Bucking Bear (Pounding Hearts 3)

Reaching in, I offer her my hand as she steps out but then she clings to my side, unwilling to let go. Carson closes the car door for me and doesn’t even spare a glance to Mandy sitting in the passenger seat.

He holds his hand out to Hope, clearly expecting her to take it.

Hope shakes her head no and hides her face against my leg.

Carson’s eyes narrow at Hope. I know I might be acting a little petty by not trying harder to help him with her but I’m a little curious to see how he handles her.

When I make no move to remove Hope from my leg, Carson’s narrowed eyes swing up to me.

“Have you considered my proposal?” he has the audacity to ask.

I’m stunned speechless for a moment before I start laughing.

Carson’s face reddens with anger and his hands fist at his sides. “What’s so funny, Grace?”

When I don’t answer, his lips pull up into a snarl. “You think losing custody is funny? Because that’s what’s going to happen.”

I shake my head, my laughter dying away and look him in the eye. “That’s not happening.”

“Yeah?” He asks, confusing my meaning. “So you’re going to give it a try with me?”

I glance down at Hope and she peeks up at me. I really want to cuss him out, to tell him off, to give him a piece of my mind, but for her sake I’m restraining myself. “No, I don’t want to give it a try with you Carson. We were over in high school.”

“So it’s going to be like that, eh?” he asks angrily.

I spread my hands out helplessly. “If that’s what you want to think.”

“What I think…” His snarl twists into a smirk. “Is that I’m going to win custody and then you’ll be begging to get back with me.”

I roll my eyes upwards, heaven help me. “I don’t want to be with you, Carson. Please understand that regardless of what you try to do to me that’s not going to change.”

He takes a menacing step towards me and I resist the urge to shrink away.

“You’re making a big mistake, Grace,” he warns me.

I shake my head, totally disagreeing.

He gets up in my face and this time I can’t help but wince. He’s seriously invading my personal space.

My skin crawls as I feel his eyes roaming all over me and his hot breath hitting my face.

“Why don’t you want to be with me?” he asks and looks pointedly down my shirt. “Is it because of that fighter punk you hooked up with? He hasn’t dumped you already? He will…”

Pressing my lips together, I refuse to take the bait and respond.

“A used up, stretched out chick like you?” he chuckles. “Yeah, he’s only with you until something better comes along. Trust me, Grace.”

I move to take a step back but he stops me by grabbing my arm. “Let go of me,” I hiss out between my clenched teeth.

He ignores me. “Is that a hickey?” he growls and then he’s grabbing my face painfully, tipping my head to the side so he can stare at my neck.

“Get your hands off me!” I yell and try to push him away.

“You little whore!” he yells back at me and shoves me hard. I fall backwards, hitting the driveway and Hope falls with me. All the alarms in my head go off when I hear her cry out.

“Hope, honey, are you okay?” I ask, pulling her up to my chest and visually checking over her body.

Hope sniffles into my shirt and tells me, “My knees hurt, Mommy.”