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“He and Paige broke up nearly two fucking years ago, Pop,” I toss back. “And that girl’s used my boy for a walking, talkingdildo since the day she dumped his ass. She calls, and he goes running.” I shrug. “I, for one, think it’s fucking phenomenal that he’s got himself a new lady.”
She looks appalled, her mouth hanging open. “His family treated her like garbage!”
“So? He treated her like a queen. I saw it firsthand.” I press the back of my head to the wall. “That’s why I don’t do relationships. No one is really ride or die. They can say it till they are blue in the face, but when it comes time to ride, no one wants to die.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see her staring at me for what seems like forever. Finally, she bursts into laughter, leaning against me.
“Cade Huff, you are so fucking weird.” She settles down, inhaling. “So, what about you and Haley? Whatever happened with that?”
“Nothing,” I answer quickly. “Never will either.”
“Why is that?”
“Because, Poppy, I actually care about her. And you know what would happen if I let her get too close?” I turn toward her, narrowing my eyes. “I’d dim her shine—that’s what. And I’m not fucking doing that. So, instead, I’ll watch from afar. Just as long as that means I can watch her light burn bright.”
The silence between us grows thicker and thicker before she eventually sighs.
“Damn,” she whispers. “You really do care.”
Yeah, I do. And it doesn’t even fucking matter because she’ll never be mine.
I pull into the driveway to find Haley is the only one home. Her car sits alone in her usual parking spot, and I wonder where everyone else is. The two of us … alone … in a house isn’t good. Too fucking tempting really.
Walking into the house, I head upstairs to my room. Just as I pass the bathroom door, out strolls Haley with nothing on her body but a towel. With her head down and lost in her own world, she runs right into me.
I don’t stop my body in time, and since I’m a helluva lot bigger than her, it’s a damn bulldozer effect when our bodies collide. She falls backward, holding on to the towel for dear life so it doesn’t completely slide off her and onto the floor. As I catch her in my arms, her towel slips down just enough to expose the top of her tits, causing a low groan to release from my throat.
As hard as it is to do, I peel my eyes away from her body and look at her face. Which really doesn’t help me from drooling over her because she’s so damn beautiful.
“Well, hi there.” I grin, trying to pretend like her perfect, full tits aren’t almost bursting out for the world to see.
“Hi,” she squeaks, her voice barely audible.
I look at her face and notice her cheeks are red and almost chafed or something. Her eyes are bloodshot with bags under them. But before I can look any harder, she steps away from me, yanking her towel upward and tightening it around her. Her wet hair is slicked back, like she just combed it. And her skin is free of any makeup, leaving her in her most beautiful form. Bare. There’re a lot of chicks who look hot in pictures or at parties with ten pounds of makeup on, but when they wash it off, they look like someone else. That’s not Haley. She’s a natural showstopper. And she’d take the breath out of any motherfucker’s chest just by looking their way. But I can tell something’s wrong even though she’s trying to hide it.
I turn sideways and lean my shoulder and head against the wall, examining her. There’s a depth of sadness in her eyes I’ve never seen before. She looks lost.
“You all right, gorgeous?”
She nods slowly, but I see her lips tremble.
“I’m fine,” her voice croaks as she starts to turn.
Taking her wrist softly, I hold her in place before turning her toward me. “Haley, what’s going on?” She doesn’t answer, so I tilt her chin up. “You can talk to me, I promise.”
She doesn’t look convinced. A tear rolls down her cheek, and I brush it away with my thumb.
“It’s okay; you can trust me,” I whisper. “I swear it.”
She chews her lip nervously as a few more tears spill from her pretty eyes. “I don’t want to tell Hunter because I know he won’t understand why I’m upset. But my mom called. She didn’t want anyone to tell me before she could.” Her lip quivers. “She said that”—she starts to cry harder—“Rhett … the guy who attacked me … he … killed himself. They found him in his room. He had gone home for the weekend to spend his birthday with his parents.”
She shrinks into herself, her shoulders sagging. I scoop her up and carry her into her room, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
“Shh,” I murmur against her hair. “It’s okay.”
“I know it’s stupid that I’m crying. I mean, he stalked me, kidnapped me, and beat the shit out of me.” She’s so hysterical that her entire body shakes in my arms, so I tighten my hold. “But I still feel bad. I don’t know why I feel bad. I’m so fucked up.”
“You feel bad because you’re a good person, Haley,” I whisper, keeping her head tucked against my chest. “Whatever you are feeling is okay. If you’re relieved, that’s fine. If you’re happy, that’s fine. If you’re sad and you need a shoulder to cry on, that’s fine. If you need to break some shit, I’m game.Whatever you need, Haley, I’ll be here for you.” I kiss the top of her head, her hair tickling my lips. “I’m not going anywhere.”
