AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He grabbed my hips, pulling me into him, his hard erection rubbing against me, and I found myself wanting to strip off all my clothes right then and there to bury the pain I felt.
“Don't ever be sorry for being you, Lenn. It's just a relief to not have to hide how insanely attractive I find you, or how many times a day you turn me on.”
“I do?”
He circled his hips into me, making his erection brush over my center, and I sucked in a breath. “What do you think?” He went to bend down, his intention clear, when a noise from the other room reminded us Slade was still out there. It was probably for the best. There were still a lot of things we needed to discuss, and a pass tonight didn't mean I could just throw those out the window and jump into bed with him.
Letting go, I took a deep breath and returned to the living room, sitting back on the couch. I didn't look at Slade but began with my recollection of events, not caring if he was ready or not. If the words were going to come out, it would be when I was ready.
“Like Simon mentioned, we got a text to meet at a different place as we were leaving. I waited an hour, sending you several messages. I ordered food while I waited, and the staff looked on with sympathy as it became clear I was stood up. When I was about to leave, worried something awful had happened, you finally responded back. Told me I'd been a joke, a prank you'd pulled with your brother. That you read all my letters out loud at school and you had some of your friends write to me too. The real kicker you shared was that Simon knew and was in on it because he’d never stopped writing to you. You called me a country bumpkin with a crazy mother. And then… you told me to smile because I was on camera.”
“I didn't—”
“Nope. Her turn now.”
“But she—”
“Slade, seriously. Just let her talk, and then we can hash it out.”
When they both quieted, I started again, still staring only at the floor. “I ran out of the bar, and that's when I found Simon. I asked him, and when he didn't deny writing to you, I knew everything else was true too. I ran off, hiding in some bar. I had a drink and then started going from one place to the next. I don't even know the last place I ended up in. I’d called my dad earlier, and he’d told me… “ I gulped, determined to say it. “He said he'd send Duncan.” I sucked in a breath at the sound of his name and felt Simon pull me close. The tears started again, silently this time, and I stayed staring at the floor.
“I vaguely remember bumping into you now that you mentioned it, saying the tattoo thing, but I hadn't before just then. Believe me or not, whatever, it’s the truth.” I shrugged. Sighing, I prepared myself for the last part, the memories that hurt the worst. “Everything kind of blurs after that. Someone bought me a drink. I danced. I sang a song. I had some more drinks. I saw Simon, and I ran away from him and danced some more. It’s spotty, a blob of things out of order. Grabbing drinks, dancing, spinning. I remember being in a hallway and things being in and out of focus. Someone handing me some water, and then waking up upside down, the lights flashing all around me ...”
When I met Slade's eyes, I was surprised when I didn’t find anger there. But it was worse because instead I foundpity. Fury rose in me, how dare he pity me! It pushed the rage back in. Standing, I grabbed the first thing I found, which unfortunately was a pillow, and I threw it at his big head. It wasn’t very powerful, but it felt good to fling it at him, even if it did bounce off. He looked down at it, cocking that smile that screamed condescension.
“Are you happynow? Did I get what I deserved?” My fists clenched, my face burning with rage as the painful things slapped me in the face with their memories. I directed it all at him. “Do you want to hear how I found out I'd almost been raped by the person who’d taken me? Or how when I'd been rescued by myboyfriend, I watched him get hit by a car? What about how they still don’t know who the driver was? Huh? Does that makeyoufeel any better?”
At some point in my rage induced shouting, I'd walked closer, and when I needed something else to throw, I restored to poking him in his chest,hard. It was an extension of my anger spitting out of me.
“No,Peach. It doesn't,” he spat. Slade’s chest rose with each inhale. “Why do you think I gave you a job despite hating you?” he ground out through his teeth. “I felt partially responsible, so I suffer every day as I war with myself onwantingyou andhatingyou. Sono, it doesn't make mehappy.”
We glared at one another, our chests rising with our rapid breathing as our eyes locked in a fierce stand-off. Simon's words finally broke through the anger haze, and I turned, breaking the hold Slade held over me.
“What, Si?” I exhaled, defeat and exhaustion heavy in my question. My shoulders sank, and I could've collapsed right there on the floor, the fight leaving me.
“Don't you see it?”
“What? How much we hate each other? Yeah, thanks for pointing that out.” Rolling my eyes, I didn't miss the way he smiled at my sass.
“No, Lenn. Youbothcouldn't have been catfishing one another. Something else is at play here, or more likelysomeoneelse.”
I looked back at Slade, his expression reflecting the same surprise as mine, I expected. Was Simon correct, and we'd both been played?
“But how?” I asked, confused.
“Thane,” Slade raged, his nostrils flaring.
Looking at him curiously, I couldn’t understand what he meant. “Thane? How is your brother part of this?”
My question stunned him, and he took a step back, betrayal covering his face. “How thefuckdoyouknow, Thane?”
It was my turn to step back this time, his vehemence thick as he directed it at me. Stretching out my hands in front of me, I shielded myself in protection from his words. Glancing at Simon, his confusion mirrored my own, helping to calm my racing heart.
“Because… I met him.” I sounded it out slowly, not wanting to spook the raging Tatzilla in front of me. “When you ran off after we slept together, he came into the shop, or well, I met him the night before I hit my head actually.”
“You slept together!” Simon shouted and I winced, remembering he hadn’t known. Cringing, I gave an apologetic look to him, dropping my hands. “Oops.” He didn’t get to ask anything else because Slade drew both of our attention back as he shouted again.
“That's not possible!” The sneer had been flung at us, and I held my hands back up. I couldn't deal with them both shouting at me.
