Page 56 of Wait For It

I released a breath through my nostrils, my molars cracking audibly as they came together.For a moment, I forgot to be Ariana James. Instead, I imagined myself as Anne Shirley inAnne of Green Gables, fully capable of breaking a slate over Gilbert Blythe’s head to stop his teasing.

While I didn’t have a slate lying around, I did have a pot of mums that would do nicely for what I had in mind. Because, for the first time ever, the adrenaline coursing through my body and tightening my muscles wasn’t in response to fear.

It was because I was pissed off and not in the mood to be bullied.

Not by Helen.

Not by Brad.

Not anymore.

“That’s enough,” Tsega said coldly. “You oughta be ashamed of yourself”—

Helen shook her head in disgust. “For what? I did her a favor, really. Men like Killian only want one thing. Sex. He’s surrounded by gorgeous women all the time and a weak little thing like her—you know as well as I do, she’d be eaten alive. I doubt he’d even have to pay her off to keep quiet after, because who would ever believe her?”

Who would believe me?

It was a question that had kept me in chains most of my life. What this woman thought of me should have been none of my concern, but I was struck with an overwhelming urge to defend myself. I wanted to watch her choke on the hateful words as I told her the things I’d endured at the hands of Tristan and Brad.

Because I was not a weak person.

And she wouldn’t have lasted a day in my shoes.

“We’re leaving.” Tsega tossed the remainder of the tools in the wagon before turning back to Helen with a scowl. “Ariana is one of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet, but instead of taking the time to get to know her, you tricked—”

The old woman rolled her eyes. “Blah, blah, blah. Shouldn’t you be off, I don’t know, worshiping a cow or something? Isn’t that what you people—” Her words cut off in a sudden shriek as the clod of dirt connected with her cheek.

I calmly wiped the soil from my hand and straightened before nodding to Tsega.Let’s go.

Helen sat in openmouthed silence for several seconds before roaring, “I will sue you, young lady! Help, I’ve been assaulted! Somebody help me!”

We left her squawking at the table, scurrying back toward my room like a pair of criminals. Tsega took the flowerpot from my hands and placed it on the counter before doubling over.

“The look on her face,” she wheezed, her eyes streaming with tears. “I can’t believe you did that! Are you okay? You won’t get in trouble. I’ll tell them the things she said.”

It wasn’t that.

What happened with Helen had been a long time coming.

My mind was still reeling over the news that Killian was a baseball player. I’d wanted to flee the church, only to run right to another spotlight. The t-shirts and thinking I wanted an autograph—and suddenly, the weird jaw kiss was not the most mortifying thing I’d ever done.

The breath caught in my throat, and I swallowed.

I wanted—

God help me, I wanted Killian.

In a spectacularly stupid move, I’d developed feelings for a man known all over the world. Overwhelmingly chaotic emotions that had chosen to reveal themselves at the worst possible time.

I’d fallen for a baseball player with pretty eyes and a kind heart, thinking we could live happily-ever-after in a place Tristan would never find us.

How was that for naïveté?

“You want to tell me again what we’re doing here?” Tsega asked as she knocked on the door.

I shook my head, bouncing my legs lightly in anticipation.

“No,” she repeated with a strange smile. “Okay. What if we talk about, I don’t know, maybe Killian being in your room last night? Or perhaps, your sexy smile?”

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