldn't stop the irritation he felt from bubbling over and pouring out of his lips.

"Do you have something against respecting my belongings?" Jadon snapped through clenched teeth.

"I-" She cut herself off and scrambled to her feet.

Jadon didn't miss the slight wince she tried to hide. Once she was standing, though, whatever guilt she'd had for once again making a mess of his house vanished like a puff of smoke in the breeze and he saw he was about to deal with the stubborn, argumentative woman once again.

Jadon nearly stormed out of the room before she started, but for some reason, his feet remained glued to the threshold.

Tapiwa looked around and then folded her arms over her chest. "I was just trying to stay busy," she said defiantly, her chin jutting out in the slightest.

"Most people watch television."

"I don't like television much," Tapiwa retorted without missing a beat.

Jadon arched a brow, not having expected that answer. "Let me guess. You prefer books," he said sarcastically, shooting the scattered books another glare. "But you can't just read them like a normal person. No. You have to rearrange them as well." He shook his head, frowning. "Do you have an OCD condition or something?"

"I don't have OCD."

"Are you sure? Maybe you just haven't been diagnosed yet. It's not something to be ashamed of. It would just explain this obsessive behavior you have to rearrange everything in my house. I mean-"

Jadon threw his arms wide in exasperation. "I am almost expecting to find you in my underwear drawer tomorrow. Because You know I don't color-code them or anything like that."

Tapiwa's nostrils flared. "I don't have OCD and I will not be checking your underwear drawer or any other drawer in your room."

"Probably a good idea. My bedside table has condoms and lube. It would just be creepy if you started stacking them according to brands and colors."

"You-" Tapiwa spat even as her arms dropped to her sides and her hands curled up into fists. "Fuck this!" she suddenly bellowed before she turned on the bare soles of her feet and stormed over to her suitcase by the wall.

Before Jadon could ask what the hell she was doing, Tapiwa began an agitated struggle to lift her heavy suitcase above the books, all the way to the door. Jadon watched, rather fascinated. He opened his mouth to ask where she was going, but then clamped it shut and decided to just watch.

By the time Tapiwa got to the bedroom door, she was breathing heavily and sweating. But that wasn't about to stop her. She glared bloody murder at Jadon, and he chose to silently step out of her way.

Jadon didn't follow after Tapiwa as she marched down his hallway to the front door. She had nowhere to go. They both knew this. He wasn't going to beg her to stay. Especially not when she was just being dramatic after deliberately messing up his house every time he turned his back. The damn woman needed to learn boundaries.

The front door slammed shut. Jadon sighed. Despite his resolve just seconds before, he almost went after her. But no. He would wait and see what she did. If she was gone for good well, Jadon wasn't sure what he would do, but he would figure it out after he put his books back where they belonged.

Ten minutes later, Jadon had barely filled the first row of shelves when he heard knocking at the front door. He paused, certain it was Tapiwa. She didn't have a key to his house and the door would have locked after she left.

Some part of him wanted to leave her outside for some minutes, just to make a point. His insides clenched and Jadon was on his feet before he thought too hard about it.

As expected, Tapiwa was at the door when he opened it. But Jadon frowned. Unlike when she'd left the house, looking like a pissed-off kitten, Tapiwa looked spooked. She was covered in sweat, breathing hard, and she kept darting glances over her shoulder into the shadows as though expecting danger.

What the hell? Jadon stepped forward and grabbed her elbow, guiding her back into the house before he grabbed her bag and slammed the door shut. Then he faced her. "What happened?"

Trembling like a leaf caught in a storm, Tapiwa wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head. She squeezed her eyes shut and drew a deep breath. "I think I thought I think I saw the man that tried to drown me. He was standing at the end of the street." Tapiwa opened glazed eyes and looked at Jadon before she whispered, "I think he was watching the house."