“What the fuck, Tug,” I interrupt.
Her hair flies through the air as she spins to face me. Mortification washes over her face, but fuck me if she’s not as beautiful as I remember. The sight of her swollen lips – swollen from kissing the lips of someone else – makes me insanely angry. Tug looks scared shitless, as I suppose he should.
The three of us stand there, gaping, each of us absorbing our embarrassment over the situation.
I take a few steps away from them, raking my hands through my hair, trying to calm my emotions before I say something that will hurt either one of them. I don’t want that. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice her and Tug whispering. She kisses him on the cheek, and then he leaves. I turn away from her when she comes toward me. Her hand is on my arm, and she urges me to face her. Reluctantly, I turn to her. I want to fold my arms around her and tell her everything. Hell, I want to drop down on my knees and beg her to forgive me. As usual, the bastard in me takes over, and I have to know.
“Did you fuck him, Tori? Did you fuck my little brother?”
Her expression turns to shock. “How can you ask me that?”
Coldly, I ignore her question and continue being cruel. “You didn’t answer the question, Tori. Did you fuck him?”
It’s too late to take the words back, and I have to know. The image of Tug being with her intimately is eating away at my thoughts like acid. Looking at the anger in her eyes, I hope she did fuck him, because otherwise it isn’t anger in her eyes, it’s hurt. I’m not sure I can live with that.
“No, Brady. I didn’t.”
“Are you lying?”
“Brady!” Her voice, soft and cracking, splinters my heart.
Why did I have to ask? Everything in her tone is asking me how I could think that about her. Honestly, I don’t have an answer for her.
She’s so hurt, and as I look at her, I debate what I came here to do. Maybe it’s better if I don’t draw her back in. “I’m sorry. I had no right to ask you that,” I finally say. “I pushed you away trying to protect you. I didn’t want you to love me.”
She pulls her hair to the side and wraps it in her hand to stop it from blowing in the wind. “You’re a piece of work, Brady. When you grow up and quit feeling sorry for yourself, maybe you’ll recognize you’re worthy of being loved. Until then, why don’t you stay the hell away from me!” Her words are harsh, heart-piercing. She starts to walk away from me.
“Tori, wait. Please…I…”
She spins back around, and there is no mistaking how angry she is. With fury in her eyes, she marches back to me. She stops, leaving less than a foot between us, and balls her hands at her sides. “I don’t owe you anything, Brady. You walked out of my life, remember? It’s been almost a month. You haven’t called, and I haven’t seen you. I was upset, and Tug was there for me.”
“Yes, I can see you moved on,” I spit angrily at her. Fuck, why did I say that? Why didn’t I just open my mouth and let an apology fall out?
Her lips are pursed tight, and she’s glaring at me with contempt. “I’ll say it again – I don’t owe you an explanation.” She turns around and storms away from me without another word and without glancing back.
I finally manage to get the courage to tell her everything, and at the same time I send her running from me. I should have stopped her, begged her forgiveness and kissed her beautiful lips. I didn’t though, and now I may have lost her.
Chapter 31
Tori
Leaving Brady on the pier was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was the right thing to do. The only thing I wanted from him was an apology. A simple, “I’m sorry." Instead he defaulted to asshole-mode and said things he can’t take back. Despite every mean word, I still love him, but I need time to think. Deep inside, Brady is the guy I want, but he’s damaged and that terrifies me.
Tug is sweet, safe, and without a doubt, he would never hurt me the way Brady did tonight.
When I arrive home, I debate whether I should even bother going inside. I’m surprised to see Liv’s car in the driveway, and I honestly don’t know if I can handle the third degree I’m sure to receive from her.
Mrs. Hunter certainly doesn’t want me here anymore after my admission that I may have become privy to some…“family business.”
My phone chirps, alerting me I have a new text. When I look at the screen, it’s a text from Harrison.
Can we talk?
As if my
day hadn’t been stressful enough! I text back, NO!
Someone taps on my window, and I nearly jump out of my skin. When I look up and out of the window, my heart sinks, and agitation causes my ears to burn. God, what now? Rolling down my window, I sigh. “Jake, what are you doing here?”