Hard to Break - Bella Jewel Page 0,36

easy jobs. Kellan is coming around, but Toby is an angry dude.

“Well,” I say, doing a graceful bow. “That’s me for the day!”

I turn, still laughing, and get back to work. I realize only after I’m midway through my afternoon jobs, that it’s the first time I’ve truly felt at ease for a long, long time. I never thought that would happen when I lost the garage, but I’m slowly coming to terms with all the changes. They’re more challenging than I could ever have bargained for, and that isn’t a bad thing.

I think I might just like it here.

* * *

Yawning, I stretch and take lazy steps as I head into the garage. It’s just about 7 a.m., but no one is here yet, which is strange. It’s Friday and Tazen told me to be in earlier for a job that needed to go out by closing of business today. I pushed my ass out of bed and made it in on time, but no one is here. I figure I can get started anyway, so unlock the front door and step in.

I don’t see it coming, because obviously no one sees a giant paint tin swinging towards their face coming. I open my mouth to scream but it hits me straight in the forehead. I stumble backwards as a sharp pain radiates through my head. I topple to the ground as I lose my balance. I crash down with a cry, trying to steady my fall with my hands but not succeeding.

I land flat on my back.

Agony.

Something warm is gushing down my forehead and I realize it’s blood. Tears burst to my eyelids and I try to push up, but my head is spinning so I stay down. I hiccup and a sob tears from my lips. This was a prank, obviously, but it was a cruel, heartless one. He could have killed me. A mix of anger and pain swirl in my chest and my tears flow harder.

I press my hand to my forehead to stop the blood flow, but do no more because I can’t control the tears.

I don’t know how long I lay like that, clutching my head, but I hear a shouted, “Fuck,” and then Tazen is kneeling over me, his hands on my face.

“Y-y-y-you,” I croak. “Piece of shit.”

“Baby,” he whispers, his voice pained. “I didn’t…”

“Do you think it was funny?” I sob. “You could have killed me.”

“Shit, it wasn’t meant to … it was meant to just spill.”

“Yeah,” I laugh brokenly. “Well clearly it didn’t.”

He leans down, scooping me into his arms. “I’m so sorry, angel.”

“You’re not sorry, you’ve wanted to hurt me like this from the start.”

“No,” he says, striding towards the bathrooms. “No I didn’t.”

He sounds truly pained, and I know he didn’t mean for it to go like this. I can tell just by his reaction, but I’m hurting and I’m embarrassed. I squirm in his arms, but he holds me tighter. “Hold still, you’re covered in blood. Fuck. Where are you hurt?”

“My, ah, head.”

I blink as I feel a bit light-headed. “Tazen,” I whisper. “I’m dizzy.”

“Shit,” he says, kicking the door to the office open. “Do you want me to call an ambulance?”

“I don’t … ah … know.”

“Sit, let me see.”

He places me down on the desk and rushes towards the cabinets to pull out the first-aid kit. He doesn’t speak as he starts wiping my head, and getting the blood away so he can see the gash. I stop feeling dizzy as he works and when I’m cleaned up, he leans in close to inspect the gash. I don’t know what comes over me, but the sudden urge to taste him, to feel him, overwhelms me. I try to push it back as I whisper, “Tazen?”

His eyes dart down to mine. “Yeah, angel?”

“We took it too far.”

He closes his eyes for a moment and nods sharply. “Yeah, baby, we did.”

“I’m sorry.”

His eyes shoot open and he stares at me in shock. “No, don’t you say that. I’ve been a fucking dick to you.”

“And I’ve been a royal pain in the ass.”

His eyes go back to my gash. “I hurt you.”

I reach up before thinking, and place my fingers against his cheek. His eyes find mine and everything just seems to move quickly from there. He leans down and captures my lips with his, and before I know it, we’re kissing. It isn’t a deep kiss, but it’s long and it’s sweet. His lips explore mine with no