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I only realized I was screaming when I heard Tyson mutter from the doorway, “Holy fuck. Whatever he’s done now, he’s pushed her too damn far and she’s finally snapped. If she pushes him over the railing, then we all know we should probably run away and hide from her until she calms down for our own safety.”
I didn’t care about who he was talking to. None of it mattered. I had my sights locked on my target, and as much as I wanted to get the hell away from him, I couldn’t let him off that easily.
I swung my book at his head again, and this time he ducked out of the way, just barely. His arms came up to fend me off, and I nailed him in the wrist.
“Fuck!” he hissed as he pulled his arms in closely to his chest. “Baby, I’m sorry, okay? I did this all wrong. I thought you’d want to keep this simple. I didn’t think you’d want to make a big deal out of it. I even got you a ring, but I wasn’t sure if now was the right time to give it to you because you don’t like gifts, and I wanted you to be able to get used to the idea of this being permanent before I gave you the ring. Shit, baby, I’m sorry, just please stop hitting me and we can talk about this rationally.”
Rationally?
How fucking dare he?
I screamed as I threw the book at him. It hit him in the shoulder and bounced off of him. My entire body shook with rage as I watched the book hit the deck at his feet. Why did he always have to do these things to make me feel so out of control?
He knew what he was doing, he always did, but that never stopped him from pushing me too far and seeing just how much of his bullshit I could really take.
Well, today I could take no more.
He’d crossed a fucking line. If he’d had a ring and some really pretty words for me, I would have handled this situation very differently. I probably would have said yes in a heartbeat, but instead here I was ready to cry and wanting to murder him at the same time.
“We’re done here,” I said in a voice that shook. I could feel the tears as they pricked the backs of my eyes and my emotions clogged my throat, attempting to choke me.
I would not cry in front of him. I would absolutely not cry in front of him.
I’d wait until I was safely locked away behind my door and all by myself before I allowed that first tear to make its way out of my eye.
In order to make sure that happened, I did something I hadn’t done in a very long time, something I’d thought I’d broken myself of doing because the people in my life didn’t enjoy me doing it—most especially the arrogant asshole standing in front of me.
I dug my fingernails into the palms of my hands so deeply I immediately felt my skin tear.
I didn’t so much as flinch at the pain, we were old friends, but the tears definitely receded.
I felt like I could breathe steadily again without falling entirely apart.
Quinton’s eyes dropped to my curled hands and they flared dangerously.
“Baby,” he said as he carefully reached out for me. “Come here. I’ll make this right, I swear.”
I shook my head at him and a sad, hollow laugh escaped me. “Didn’t you hear me? I said we’re done here. And I meant it.”
His eyes widened again for another reason, and I could practically feel the panic radiating off of him in waves. “What the fuck does that mean?” he rasped.
I shook my head helplessly as I backed away from him. I had no words left to give him. At least none that I knew he’d want to hear.
“Ariel.” He said my name as if it were a desperate plea.
I wasn’t having any of it. Maybe tomorrow he could get on his knees, apologize, and beg for forgiveness.
Today, I couldn’t even look at him anymore.
“Ariel!” he repeated frantically.
I backed into a hard body and whirled around. Dash stood there staring down at me with eyes that burned brightly.
I ignored him and searched for Tyson.
I pointed a shaky finger in Quinton’s general direction. “You keep your uncle the hell away from me before something unforgivable happens that we won’t be able to come back from. Do you hear me, Ty?”
He nodded his head seriously, his expression grave. “I hear you, girl. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything for you.”
