Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 95008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
I was clearly demented.
“Kara,” he growled, his fingers wrapping around my bicep as I tried to move around him. “You need to go back.”
“So, you can be out here but I can’t?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “Huh.”
“There’s no reason for you to be here,” he replied, skirting around the question. “We’ve got it covered.”
“Well, I’ll pitch in where I can.”
“You aren’t needed.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. I’m sure it’s all hands on deck, right?”
“For fuck’s sake,” he ground out in frustration.
“Don’t use that tone with me,” I snapped back, yanking my arm out of his grip.
“I didn’t use a tone,” he replied in the same tone.
“So, only you can help out, right? Only you can step in when someone needs it. Only you can put yourself in danger. Right?”
“The fuck are you even talkin’ about?” he shot back. “You know you don’t wanna be here. Fuck, I don’t even want to be here. It smells like shit and my goddamn eyes are burning.”
“Then why don’t you leave and let other people handle it for once,” I replied, stalking off toward the house.
I was feeling pretty damn good about my parting shot. I mean, I’d really nailed the whole passive aggressive thing and I was hoping that he’d stand there for a few minutes trying to figure out what I’d been implying. Instead, I only made it about four steps before I was being lifted off the ground and carried toward the back of my Jeep.
“Draco,” I said in warning as he dropped me back on my feet.
“You got somethin’ you want to say to me?” he asked, leaning down until our faces were just inches apart.
“Pretty sure I already said it,” I replied, glaring.
“No, you made some bullshit comment and then stomped off like a twelve year old.”
“Right,” I bit out.
“I’ve given you time,” he said. “I’ve given you space. I’ve left you the fuck alone even though I—” He pointed his thumb at his chest. “—was never the one in the wrong. But I’m not gonna let you be a fuckin’ idiot just to make some stupid point that no one understands but you.”
I opened and closed my mouth twice, trying to figure out what I should reply to first. I couldn’t even wrap my head around everything he’d said.
“You were never in the wrong?” I finally yelled. “You were never in the wrong?”
“The fuck did I ever do to you?” he asked incredulously, smacking his hand on the window behind me. “Be your friend? Support you? Stick up for you? Love your stupid ass?”
“I never asked you to stick up for me!”
“You didn’t have to,” he yelled in my face. “I fuckin’ loved you! I couldn’t have stopped it!”
“I didn’t ask you to love me, either!” I yelled back.
“I know that,” he replied derisively. “You were too busy tryin’ to ride Curtis’ dick.”
I hit him. I slapped his face so hard that my palm stung and I felt the twang all the way to my elbow. For a second, I think we were both shocked into silence. I’d never hit anyone before. I’d never even had the urge.
“Fuck you,” I rasped out. “Get the fuck away from me.”
“Kara,” he replied, his voice full of remorse as he reached for me.
I slapped at his hands, pushing them away from me. “Get away from me,” I hissed. Furiously, I wiped at my face. I didn’t want to fucking cry. I hated crying. Why the hell was I crying?
Shame and embarrassment burned the back of my throat until I felt like I was choking.
“Talk to me,” Draco said, following me as I strode toward the house. “I don’t wanna keep doin’ this shit!”
“Then don’t,” I said tiredly, not bothering to look at him.
“Jesus Christ,” Curtis called out as he rounded the house ahead of us. “The fuck could you two possibly be fightin’ about when we’re already dealin’ with this shit?” He gestured around him.
It was the wrong thing to say and the wrong way to say it.
“Draco was just reminding me of how I wanted to ride your dick when we were teenagers,” I replied conversationally. Curtis’s mouth snapped shut as his eyes widened. “We should just do it now and get it over with, don’t you think?” I asked. “I mean, everyone knows I had a thing for you—so if you’re up for it?” I shrugged.
The venom pouring out of my mouth didn’t even sound like me, but Jesus it felt good. It felt good to turn the tables. To be the person talking about the stupid crush I’d had on Curtis instead of the one trying to forget it. It felt good to throw it back into Draco’s face. It felt spectacular to throw it back at Curtis. After all of the years of him acting like I was going to try to make a move on him, my mocking offer had frozen him in place. Like I’d ever touch him. The thought made me physically ill.