Page 59 of Forever Only Once

“And that’s just a fucking lie. All you fucking do is lie.”

“No, you’re the one who lies to yourself. I’ve always been the better artist. I took pity on you because your name worked for what I wanted to do. But now? You think you can just walk away. Fine, we’ll make that work. You can walk away, but Chris Cross is mine.”

“No, that’s not how this works. That’s not how the partnership is laid out.”

“We’ll see what my lawyer says about that. Because fuck you and all the lies you’re spreading. Fuck you, thinking that you can do whatever you want and pretend that you’re anywhere close to my talent. I’ve always been better than you. I’ve always made sure that you had the little things that you needed to get things done. But you are nothing. You’ve always been nothing. You’ll always be nothing. I’m the artist. I’m the one people will remember. You’re just a guy with the weird fucking name and the big fucking family. You’re the one who takes too much time off so you can go take care of your sick little sister. Just because she married rich and doesn’t need you to take care of her anymore so she doesn’t die, doesn’t mean you can suddenly spend all your time here.”

I didn’t even know I had moved in front of him, my fist ready to slam into his face, until it was done. Chris’s nose crunched from the power of my punch, and I cursed.

Apparently, I was a violent man.

“You’re going to pay for that, you fucking asshole. Wait until you hear from my lawyer. You’ll be lucky if you’re not in a jail cell tonight. Asshole.”

Chris stormed out, his hand over his face as blood poured down. I pinched the bridge of my nose, my knuckles aching, wondering what the fuck I was doing.

I had just hit a man. I knew the repercussions would come.

And, fuck, I now had to go to my house where Hazel would be. Have her see that, yes, I had just hit a man. There would be no hiding it, because my hand would be aching later.

I had hit a man, and she didn’t deal with violence well.

She shouldn’t have to.

I guess I deserved exactly what I got after this.

My hands shook, and I closed up the place, somehow making it to my house without throwing up or driving off the road.

Fuck. Knowing Chris, he was probably going to sue me. Or I’d end up in jail for hitting him. But the fucking asshole had talked about Arden. He didn’t have the right to talk about my baby sister. Nobody did, especially not a fucking asshole who was going to use her sickness for his own gains. But for what? To make himself feel better about himself? Fuck that.

Anger still coursed through my veins as I pulled into the driveway and cursed at myself again when I saw Hazel’s car there.

I pulled up next to her, and she waved, a smile on her face. I got out, taking deep breaths to calm myself.

“Hell, I’m late.”

“Actually, I’m early. There was like no traffic on 36, and I’m not exactly sure how that happened. But, here I am.” She leaned forward, kissed me softly, and I leaned into the touch, needing more.

She pulled back and looked at me, frowning.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“I don’t think you’ve ever lied to me before. But that was definitely a lie.”

Then she looked down at my hand, the redness on the knuckles evident because I had hit the guy pretty hard, and her eyes widened.

“What happened?” she whispered.

“I hit Chris. I’m so sorry.” Jesus, I was an asshole. I shouldn’t even touch her with these hands.

Her eyes widened, and she took my hand in hers, brushing her fingers over my bruised knuckles. It didn’t hurt, I had punched a punching bag enough that it wouldn’t, but the fact that she cared for me like this? I wasn’t sure exactly what to think.

“Why are you apologizing to me? What happened exactly?”

“Let’s get you inside,” I said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She didn’t flinch. That had to count for something.

“Unless you want to leave.”