Page 45 of Broken Pieces

“I—I can’t,” I mutter for the second time today as I push past him and take the few steps into my bedroom.

I slam the door behind me and lean against it.

My heart beating faster and louder than it ever has.

I hear him slam his fist into the wall and cuss.

I am a fool.

A lust driven fool.

I touch my fingers to my lips. I can still taste his lips on mine.

My body is in overdrive as my brain tries to catch up. I never should have let him kiss me. The whisper of a kiss that it was. It was far more intimate than I can handle. Far too dangerous for me to even think about.

* * *

I wake up to a banging sound. I glance over at my phone and see it’s just past midnight. I get out of bed to grab a glass of water. As I pass the door to Brooks’ room, the banging sound gets louder. I pause in front of his door only to jump back when I hear panting and slapping coming from inside. A few moans and a ‘harder baby’ has me running toward the kitchen.

It’s not much better in here. I can still hear the banging, but at least the moans are covered up by the sounds of the cicadas outside.

Is he for real? Did he not come on to me earlier in the day, then kiss me outside of the bathroom just to turn around and fuck some broad later in the night?

Was this the plan the whole time? Lead me on just to get a good laugh? What a fucking asshole. I mean I did turn him down, but it’s not like I expected him to walk out the door and just fuck the first girl he found.

I grind my teeth as I lean against the kitchen counter and stare out the window. I try to keep memories from flooding my mind. But my thoughts win. I think of the times that I walked in on Logan with someone else. How I let myself sit through it all and use drugs to cope with the pain. Too bad those weren’t an option anymore. I scratch at my arms and turn around to look in the cabinets for booze when I hear Brooks’ bedroom door open.

The girl laughs telling him they should do it again. I keep to the corner of the kitchen, in the shadows so she doesn’t see me. He practically pushes her out the door. When she says call me and he doesn’t respond, she frowns. Asshole.

He turns around and heads back to his room, but he must sense my presence because he pauses and looks at me.

I just stare at him. I don’t have any words for what he did, nothing to say to him that would make any of this right.

He doesn’t move or speak, so I walk out of the kitchen and back to my room.

I hear him say my name, pain gracing the syllables but it’s not enough to make me turn around.

I lock the door when I get back to my room. I lay on the bed and let unwelcome tears fall across my pillow.

* * *

I haven’t seen Brooks in two days which is fine by me. I know he’s been around because his truck has been here. We have just done a good job of ignoring each other.

I finish up the dessert I made for the special dinner that Summer is throwing for her guests tonight. Which means I can’t spend the evening in the house avoiding Brooks. I head to the back door just as a giant clap of thunder terrorizes the sky. It’s been raining all day, but it’s suddenly a torrential downpour. I find an umbrella by the door and make a run for the cottage. I shake out the umbrella when I make it across the yard. I managed to stay mostly dry though the backs of my legs are wet and lightly muddy from the ground.

I slam the door and am surprised to see Brooks when I turn around. I guess the rain kept him from working today. I try to make a quick break for my room, but my name on his lips stops me.

“Raelynn, please.”

I don’t know if the pleading in his voice triggers a flashback of Logan, him pleading whenever I caught him cheating, or if I have so much pent up anger over the last few days, I am ready to let it out. “What?” I practically hiss.

He sighs heavily. “I am sorry about the other night.”

I snort. “Sorry? For what kissing me? Or sorry that I woke up hearing you have sex?”

He takes a step closer to me as I take a step back. “I am sorry that I was an asshole and invited that girl over after I kissed you.”

I laugh loudly. “Yeah, I am sure you are really sorry about that.”