Page 30 of Bitter Truths

“Oh, that’s right, you’re not ready to share my pussy yet. Well, I’m not yours,” she sneers. “I’ll never be fucking yours.”

My dick throbs at her words. Although crude, they are true. Last year, I finally gave in to what I had been fighting for years, and I still didn’t trust her. Things were happening around me that didn’t make sense, and I knew even as I looked into her treacherous eyes, it didn’t matter. So yes, I was a dick about it, but it wasn’t untrue.

Her friend gasps behind her, but we both ignore him as we stare at each other. My dick is pulsing so hard in my pants, it’s a wonder I can stand up straight. And my basic instinct is to pull her away and fuck her until she realizes she’s mine and this fucker will never be what I am to her.

“Is that right?” I tug her closer, my pulse jumping when her lips part, the telltale sign I crave when I’m with her.

It shows me her desire and creates a brutal intensity I can’t outrun, not that I want to. Suppressing a groan, my hands flex around her waist because we’re combustible together, and her sassy words are creating havoc in my goddamn soul.

“Hey,” the dude protests but pauses when I raise my gaze to him.

With a smile, I bare my teeth, my fingers spasming around her arms. This douche with his pretty hair and pressed jeans will never make Halsey feel like I do, and if I have to fucking remind her, I will.

He glances at Halsey with wide eyes, and says, “Hals?”

Halsey shakes her head, and he looks between us with a furrowed brow. “Okay, I’m here if you need me.”

I swallow the growl in my throat, but he senses my distaste because he raises a brow. He doesn’t know it, but I’ll fight to the fucking death for this slip of a girl. Is he willing to take the beating?

Halsey slaps her hand against my chest, pulling my gaze back to her, and I grab her hand, pressing it against my skin as she says, “You have a lot of fucking nerve.”

Huffing, I squeeze her fingers between mine. “Do I? Well, I’ve got a lot more than fucking that. You wanted to lick your fucking wounds, fine. But now it’s done. We’re going to talk it out, and you’re going to hear me.”

I’m done playing nice. And I can’t get the thought of her turning to this dick in her need out of my damn head.

Does he hold her? Stroke her silky hair? Is she fully dressed or wearing her damn booty shorts and tanks? The ones I’m convinced were created just to fucking torture me.

“Are you serious right now? Did you talk to me when you thought I slept with Bobby Moore? Or how about when I lost my mind, and you assumed it was because I was desperately in love with douche canoe? I’m supposed to give you a courtesy you never bothered to give me?”

Her words burn in my heart, but I’m so angry at the thought of her with him, I push it away. I drop my gaze to her heaving chest before I raise them back to her bright eyes and say in a warning tone, “Halsey.”

“No, fuck you! What am I going to do? Hear all about your cruelty? You’ve gone out of your way to be nasty to me for years. Years! And then I find out you’re the one who dared the dick! Do you have any idea what he did to me? Any?” Her voice wobbles at the end, and my heart fractures in my chest.

“Halsey . . .” But she won’t let me speak my truth, although I don’t know what I would say because there is no happy ending to that story. It’s true, I baited Jason. I was jealous, and the dick sensed it. I’m not proud of it, but I wasn’t punishing Hals when I did it. I was punishing Jason, not that he gave two fucks.

“No! No. You did this. Not me. He tore out my fucking soul, Griffin, and you dared him to do it. And I fucking hate you for it. I fuckinghateyou!”

With a feral snarl, I let her go because I don’t want to be the guy who makes her cry anymore.

She searches my dark expression before looking away, and with regret, I watch as she spins on her heels and stalks off, her douche friend stepping up beside her quietly.

“Maybe you do hate me, but I don’t think so. And you and me—this—it’s happening! I’m not going to let years of lies come between us, Halsey. You’ve always been the fucking one,” I bellow for all to hear.

Two chicks passing on the sidewalk sigh, and I chuff, annoyed by the fucking intrusion, the fucking douche walking her home, my need to have her, and the fucking universe at that.

Chapter Eight

I’m drowning.

HALSEY

My classes are a little tougher this year, but I’m hoping to get better grades. Although I passed last year, it was by the skin of my teeth.

It’s the second week, and I’m glumly weeding through my syllabi, trying to put them in some semblance of order by assignment and due date when I hear Aaron emerge from his room.

Although I’ve thought about Griffin’s words more times than I can count, I’ve come to no conclusions. In the end, whatever he believes, the evil side of me that has emerged from all this shit wants him to feel my pain.

But as much as I try to avoid him, I want him just as badly. It’s a no-win situation.

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