Page 15 of King: Darker Than Romance

“What did you say to me?” I repeated.

“Wh—What?” She shook her head in confusion.

“What did you say to me downstairs?”

“I said you’re an asshole,” she answered

“You also said you loved me.”

“No the fuc—” She paused mid-sentence. A thoughtful expression came to her face. She must have run what she said back in her head because she suddenly ducked her head.

“I love you too, Eden.”

“Get out, Ashford.” That wasn’t the response I expected. Maybe she hadn’t meant to say it. Maybe she didn’t love me.

My heart pounded hard against my rib cage. Suddenly something in me snapped. Before I could stop myself, my hand flew up to grip her jaw. I got right up in her face. “You meant it didn’t you?” I sneered. She winced. “You wouldn’t play with me like that, Eden. Would you?” I backed her up into the shower stall. Water rained down onto her hair causing it to cover her face. With my free hand, I pushed it back. She was crying, but I didn’t care. She must have seen how important her answer was because she finally answered.

“I wouldn’t lie. I love you. Don’t ask me why or how or when, because I don’t know, I just do. I couldn’t tell you that because I knew it would change everything.”

“Nothing will change.”

She looked at me skeptically, like she knew me better than I knew myself. It turned out she did because everything changed after that.

“I was young and dumb.” Her voice broke through my thoughts, settling me back in the present.

I raised my head to look at. She had her eyes closed. She was still so beautiful.

“Last night didn’t feel like we were over. You don’t want me anymore, Eden? I remember all the times you begged for me.”

She sighed but said nothing, just turned and stared at me. I couldn’t decipher what was going on behind her eyes.

I lifted my hand and scratched at the spot next to my heart. My chest ached. I had always been able to read her before.

“You’ve changed, Eden.” She drew her lips into a tight line. “You reek of weakness now.” It made me angry. I slammed my hand against the bathroom door.

She didn’t react. Still, she said nothing. The silence was deafening in the cramped space.

Old Eden would have cursed me out. She had so much fight in her back then. I almost felt sorry for the current her, almost. I felt that whatever had happened to her after I went prison, she had brought on herself.

I walked further into the bathroom, then crouched down next to the bathtub.

“Why are you back here, Eden?” I knew there was something she and her mother weren’t telling me.

She sighed. “It’s a long story, one that I’m not telling you. You all will find out soon enough anyway.” Her voice was filled with so many emotions I didn’t pressure her to tell me. I eventually would.

I pushed myself from the floor. “Get out of the tub, Eden.”

She massaged the bridge of her nose. “I should have left you alone back then. Getting involved with you has been the catalyst for all of my problems.”

“Ouch.” I feigned hurt knowing she didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean half of what I said. We were both just angry. “Kitty still has claws.” I removed a towel from the rack and held it out for her to step into. “Get out of the tub, Eden. I want to talk to you before your mother gets back.” By talk, I meant—fuck her. My dick had been missing her since I’d awoken to find her gone. I was missing her. I couldn’t stop missing her. Through all the anger, the fact that I still wanted her remained.

“I distinctly remember telling you that being with me wouldn’t meant that there wouldn’t always be rainbows and butterflies between us. I warned you.” I reminded her. I was not prepared for her to affect me as she had. I had too many balls in the air already. I tried to stay away from her. “But let’s not act as if the hurt isn’t mutual. I’m two days fresh out of prison and you had a hand in putting me there.”

She shook her head. “I’m just ready for all this to be over with.”

“You’re ready for what to be over with and why? So, you can go back to your husband?” I sneered. The thought of her running from me to him yet again made me want to hurt them both.

“I don’t want to talk about this.”

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