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.“Then I’ll know I did the right thing by waiting.”A gentleness settled into Tessa’s large brown eyes, and she gave a slight nod.“You are one tough woman, Olivia Beaumont.I truly admire you.” She squinched her brows together.“But if that fucker breaks your heart his ass is grass!”I laughed at Tessa as I jumped in the shower.It felt good to have her on my team, even though it was a little early to say my heart was truly invested.Funny, I hadn’t wanted a relationship.It sort of just … happened.Unavoidable as breathing.Fifteen minutes later I stepped out, wrapped in a towel, brushed my teeth, and applied lotion.I slipped the sleeveless red floral shift with buttons down the front over my head, and it dropped to just at my knees.I padded out to my side of the room, grabbed my sandals, and sat on the bed.I looked at my legs with dread.“What’s that face for?” Tessa asked.I shook my head as I applied lotion.“My legs are so beat up.”“How come?”I looked at her and sighed.“It’s what happens in a horse pen, Tess.They’ve taken a beating with me getting flung all over the place.”She waved a hand at me.“They look fine, chica.Disgustingly gorgeous, actually.No worries.”I pulled on my sandals, rebraided my hair, and grabbed my bag.“Thanks.I’ll see ya later?”“I’ll be here.”With excitement pinging inside of me, I headed downstairs to meet Brax.Twenty minutes passed with no sign or word from Brax.I’d settled on the edge of the walkway, but the concrete was hard to sit on for long.I finally stood, stretched and started pacing along the concrete that skirted Oliver Hall.The sun had dropped beneath the horizon, but it was not yet dark outside.Just that strange hazy gloom that fell between afternoon and dusk, complimenting a sky streaked lavender and ginger.It was peaceful out, with very few students mingling between the dorms.A breeze lifted the curls at my neck and I inhaled, and continued to walk.I’d made it almost to the opposite side of the dorm when I stopped and scanned the parking lot.It wasn’t like Brax to be late.For anything.Something must be holding him up—“Liv? Now don’t run off,” Kelsy’s deep voice startled me from behind, and I whirled around to face him.He stood there, hands up, palms facing me.“I just want to talk, swear to God.”I kept my distance and my eyes on him.“Just walk away, Kelsy.There’s nothing to talk about.” I searched for the easiest escape, and neither appealed me.The dorm entrance was further away than my truck.Escape? Why did I feel the urge to run? He wasn’t going to attack me, for God’s sake.Still, he made me uncomfortable.I cast a quick glance around the darkening parking lot.Mostly empty.A low laugh came from his throat, and he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.His head tilted toward me.“Nothin’ to talk about? There’s plenty, Liv.Don’t shut me out.” He took a few steps toward me.“Not again.”Anger pulled at my insides.“Again? What’s wrong with you? Did our entire senior year conveniently exit your memory, Kelsy?”He moved closer still, and I really had nowhere else to go except my truck.Run from him? I wasn’t a coward, dammit.I wasn’t.So I anchored my feet to the sidewalk.“That’s in the past,” Kelsy crooned.“C’mon, Liv.” He reached for me, close enough to grasp my bare shoulder.“God, look at you.That dress? You’re so damn pretty.Liv, it’s me.We’ve known each other since the fourth grade.High school was just high school.Stupid kid stuff.And I made a mistake.” He grasped my other shoulder, dug his fingers into my skin and looked down at me.“This is a new start.A different life.” A grin moved over his face.“We’re grown now.All that other shit’s forgotten.” He tugged at my shoulders, pulling me unwillingly against his chest.His arms enveloped me.“C’mon, baby.Truce?”I jerked back out of his grip.My brain spun out of control.Honestly, I couldn’t do anything more than stare at him like he’d lost his damn mind.“That shit you’ve so easily forgotten about and shoved in the past almost ruined my life, Kelsy.” My voice was husky, insulted, quiet, and it shook.I could hear it.Fear pinged inside of me, and I pushed it as far back into my inner shadows as I could.Had Kelsy gone crazy? How had he forgotten all the torment? Humiliation? Did he think he could easily dispose of the memories like he had his actions? The thought angered me to a fever, and I began to shake.With the palm of my hand, I pushed against his chest.Hard.“And finally, I’m starting to get on with my life.I’m not going to tell you again, Kelsy.It’s over.Long over.Leave me alone, before it becomes an issue even your daddy can’t control.I mean it.” Satisfied that I’d made my point, I turned, scanned the darkening parking lot, and just headed to my truck.I wanted to get away from Kelsy.Period.Even if I had to just make a loop around campus.With my hand inside my bag, I fished for my keys as I hurried across the lot.Just as I reached the hood, I found my key.Where was Brax—My arm was grabbed and Kelsy spun me around, pinning my back against the fender.I let out a grunt on impact, and my keys went flying and pinged against the concrete.He leaned forward, his body towering over mine.“Don’t you walk away from me, girl.” His voice was harsh.Painful.Guilty.His hair stuck to his sweaty forehead.His eyes flashed angrily.“You don’t get to do that here.There ain’t no reason why you can’t hear me out, Olivia.I’m trying to be nice and civil and you’re acting all disrespectful and bitchy.” His head dipped toward mine, to look me in the eye, and panic dragged its claws against my insides.“I mean it, goddamit.Listen to me.I’ve told you a dozen fuckin’ times I’m sorry for that night.” His strong fingers grasped my chin and made me look at him.“Why can’t you at least fuckin’ acknowledge my apology, Liv?” When I did nothing but stare at him, his face darkened.“Why can’t you just leave the past in the fucking past? Huh? Answer me, dammit.” He slammed his fist against my fender, right next to me, and I jumped and squeezed my eyes shut.“I watch you in class every day, all lovely fucking dovey with that tattooed punk ass.It ain’t right.Swear to God, I can’t take this shit no more, Liv.I mean it—”Suddenly his body just … moved.It happened so fast, I barely saw Brax slam Kelsy’s head, face-down, against the hood of my truck.Kelsy let out a yell, then swore.Brax lifted Kelsy’s head by his hair and slammed it down again.He held him there, by the back of his neck, with Kelsy hollering to let him up.Only then did Brax look at me.He had a fresh shiner around one slightly swollen eye [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]