Page 52 of Always Right

Derek kept breaking me into a million pieces and didn’t even know it.

“I’m not leaving until you talk to me, Hannah.”

I shook my head, forcing myself to minimize every single thing that had happened between us that night. Forcing the memory of his kisses away, ignoring the way I could still feel his touch all over my body.

“We have nothing to discuss.”

Derek scoffed, his hands carving through his hair, holding it tight and releasing it...as if he could barely keep it together himself. “That’s bullshit and you know it.”

I scowled. The bitterness in his words fueled me. “What do you want from me, Derek? What kind of sick game is this for you? Because I don’t want any part of it.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? Tell me what the hell is happening, Hannah.”

“Ask your friend,” I muttered, walking past him.

Or trying to.

He didn’t let me walk away.

Derek gripped my arm, pulling me toward him, my body colliding against his hard chest. My eyes widened in shock, and I pushed him, making him stumble back.

It was unnatural—shielding myself with anger when I’d let him love me a few hours ago. My chest caved in with the sadness in his eyes, the confusion, the resentment all palpable in the air. I was good at it, destroying everything in my path.

I could almost feel it...the heart I’d torn straight out of his chest, and the damn thing was still beating.

“I’m done.” I forced the words out of my mouth, feeling myself lose the last bit of hope I’d held on to. Derek looked at me in disbelief. “I’m done with you, with whatever the hell was left between us.”

Derek took a step toward me, then another. My breathing hitched but I didn’t move, didn’t dare show how insanely breathless it left me to have him so close. “You’re angry.” His words, so matter of fact, made me falter. “You’re scared, Hannah. Admit it. You’re scared. You’re fucking terrified of what you feel. You’re scared that you can’t control it. I don’t know what the fuck happened...but I know damn well this is nothing more than a front you’re putting up.”

My body shook. My hands trembled by my side as I tried to contain all the emotions swarming through my veins, threatening to take over, especially when I realized Derek wasn’t backing down. I wanted a fight, and now that it was clear I was going to get it, I wasn’t sure how to handle it.

I wanted to hate him.

I wanted to love him.

My poor heart couldn’t decide, and it was clear that Derek was done waiting for me to make a choice.

He gripped my chin in his hand, forcing my eyes to look at his dark green ones, his lips curling as he spoke. “You’re a coward.”

My blood ran cold.

I shoved him again, this time harder than before but to no avail. Derek didn’t flinch, didn’t move an inch as a strangled growl left my lips. Instead, he held my wrist tight, a sneer on his face, full of anger...hate. And there it was...the fucking pain.

Derek’s lips tilted up to a cruel smile. “The word bothers you, right? But it’s what you are right now. Running away. Avoiding your feelings.”

“Stop,” I grit out, the word barely audible as I pushed him again, my fists hard against his chest.

“Fucking do it.” His voice was barely restrained, the feelings he was trying to contain quickly boiling over. “Push me. Fight me. Do whatever the fuck you want but quit. fucking. running.”

I could hear my blood rushing through my veins, my vision cloudy as Derek held me against him. Sanity was a long way away. He was pushing me, forcing me to give him a response, to give him anything. I sucked in a breath, shoving him again, hard, hoping he could feel just a little of my pain. I did it again and again, letting rage consume me until he stumbled back, his nostrils flaring. He pulled me to him, his nose brushing my own, his heaving chest brushing against mine with every ragged breath he took.

His eyes were dark.

Darker than I’d ever seen them.

The love that had been present a few hours before was gone...I’d destroyed it.

“Fuck...you...” The words stumbled from my lips with so much hate I didn’t recognize it.

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