Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
The guy doesn’t make me wait long. Less than fifteen seconds pass before the door opens and Duke stands at the threshold.
He doesn’t say one damn word, just glares. The way he peers at me with disgust, kind of like I’m a bug splattered across the windshield of his truck, makes me want to squirm.
Instead, I straighten my shoulders. “Where’s Delilah?”
Part of me expects for him to give me the runaround and make this difficult.
That’s not what happens.
“She’s here.”
When he doesn’t say anything more, I grit my teeth, keeping a firm lock on my temper. “I want to talk with her.”
“That’s unfortunate. She doesn’t have anything to say to you.”
When I step onto the first tread of the front stoop, he slams out of the screen door and stalks down the concrete steps until we’re nose to nose. I’ll be damned if I back down.
His voice drips venom. “On the drive back to Hawthorne, she told me everything that’s happened.”
Even though it’s tempting to look away as embarrassment simmers deep within, I keep my eyes trained on him. “I’m here to apologize.”
Before I realize his intent, he knocks his hands into my chest. The force of it sends me stumbling back a few steps. “That’s tough shit for you. I’m not gonna let you anywhere near that girl. You’re done messing with her. Do you hear me? It’s fucking over.”
As tempting as it is to get into a fistfight with Duke, I refuse to do it. Especially when all he’s done is defend Delilah the way I should have from the very beginning.
I drag a hand through my hair and search for the right words, something that will convey the depth of my feelings for her. I haven’t always been good at expressing my emotions. I’ve spent a lot of time tamping them down and leading with my fists when shit got difficult.
But I care about Delilah. More than I’ve cared about any other girl. And I fucking hate that she doesn’t realize it. I don’t understand why she packed her bags and took off. Especially after how good everything was last night.
It takes a concerted effort on my part to gentle my voice and remain calm. “I just want to talk with her. That’s it.”
He shrugs. “Again, tough shit. She wants nothing to do with you, so get the hell out of here.”
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
We glare for a solid sixty seconds. What becomes clear is that he isn’t going to budge on his stance. He won’t allow me within twenty feet of Delilah. The urge to throw a punch thrums through me, but I tamp down the knee jerk reaction.
If she needs time, I don’t have much choice in the matter.
Although…that doesn’t mean I’m giving up.
Not by a long shot.
DELILAH
I glance at Mom from the corner of my eye. She’s humming along to the music that fills the car as we drive to school. When her gaze flickers to mine, she flashes a smile before her attention returns to the ribbon of road stretched out in front of us.
She’s been on cloud nine since walking through the door late Sunday evening. Her bubble of happiness has only been reinforced by their little getaway. I don’t even want to know what they were up to. If I think about it too hard, I’ll likely vomit all over myself. After the rough patch we’ve been going through, I don’t have the wherewithal to be at odds with her anymore.
I only hope that when this affair finally runs its course, she doesn’t get hurt and no one in Hawthorne discovers what’s been going on. I have no idea if Austin plans to carry out his earlier threats, but I hope not. I don’t know why he would bother when he’s obviously interested in Aubrey.
He can have her, if that’s what he wants.
I no longer give a shit.
Mom has no idea what happened this weekend. The only thing I told her about is Dad’s camera falling into the lake. Her response was that at least I still had the brand new one she purchased. Her unsympathetic attitude had me blinking back tears.
Although, why am I surprised?
She’s wanted me to get rid of it for a while.
Guess she finally got her way.
After we returned to Hawthorne, I hid out at Duke’s until Sunday afternoon before finally heading home. Last night, I forced myself to stay awake until the wee hours of the morning, afraid Austin would find a way into the house, and I’d wake with him on top of me.
It didn’t happen.
Whatever we had—if anything—is over. Even though I realize it’s for the best, heartache seeps into my chest before slowly spreading throughout the rest of my body.
Not only will I spend the remainder of senior year avoiding Jasper and his cronies, but Austin as well. I just need to keep my head down, focus on my schoolwork, and figure out where I’ll go to college. Next fall, I’ll be as far away from Hawthorne as I can get. It’s the one thought that keeps me going.