Mr. Heartbreaker Jordan Marie Page 0,40
you’re above me. Why do you think I did everything I could to force you into spending time with me?”
“Because you’re a jerk?”
“Because I knew I didn’t have a shot any other way, Violet. I was desperate,” I admit, taking a few steps toward her. She doesn’t move, but she definitely looks panicked.
“You don’t have a shot,” she says stubbornly.
“You deserve so much more than this place, Angel. You deserve better than me, but because I am an asshole, I’m not going to stand back and let someone else take you away from me.”
“Great line Huntington, but it’s a day late and a dollar short. I’m going back to California.”
“You don’t want to leave here, Violet. You wanted to go to this school for a reason. You’re happy here.”
“Do I look happy?”
“Stay, Violet.”
“And let you hold my job over my head with the school? No thanks.”
“Fuck, I wasn’t going to tell the school shit. I just said that.”
“You want me to believe it was all a lie?”
“It was. I wouldn’t have said shit to anyone, Violet,” I tell her, irritated with myself, because I’ve painted myself into a corner.
“I couldn’t believe you if I wanted to. I think everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie.”
“Not this, Violet and not with you,” I deny, trying to figure out how to make her believe me.
She lets out a bitter laugh, shaking her head at my words. “I’m sorry, but were you at the same party I was? The same party that I never wanted to attend and let you talk me into. The exact same party where you disappeared and left me alone the majority of it.”
“Fuck, Vi, you don’t understand. My dad is a bastard, and I let him—”
“Looks like the apple didn’t fall far from the tree,” she says with a sneer.
My control snaps. I don’t think, I just act. Getting compared to my father hits a nerve that is always exposed. I march toward her. She backs up, shaking her head no.
“Get out!” she cries, but I ignore her. I make it to her, and I pin her against the wall. My hand goes to her neck, holding her there, feeling the beat of her pulse against my hand.
“I’m not my father. I’m not that person, not with you. I fucked up. I was a complete asshole. I let my father’s toxic poison hit me and I drank too much. I should have just left. I should have come back to you, but you don’t understand...”
“I understand you need to let go of me, Mike,” she says, her voice tight. Her fingers wrap around my wrists, as she pulls against my hold.
“I don’t want to let go of you, Angel. You’re the first real thing in my life. I know I’ve been an asshole from day one, but I’m giving you a vow that it ends here. I’m going to change. If you just give me a shot.”
“People don’t change, Mike. If there’s one thing that life has taught me, it’s that,” she says, and her body relaxes, but the sadness that emotes from her and the somberness in her voice both combine to tell me that it’s not a good thing. She hasn’t forgiven me… she’s just tired.
“You shouldn’t have to change for anyone. You should be who you are,” she says, her eyes closed.
Suddenly I get the feeling she’s talking more about herself than me. I bend down and kiss her forehead, holding the side of her neck as delicately as I can.
“I’m sorry Violet. I’m so fucking sorry. I was a jealous ass and you didn’t deserve any of it.”
“Why were you jealous?” she asks, a line forming on her forehead that I automatically kiss again to try and make it smooth out.
“You were leaving to go with my brother. I saw the way you checked him out before I got there—”
“Whoa, I did not check your brother out.”
“Now who’s lying?” I half-laugh, the sound cynical even to my own ears.
“I’m not. I looked at him, I mean I’m a girl and he’s hot as hell—”
“That’s not helping, Angel.”
“It’s just being honest, but I was not sizing him up. Jesus, I got one Huntington annoying the shit out of me. Do you really think I want to try and tackle another one?”
“All the girls do. Hell, half of the girls I’ve been with only get with me in hopes of moving up to my brother.”
“Oh please, if Lindy is any example of the