AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She’s not as good of a liar as she thinks she is.
“Something happened.”
She coughs out a harsh laugh and settles back in her chair. “Nothing happened. Like I said, you’re just slow to catch on.”
“Bullshit. Tell me the truth.”
“The truth.” She sits up straight and folds her hands in front of her. The look she throws my way is just this side of pity. “What was it they used to call you? Oh yeah, BRAINS. That’s what people called you. Because after your accident you forgot how to do everything, even spell your own fucking name, which is why you were held back a year. Maybe you didn’t know because Micah would go beat the living shit out of anyone caught saying it out loud. It’s not your fault. Just like it’s not my fault that you can’t seem to understand what I’m saying.”
She’s doing her best to provoke me, to makes sure I storm out of here without looking back.
I do understand that.
What I don’t iswhy.
There’s a reason. And the reason occurred somewhere within the last twelve hours.
“It’s your family. That’s it, right? Now that our relationship has gone public they’ve decided to use it as a way to threaten you somehow.”
The flare of alarm in her eyes tells me everything. She wants to be made of stone but I can read her just fine. I might be the only one on earth who can.
I reach for her. She escapes her chair and tries to leave the room but I corner her against the wall.
“Listen to me,” I tell her. “I’m here for you.” My knuckles graze her soft cheek. “Whatever’s gone wrong, baby, we’ll figure it out together. Just don’t shut me out of your life.”
She closes her eyes, heaves out a long, defeated breath. “I have to,” she whispers.
“Haven.” I hold her in my arms. She doesn’t know she’s the sole owner of my heart. I need to tell her this. And I will, as soon as I destroy whoever is trying to take her from me.
“I’ll fix it,” I promise in a whisper and press my lips to her hair. “I promise.”
A shiver rolls through her. Her chest heaves. She’s crying.
The crunch in my chest is nearly painful. My furiously brave girl. She could face down an army and win. Nothing makes her cry.
Damn, I love her.
That’s why I will eviscerate whoever has done this to her.
Haven squirms free. She takes a step back and swings her hair out of her face to show me where things really stand.
She’s not crying at all. She’slaughing.
And it’s terrible, the way she gasps out those phony sounds. I know this performance is a sham because I know what her laugh really sounds like.
Haven giggles and staggers back. “Conner, how could you get this so wrong? You’ve mistaken me for some damsel in distress. I don’t need to be rescued. I certainly don’t need you.”
“That’s still what you’re telling yourself? I know better, sweetheart. I know how to make you laugh. How to make you blush. How to send you to your knees.I fucking know you, Haven Marchenko.And right now you’re lying.”
She lifts her chin. Gazes at me with supreme loathing. And opens the door.
“Get the hell out of here.”
“No.”
She shrugs. “Okay. If you’re angling for one last fuck I guess I can oblige.” She pulls her dress up to her waist and bends over the arm of the sofa. “Make it fast.”
I don’t want my dick to get hard but I can’t halt a reflex. Maybe I shouldn’t try. Maybe the best course of action is to drop my pants and crudely fuck some sense into her with the door open.
