jaxon watched her, confused. "i'm going with you."

"no, you're not." she stomped to the closet and flipped through the clothes, finally settling on a tight black dress.

his jaw clenched. "what did you mean, you're a puppet?"

"i do what i'm told or i suffer, all right? happy now?" after she shimmied into the dress and strapped several blades to her thighs, she tugged on knee-high boots. she stuffed those with a gun and three throwing stars.

he didn't know why, but seeing her armed aroused him. anything would, nowadays. "leave this house, and i'm coming after you. i swear it."

"you won't be able to find me."

at least she didn't mention the wheelchair. "wanna bet?"

her eyes narrowed on him, and she anchored her hands on her hips. "do i need to knock you out?"

"try. see what happens." he was pissed enough to fight her and tie her to the bed.

exasperated, she tossed her hands in the air. "this is why i avoid men and relationships." with a shake of her head, she grabbed a brush and jerked the bristles through her hair. when all the tangles were gone, she wrapped the silky tresses into a twist and held it in place with sharp little blades. "if you think that orgasm gives you the right to dictate my actions, you're wrong."

"don't forget the ring," he snapped, ignoring her words and motioning to the ring she'd used to knock him out before. "you might need it."

her cheeks flushed as she tugged it onto her index finger. "this isn't the only ring you should fear." she grabbed the other two, telling him about them as she shoved them in place. "this one will make you vomit your guts. and this one will make you hallucinate until you peel the skin from your bones."

"i guess i should consider myself lucky you only knocked me out," he replied bitterly.

"yeah." deadpan expression, deadpan tone. "you should."

he hated fighting with her for reasons that had nothing to do with work.

obviously, she hated fighting with him, too, because she sighed and added, "look. there's no reason to argue. i have to go and you have to stay. that won't change. so do you want to tell me how the women are infected by the sch