Page 11 of Shades of You

I crossed my arms, tension coiling in my stomach. “That’s one way to put it.”

His pleading eyes searched mine. “I’ll change, okay? I’ll knock off the booze and quit calling out at the boatyard. I guess I just want you to know I’m trying.”

I didn’t really know how to reply to that, so I remained quiet.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Who was that goon who threw me out of your store?”

At hearing Hunter described that way, red-hot anger lanced through me. Why was I talking to Knox? I didn’t owe him anything. “Just someone who realized you were way out of line and stepped in to help me.”

“It won’t happen again. That’s what I’m trying to tell you.”

The sincerity in his tone was disarming, but it was too late now. “Knox, I can’t do this again.” My voice wavered despite my resolve. “We tried, and it just… it didn’t work.”

“Because I was a mess.” He pulled his hands from his pockets and emphasized his words as he stepped closer. The space between us became charged with the ghosts of our history. “But I’m cleaning up my act. I can be the man you need.”

“Stop it.” I took a step back, my heart thudding against my ribs like a trapped bird. “Please, just stop. We’re through! This was a mistake. I’m leaving.”

As I turned away, he reached out and curled his fingers around my forearm with more force than I expected. His grip tightened, and I gasped as a jolt of pain shot through me.

“Listen to me, Brenna.” Desperation tinged his features now as he hissed through gritted teeth. “Don’t just walk away from me!”

The pain in my forearm intensified as the despondency in his eyes morphed into anger. He squeezedharder, his grip like a vise. Fear coursed through my veins, and I struggled to free myself from his grasp. With a surge of adrenaline, I mustered all my strength and twisted my arm forcefully, breaking free from his hold. Pain shot up my arm, but I didn’t have time to register it. I stumbled back and toward the crowd.

“Get out of here,” I called out, fear lacing my voice. “Leave me alone!”

His eyes widened, and for a moment, I saw the flicker of the man I’d been attracted to once—a man who would never want to cause me pain. But then it was gone, the hardness that had become so much more common masking it. He glanced around, as if suddenly aware that our semi-secluded alley was mere feet away from the bustling market.

“Fine,” he spat out. “You don’t deserve me, you dumb bitch.” Before I could react to that, he turned on his heel and strode away.

The adrenaline raging through me waned, leaving my legs shaky. My hand went to my forearm. It was already red with a blossoming bruise and tender to the touch, and my elbow throbbed. As I hurried from the alley, the lively chatter of the farmer’s market felt surreal, like a distant melody unable to reach me through the fog of my thoughts.

How did it come to this?

Sweet-turned-bitter memories with Knox swirled in my mind, the sting of his grip tainting them. I deserved better. Better than heated arguments, and better than love that hurt. I had to distance myself from him, from us, once and for all. I fumbled for my phone, needing a voice of reason, a touchstone to reality.

“Hey, Harper,” I said when my sister answered, relief flooding through me. “Don’t suppose you’re free right now,are you?”

“Actually, I was just going to grab something to eat. What’s the matter? Your voice doesn’t sound right.”

“I could use my big sister. Could you meet me at Island Breeze in fifteen minutes?”

“Of course, Bren. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I just need to bounce some things off you.”

The walk to Island Breeze Bistro was a blur, and my determination to find solace carried me as much as my steps did. The diner’s exterior was painted a bright yellow with a red-and-white striped awning stretched over the entrance. Inside, the walls were lined with photographs of the town’s history and locals enjoying meals and events.

Harper was already there when I arrived, her soothing presence drawing me like a beacon as I approached our usual table by the window. We shared a similar shade of light-brown hair, but hers had a gorgeous wave I envied. Though she was only a few years older than me, her young son Finn gave her the maternal warmth I sometimes craved more than our own mother. And Mom was visiting her sister in Georgia for several months anyway. The booth I slipped into was upholstered in soft red vinyl and the seats were slightly worn from constant use.

Harper’s brow wrinkled as she noticed me rubbing my forearm, her hazel eyes zeroing in on me. “What’s going on?”

I hesitated before answering, not wanting to alarm her. After my walk, the entire scene had become removed, like a bad dream I couldn’t quite remember. “I ran into Knox at the farmer’s market.”

“Did he hurt you?” Harper’s voice was steady, but her face was rigid.

“No, no, it’s not like that. He hasn’t taken our breakupwell and wanted to talk to me. When I turned to leave, he grabbed me.”

Her gaze shifted to my arm, and she gasped as she gently touched the darkening mark on my skin. “But he did hurt you.”

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