Frozen

Chapter 23)

Brianna

"This isn't working."

I blinked at Barney and then looked around his apartment with wide eyes.

"If by this you mean your cleaning service, then yes, you're totally right," I said.

"No, Bri, I mean us not being together, I don't fucking like it," Barney said.

My head shot around to look at him.

"You don't like it?" I repeated in a tone that should have very clearly told him he was treading on thin fucking ice.

"No, I don't. It's not working, I want to get back together."

"You want to get back together," I said in that same tone, this time even adding an eyebrow raise to clue him in.

"Jesus, why are you repeating everything I'm saying, yes I don't like us being apart and I want to get back together."

"Barney, I told you, unless-"

"I love you," he immediately cut in and I froze. "Of course, I love you, I never stopped loving you and I never will stop loving you."

I didn't move a muscle as I felt the anger form a tight ball in my stomach. The longer I stayed silent and still, the more the ball expanded. Then, suddenly, it was too big and I had to let it out.

"THEN WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT TWO DAYS AGO?" I yelled, throwing out my arms.

"BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO HURT YOU!" Barney shouted back, obviously very okay with the screaming idea, but after his words, I couldn't shout.

When I spoke, it came out hoarse and barely audible and Barney flinched from the raw pain embedded in every word.

"Didn't want to hurt me?" I rasped. "I'm sorry if that's what making you feel better, but you didn't spare me pain by dumping me. You didn't keep me from getting hurt by taking out my heart and stomping on it."

As I spoke, I got more pissed off and my voice came back full force.

"YOU DIDN'T WANT TO FUCKING HURT ME? WELL, GUESS WHAT, ASS FACE, YOU DID. YOU DESTROYED ME. AND NOW YOU 'DON'T LIKE THIS'? YOU WANT TO GET BACK TOGETHER? WHAT IF I DON'T WANT TO MAKE MYSELF OPEN TO THAT AGAIN? WHAT IF I'M SCARED THAT YOU'LL DECIDE YOU 'DON'T WANT TO HURT' ME AGAIN?"

It felt good to yell, and Barney obviously thought so too.

"MY WHOLE FUCKING LIFE," he started, "I HAD BEEN TOLD THAT I WAS POISONED. RUINED FOR ANYONE. FUCKED. UP. AND NOT TEN MINUTES MY FUCKING FATHER TOLD ME THAT HE HAD BEEN LYING AND I BROKE UP WITH THE GIRL I LOVED FOR NO FUCKING REASON!! SO, YEAH, I WANT TO GET BACK TOGETHER BECAUSE I FUCKING LOVE YOU, BRIANNA!"

"YOU DON'T GET TO SAY THAT ANYMORE!"

"WHY NOT?"

"I GAVE YOU YOUR CHANCE AND YOU DIDN'T TAKE IT! YOU KISSED MY FUCKING FOREHEAD AND LEFT, SO YOU DON'T GET TO COME BACK NOW AND THINK THAT EVERYTHING IS JUST-"

I was cut off by Barney's arm around my lower back forcefully yanking me into him and his lips crashing down on mine.

He kissed me roughly, angrily for a few minutes then I pushed him away and slapped him across the face, hard.

"Feel better?" he asked, stalking forward to claim me again.

"Much," I breathed, accepting his tongue into my mouth and arching into him. I grabbed fist-fulls of his hair to get him closer to me and his arms were like steel bands around my waist, molding my body to his.

"Have you ever had angry sex?" he asked, gasping.

"Excuse me?" I breathed, reminding him of the fact I hadn't had sex since my father, and that didn't count.

"Right, almost forgot, well today is your lucky day," he mumbled, lifting me up with his hand on my ass and carrying me into a room with his mouth still attacking mine.

He tossed me onto the bed and then climbed over me.

"We're getting back together," he said, ripping my shirt off and tossing it across his room.

"No, we're not," I said, quickly shedding the rest of my clothes then helping with his.

"Yes, we are," he argued, his lips going to my neck.

"No, we're-" I gasped when he bit the spot just under my ear and then licked it before moving on to nibbling on my collar bone.

"Yes, we are," he muttered smugly.

"Shut the fuck up," I growled, flipping us over so I was straddling his lower stomach, my hands planted on either side of his face, "and fuck me."

He grinned wickedly, tangled one hand in my hair, and pulled my head back down.

Barney

Barney laid smiling broadly and breathing heavily, both arms folded behind his head, the picture of satisfied sexiness. Brianna was sprawled out next to him attempting to catch her breath.

"How was angry sex?" Barney asked, glancing over at her to see if she had passed out.

Her eyes were closed and her lips were tilted up into a lazy grin but she lifted her hand for a quick thumbs up and Barney busted out laughing.

He rolled over so he was mostly on top of her and his chin was propped on her shoulder.

"We're getting back together," he said.

Her eyes popped open and she immediately attempted to get up and leave, but his weight stopped her.

"No, we're not," she said, wiggling under him.

"Shhh, go to sleep, baby girl," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Barney, let me go, we're not getting back together," she insisted, squirming to get away, but his seemingly affectionate embrace around her was more like a cage.

"Yes, we definitely are, but we can talk about that tomorrow," he said, planting a kiss on her shoulder.

She stilled and sighed heavily, communicating her displeasure, though they both knew she was too sated and tired to fight back at the time.

"Fine, but tomorrow, we are definitely talking," she said.

"Mmhmm," he mumbled, burying his face in her hair.

He breathed in deeply then smiled because he knew that even though his girl put up a good front, she loved him.

And he would get her to see his side.