He dropped his hand from his neck, lifted his torso partially up but kept his elbows to his knees.
“Can’t do this, Gwen,” he stated.
“Do…” That word came out strangled so I cleared my throat and finished, “What?”
“This shit, can’t do it.”
“This…” I paused this time because it was difficult to bring myself to say it, then I said it, “Shit?”
“Yeah, this shit,” he replied, not having trouble saying it at all.
I moved to the side where luckily a big, iron column stood and I wrapped my hand around it, leaning my body into it to hold myself up.
“What do you mean?” I asked, finding it difficult to breathe mainly because my heart was lodged in my throat.
“You and me, I was wrong. I thought I could do it but I can’t do this shit.”
“Are you…” That sounded strangled again so I swallowed and continued, “Ending things?”
“Yeah.” His answer was instant and unwavering.
“You’re ending things,” I repeated just to confirm.
“Yeah,” he repeated, again instant and unwavering.
I felt the tears hit my sinuses.
Boy, Troy was right. It hurt a lot more when a man walked all over you wearing combat boots.
“You promised,” I whispered and he did. He promised. Not even twenty-four hours ago, he f**king swore he’d handle me with care.
He stood and I released the column and stepped back.
“This is me keepin’ that promise, Gwen.”
“You are so full of shit.” I continued whispering.
“Better now than when you’re tied tighter to me, babe.”
“You… are…” I leaned forward, lost it in the middle of a sentence and shrieked, “So full of shit!”
“Sweet Pea –” he started but I cut him off, still shrieking.
“Don’t call me that you f**king ass**le!”
Then I whirled on my foot and raced to and up the stairs.
Hawk followed and he didn’t do it slowly but by the time he made it to the bed platform, I was pulling up my jeans.
“Gwen, listen to me,” he demanded.
“Fuck you,” I spat, zipping my jeans.
His fingers wrapped around my upper arm and he gently turned me to him but I twisted my arm out of grip, put both hands to his chest and pushed.
He caught my forearms and shook them between us.
“Gwen, look at me.”