Page 2 of Pretty Broken Things

I sneer back at her. Usually I’ve got more game than this, but her bitchy attitude is a boner killer. I can’t even fake my way through meaningless platitudes with her like I do with all her snobby friends. “We all want something, you’ll get used to it,” I tell her. Before she can protest I wrap my hands around her waist and lift her out of my way.

“Ford,” she shouts and stamps her foot, proving herself to be the spoiled brat I’ve always seen her as.

“Contessa,” I counter, using the name I know she hates. My keys are in my hand, ready to crank the engine of my ancient truck so I can peel out of this hellhole. As much as I want out of Jefferson Park, at least there I’m not treated like an unwelcome intruder.

I glance over at Shane, begging him with my eyes to help me with her. The fucker smirks at me, then wanders over to one of our friends leaving me to deal with the bitch by myself.

She growls, realizing my attention has wandered, and while a flare of her temper might dissuade her simpering clingers, to me she’s about as threatening as an angry kitten.

“It’s Tessa, and you fucking know it.”

I smirk at her. We’ve gone to the same schools since kindergarten, and had the same teachers many times over the years. At the start of every year she makes a point to explain to the teacher how she will only answer to Tessa. It’s why I’ve only ever called her by her full first name.

“The point,Contessa, get to it, or get gone. I’ve got shit to do.”

Her perfectly arched eyebrow curves up. “Youhave things to do?”

I shake my head. “Time’s up, Countess,” I growl, and yank open the door of my truck.

It creaks and groans as the rusty hinges struggle to open. “Move your ass,” I demand as I shove my key into the ignition.

Tessa runs around the front of my truck and jumps in the passenger seat.

“Get out,” I say through clenched teeth. I want her inside my truck about as much as I want her on my cock.

“I told you that we need to talk,” she insists as she buckles her seatbelt.

I move my finger back and forth pointing at each of us. “Wedon’t talk. My address has the wrong zip code, which is where I’m going right now, so get the fuck out of my truck and go back to your perfect life.”

“That’s the problem. My life was perfect before your whore of a mother set her sights on my dad.”

My hands clench the steering wheel until they turn white. The truth is I don’t know what my mom has been up to. For the last few months, she’s been around less and less. Still, that doesn’t mean I’ll sit here and let some spoiled bitch talk shit about my mom.

“I’m not going to sit here and listen to you talk shit about my mom. If you were a guy I’d have already knocked your ass out.”

Tessa rolls her large, dark brown eyes. “I’m surprised that would stop someone like you.”

My jaw hardens. “Because I’m trash, right? The kind of guy who would lay a hand on a woman in anger?”

She crosses her arms, shoving her tits up higher. Her tactics won’t work on me, because there are nice tits in the Park too. I won’t be so flustered by hers to let her manipulate me. “You said it, not me.”

“Get. The. Fuck. Out,” I seethe.

“No,” she replies.

“Fuck,” I shout and punch the steering wheel, blaring the horn. “Despite what you seem to think, I have never and will never hurt a woman. I’m not above throwing your ass out of my truck though.”

“I’ll willingly get out on my own if you promise to make your mom leave my dad alone. He isn’t over my mom, and doesn’t need some gold digger using him.”

My nostrils flare as I struggle to calm myself. “I’ll consider talking to her, but only because if she is hooking up with your dad she’d be stuck with a raging bitch like you.”

Many times over the years I’ve prayed she’d leave my dad and take me far away. She never did, and I stopped praying years ago.

Silence stretches between us while I wait for her to get out. My fingers start to tap the wheel impatiently.

“Was there something else? If you linger much longer one of your bitch squad is going to think you’re slumming it with me.”

“You talk a lot of shit for someone who’s slept with all of those girls,” she snorts.

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