I Promise You (Dare 2)

I turn to walk out.

“You know that game you played where you held something over Bruce’s head in order for him to let you have Austin?”

I stop and turn to face him. “We’ve already had this discussion,” I say. In fact, it was in this very room. When he called Austin a whore and threatened that Bruce was gonna nail me to the fucking cross for taking something from him that didn’t belong to me—his precious fucking car. “What about it?” He can’t possibly expect me to give the car back. It’s not like Bruce can drive it.

“He could have ended you then. You actually thought you had leverage with that car.” He shakes his head. “You didn’t have shit.” He chuckles, and my anger turns to confusion. “See, that’s the thing, Cole, you think you’re all grown up and badass, but you still have so much to learn.”

“Enlighten me,” I snap.

“Sex,” he says.

I snort. “Gonna give me the sex talk? You’re four years too late.” I hope this isn’t leading up to him asking if we’re using protection like last time.

He laughs and shakes his head. “She was underage. And you were sleeping with her.”

I roll my eyes when I understand where he’s heading with this. “She was seventeen”—the first couple of months—“not thirteen. And I was only eighteen, not forty. I don’t see how that’s a problem.”

“The problem is, Oregon’s legal consent is eighteen. All Bruce had to do was report you to the police once …”

“It was consensual. Every time,” I grind out. “And Austin would have never gone along with that.”

“Doesn’t matter.” He shrugs carelessly. “She wouldn’t have even had a say. She was underage. Bruce could have had you arrested for statutory rape. It’s that simple.” He stands. “The only reason he didn’t is because I told him I would bury his ass if he said one fucking word.”

It doesn’t matter what he could have done; it’s too late now. She’s been of age for almost four months, and he’s in prison. “Doubt it was for my benefit.”

His jaw sharpens. “I told you she was trouble. I told you to stay away from her.”

“I’ve never listened to you before, so I wasn’t about to start.” No one was gonna keep me from her. Not even when all I wanted to do was destroy her.

“Goddammit!” he yells, throwing his empty glass across the room. It hits the far wall and shatters. “Don’t you see I was saving you? While you were out running around with her and your friends, pulling stupid pranks, I was here”—he pounds his fists onto his desk—“having to cover your tracks.”

“Sorry I’m not more appreciative.” I didn’t need him to do shit for me.

“You little shit—”

“Enough bullshit!” I interrupt him, tired of running in circles. “You did that for you!” I shout. “Not me!” Shaking my head, I take a deep breath. “Everything you do is for you. Always has been. Always will be. No one else fucking matters to you!”

He places his knuckles on his desk and bows his head. We stand in silence while I try to calm my breathing. My heart races. After a few minutes, when I’m about to turn and leave, he shakes his head and laughs.

He looks up at me and straightens. “You’re right. I did that for me.” His face grows angry. “’Cause you were out fucking some whore! Ruining your future! She’s just like her mother …”

I’m across the room and punch him in the face before he can finish his sentence. His head snaps back, and he stumbles. I grab his crisp white button-down and slam his back into the nearest wall. “Listen to me very carefully,” I say evenly even though my body shakes with rage. I’ve had enough!

His wide eyes are staring back at me in shock. Blood trickles down his busted nose. That’s the second time I’ve ever hit him. The first time was after my mother died when I was twelve, but I’m stronger now.

“Don’t talk about her like that, or I will bury your body next to all the others. Do you understand me?” I shake him when he just stares at me. “Answer me!” I scream in his face.

They’ll never find him. I may even be able to pin it on Bruce, or, hell, Kellan would be better. All I would need is a day to figure out a plan.

“You think you got me?” The shock wears off, and his eyes narrow on mine. “Because you used your fist? I’ll take her …”

“You’ll never touch Austin.” Over my dead body! Kellan taught me a lesson. Never let your guard down no matter what.

“You can have that piece of trash.” He spits out, and my teeth grind. “I can keep you from Lilly. Both of you!” he shouts in my face. “I’ll ship her off to an all-girls school in Switzerland, and you’ll never see her again.”