Page 19 of Ruin Me
“Now, now Hadley. You know I love a good chase. You running from me just makes it more fun when I catch you,” Emerson taunts. Tears roll down my cheeks as I back away from him.
“P-please, Emerson. You promised you would stop hurting me.” He chuckles darkly as he pinches my cheeks between his large hands.
“But that was before,” he leans closer, whispering into my ear, “I realised just how fun it can be.”
His breath was warm, and I shivered at the prospect of whatever he had in mind. He released my cheeks and took a step back, a twisted grin spreading across his face. I close my eyes, waiting for the impending slap, but it never comes. I open my eyes and see the new guy has a firm grip on Emerson’s wrist.
“Rhett?” my voice is a whisper, as I stare at my saviour.
“I thought we sorted this, Emerson,” his gaze never leaves mine as he continues to hold Emerson’s wrist.
Emerson shuddered, remembering the beat down he got last time he tried to hurt me. “You don’t understand the pecking order here, Rhett. You have no money, you're nobody. Now, back off before I have someone fuck you up.”
Rhett smirked, shoving Emerson in the chest. He stumbled back, shaking with anger as he realised he would be embarrassed again.
“You going to have your bodyguards try and attack me now?” Rhett laughed. “You’re a joke, Emerson, now fuck off before I make a fool of you again.”
Emerson left, his eyes on mine, glaring at me before he took off. I turned to Rhett, thankful.
“I told you to tell me when he was bothering you,” Rhett said, turning his annoyance to me.
“You’re not always around, Rhett.”
He moved this thumb to my chin and lifted my face up. I searched his eyes for anything, but all I saw was something dark and unreadable.
“Are you mad at me?”
He shook his head. “No, I could never be mad at you.”
I don’t know what came over me but I wanted to reach up to him and drag those thick lips down to mine. I wanted to show him how truly appreciative I was.
His eyes shifted to my lips, and I felt a tension rise between us before his lips stole mine. I moaned into his mouth, and wrapped my arms around his neck. He moved us from the hall to the closest room, and shoved me up against the wall.
“That’ll be enough.” We both broke apart when we heard a teacher call out to us from inside the room. “Detention, for the both of you.”
My lips tingled from the kiss, and my body was humming with tingles all over. I’d spend the rest of my school years in detention if it meant I could have more Rhett Nicholas.
“But father, Rhett protects me. He’s my friend” I say as the tears roll down my cheeks. My fathers face is like cold hard stone as he looks down at me as if I were nothing more than an employee.
“I don’t give a fuck who he is to you, you will stop hanging around the help,” he orders, and my eyes widen at his words.
“So, that’s what this is about? His stature? That’s more important to you than my happiness?” I know what his reply is going to be before it even escapes his lips.
“You are an Armstrong, Hadley. I have expectations of you and your brother, and as long as you carry my name and live in my house, you will do as you are told.” The tears roll down my cheeks as I come to terms with my fate. “And when you are old enough,” he continues. “You will be expected to marry into the family of my choosing, to continue our legacy. Do I make myself clear?” I sniff once, as I turn my tear filled gaze in his direction.
“Crystal, sir,” I reply.
My mind goes blank as my dream shifts to another memory. I’m sitting by the lake watching the fish come to the surface and dip back down underwater.
“I thought I’d find you here,” his voice sent a shiver down my spine.
“Rhett, please. You shouldn’t be here,” my voice is filled with fear as I stare at the boy who had protected me from Emerson and his friends for the last few months. “If my father sees us-” I don’t get to finish my sentence, his face drops as the words hit him hard.
“Your father doesn’t want us to be friends?” he asks sadly as I realise the words that have come out of my mouth.
“Oh, Rhett. I’m sorry. I wish it was different, I wish I wasn’t the only daughter my father had. . It’s just, my dad expects a lot from me, and from Austin.” Rhett shakes his head at me.
“Austin is allowed to be my friend, but you aren’t? Are you sure this is coming from your dad and not just you?” The hurt on his face has my heart twisting painfully in my chest.
