Page 23 of To Hate You

“All you have to know right now is that you’re safe.”

“Safe? You’ve got to be kidding me? You kidnapped me. Placed a goddamn bag over my head and tied me up.”

“In my defense,” I held up a finger, “you were tied up because you managed to break a very dear friend’s nose.”

She crossed her arms, and her mouth pouted as she looked at me like she would a petulant child. “Your friend’s nose would be perfectly intact if you didn’t decide it was a good day to fucking kidnap me.”

“I know. I’m sorry you went through that, but it was the only way.”

Her expression changed, and I caught the sudden sadness in her eyes before she looked away. “Noah, what is happening right now?”

I exhaled, scrubbing a hand over my face, and wondered how the hell to explain this to her without putting her more at risk. “Will it be too much to ask that you trust me?”

“You bet your balls that’s too much to ask.”

I had to smile. Her comebacks always amused me.

“Are you actually smiling right now?” Her glare shot daggers at me before she looked away and started to pace. “First, you leave me to wake up and find you gone with just this dumbass letter. And then it was like you never existed.” She stilled and glanced in my direction. “Do you know how many times I had to convince myself that you were fucking real and not just a goddamn dream?”

Every word was a rock aimed right at my chest, never missing its target.

Determination swept across her beautiful face, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she walked right up to me, her shoulders squared with confidence. “You have no idea what I’ve been through the last few weeks. I went to hell and back over and fucking over again.”

“Sienna, I know. I can’t even imagine—”

“That’s right.” She leaned her head to the side. “You can’t fucking imagine in what kind of hell you left me in. And then weeks later, out of nowhere, I’m being kidnapped, fearing for my life, only to find out my ex is behind it.” Her eyes widened. “Oh my God. All my exes are fucking psychopaths.”

“Do not compare me to Oakley.” Just thinking of that motherfucker had me seeing red. “That son of a bitch should get his throat cut.”

“Says the one who literally just cut ropes from around my feet and wrists.”

“I did what was necessary to protect you.”

“From what? Because from where I’m standing, you’re the most dangerous fucking person I can be around right now.”

Madness sunk its claws into my veins, and I stalked closer. “You have no idea the risk I took today, and what I’m doing to keep you safe; what I’ve already done for you.”

She didn’t back up as I advanced, her denim-clad legs remaining frozen on the spot. “I know one thing for sure. You broke my heart.”

With a quick swipe of her wrist, she wiped away the rogue tear that dripped from her shimmering eyes. “I know that you carved my fucking heart out and left me with this huge goddamn hole in my chest. You left me, Noah. You fucking left me.”

I frowned. “You think I left you because I wanted to?”

“It’s not like you stuck around to give me an explanation.”

“I told you. I fucking warned you to stay away from me.”

Her heart-shaped lips parted as she gasped. “So, now it’s my fault?”

“If you had stayed away from me like I told you to; ignored this...this sexual attraction between us, then none of this would have happened.”

“And I suppose you played no part in it? Your dick just magically pulled out of your pants so you could fuck me every chance you got.”

“Jesus Christ.” I rubbed the back of my neck, pacing up and down. “That’s not—”

“Not what you meant?” She tilted her head, red curls cascading down her shoulder. “Clearly, you’ve said a lot of shit to me in the past that you didn’t mean.”

“Fuck, Sienna.” Two large strides, and I stilled a few inches from her, grabbing her face and cupping her cheeks, taking up all the fucking space between us. “Leaving you was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. You’re not the only one who walked out of this broken and bruised.”

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