Page 37 of Viper's Claim

“If anything… I’m scared you are about to hit me. Not Kingston.” I choked the words out. “Why do you hate me? What have I done?”

I could feel his hatred. It was as strong as the hate he had towards Brad.

“You betrayed me…” he hissed. “You fucking got involved with my cousins. A Johnston is loyal to a Johnston. They’ll fuck you over. Just like my old man won’t care if you do twenty behind bars for laundering cash.”

“This isn’t about the nightclubs.” I threw the blankets back. Suddenly understand. “This is about you and your split fucking personality,” I yelled at him. “Tyson loves me and you fight it,” I added. “Every time you struggle with it. You feel rage. Not at me. Not at Reaper. Not even at Kingston.” I threw a hand at the stop sign. “You hate your fucking self.” I scoffed. “Now you don’t need to pay for therapy sessions. I just told you the problem. A part of you, deep, deep down wants to feel again. But the Viper has him so suffocated that you won’t let it happen.”

His hand was around my neck. His nostrils flaring.

“You don’t know me.” He gritted out each word. “I’ll never fucking love you. You want to know the real reason I won’t love you?” he towered over me. “It’s because you fucked your brother and are a sick incest bitch.”

I didn’t say a word.

“Do you want to know why I wanted a stop sign, Viper?” I asked with tears. “Because when I was young I wanted it on my door. To make Ashley just stop and think for a moment and maybe turn around and not come in.” tears ran down my cheek. “I can’t do it. You win.”

I choked out tears and he let go of me.

“You want me to stop fighting for you. Well. It’s done. I am. You win. That’s what you wanted wasn’t it?”

I wiped the tears from under my nose with the back of my wrist.

Breaking as I looked at him. I saw Tyson. But this time. I couldn’t do it.

“You win.” I choked out again.

His expression broke.

“Don’t Tyson. You are right. You won’t love me. You don’t want to. I can’t ever change that. I’m stupid. I’m sofuckingstupid.”

I sniffed back tears and grabbed my clutch.

“I’m sorry.”

“Those two words mean nothing.” I grabbed an empty black bag, threw my clutch in it, and started stuffing clothes in them.

“But I am Aurora. I… I just wanted to push you away. I don’t want this life for you. You are better than this and me…”

I kept emptying my drawers.

While choking on tears.

“Don’t go.” He was panicking now. I heard it in his tone. “I fucccked up.” He stuttered, and he was feeling and it was breaking him.

But I can’t help him.

I shook my head and kept packing.

“I didn’t... I didn’t…I didn’t mean it.” He continued to stutter and then I spun around when I felt him approaching me.

I had the black strap in my hand.

I composed myself. As much as I could. Putting on a dim smile.

“You don’t want this life for me, Tyson. You don’t want me—”

“I do. And it is fucking with my head.” He grabbed his hair and was shaking as he looked at me. “You’re gonna… gonna go.” He is hyperventilating.

I slowly took two steps towards him. I placed my hand on his heart. As tears dripped from my eyes.