Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 129986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Rather than let go, his grip on my jaw tightens. His other hand goes to my waist so he can control me better as he rumbles, “Let them see.”
I can feel a cold sweat about to break out. “Dare, let me go.”
“No.” His grip on my jaw tightens almost painfully. “I will kiss you wherever and whenever the fuck I want to,” he says carefully. “And I don’t care if Hannah or Anae or anyone else fucking likes it. You’re mine, and I will do whatever the fuck I want to do with you. Do you understand?”
I swallow, my heart pounding unsteadily in my chest.
When I don’t answer, he runs his fingers along my jawline. “I don’t like being mean or threatening to you, Aubrey. I don’t like that Hannah brings out this resistant side of you. Every time she’s around, you pull away from me, and I don’t know why. I know if she were a man, I would assume she’s competition and I would treat her accordingly.” He places a gentle kiss against my cheek, at odds with his words. “Should I expand my view a bit, hm? Should I consider her my competition?”
My heart nearly drops out of my body. “No, of course not.”
“Anyone who tries to split us up will have a very bad fucking time if I find out about it,” he informs me.
“She wasn’t trying to split us up.”
“But she told you I threatened her. Did she think you would like that?”
You did threaten her!
I know rationality isn’t what he’s looking for here, though. He’s trying to intimidate me, and he’s not doing a terrible job.
“She didn’t tell me what you said,” I point out. “She could have. If I knew what you threatened to do to her, I assume we would be having a different conversation.”
He smiles, but it’s not a nice smile. “We would. But I don’t think it would be different in the way you think it would be. I told you I won’t lie to you, Aubrey, and I won’t. Yes, what I threatened to do to Hannah was bad. But if I tell you, it will make you want to leave me, and if you leave me, then I’ll do it. So, would you like to know what I threatened Hannah with?”
I feel sick, but I shake my head no.
Not with terms like those.
“All I want is for us to be together and happy without other people trying to get in the way of that,” he says in a way that makes it sound so sensible. “Is that so bad?”
I shake my head again.
“Is that what you want, too?”
My tummy roils, but I ignore it and nod my head. “Yes, of course.”
“Good.” He kisses the side of my face, then finally lets go of my jaw.
He held me so tight, I’m afraid there may be fingerprints. I rub the skin lightly, looking up at him.
His attention has shifted to the sheet of paper in my hand. “I see you’ve read the poem. Much better than hers, if I do say so myself.”
“Did you have your nerd army write it?” I ask a bit stiffly, trying to get back into the frame of mind of a girlfriend whose boyfriend isn’t openly threatening violence to one of her friends.
He smirks. “Nope. Penned that one myself, just like you asked.”
Just like I asked?
My blood runs cold. “What are you talking about? I never asked for this.”
“Not seriously,” he allows. “You said something about me penning a clapback poem for you being the true test. Personally, I prefer my revenge to be a little more draconian, but I decided to cover all the bases.”
I can only gape at him. “You really did this,” I say softly. “All of it?”
“What? I was just supposed to let her humiliate you and get away with it?” He caresses my jaw, his gaze oddly tender for what he’s saying. “I don’t think so, mermaid. She needed to pay. So, she did.” He kisses my forehead and takes a step back without letting go of my arm. “I’ve got class, but we’ll talk more about this later, okay?”
I nod, my insides feeling entirely hollow. I try not to let it show, but I’m not sure I’m doing a good job. It’s not until I meet his gaze and manufacture a small, reassuring smile that he finally releases my arm.
His gaze lingers for too long on my face. I can tell he’s not satisfied with my reaction, and the way he’s being today, that makes me nervous.
Hannah’s words reverberate inside my head. The memory of her fear when she turned and saw him still makes my blood run cold.
I’m afraid of him thinking more about how she might be an obstacle in the way of our relationship. I visualize beautiful, lovely Hannah on that park bench with nails through her hands and the monster that is my boyfriend standing over her.