Page 139 of Closer

“I don’t know. She looks like it, but…”

But I know her. I know when she’s putting on a brave face, when she’s trying to be strong for everyone else. It’s one of the things I love about her. And one of the things that scares me most.

“She’ll be alright.” Anne squeezes me. “She’s tougher than she looks.”

If her brothers try to take her away from me, they’ll soon learn I don’t give up what’s mine without a fight. And Lil has always been mine, even when she didn’t know it. Even when I didn’t want to admit it.

“Aw, isn’t that sweet? Your supposed girlfriend left you for her brothers, and now you’re being comforted by her sister-in-law?”

Jason.

The smug bastard doesn’t know when to quit. I almost forgot that he still exists.

I glower at him.

Anne steps between us, her hands raised. “Jason, please. Don’t make this worse than it already is.”

“Worse?” His voice turns wicked. “I’m only getting started.”

“You need to leave. Now,” Anne says.

But Jason ignores her, his eyes locked on me. “You know, I missed kissing her. I wonder if she’s still the same in bed.”

“Walk away,” I say.

“It’s funny. Lil always did have a thing for… projects.” He steps closer, lowering his voice. “You’re nothing to her. Just a way to rebel.”

I ball my hands into fists. “Watch your fucking mouth.”

“What’s the matter? Can’t handle the truth?”

“The only truth here is that you’re a pathetic piece of shit who can’t take no for an answer.” My muscles tense.

“You should’ve seen her face,” Jason says. “It was like old times. Some things don’t change.”

Everything turns red. A tiny voice in the back of my mind warns me to stop, to walk away. Jason smirks, and all reason vanishes.

I lunge at him, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him against the wall. “You don’t know a damn thing about Lil or our relationship.”

“I know she deserves better than you.” He struggles against my grip.

“And you think that’s you?” I scoff. “You’re nothing but a fucking joke.”

Anne’s voice cuts through. “Bash, let him go.”

“You’re fucking delusional if you think she actually loves you,” he spits out. “She’s using you like the little whore she is.”

My fist connects with his face before I even realize what I’m doing.

A sick satisfaction curses through me at the crunch of bone against my knuckles. But underneath the rage, there’s fear. Fear that this violence, this darkness inside me, is exactly why Lil shouldn’t be with me. What if I’m no better than the monster she’s trying to escape?

But that’s the point, right? I had to be one to save her.

“You stay the hell away from her,” I say. “If you so much as look at Lil again, if you even think about her, I will end you. Do you understand me?”

He wipes his bloody nose. “You haven’t changed a bit.”

“And you’re still living in the past. How’s that working out for you?”

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