Page 32 of Hard Ball

I can tell from the way his eyes flare that he likes what he sees, and that look has my fingers pulling at the hem and tugging it as far as it will go.

“Not for me you can’t,” I say, crossing my arms across my chest, fully aware of how it makes my boobs look, but too pissed to care at this point. “I need you to leave, Cole. I need you to leave this bar and stop showing up everywhere I am. I mean it this time.” I go to turn back toward Mel when his fingers latch on to my arm, anchoring me in place.

“Come on baby, you know we were good together. Why can’t you remember that?” he pleads as I continue to scowl in his direction.

There is nothing this man can say that will make me go back into his arms. Nothing.

“I still love you, Harper. I would do anything for you.”

I burst out laughing because this has to be a bad joke, right? There is no way he’s being genuine right now; Cole doesn’t know the meaning of the word.

“You love me?”

I shake my head, I can’t believe I am still having this conversation. It’s like talking to a brick wall. “You don’t love me, Cole, and I don’t love you anymore. The minute I saw you between another girl’s legs, you lost me. It’s over.”

His eyes widen as if this is the first time he’s heard those words come out of my mouth.

“Harper, please,” he pleads, stroking the side of my cheeks with his thumb. “I miss you…” His eyes connect with mine and I don’t see sincerity, I see determination and I recoil, shaking my head. This is fucking insane; I need to get out of here.

“No!” I scream at him, hoping this time it starts to sink in. “You are not allowed to do that; you gave up the right to miss me.”

His eyes never leave mine and that’s when I reach the end of my rope.

“You know what? I can’t do this anymore. I don’t have to stand here and listen to you. You need to leave me the hell alone, okay?” I turn around, avoiding his outstretched hand, and make my way to where my purse sits at the bar. I motion to pay for the one drink I actually wanted and once that’s done I turn to leave.

As I turn and walk away, I peer behind me and see Cole standing there, eyes on me the whole time.

The air outside is cool, making me shiver since the coat I’m wearing doesn’t really cover anything that the dress doesn’t. Holding the fabric closed, I begin to walk down the road, knowing that my apartment isn’t that far away. The fresh breeze cascades over my exposed skin as I bask in the calmness of the night. Yet, when I hear those telltale footfalls sound behind me, that calm evaporates.

“Harper, please, I’m begging you for another chance.” He reaches for me but misses, his fingers barely grazing my arm as I step farther away. “You have to still love me…”

I stop in my tracks, unable to stop the cackles that leave my chest at the idea of ever loving this man again, and when I turn to tell him that, all I see is anger. Anger I never knew he possessed until I started telling him no.

“Cole, I don’t know how many times I have to say this for it to get through your thick skull, but my love for you was catapulted out the window when you cheated on me.”

I start to walk away once more when, all of a sudden, his arm wraps around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. He doesn’t keep me there for long, he spins me, pinning me against the darkened building behind us. The coarse texture of the brick cuts through the fabric of my jacket and I grit my teeth at the sting. His face lowers, inches from mine and with wide eyes, I watch as his hand comes up and grasps my neck.

“You think you can just walk away from me?” he snarls, becoming a stranger right before my eyes. “You listen to me, you little bit—”

My fist works of its own accord as it connects with the side of his face. The impact of my knuckles hitting his face takes a few seconds to register before the blinding pain surges up my arm.

Fuck! They really don’t tell you how much punching someone hurts…

“You piece of shit!” I snarl as I move away from him. “You are going to listen, because I’m sick of your shit. No one touches me without my permission, even you… especially you,” I grit through clenched teeth as I grip my bruised hand to my chest and hope it’s not broken. “Yes, we dated, yes you cheated on me, and fucking yes that gives me the right to deny you whatever I want.”

His eyes narrow, his hands shaking at his sides, but I keep going.

“As of this moment, we are DONE. You are not to come near me again, got it?”

His eyes bore into mine, no emotion registering on his face.

“I will press charges next time,” I say with as much strength as I can muster in this moment, but that sly smile fits over his features and the uncertainty settles over me once again.

“Press charges?” He smirks, getting closer and closer before he stops, bending down and looking me straight in the eyes. “You remember who my father is, right?”

My entire body freezes as a cold sense of dread spreads through every limb.

“Ahh, it looks like she remembers…” He kisses my forehead as I recoil, my head hitting the brick wall behind me, sending white dots over my vision. “Oh and just in case you get any ideas, what you just did? Punching me?” His face leans down as his eyes sear into mine. “That’s called assault, baby. Wouldn’t want to tarnish that perfect persona you have going on with a criminal record.”

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