Page 34 of The Pact

This will be easy—for me.

I want this to be quick. Maybe I can even be out of here before Terri has time to take our order. The thought of spending an entire meal with the man has my stomach churning. Not wanting to waste time on small talk, I start the conversation.

“Gavin…I’m not sure why you came here, but I think I made it very clear before that I didn’t want to see you again. You understood that, right?”

That smile falters a bit, although not completely, and that worries me. Gavin’s elbows find the table and he perches his chin on his clasped hands.

“I’ve been working on myself this last year. I’ve been getting in shape. Stopped drinking—mostly. I meditate now.” He says in a way that makes me think he wants me to be excited for him. That he thinks I’ll be thrilled. “I’ve been working on myself for you.” Gavin doesn’t break eye contact.

He’s always been a good salesman, it’s necessary as a real estate agent. Instead of houses, today he is trying to sell himself.

But I’ve owned this particular brand of love before. The kind that tricks you into believing that it’s the very best. Love that makes you have hope in the world and see things brighter. At first. The kind that slowly pulls the blindfold from your eyes to show you the truth. That it’s a lie, a cruel manipulation, to get you to give up yourself and your worth.

Kudos to him for his con working when I was young and naïve—I won’t be falling for it again.

Sighing, I try not to let my annoyance seep through my expressions. “I’m not sure what that has to do with you being here. I don’t know how you found me. There’s nothing here for you. That hasn’t changed—my decision to not be with you hasn’t changed. I want you to leave.”

The last part has me nervous. My fingers grip my knees beneath the table, nails digging through the fabric of my pants. Flashes of the last time I rejected him assault me. My arm pulses from the memory of his bruising grip—the night he showed up at my parent’s house.

“Thea… please. I’ve worked so hard to be a better man. For you. I need you back. I can’t get you out of my head.” He reaches out a hand towards me and I flinch back instinctively. I hate myself for being scared of him. “It’ll be different this time. I swear.”

I want to reach across the table and slap the shit out of him. All I hear is I, I, I. He’s just as selfish as ever. The anger is boiling over. I can’t help what comes out of my mouth despite the fear of his retaliation.

“You don’t seem to understand. I want nothing to do with you. You’ve hurt me emotionally and physically…” I want to say the last word hushed, yet I don’t. I want him to feel the shame of it. “You tore me down for years. Made me feel worthless, ugly, and ashamed. There is nothing you could ever do to redeem yourself in my eyes. Nothing.” The last word comes out especially venomous.

I push out my chair and grab my bag. I’m about to leave, but I peer over my shoulder at his idiotic, gaping mouth. “And stop leaving these creepy notes in my truck and at the studio. It’s fucking weird, even for you.” His face twists in confusion—either at my courage to call him out or at the fact I would think his behavior is creepy.

I’m halfway through the restaurant when I hear him call out. “I’m not giving up that easily. I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back.” I keep walking, not wanting him to see that his declaration has me trembling.

Nothing good is going to come from his persistence.

I’m distracted even hours after my meeting with Gavin. Cole can tell. He’s been asking me every so often if everything is okay. I keep telling him I have a lot on my mind with the properties Cass and I saw. I hate lying to him, but the alternative seems far worse.

My biggest fear is that he’ll think that I’ll go back to Gavin considering how long we were together. But also I don’t want to put him in the position of feeling like he needs to defend my honor. We’ve only just started dating—that isn’t his responsibility.

Stirring the massive pot of red sauce on the stove, I push away the events from earlier. Cassie and Anthony will be here soon. I don’t want anything to ruin tonight. Cassie can sense when something is wrong with me and that might spell trouble, especially with Cole already on alert.

I focus on leveling out my emotions before she arrives.

Cole’s arms snake around my waist, pulling me into him. “You look so good in this dress, love.” It comes out breathy against the shell of my ear. Cole’s lips graze the skin down the side of my neck and across my bare shoulder. When he gets to the thin strap, he plants a soft kiss.

It’s been days since his brothers caught us in the pool. We never got to finish and the tension of that unreleased build up seems to reappear at the slightest touch from Cole. He’s enjoying it—seeing me squirm as he brushes past me for no apparent reason other than knowing what it’ll do to me. He’s been doing this for days. I try to hide those small tells—my breath hitching, a slight shiver, or shifting in my seat as I feel pressure build between my legs. I’m not doing a good job of it—I notice his smirks whenever he pulls those responses from me.

How does he know me so well already?

That’s all it’s been. These subtle touches that leave me dreaming of his hands all over my body every night. Cole hasn’t tried to pick up where we left off and it’s driving me insane—part of me thinks he’s doing it on purpose. I’ve let him get away with it—until now.

“Cole,” I whisper breathlessly. “Don’t start something you don’t intend to finish.” I’m finally feeling brave enough to say what’s been on my mind.

I feel his low chuckle against my back. His hands drop from my waist and a surge of annoyance flares. He’s going to walk away instead of giving me what I know we both want. Then, I feel the tips of his fingers skim along the hem of my dress—grazing the front of my thighs.

Glancing down, I watch as his hands disappear under the fabric. The coolness of his ring makes me shiver. “Oh, I intend to finish, but not before you, Thea.” The promise in those words makes my heart thunder and cheeks blister. His mouth trails kisses back up to my ear. “We can start right now.”

Excitement jolts through me and then his fingers climb higher until he’s tracing the lines of my lace panties. My head falls back onto his shoulder as I lean into him. Cole grips my hips, pulling me into him, his erection grinding into my ass.

I have the vague realization that we aren’t the only ones in his house.

“Your brothers…” I whisper. The thought of them walking in on us again pulls me from my lust haze—just a little.

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