Page 103 of Pick Me This Time

“Daphne!” Peter called as I made it to the sidewalk that would lead me home.

At the sound of his voice, my spiraling thoughts slammed to an abrupt halt and the only thing that mattered was getting away from him. I picked up my pace, my footsteps falling quickly on the pavement. My breathing sped up too, making little puffs of mist in the chilly night air.

“Daphne, wait!” he called again, but I ignored him, keeping my head down as I raced across the street, hoping he wouldn’t follow me to the other side.

Obviously, he did. Peter didn’t give up easily and he caught up with me faster than I’d been expecting. “Just wait, would you?”

Although phrased as a question, it came out as a harsh command. The hairs at the back of my neck stood up and I felt like my extremities had suddenly been encased in ice. Fear raced through me, taking control of even my heartbeat as his footsteps echoed from right behind me.

“I know you can hear me,” he snapped. “Just fucking stop.”

“No, I’d rather not. Leave me alone, Peter.”

He scoffed. “Your brother and his fucking friend jumped me the other night. They didn’t leave me alone. Why should I let you go?”

I glanced at him when I felt him move in beside me. His jaw was bruised, and I winced. Clearly, it was still hurting, and while it did, his ego would be bruised too. I finally lifted my chin, digging deep for the courage to look into his eyes.

“Yeah, well, you deserved it,” I said, picking up my pace even more. “Consider us even now and back off before you give them a reason to jump you again.”

“I deserved it?” He emphasized every word, the incredulity dripping from his voice before he scoffed down disbelieving laughter. “How did I deserve it, Daph? You’re a liar and a slut. I know you’re fucking Sterling now. He wouldn’t have come after me otherwise, so what did you do? Did you whisper in his ear that I hurt you? Did you turn them against me with your poisonous lies?”

“What are you even talking about right now?” I snapped as an ominous drizzle started falling from the sky.

I glanced up, seeing dark clouds moving in, creating a thick blanket that blocked out the light from the moon. Well, that’s comforting. Thanks, universe.

“I’m talking about you talking shit behind my back.” His voice dropped a few decibels to that dangerous, warning tone that had always sent shivers skating down my spine. “What happened between you and me should’ve stayed between you and me, Daphne.”

“Why?” I spat, shoving down the fear as I turned another corner to my house. The rain was starting to fall faster and harder, and we were getting soaked but the anger tearing through me banished the cold. “Did you really expect me to protect you? To not tell the truth just to spare you the humiliation? I’m not sorry, Peter. You deserve everything that comes your way.”

“You’re a bitch, Daphne LaSalle. A sneaky, lying bitch who uses her pussy to get what she wants.”

My eyebrows shot up. “You can call me whatever you want. It doesn’t change what you did.”

He sneered, his arm coming up and shooting toward me, but at that moment, as the heavens opened up with sheets of heavy rain, Sterling stepped out of the darkness. I had no idea where he’d come from, but he didn’t say a word as he gave Peter a look that made the other man slink away.

I couldn’t see Sterling’s face since he’d put his back to me, but Peter deflated like a balloon, sending me one last, narrow-eyed glare before he turned and stormed away. Sterling reached for me then, wordlessly dragging me to a truck I recognized from their farm and opening the door.

“Get in. I’ll take you home.”