Page 79 of Trustfall

He looks up and his eyes darken. “Misunderstanding.”

“Okay. Why don’t we go inside, and I can patch you up.” I’m grasping at straws. He’s right. He has never physically abused me. His abuse of choice was emotional. Psychological. But who is to say he won’t start now? He did grab me the other night.

He drank in college, but I never saw him do drugs. Clearly, he has been living hard since he moved away, and he seems unhinged right now. Plus, he obviously just got into some sort of physical altercation.

He grins, and his gums look red and slightly inflamed.

“Always the little nurse, my Emory. Always taking care of everyone. But that was the problem, wasn’t it? You were so busy taking care of everyone else that you neglected me. You never had time for me.”

He stiffens. Shit, that backfired. I take an inconspicuous step back, hoping he won’t notice, so I can get closer to my clutch. I don’t stand a chance if he attacks me. Jaxon has like six inches on me. Although his senses are dulled and his reaction time is probably lagging, so maybe I can take him by surprise. But if I can get my pho?—

“Does he make you come?”

Jaxon looks at me with an almost boyish innocence, despite the words that just came out of his mouth, but it’s just another one of his sick games. I’m so shocked by his words that I halt my backward movement. But then rage boils deep in my gut and I’m no longer trying to survive. I’m tired and angry, and he has no right to ask me about my fucking sex life.

“Are you kidding me right now? That’s none of your fucking business,” I growl.

“There it is,” he says excitedly. “There’s that fire I wanted. All these other girls just submit to me, and it’s gotten so predictable, you know?”

I’m simmering now, my blood thrashing violently in my veins. Fuck you, Jaxon. Fuck you. You don’t own me anymore. You can’t control me.

Say it.

Just say it.

Why can’t I say it?

“I only ask because I remember how difficult it was for you.” He shakes his head. “Took forever sometimes.”

Because you smelled like other girls.

Because you didn’t know what the fuck you were doing.

Because you didn’t take the time to learn what I like.

“Well, luckily you don’t have to worry about that anymore,” I say sweetly, gathering the courage to at least be passive-aggressive.

He starts to laugh but is cut off by a loud bang and the sound of wood splintering. I look up to see Nate standing at the entrance of the gazebo, blood dripping from where his fist hit the wall.

“Get the fuck away from my sister, you piece of shit.”

Oh my God.

Did Nate just hear all that? Was he listening this whole time? Nate advances on Jaxon, grabbing him by his shirt collar and pushing him up against the wall. I shriek when I hear Jaxon’s head thud against the wood. He doesn’t stand a chance right now. Jaxon is tall, but Nate’s taller by a few inches. And stronger. Plus, he has the added advantage of being stone-cold sober. Nate rarely drinks because he doesn’t like the loss of control.

“Nate,” I hear a feminine voice call out, and then Allie appears. She puts her hands on her knees, gulping lungfuls of air, like she ran all the way here from the house.

She glances up, and a look of horror crosses her face as she surveys the scene in front of her. “Nate…” she says again, still catching her breath.

“Stay the fuck out of this, Allie. This is family business.”

I keep my eyes glued to Nate and Jaxon, but I catch Allie wince out of the corner of my eye. Allieisfamily. Why would he say that? She looks like she wants to jump into action, but she remains still.

“I told you what would happen if you came back, didn’t I?” He pushes Jaxon back again. “Was I not clear enough last time?” His voice thunders through the enclosed space.

Last time? What is he talking about?

“Nate, please let him go. He wasn’t going to hurt me.”

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