Brody rolls his eyes but remains where he is. “Shouldn’t that tell you something? I consume you. Just like you do to me.”
“I don’t want this, Brody. I didn’t sign up for anything this intense.”
“What are you so fucking afraid of?”
That you’ll break me.
“I’m not afraid,” I lie.
He crosses his arms over his beefy chest. “Really? Because it sure as hell looks that way to me. You’re fucking terrified, Rainey. And I get it. Adam fucked with your head. But I’m not Adam.”
“Not just Adam,” I mutter.
His eyebrows pinch together. “What?”
I jut my chin out. “I said, not just Adam. I’ve been in four serious relationships and every single one ended the same way. Adam was definitely the worse, but he wasn’t the only one that cheated. They all did. It’s what guys like you do.”
His jaw clenches. “Guys like me? What does that mean?”
“Hot guys.” I wave my hand up and down, gesturing to his body. “Cocky guys. Guys that are charming as hell and can easily hook a woman. Guys who like variety—perfectly happy having a new woman in their bed every night. You’re like wild Mustangs—gorgeous creatures that are restless and almost impossible to tame. I’ve been trampled enough times to learn from my mistakes, Brody.”
“So, that’s what I am? A mistake?” He swallows hard.
I stare at my feet and nod. “Yes.”
He paces back and forth for a few beats before his feet come to a stop right in front of me.
“Rainey, look me in the eye and say that.”
I shake my head. “No.”
Brody pinches my chin between his thumb and forefinger, prompting me to raise my head. “Look me in the fucking eye and tell me that you don’t love me. That I’m nothing more than a fuck to you. That I was a mistake.”
I brace myself for what I’m about to do. I need to get through this without crying so he’ll believe me.
I look him straight in the eye. “I don’t love you, Brody. This whole thing was a mistake.”
He doesn’t even try masking the pain. He wants me to see it. He wants me to take it back, but I can’t. Not because I don’t want to, but because I can’t. I can’t give him the words that he wants—even though I do love him—because I can’t give him that power over me. I don’t think I could ever recover from Brody breaking my heart so I have to end this before it gets any worse.
He releases my chin and steps back. “You know what, Rainey? Fuck you—I don’t need this shit. You’ve been looking for a way out since this began. You’d rather be miserable and alone than take a chance on loving someone. You’re lying to yourself and to me when you claim you don’t return my feelings. You’re a fucking coward, hiding behind your excuses and assumptions. Clearly, I’m not the guy that’s going to break through your impenetrable wall. I actually feel sorry for the next dumbass that tries.”
I jump when he grabs his mug off the counter and chucks it against the wall. “Fuck!” His nostrils flare as he stares at the brown liquid dripping down the wall. “I know when to cut my losses, Rainey. I’m done trying. Don’t worry about running into
me around our friends. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen. I don’t even want to fucking look at you, let alone be in the same room with you.”
I bite my tongue to hold back the sob in my throat. His words cut deeply but they’re completely justified. I almost tell him that I didn’t mean a word, and beg him to forgive me, but instead I say, “Goodbye, Brody.”
I’m barely out the door before the flood of tears begins.
Chapter Forty-Seven
BRODY
You know that saying, “The best way to get over someone, is to get someone else to hop on your dick?” Okay, maybe that’s not exactly how it goes, but you know what I mean. Anyway, that’s what started the chain of events that led me here. Try to remember that my heart just got annihilated because what you’re about to see isn’t exactly pretty.
“Brody, I’m so glad you called me,” Cara says, as she’s grinding on my lap. “I’ve been dying to take a ride on this beast again.” She dives back into kissing me.
Don’t look at me like that. We’re still fully clothed. And I’m not even hard which is a miracle in itself, because it’s not for lack of trying. Unfortunately, my disinterest only makes her work harder.