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If she only knew I wasn’t interested. Besides, I’m wearing ripped sweats, and a baggy sweater, my hair’s a mess, and I have bags under my eyes. I think I’ve lost weight as well. Which makes sense since I barely eat anymore, and what I do eat, I always wind up throwing up anyway.
“Darling.” The receptionist opens a door behind her desk. “There’s a little girl here who needs some help.”Nice.Insult the customer. I can’t help my own eye roll now. I hear the rumble of a man’s voice but not what he says. She pops back out. “He’ll be out in a minute.”
Closing my eyes, I lean my head back against the wall, hating having to be here. It reminds me too much of Caspian.The smell of oil and gas.He always brought the smell with him. There was spice to it, too, from his body wash, but he could never entirely scrub the day away.
Until now, I hadn’t realized how comforting I found it, nor how much I’d come to miss it. It’s ridiculous.I’mridiculous. But I can’t stop it. No matter how much I want to, I can’t wipe away my love for Caspian.
“Bunny?” My eyes pop open when I hear his voice. Did I conjure him up?Nope.No, I did not. I watch as he rounds the counter, rushing over to me. “What are you doing here?” There’s no anger, just curiosity.
“Bunny?” the girl snorts. “The one who tricked you into sleeping with a little girl?” My nausea returns. He’s moved on, I realize. This was the man in the office.
When he doesn’t correct her or scold her even, because her words are clearly an insult, I gather my things and get to my feet too quickly, dizziness taking a grip, and I nearly tumble to the floor. Ironically, it’s Caspian reaching out for me that sets me back on my feet. Shrinking away from him, I hand him my keys and explain, “I think it’s leaking.” If I’d known this was his shop, I never would have come here. I’d have happily crashed on the side of some road and died there.
“Let’s take a look.” He wants to touch me, but he doesn’t. Instead, he holds the door open for me, and we head outside.
For a month, I’ve been uncharacteristically cold. Even though it’s been in the nineties nearly every day, I can’t seem to get warm. Heat eludes me. I’m cold and dead inside.
“When’d you notice the leak?” he asks, banging on the garage door until it lifts. Jack stands there, and I can see he’s about to say something, but instead, his mouth shuts as he stares at me.
“At lunch,” I reply. My words sound clipped because I’m flustered and feel breathless.He’s moved on.Meanwhile, I continue to be harassed by his cousin. That was a huge shocker. Falling head over heels in love with my tormentor’s relative shoved me over the edge without a net. There was nothing to catch me, and I’ll wear the scars for the rest of my life thanks to it.
Chester has gotten worse since discovering that Caspian and I had been together. It doesn’t matter that we no longer are. He’s taken a perverse joy in assaulting me when he finds an opening. I reported it after he trapped me in the girls’ bathroom for a second time and shoved his hands down my pants. Nothing was done about it, just as I suspected.
Tabitha and her cheer squad have taken to standing up for me, thankfully. It’s not often I eat alone anymore, and I always have someone in a class with me. They’re pretty familiar with Chester and his ways. I just wish someone would knock him down a peg or two.
Caspian pops the hood as Jack brings over some wheeled thing that I think you lay on to look under a car, but I’m not sure.
“How are you, Bunny?” His voice is soothing, like I’m a frightened rabbit about to bolt. The irony in that isn’t lost on me.I am.
“Fine. You?” I try civility, but truthfully, I’m one comment away from falling apart.
“Good. Ava’s looking about ready to pop that baby out but still has a couple of months left to go.” I smile up at his excited face. Despite his gruff demeanor, he is an excellent dad.
“I’m happy for you both.”
Caspian clears his throat, drawing our attention. “Just excess rainwater. Likely spilled out when you parked this morning.”
I acknowledge his comment, glad that it’s what I thought, but wanting to be certain. “Thanks for looking.” I hold out a hand for the keys, and my sweater slides off my shoulder. The damn thing has always been too big.
I flinch when Caspian’s hand lifts to touch me. “What is this?” he asks, trailing a finger along the outline of Chester’s latest bite mark. When he did it, I ripped out of his grip, and it tore my flesh.
“Nothing.” I pull the side back up. I don’t need him to feel sorry for me.
“That’s not nothing. This shit still going on?” I look away, my palm still out. “For fuck’s sake, Bunny, you have to let me in on who’s assaulting you.”
“I have to go,” I say instead. The keys are placed in my hand, and I jump in the car, racing out of the parking lot faster than I’ve ever driven before.
Once I’m clear, I head to the water. I need time alone. Time to think. Away from the stifling love of my sisters. Right now, I need time away from Caspian.
I wasn’t prepared to see him. I hadn’t expected it, and my heart is breaking all over again because not only has he moved on, he was being kind to me.
CHAPTER10
Caspian
Ihadn’t meant to let a month go by. After Roman came to see me, I intended to formulate a plan to win Bunny back. It started with giving her a bit more time, and before I knew it, it’d been a whole month since I’d fucked everything up.
Seeing her yesterday was a wake-up call. She’s lost weight. She hasn’t been sleeping. She looks like she’s barely hanging on.
