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"How did he find out that you're a skanky, little tramp, or how did he end up in hospital?" Annabelle filled in heatedly. "He found the messages on your computer. The messages that go into great detail about how you've been fuckingLuckybehind his back."

I felt like the ground had fallen out between my feet.

"My messages?" Confused, I shook my head and strived to make sense of what she was saying. "I don’t…"

"I showed him," she snarled. "Everything."

"Why would you dothat?"

"Because I am sick to death of watching you get away with every damn thing you do," she practically screamed. "It's like you can do no wrong. Well, I'm sick of it. I can't fucking stand it. Oh, and he's okay, by the way," Annabelle sneered. "No thanks to you."

"I didn’t do –"

"Any of this on purpose?" she mocked, interrupting me again. "Well boo-fucking-hoo, because you've ruined him, Hope. Do you get that? Do you understand just how much you've destroyed that man? Jordan took hisbike outanddrankhimself into oblivion because ofyou. He got in a wreck that could have cost him hislife!" Her voice rose with every word she spoke. "You are lucky as hell that he's not seriously hurt, because if he had anything worse than a concussion and a hangover, I would strangle you right here and now with my bare fucking hands."

"I need to talk to him," I strangled out. Eyes stinging with unshed tears, I moved to pass her, but Annabelle stopped me with another shove to my shoulders. I shook my head, gaping at the horrible bitch in front of me.

"Don’t you even think about going near him," she warned, pushing me hard again and this time I cracked my hip against the edge of the kitchen table. "You've done enough damage to that man."

I hated her.

Always had.

Now, I felt one hundred percent validated.

"Don’t ever put your hands on me again," I warned her, struggling to find the composure I needed to turn the other cheek.

"Or what?" she taunted. "You'll have yourboyfriendtake care of me?" Determined to torment me, Annabelle stepped closer, blocking my exit, clearly trying to intimidate me. "You're not even going to bother denying it anymore, are you?" she demanded, pointing her perfectly manicured finger in my face. "And I was so looking forward to the 'I didn’t know what I was doing, please feel sorry for me' bullshit you're so used to spewing to every man in your life."

"Standing on the sidelines looking in doesn’t tell you shit," I spat when she intercepted my move and once again blocked me from leaving. "You don’t know me, Annabelle. You have no fucking clue about my life, so stop pretending you do!"

"I know you're a pathetic little daddy's girl who thinks every man around her should fall at her feet. I know you are a liar and a cheat," she shot back heatedly, "with an ugly heart and even uglier face!"

"Move!" Breathing hard, I jutted my chin out and tried to side step her. "I mean it, Annabelle. Get out of my way."

"So you can run straight to Jordan and spew some bullshit story you've fabricated?" she seethed, tone furious. "Nu-uh, Honey. Not a chance in hell."

My stomach was twisting up in knots, the confrontation making me feel lightheaded, but I wasn’t taking any shit from her. She wasn’t perfect either, dammit, and I was just about done with being trampled over.

No more.

"Get out of my way," I warned, heart hammering in my chest. "Or I'll make you."

"Threats?" She rose a brow in disdain. "Is the little princess turning all badass." She took another step towards me, and I had to step back to avoid physical contact. "Looks like your boyfriend is rubbing off on you." Leaning into my ear, she hissed, "Fucking a convictedkiller? How do you sleep at night?"

"She doesn’t," a familiar male voice replied, startling us both. "This convicted killer keeps her up with hiskillercock."

My attention immediately turned to Hunter, who was standing in the kitchen doorway, watching the showdown with a dangerous glint in his blue eyes.

"How dare you step foot in Jordan's house," Annabelle screamed, swinging around to glare at Hunter. "Have you any respect? Coming into this house after what you've done!" She was spitting her words like bullets, but I took note of how she took several steps back from me, giving me the space I had repeatedly asked her for.

The moment the path was clear, I made a beeline for Hunter, not stopping until I was at his side. He threw a casual arm over my shoulder and drew me into him. "You good, HC?" he asked, offering me a soothing wink.

I nodded, feeling totally shaken up.

I was not a confrontational person, I left that to Teagan, but this woman rattled my cage like no one else.

Hunter turned his attention to Annabelle then and gave her one of those "and what?" looks he so often sported.

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