Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
No. I would not degrade myself for this asshole. He’s the one to blame, he’s the one that gaslit my world until all I could see was him, and I was done. So very done.
“We’re over. I will never listen to your excuses, your pleas, or whatever the hell you’re trying to do. Leave me alone.” I shoved past him faster than he could block me, air filling my lungs as I almost jogged toward the ballroom. I wanted to get back to the life I’d been living, get back to Brad and the safety and comfort of his presence.
I cleared the ballroom doors, my heart racing in my chest as I beelined it toward our table—
A hand grabbed my arm, jerking me around so quickly I nearly lost my balance. Pain radiated up my arm as I tried to tug it out from Dennis’s grasp. “Let go!” I shouted, but the loud, thumping music swallowed my plea.
“No,” he snapped, jerking me toward him. “Not until you listen to me!”
Ice shot through my veins, making my entire body shake. He’d never been violent with me before—though I couldn’t say the same for the holes he’d sometimes punch in the walls. I took a deep breath, trying like hell to calm my nerves.
“Dennis,” I said, using every ounce of power I had to fill my voice. “Let me go. You’re hurting me.”
He grip loosened, but he didn’t let me go. “It’s not the same without you,” he said. “I need you back.”
I tried to free my arm again, but he kept ahold of me. “You don’t want me back,” I said. “And I’m not coming back either way.”
“I do want you back,” he argued. “I didn’t care about that other girl. I never did. It was just a release. And I’m behind on my rent, I need your help—”
“Money,” I cut him off, laughing darkly. “Of course, it’s about money.” I’d helped him out more than I should’ve. Clearly. “Let go.”
“No. I’m here for you to remember how much you love me. How great we were together—”
“Get your fucking hands off her,” a loud, angry, primal voice sounded from right behind me.
One second, Dennis was holding my arm, not letting me go, and the next, Brad’s fist was connecting with Dennis’s jaw.
CHAPTER 16
Brad
White-hot pain zapped across my knuckles as my fist met Dennis’s face, but I barely registered the pain as he whirled from the hit, releasing Luna’s arm so quickly she stumbled back a few steps.
A blink and I was there, steadying her, running my hands over her face and body. “Did he hurt you?” I asked, relief on the edge of my soul noting she had no tears in her eyes and barely any fear.
“No,” she said, swallowing hard. “Not really. Just my arm when he grabbed me.”
I saw red, spinning around and stomping toward where he was getting back to his feet—
“Brad!” Luna’s voice was a plea I would never be able to ignore, my entire body locking up on instinct as she sprinted ahead of me, hands splayed on my chest. “Please,” she said. “He’s not worth it.” She reached down, skimming her fingers over my knuckles. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said, finally focusing on her. “I’m worried about you.”
A crowd was gathering around us now as Dennis straightened his spine. “Asshole,” he said, working out his jaw. He noted the way I tugged Luna behind me, then glared at me. “I knew you and her were always fucking behind my back. Typical,” he fired, looking around me at Luna. “You’re such a hypocrite.”
“Leave,” Luna said from behind me.
I furrowed my brow, my hands fists at my sides. “How the fuck are you here, anyway?” I asked, knowing damn well the only people who knew about me and Luna attending this event were our closest friends, and they’d never tell him.
“She wants me here,” Dennis said, jabbing a finger toward Luna. “That’s how.”
“That’s not true!” Luna said, stepping to my side to look up at me. “I blocked his number—”
“And yet you’re still allowing me to track your location,” Dennis cut her off.
My lips parted in shock as I looked down at Luna.
“Omigod,” she gasped, shaking her head. “I forgot,” she said quickly. “I forgot to turn it off—”
“How could you forget something like that?” I asked, furious at Dennis and terrified for her. What if he’d found her and I hadn’t been here? What if he’d tracked her down and the situation escalated to something worse. Fuck me, just the idea of her being hurt had my entire body shaking.
“I…” Luna stumbled over her words, shock and hurt coloring her features.
“It’s because she wanted me here!” Dennis snapped, digging in his phone. He pulled up a picture, one of him and Luna kissing from just last month and shoved it in my face. “Because she missed me. That’s why she left it on. She didn’t want to be here with you—”