Page 93 of Hate So Deep

Tears clog my throat, and I shake my head. There’s nothing I can do, as though I’m meaningless. I guess I am because he ran off and created a new family.

Dad left me behind.

“I can tell her to go fuck herself,” I whisper, and Dirk brushes a strand of hair behind my ear.

When I look up, his brows furrow before he leans in so close I can feel his breath against my lips.

My heart jumps into my throat at that and I stare, frozen while he hovers.

His eyes drop to my mouth, and I lick my lips, arching the tiniest bit when he groans, and the low rumble causes his chest to brush mine once more.

My skin tingles at the contact. The world around us halts, time suspended as we stare at each other before he steps back and says, “Go.”

“No,” I whisper.

“No?” he growls, his brows slamming over his eyes. Grabbing my arm, he opens the door and pushes me inside as he says, “Get the fuck out of here.”

“Hey,” I gasp, pulling from his grasp. “Don’t fucking touch me.”

Raising his hands, he barks, “No problem. Now, be a good girl and go.”

For a moment, I just stare before my lower lip trembles, and I suck back a surge of tears. Damn him.

“Jesus, Lauren,” he says, rubbing his hand over his jaw before bowing his head.

Why is he upset? This isn’t about him.

“This is your last warning,” he mutters, raising his icy cold eyes to mine. “Colt and his sister don’t need your shit. Leave them be.”

Wow. Just fucking wow…

“Right,” I say, batting at the tears that spill over my lids.

Refusing to look at him, I pull the door closed as I sneer, “Colt and his sister…”

After that, I put the car in gear and peel away from the curb with a squeal of my tires.

Fuck him. Fuck them all.

That’s what I thought then, so why am I leaving my fate in Dirk’s hands now?

Chapter 36

NOW

Dirk

You have a brother?

The lost look in her sparkling green eyes passes over my vision as I peel out of Hayden’s driveway. My chest burns at that, but I set it aside because I can’t change how Lauren feels, although I wish I could because every time she says something like that, I have the urge to do shit that is dangerous both for her and me.

As soon as we’re on the street, Hayden glances at me sideways before saying, “You tell him?”

“Tell who, what?” I mutter.

After our last conversation, I thought I made it clear to that asshole that I meant business. I should have broken a few body parts to leave a lasting impression because it can’t be a coincidence that after I questioned him, two assholes jumped Lauren.

Why? My throat burns knowing I left her basically defenseless, but it never occurred to me that someone might get nervous.

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