Wicked Innocence (Wicked Innocence 1)

“What did they say?” I asked, ignoring his comment.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled, rubbing his head. “Bruised ribs, but nothing broken. Why do you care?”

“What the hell is your problem?” I sighed, shaking my head. “Am I ever going to be able to apologize enough for what happened to Kara?”

“You think I should forgive you? You ruined her life, man. How about I forgive you the day she can get up out of that chair and walk?”

“I think about that fucking night every single day. Trust me, I’ll never forgive myself for what happened to her. But for her sake, I’m trying to move on. All you and I fighting does is remind her of what she lost.”

“Don’t you think she gets that every fucking day when she wakes up?” He shook his head and laughed. “That’s just it, Sax. She’s reminded of what happened every fucking day. Dude, you had everything. Everything I could have ever wanted, you had it just handed to you. And you fucked everything up, including my sister.”

Wow. I stared at him, shocked by the hate in his voice.

“I worked damn hard—”

“Fucking bullshit, dude,” he spat. “You were discovered by some hotshot while you were singing in a fucking park. You didn’t even want it. And when it came down to it, you couldn’t handle the pressure.”

“You think you know what it was like?” I retorted, my anger rising. “What you’ve experienced with Resurrection doesn’t even come close to the pressure I felt back then. Nowhere near it. You have no idea what it’s like to have your every fucking move highlighted and criticized. I couldn’t breathe without someone reporting about it. Everyone wanted something from me.”

“That’s the price you pay for being famous,” Harry shrugged, frustrated.

“Then you’re right—maybe I didn’t want any of it.” I shook my head and laughed. “This has nothing to do with Kara, does it? You’re not angry with me because of what happened to her. You’re pissed because it was me that got discovered and not you.”

“Fuck you,” he growled, standing up. “You don’t know fucking shit about me, okay?”

“I know enough to recognize jealously when I see it.” I laughed again. “You have a lot of growing up to do, Harry. You think I fucked up my life? You’re heading down the same path with yours, only you’re too blind to see it.”

I turned around and stormed out.

Chapter Thirty

Micah

Don’t leave. I’m ten minutes away and I’d really like to talk.

My heart pounded as I reread the text. I glanced at the time again. 10:56.

This was the slowest moving ten minutes ever. What did he have to say to me? Was he going to end this? I swallowed, the lump in my throat growing.

Stace had left about an hour earlier. I honestly wasn’t sure why I was still at his house. I hadn’t heard from him all day. If that wasn’t a sign, I didn’t know what was. So I’d sent him a text saying I was leaving, and that was when he’d responded.

Don’t leave.

Don’t leave.

Pushing myself up from the sofa, I paced the length of the room. I felt sick. My stomach was in a knot and I could feel my heart fluttering in my chest. Wiping my sweaty palms down my jeans, I looked up as I heard the sound of the front door unlocking.

He walked in and offered me a small smile. He looked tired, his blue eyes filled with so many emotions. “Thanks for staying,” he said.

He walked over to me and as his lips brushed over mine, I felt my body relax. This had to be positive, didn’t it? He wouldn’t be kissing me if he were letting me go, right?

“I don’t want to be anywhere else but here,” I replied evenly. My eyes locked on his. “But what do you want, Sax?” I refuse to cry. No matter what the answer is, I refuse to cry.

He reached out and took my hand. “I just went and saw Harry. For so long, I thought he hated me for what happened with Kara. But you know what I realized?”

I shook my head, struggling to understand how this connected to us.

“I realized that his hate toward me had little to do with Kara. He was—is—jealous of me. Everything he wants, I’ve had. His lifelong dream I’ve lived, and fucked up. That’s what he can’t forgive me for.”