Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 120186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 601(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 601(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
“I can, and I just did,” I yell.
“Would you just stop and look at me, goddammit!” She sounds as exhausted as I feel.
“Got nothing to say,” I mutter.
Allie doesn’t give a fuck about me trying to leave, though. She latches onto my arm before I reach the truck and pulls me backward, making me stumble over my own feet. My fucking hangover has left me less sharp than usual.
I’m both angry and annoyed with her pestering now, and I know it fucking shows when I whirl around and face her. Fear sparkles in her eyes, and she takes a startled step back. I can’t explain it, but her fear soothes some of this pain.
“You wanted my attention, Allie. Now you have my fucking attention,” I growl and lean into her. She shrinks away, not on purpose but likely out of instinct. Good, at least some part of her knows how dangerous we are together. And right now, I’m barely holding it together. I have all these fucking emotions rushing through me. “Look, I’m pissed off and annoyed right now, and the last thing I want to do is talk to you or anyone else. So if you didn’t follow me out here to suck my dick or let me fuck your pussy, then get the hell out of my face.”
Allie blinks slowly like I’m speaking in another language.
“Is that why you followed me out here?” I move closer, crowding her, my fingers itching to reach out and touch her. “Are you finally going to spread your legs for me? Let a Bishop dirty you up for your squeaky clean fiancé?”
In the blink of an eye, she slaps me across the face. Pain ripples across my cheek, but it’s a welcome feeling. I clench my hands into fists to stop myself from reacting.
“How dare you?” she seethes.
“The truth hurts, huh?” I taunt, ignoring the way my cheek burns when I try to smile.
Allie shakes her head, causing a few strands of red hair to fall onto her face. “I get your father died. You’re hurting and want everyone else to hurt because of it, but I’m not a doormat, Kade.”
“You’re whatever I want you to be.” I lean into her face, my gaze zeroing in on her lips. I want to kiss her, and that’s the stupidest thought I’ve had in forever.
“No, I’m not, and the question doesn’t go away just because you avoid it. Why were you talking to my mom? What’s going on?”
“Give me something in return, and I might think about telling you.”
Her lips turn down, and I hate her concern shifting to something like disappointment. “What happened to you? It’s like I don’t even know you anymore.”
Funny. Real funny. “It’s hilarious that you think you really knew me. You didn’t. You knew my dick, my mouth, and my tongue, but you didn’t know the first fucking thing about me.”
Her face falls, and she frowns, looking at me like I just kicked her dog. “It wasn’t because I didn’t want to…”
Fuck me. Why does she have to look at me that way? I only felt contempt for Emma’s tears, but Allie’s? She’s still my greatest weakness.
As much as my heart demands revenge for what she did, a bigger part of me craves to soothe her. To reach out like I used to and drag her into my arms so she can make everything feel right for a second. My arms ache for her, and the words that might give her a little peace hang on my lips. But that’s as far as they go before I bite them back. I’ve already made enough mistakes with her to last a lifetime.
I let her in. I tried to show her who I am.
And just like everybody else in my life, she saw what’s inside me and hated me for it. There’s something so ugly in me. I’m not worth the effort. Emma knew it. Roman knew it. Allie does too. Why not give her what she wants and let her know exactly who I am?
She wraps her arms around herself when a chilly breeze blows through the fence line. “Please. Talk to me. Why are you here?”
“I told you. It’s none of your business, so let it go.”
“Did Calder send you to harass my mom? Carry on the family tradition of making sure the Porters stay in their place below the Bishops?” she snaps, her temper flaring to life again.
If anything, it was Emma who harassed me with all those texts. “If that’s what you need to tell yourself.” See, I’m just the attack dog. Even she sees me that way.
“All I can do is assume. Tell me what’s happening so I don’t make shit up. Why are you here? What are you trying to do to my family?”
Her family.
Her family.