Page 38 of When love and Hate Collide

I shake my head. The pressure of my foot on the accelerator increases and the car shifts faster. I need to get her arse home so I can put an end to this godforsaken night. “You haven’t changed a fucking bit.”

“And you have?” she fumes, turning in her seat to glare at me. “You’re still the same heartless prick just wrapped in a prettier package.”

I indicate and pull the car over to the side of the empty road before I turn and face her, “Heartless?” I grit out through clenched teeth. “If your judgement of me is accurate and I am the heartless prick you seem to believe, why are you sitting in my car right now? Why did I stop you from going off with David and possibly getting yourself assaulted?”

Jeyla stares at me, “I don’t know, Dean? You tell me, why did you step in and save me?” she fires back hotly.

I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh, “You’re making me regret that decision more and more with every passing second, JJ.” I tell her grimly. “And before you jump on your high horse and start cantering away into silly conclusions, let me make it very clear that it wasn’t personal to you. I would have stepped in and done the same for any vulnerable girl in that situation.”

“Right, silly me, I forget that us fragile women are nothing but damsels in need of rescuing, right?” Jeyla sneers with a roll of her eyes. “I’m so sick of this male privilege bullshit.”

“Are you done with your little rant there, princess?” I snap shifting in my seat, and she throws me a deathly side glare.

“There is no level sufficient enough to ever gauge my abhorrence toward you.” Jeyla voices, her eyes reflecting her words. I watch her unbuckle her seatbelt, push the car door open and get out of the car, slamming the door shut behind her.

Why can’t this fucking night be over with already? Every second spent with this girl is absolute torture. With an exasperated sigh, I push my door open and get out of the car. Jeyla leans against the side of the car, her head back and eyes closed.

I just know she’s cursing our damn fate just as I’ve been doing since I discovered it’s her that I’ve been seeing.

I’m going to regret this royally, but the conversation has to be had so we can move the fuck on already.

“JJ,” I walk over to her, and she ignores me and keeps her eyes closed. “Maybe we should talk?” I suggest and her brows knit before her eyes open and she looks at me.

“Talk?” she chuckles sourly and licks her lips, “What would we possibly have to talk about?”

I sigh and shove my hands in my pocket, “Oh, I don’t know, how about the very evident topic that is lingering above our heads just waiting to be addressed, perhaps?”

Jeyla lowers her gaze to stare at her feet and shakes her head slowly, “There’s nothing to talk about, as far I’m concerned the last four days never happened.”

“It did happen, JJ.” I voice, pacing back and forth. “I’m not thrilled about this either, but whether we admit to it or not, we had sex.”

Jeyla winces and pushes herself off the car and curls her fingers in her hair. “Thank you for pointing that out, Lieutenant obvious.” Jeyla mutters sardonically. “I don’t think addressing it is going to solve anything. What’s done is done, I think we need to put it to bed and forget about it.”

Oh, how I wish it were that easy.

Jeyla continues, “I refuse to spend the rest of my summer butting heads with you—though if I knew you were coming back for the summer, I never would have let your sister talk me into coming home.”

I frown, “I wasn’t exactly jumping with joy to see you either.”

“Good, then how about you stay out of my way and try not to fuck up anymore of what’s left of my summer. Do you think you can you do that?” she questions snidely.

I scoff and fix her with an impassive glare, “I have absolutely no problem with that, but if you’re looking for someone to blame for this whole mess, I would turn that finger and point it right back at yourself.”

“Excuse me?” Jeyla’s green eyes narrow to slits.

“Had you just told me your name that night in the bar instead of playing stupid games with me, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“Hold on a damn minute. Why should I feel obligated to dish out my name to a total stranger? Especially when you were meant to be a one-night thing. I didn’t plan on seeing you again after that night, so what the hell did it matter if we exchanged names or not?” Jeyla retorts ardently and goes to walk off, but I step in her way. “Unlike you Dean Reyes, I don’t whore myself out to everything that moves.”

I throw my head back and laugh with gusto. “Oh really? Because I picked you up in less time than it took with others.” I point out, advancing toward her. “You couldn’t spread your legs for me quick enough.”

Jeyla’s eyes grow wide with repulse, “Bastard.”

I groan lowly when her palm swiftly and forcefully connects with my left cheek with a slap.

When I turn my head to look at her, I’m certain she could see the intensity of my ire radiating in my gaze, but she nevertheless stands her ground, glaring at me with aversion.

Smirking, I rub my cheek, “The truth hurts, does it, JJ?” I taunt her smugly. “You can stand there and seethe all you want, fuck you can slap me until your hand falls off, but it won’t change the fact that deep down you are a cock hungry little slut.” Jeyla’s arm rises for another swipe, but I catch her wrist before it makes contact with my cheek. “Watch it,” I tut, licking my lips. “You got lucky the first time, but I assure you the second one will be a huge mistake.”

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