“Why would he do that?”
“Because of you why else?” I end the call feeling sick to my stomach.
“Hunter can you take me to Butler Road instead?”
“You got it.”
We get turned around and I feel like I am going to vomit. I shouldn’t have run off, but he infuriates me. I want to smack him then kiss him. Then choke him and fuck him. He makes me so damn crazy. I hate him. I love him. I feel like I can’t be with or without him. I am stuck in this cycle with him and I don’t know how to stop it. We’re toxic and make everyone around us nearly as crazy as we are.
I should have gone home and packed my bags and drove away. But here I am chasing after Killian wanting to be the one who changes him for the better, but it’s killing me to do it.
It seems the party moved from the house to the clearing. As soon as Hunter stops the car, I am out the door and running toward Ben’s car. Killian is in the driver’s side spinning the tires in the freaking dirt. I grab the door handle and jerk the driver’s side door open. I gasp and cover my mouth when I see Killian’s face. His nose is busted, and both his eyes are bruising and swelling up. I think his nose is broken.
“What are you doing?”
“Settling this shit.” His tone is cold, and my sweet boyfriend is gone and replaced with his asshole side.
“Killian, you don’t have anything to prove. Not to me.”
“You riding with me? It is your ass on the line?”
“Stop it. I’m not doing this. I don’t agree to this bullshit. It’s stupid.”
“Too late. You riding with me or not?”
“You’re drunk.”
“I’m not asking again,” he grits.
“Please stop. I don’t want you to do this.”
His darkened gaze nearly knocks me down, and like a fool I run around the car and get in.
“Just take me home and we’ll talk like you wanted, Killian. Just the two of us. I know you never meant to hurt me.” I grasp his arm and he shoves my hand away. “Please, Killian. Let’s leave.”
“Okay,” he deadpans but then he pulls up to the center of the clearing.
“Killian, I know you love me can we please go home?”
His eyebrows lift into arches then he laughs. “You think Liam will stop? He will keep pushing until I give him what he wants. Don’t worry though. I never lose.” The dark look in his eyes is scaring me.
I move over the console and grab his face. He winces at the contact. I bring my mouth down on his and kiss him hard. His tongue moves against mine tasting of blood, liquor, and tobacco. “I love you. I don’t want to fight. I don’t want you to race.”
“Too late.” He looks straight ahead, and I see Jackie’s stupid ass standing with her shirt off in the cold. I look to the left and Liam is revving his engine. “Put your seatbelt on.”
I move back to my seat and Killian gives Jackie a chin lift. I yank on the seatbelt and close my eyes. Black Sunshine by White Zombie belts through the sound system, and I grit my teeth and bite back my tears.
The car jolts forward and I feel faint. I open my eyes and my heart sinks. Liam is ahead of us and his headlights are moving past us as he turns the car at the bend.
“Goddamn it,” Killian growls and steps on the gas but it’s not enough. We take the corner too wide and by the time we recover Liam is back in the clearing.
We stop next to Liam and he rolls down his window to gloat. “That was pathetic, man. Guess you don’t love her after all. Come on, Liri. I don’t have all night.” He winks and Killian grips the steering wheel.
“Let’s just go,” I tell him.
“I can’t. If I don’t pay, I lose Ben’s car.”
“What?!”