Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 34938 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34938 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
“You're reading this all wrong, Perri. I don't know what else you want me to say.”
“Don't worry, you said plenty already without saying a word. I don't need anything else from you.” Crossing my arms protectively around my chest, my pupils turn to pinpricks. “I can't believe I fell for this to begin with. I really am stupid.”
“What kind of person do you think I am, Perri? Do you think I'm doing this to hurt you? What you're saying isn't fair, and it's not right. I just need you to trust me when I say the phone calls were nothing.”
“Trust you? How do you expect me to build trust with you when you can't even tell me the truth? You build trust by being honest, and obviously you have an issue with being honest. You hurt me, Kent. I thought we were growing toward something, but I guess I was wrong.”
“I'm not this person you're making me out to be, Perri. I'm not an asshole! I don't know why you're trying to make me out to be some bad guy. What is it you see in me exactly?”
“You know what I see?” I ask, taking a firm step forward. “I see a damn coward. I see a man who wants to act tough, who talks about honesty, but doesn't even know the meaning of the word. I see a liar.” Gritting my teeth, the words seethe out of my mouth.
“Well, want to know what I see. . .” he says, throwing a finger in my face. “I see a weak, little girl who's still afraid of her daddy.” He matches me with a step of his own. “Why don't you decide something for yourself for once, and not rely on the nod of approval from your father? Stand up for yourself, you're an adult, so act like an adult. Stop letting him walk all over you. Grow up!”
The tears fall faster and faster as my body erupts in anger. I'm shaking. My hands are vibrating, my breathing is quick gasps of air. I want to jump on him and tear his throat out.
Who the hell does he think he is?
I'm not here to be belittled by someone. I didn't come here to have him make me feel small and unimportant. This isn't about my father, this is about us. A relationship that I thought was turning into something just to watch it blow up in my face today.
“You have no right to talk to me this way.”
“I'm sorry, but I have every right to defend myself, especially if you're going to be accusing me of this shit!”
“Accusing you? You had two phone calls, two! But you won't tell me who it was.” Holding up two fingers, I bare my teeth. “Then you run off and hide like the coward you are!”
“Why does that matter?” Kent's jaw clicks as he rocks it back and forth. “Did you ever stop to think that maybe it's none of your business? Can you just open your eyes and see that I'm not doing anything wrong? I'm a grown man, Perri. I won't do this childish back and forth game with you. I don't have time for this shit.”
“You know what? You're right. I don't have time for this shit either.” My lips purse up tight as the tears fall easily and freely. “You're not the man I thought you were. I fell for the man you were pretending to be, not this person I'm seeing right now.”
“Fine, if you feel that way, then go, get the hell out of here!” he yells loudly, his baritone voice making the walls vibrate. “Get the hell out then, Perri! Why are you still standing here at all?”
My heart breaks into a million tiny pieces. I ache everywhere. My head, my chest, my stomach, I've never felt so much pain.
“Fine, I'll leave.”
“Good, go.”
Storming past him, I tear open the sliding glass doors and yell, “Screw you!”
I'm not going to take this from him. He's the back stabber, he's the one keeping secrets, not me, I'm not the one doing that. It's insane.
I slept with the enemy.
Tearing off down through the sand, I walk with no real destination in mind. All I want is to be as far away from that man as possible. He pissed me off, and I want to slug him.
And yet, he's sexy as hell, with all the right moves, the right touch, the right everything.
No! He's an asshole!
But it doesn't matter how much I might want to forget all about him, and all of the hot sex, and the sweet moments we shared; because I know it won't work.
Kent has somehow found his way into every pore, vein, and muscle of my body. I can feel him everywhere, all over me.
My feet make dents in the sand as I pound my way down the beach. The wind is ripping across the water, and the waves are crashing like a damn earthquake as they slam against the sand.